DougMSNRN
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WOW. What a supportive discussion! When I completed my undergrad in nursing, I knew I wanted to be specialized as an ANP. So, I went to a hospital that allowed nurses into specialty areas. I did not think I needed to do floor nursing. I was right. Two months after my orientation ended I had a patient on ECMO. IT WAS AWESOME! If you are self-aware about what you want your practice to look like and you have had an excellent orientation, new nurses should not be discouraged from entering the specialty setting. When I started as a preceptor for my unit, I attended a 16 week class to be in this role. The majority of the class content was communication techniques to correctly communicate to my new nurse feedback that was useful. Most of it was a no-brainier. We also had de-briefings with the unit educator after each week. These were separate from the sessions the new nurse had with the orientee. Oh, and another thing. I was rewarded on how my new nurse did. If after orientation my nurse was still in the unit after 30 days, I got $1,000. When they hit 90 days, I got another $1,000. When they hit 6 months, I got $3,000. All of us that volunteered for this had our new nurses w/ us for every shift for 3 months. Doug
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Hi- I've read a good number of replies here. And, I'm writing this from the perspective of someone who has managed litigation in a large medical center where nurses (including the nurse executive (yes, cnos can be held culpable for nursing care in their departments)) were named as defendants. so, here is the input from my perspective. Most risk managers will tell you that you do not need to carry PL (professional liability) insurance because you are covered under the policy of the institution you are working. Generally, this is true. There are caveats to this, like if you're a mid-level provider (NP, CNM, CNS, or CRNA, for instance). But, most institutions will cover you under their policy. Here's where it may get 'sticky': - Are you an agency nurse? if you are, the organization you work for needs to have $1m/$3m limits. However, some agencies have 'issues' with their coverage and limits. Also, agencies have gone after their staff (that has since moved on) for damages awarded to plaintiffs if anything the nurse did as a registry staff was questionable. If you are an agency nurse, you are an idiot if you don't have this type of protection. - Do you work in a highly litigious specialty? Labor and Delivery, OR and ED are very heavy with malpractice allegations. who's going to compensate you for deposition/discovery time, travel time, time off work, etc. If the malpractice claim was opened 4 years ago and you've since moved on? - Do you believe the 'If I have insurance it's just a reason to be named as a defendant' motto? Don't. While it's true that if you have PL coverage and you are named, the organization you are a co-defendant with may attempt to collect part of the defense costs w/ your pl carrier, this is a small draw-back from knowing you have participated in the defense effort. And, what happens if during the course of discovery the organizations defense strategy doesn't mesh with yours? If you have your own PL coverage, your carrier is able to secure you separate defense council. - And, the big one: What happens if your license is called into question? No organization is going to willingly provide you with counsel for this type of hearing. Your PL carrier will (depending on the coverage you purchase). Bottom line: Nurses are being called more often to provide aggressive nursing care. Simply stating "I called the doctor" isn't cutting the mustard any longer. As society has gotten older and the healthcare system has become more burdened, nurses have moved from 'custodial' roles to 'professional' roles. This makes having PL coverage a no-brainer.