Truth vs. myths

[nurseinthemaking24, BSN, RN]

I am a new grad nurse and have heard a combo of different things and stigmas revolving around the idea of getting malpractice insurance. 

I was told by my preceptor to absolutely not get malpractice insurance because doctors attorneys, and or patient attorneys will see that you have it and come for you rather than the hospital and that the hospital is supposed to protect you. 
ideally yes the hospital is supposed to protect its nurses, but is that guaranteed? No

help..

[BagelBomber, ASN, BSN, RN]

When I was in my nurse residency program last year, the educator was adamant that malpractice insurance was not necessary. However, SEVERAL veteran nurses on my unit suggested getting it, so I have malpractice insurance through NSO. I don't know whether having or not having malpractice insurance is something that can be accessed by attorneys, but I can't imagine a patient's attorney suggesting to come for an individual nurse versus a huge hospital corporation because of malpractice insurance.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Lots of info and questions/answers here:

 

[Kitiger, RN]

 -I was taught in nursing school that the hospital probably would defend me against a common enemy, but - after the trial - the hospital just might turn around and sue ME.

[JKL33]

Made it to the other side of being employed by large health organizations without insurance and never had a problem. BUT. Things were much different when I started that journey and in 2022 there's no way I would do it again. IMO being employed by these wackos who don't staff safely and who treat nurses like Enemy #1 is the risk.

I say get insurance.

[Bigwave108, BSN, RN]

Unfortunately, your preceptor has given you very very bad advice.  Anyone who thinks a hospital protects nurses should check out the recent case of that Vanderbilt RN who gave a paralytic instead of a sedative.

Statistically, the best malpractice insurance is actually to build rapport with your patients and make sure you avoid catastrophic mistakes.  These two approaches are mostly in your control.  But yes, malpractice insurance is very popular with RNs for a reason.  What your preceptor told you makes her sound naïve or inexperienced, no judgement. 

[nurseinthemaking24, BSN, RN]

She honestly had a lot of experience, but was not a great preceptor. Like not at all, so I’m glad I asked! 

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Car insurance, house insurance, life insurance---all to protect my property and my life.  malpractice insurance x 45 years : priceless for piece of mind protecting myself--along with prudent practice -- costs ~125/yr  BARGAIN compared to other insurance.

[Davey Do]

Fear sells insurance.

Over 40 years in the field and have never, nor known anyone who, has been sued due to nursing malpractice. And I've been exposed to some really imprudent nurses doing imprudent things in multiple areas of nursing.

I carried insurance for the first 20 years of my career and found it to be, empirically speaking, less than useless.

[CommunityRNBSN, BSN, RN]

The insurance is so inexpensive, there’s probably no reason not to have it. 
 

A while back, when this question came up, somebody put out a call— “Has anyone ever actually used it?” Nobody on these forums seems to have ever needed it, or even to have known or heard of anybody who needed it (thus why it’s so cheap). One person did respond and say that when she was named in a lawsuit along with the hospital, she called her insurance company’s legal assistance line, and they told her “just do whatever the hospital’s lawyer says,” and that was the end of it. 

[LibraSunCNM, BSN, MSN, CNM]

From what I've gathered over the years, I'd say your preceptor is 100% wrong that having malpractice insurance will MAKE doctors/patients/attorneys "go after you" rather than your institution.  However, I've also gathered that having malpractice insurance isn't all that useful, because it's so unbelievably uncommon for an individual nurse to be sued.  There was a poster here awhile back named RiskManager (a nurse in risk management) who expounded on this topic at length, if you can search for the thread.

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

I have never been sued but I was named as a witness in two seperate cases involving Medical malpractice by physicians. In both cases I called NSO and had an attorney available to go with me when I was deposed. The lawyer kept the process on track and relatively painless - so what I pay in premiums is priceless.