Nursing instructor liability

[ann945n, RN]

Hi all. I am very interested in education and teaching nurses. I wonder for any teachers out there what is the legal concerns is a student nurse makes a mistake on your watch. Are they working under your license or where does the liability fall? Thanks for the input if anyone knows!!

[nursesail]

Generally, they are working under your license. You can get insurance to cover teaching. I know NSO has it and there are probably some other carriers that do as well. Word of caution, make sure the policy is incidence-based. If the incident happened when you were covered but nothing happened until later when you may not have had coverage, the insurance still covers. Make sure whatever policy you get allows for this. P.S.--generally, the students are VERY AFRAID of making a mistake and tend to err, if at all, on the side of caution.

[graceofone]

I was informed by NSO and the facility that I adjunct with that the students are NOT working under my liscense. Most CON require that students purchase Liability Insurance.

[slcpicu]

This is a huge myth. The students are not working under your lincense and alot of nursing schools incorp. a student malpractice insurance into their tution and fees. The student's I teach are not practicing under my lincense unless I ask them to do something that is clearly outside their scope of practice defined by the program or the facility that we are doing clinicals within. Hope that helps.

[iteachob, MSN, RN]

Students do not work under your license. The instructor IS LIABLE to make appropriate assignments, based on students level of preparation. Students are liable for their actions in clinical. This is why they carry Liability Insurance.

[ArwenEvenstar]

I taught LPN's a few years back and this is what I was told: The students are NOT working under your license! Students are responsible for their own actions. The instructor is not liable for the student's actions. However, as the instructor, I am expected to give "appropriate" assignments that match their current level of skills and training. I was told I could be held liable if I gave a student a totally inappropriate assignment. For instance, if I told a first semester student to go in all by themselves and insert a NG feeding tube and then initiate feedings...that would be a very inappropriate assignment. And if something bad happened as a result (pt aspirates) I could be held liable.

[ann945n, RN]

Thanks everyone for your input!