Should I or should I not have my own personal nursing liability insurance???...

[Queen2u]

So, I have been a Registered Nurse for 3 years now and I have never had Liability Insurance. I just started a new full time staff nurse in southern California, mother-baby. Nurses at my previous job in a different state advised me to not get it. I haven't had insurance yet as a practicing nurse. What should I do???!! Pros/cons?

[Davey Do]

Having worked as an Agency Nurse, a Community Nurse, and having been the First Medical Professional on Trauma Situations, I've felt more comfortable knowing that I have the Safety Net of Nursing Liabilty Insurance.

Carrying Nursing Liability has other perks than just covering Your Behind in the event of a Lawsuit. For example, there was this Concerning Situation involving a Non-Licensed Staff Person performing duties outside of Her Boundaries at a Mental Health Clinic. I contacted my Liability Insurance and processed the situation with a JD/RN. She guided me through The Process and advised me of actions to take.

Nursing Liability Insurance Representatives are also there to help prevent lawsuits.

The Non-Licensed Staff Person lost her job as a result of My Actions. I was terminated two weeks later for Other Reasons.

I had been reading the Writing on The Wall and had another More Lucrative Position lined up to transition into. To top it all off, I got really good Severance Pay, won my Unemployment benefits Case, and got to keep My License.

Yeah- I'm In Favor of Nursing Liability Insurance.

[jcbhappy]

Were you in a facility that was unionized? I am weighing the pros and cons of a union facility.. Have a vague job offer at the facility where I am a student nurse (I work there outside of clinical, some rotations are other places) Non union there, but some union facilities close by....

DaveyDo: directed to you and OP

[Davey Do]

Were you in a facility that was unionized?

DaveyDo: directed to you and OP

The Mental Health Clinic wher the incident occurred was non-union. You do bring up a good point, jcbhappy. Unions can be an adjunct.

Actually, when I worked at a unionized state facilty, I was once charged with Patient neglect/abuse.

These charges were brought against me after I made a decision to not give a Patient some Tylenol. Both the Patient and I was okay with my actions, but a Tech/CNA just happen to mention the scenerio to an Administrator. The Administrator brought the charges against me.

The union helped to get the charges dropped without involving the Insurance co. At that time, I probably didn't even consider the their involvement, as this was not a lawsuit. However it would have been a good idea to utilize the Insurance company's services in conjunction with the union's.

[Davey Do]

You carry home owners insurance but that doesn't mean you want your house to burn down.

In addition to Home Owners covering your hame, many policies provide some services that aren't directly connected with The Home.

Point in fact: I was being sued for $50,000 as a result conditions arising from a Physical Altercation about a dozen years ago. A Lawyer directed me to my Home Owner's Insurance.

Sure enough, although the altercation did not occur on my premises, my Home Owner's Policy covered me for Legal Expenses.

The End Result? The Person suing me spent about $15,000 on the Lawsuit and lost The Suit, I had to pay $3500 in Court Costs, and my Home Owner's Insurance paid $10,000 in Legal Fees.

I could say something like, "Home Owners Insurance. It covers your Home, and sometimes, Your Behind".

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

This has been discussed over and over. The hospital will gladly cover you, but only if you follow every policy and procedure to the T. You are NOT more likely to get sued, that is a big misconception. They can't just "go after you" if you have insurance, there has to be a cause for them to name you in a suit. Most of the time, nurses are NOT named individually, you are named with a group from the hospital. You are going to be working in an area with potential for litigation (maternal-child are the highest litigated areas), better to pay a hundred and some dollars and be safe.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

"covered by your employer" lasts as long as the hospital's insurance says it does. it's not the hospital that pays, it's their insurance. if their insurance pays a claim made against the hospital due to something you did, it is within its legal rights to turn around and recover their loss from ... you. don't believe that "they only go after the deep pockets." they go after everyone. and no amount of assurance from "the hospital" will prevent them from doing it.

also, the hospital's atty will not hesitate to throw you under the bus. having your own malpractice insurance also, in most cases, gives you your own attorney, who is looking out for your interests. of course, your malpractice insurance is looking after their own interests, too, because if you go under the bus, they will end up paying, so they defend you vigorously.

never, never, never practice without insurance. it's cheap as dirt and can save you a world of hurt.

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

For all the reasons listed above, I would never work a single shift as a nurse in any setting without my own Liability Insurance.

[GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN]

so, i have been a registered nurse for 3 years now and i have never had liability insurance. i just started a new full time staff nurse in southern california, mother-baby. nurses at my previous job in a different state advised me to not get it. i haven't had insurance yet as a practicing nurse. what should i do???!! pros/cons?

after reading all of the previous post i will add my :twocents:, it's just like having car insurance, life insurance, etc. you don't miss it until you need it! moreover, yes most facilities will cover you, however,for a little amount of money it's worth a peace of mind, just saying:cool:

[catiern]

The only time I ever had to defend a "named" nurse in a med-mal case is when she had insurance. It is insanity for the facility to "throw you under the bus" since that would be admitting negligence on its part as the employer. The decision to purchase the insurance should be based on whether you have high personal assets that could possibly be targeted by the Plaintiff's attorney, and how much peace of mind you want in the event the coverage you purchase includes representation at potential BON actions.

[Queen2u]

This is what my concern was, that someone would "go after me" if they found out that I had my own personal malpractice insurance. It seems like everyone is leaning towards "yes" rather than "no". I am gonna go ahead and look up insurance sites. Thanks for all the input everyone!

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

For you to be NAMED in a suit, they have to have to be able to say you caused harm. And then when it goes to court, the jury will decide if you did our didn't follow protocol and or were negligent, etc. They just don't go out randomly pulling names to sue. And believe me, they will toss you if you didn't follow protocol, they aren't going to defend you because they don't have a leg to stand on. I have been called as a witness in several suits at my place of employment and believe me, if someone did something wrong, the hospital is going to settle most likely, but the person that was harmed can go after the person who didn't follow what they were supposed to. And esp if you work in a highly litigated area, such as OB, NICU, etc you are better safe than sorry. The policy also covers legal expenses if you are assaulted, etc.

[VioletKaliLPN, LPN]

I have professional Liability Insurance, I would not work without it.

No one knows I have it, it is not as if I have a bumper sticker which reads "Insured Nurses here, sue my butt off". I do not discuss my liability insurance, it is not something which comes up in conversations.