Poll: do you have professional liability insurance?

[SDANG]

If yes, please indicate where you have your professional Liability Insurance (and any contact info - website, etc - for the business)

[Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN]

On 5/12/2019 at 3:22 PM, morelostthanfound said:

Administrators' and corporate attorneys' first priority is not in protecting their employees- it's damage control and doing just about whatever to avoid paying out a multi-million dollar settlement. Don't be so naive to think they wouldn't do it to you in a heartbeat. All that "adhering to policy...protection" is mostly ********** that is much softer that the harsh reality.

I want to add,Have you ever found a clear cut policy on something when you have needed it?! All vague and leave room for "interpretation",take for example controversial topic such as age of viability in a preterm ,do you revive, ignore,place in separate room,comfort care,morgue or lab ?

Hospitals do borderline legal stuff and leave the nurse to take the blame.

NSO since school,required when I did home care for a period,never leave home with out it...:))

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

Yes. I got it the day I graduated. NSO - a million dollar policy costs $130/yr. Many of the travel agencies require all their nurses have insurance.

[GTRN- Pmhnp, ASN]

Of course I have insurance. Provided through NSO. You can never be too safe. It was highly recommended by my nursing faculty when I graduated

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Just like I have automobile and home owners insurance, I have professional liability through CM&F --$113/yr, renewed annually since 1982. Coverage is for $2,000,000/$6,000,000 , includes HIPAA rider and BON representation. As homecare RN accepting orders from physicians in 3 states, have peace of mind that MY interests, not employers will be represented. Seen too many stories posted at AN to be without coverage.

sirI , legal nurse consultant has posted excellent article:

Should I Carry Nursing Malpractice (Liability) Insurance .

[BrisketRN, BSN, RN]

NSO Insurance. I'm a school nurse. I like to cover my behind.

Also to note, there is a theory that goes around that having Liability Insurance makes you more likely to be sued. This is false. Nursing liability insurance is not public information. Unless you're somehow communicating that you have liability insurance to everyone around, then there is no way for anyone to know and then sue you.

[GSDlvrRN, MSN]

On 5/12/2019 at 9:30 AM, hppygr8ful said:

I have Nurses Service Organization California one million dollar rider which protects me and mine.

Hppy

Same here!

[JBudd, MSN]

NSO for me too, for all my 38 years. Been deposed twice, but didn't have to defend in court. I like the feeling of my safety net.

[SDANG]

Thank you all for your input. I just bought a house and have been getting to know my neighbors, many who say they are "glad there is a nurse" in the neighborhood, just in case....

eek!

I just worry if someone would need help, if they wouldn't be happy with whatever I help with, you know

.... and I volunteered at my church and said I would happy to help in any way needed....they ask for your occupation on the volunteer application, so being a nurse they wanted me to be a "first aid emergency" person at one service per month or something. I declined, worried about people suing and so forth.... but if I had insurance maybe i could actually do that without worrying as much about it.

I'll look into those two companies listed here! thank you all ?

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

1 hour ago, SDANG said:

Thank you all for your input. I just bought a house and have been getting to know my neighbors, many who say they are "glad there is a nurse" in the neighborhood, just in case....

eek!

I just worry if someone would need help, if they wouldn't be happy with whatever I help with, you know

.... and I volunteered at my church and said I would happy to help in any way needed....they ask for your occupation on the volunteer application, so being a nurse they wanted me to be a "first aid emergency" person at one service per month or something. I declined, worried about people suing and so forth.... but if I had insurance maybe i could actually do that without worrying as much about it.

l

If you're working as a good Samaritan (check your state law) then you are not held liable (unless you really show poor nursing judgment). I always respond the the neighbor visit with "What does your doctor say" or "Yes, that needs to be seen." Most of the time my neighbors are assessing severity - like, does this need to be seen in the clinic now or can it wait?

Re: church- EXCELLENT question. I would ask if the church has Liability Insurance for lay leadership. Many pastoral care nurses go above and beyond for their congregations. One year I helped out taking BPs and realized that because I had no MD to refer these folks to that I didn't feel comfortable formally screening with no mechanism to ensure further assessment and treatment.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

This is a frequently posed topic on Allnurses; you can find a multitude of previous responses if you want more feedback.

Bottom line is that you should carry malpractice insurance. Period.

[amoLucia]

You pose 2 intriguing situations.

I remember an occasion where the speaker recommended that nurses really REFRAIN from giving advice to neighbors. Yes, you're just trying to be helpful, but if things go south for the neighbor, the first words out of that mouth will be "well, my neighbor, THE NURSE, said ...". And you're sunk. You are just as responsible for anything and everything you assess and recommend when out in such a casual environment as you would be in a work situation. I even use EXTREME caution when dealing with relatives.

For similar reasons, I hesitate re the church 'volunteer' situations. Unless they have some kind of insurance 'rider' on their formal policy (and I have my own copy) I would decline. I doubt they would want to include extra charges for 'volunteer' activities.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

NSO. Should something happen (God forbid), I don't trust any employer to have my back. I'm sure that they would protect me to a point...but if it ever came down to an employer choosing between what's best for them versus what's best for me, I know I'm getting thrown under the bus. And I can't blame them because if it were me making that decision, I'd do the same thing to them.

So I'd rather have the peace of mind knowing that if I ever needed it, I have someone who would be fighting to protect ONLY me.