Poll re: NP malpractice insurance

[tryingtohaveitall]

Hi all,

I know this is completely unscientific, but I would really appreciate as many partipants as possible for this poll on malpractice insurance. I read many people here stating to carry malpractice insurance (which I have done as a bedside nurse for 21 years), but I don't know any NPs IRL who carry their own malpractice insurance. They all state that "the hospital has good coverage." This makes me nervous and of course, I realize the safest thing is to carry my own in case something would happen (god forbid) and the hospital would throw me under the bus. Yet, it is quite expensive and so far, it's all been money going out. :)

[AtomicWoman]

I'm really not sure where I stand on this issue, but one of the NPs I work with said never to carry your own insurance, because it makes you more likely to be sued. If you have a juicy insurance policy to go after, you are more likely to be named in a suit. However, if all you have to offer are school loans, they aren't going to waste the money to pursue a defendant who will never be able to pay the judgement.

What that NP told you was complete and utter nonsense. Plaintiff's attorneys follow a strafing technique, where they name anyone and everyone that had the slightest thing to do with the case. From there, the defendants may or may not get winnowed down. The comment by elkpark is spot on regarding hospital policy. That's what allows the hospital to cut you loose from their defense of the suit: you didn't follow some obscure policy and that made you a bad employee. Poof, you'll find yourself having to hire your own lawyer to defend you.

[Annaiya, NP]

Thanks for the replies. That makes more sense. It's really sad that the hospitals will try so hard to not cover their employees. Not surprising, but sad.