Should I purchase liability insurance?

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I work in the public school system.....Should I join NAE and/or purchase specifically for school nurses? I'm curious to know what other school nurses do?

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Specializes in School nurse.

I carry NSO even though I belong to the teachers union. Since there are only two of us in the union that are medical as opposed to a hundred teachers, I'm not banking on the union helping me with any medical litigation.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

I belong to no organizations or a union. There are possibilities in the school setting (different from the hospital r clinic setting) where a nurse may have to defend themselves for a reason not arising from professional "neglect." I purchase a liability policy which covers me for any incident from which I have to defend myself, legally, associated with my employment. Just throwing that out...

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I carry NSO even though I belong to the teachers union. Since there are only two of us in the union that are medical as opposed to a hundred teachers, I'm not banking on the union helping me with any medical litigation.

This.

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Specializes in NCSN.
I work in the public school system.....Should I join NAE and/or purchase liability insurance specifically for school nurses? I'm curious to know what other school nurses do?

Depends on your district. I'm lucky to be in a larger one where most of the nurses are in the union, so we actually have a separate person from the teachers that we would contact if legal services were needed. When I did home health I carried my own coverage.

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.

Yes to purchasing insurance (I went through NSO but there are others). That was a recommendation from my supervisor when he hired me. I also belong to one of the two unions. When another nurse had a parent complain to the BON, the union apparently paid for the lawyer, but I guess I'd ask the question before I put all my eggs in that basket.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

I also have NSO. I belong to a union and have been looked at by the state for improperly doing my job, which I wasn't - but I was naive to the fact that anyone can make up any brazen fact that they want about you(some people fall out of the crazy tree and hit every branch on the way down) and that the state has to act on it. Thank god for tight charting, union representation and knowing that my malpractice was also hanging out in the background in case i needed it. The hundred and change is worth the lost night of sleep - and there are plenty in your are ever in that sitch - hope none of you are.

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I have NSO, is there a policy specific to school nursing? I have just continued my policy from when I was full time in the hospital. I still work PRN at the hospital also.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

I'm not sure I got my point across. Examine your policies and identify what the coverage is and what the coverage isn't. In today's environment, a negative allegation against you requires you to prove yourself innocent or risk torpedoing your career. This may have nothing to do with nursing "negligence." It's not right but it's reality. Especially in the school setting where parents are allowed to say pretty much anything they want to with no repercussion or accountability.

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