It just amazes me when I talk to other nurses and discover that they do not carry any malpractice insurance. Many nurses believe wrongly that when working for a facility that they are covered under the company's malpractice insurance policies. I would immediately explain the process of the "company's" malpractice insurance coverage.
Any nursing professional can be sued! I do not want to scare you. I want to make you aware that you need to have your own malpractice insurance. It does not matter if you competent nurse or retired. If you hold a license you still can be sued. Here are some of the things you can be sued for:
You can make a mistake, maybe not intentionally but it happens.
Someone claims you made an error in your charting and/or reporting.
A doctor claims you misunderstood his orders.
A patient or relative claims you are negligent.
Someone you are supervising makes a mistake. (This is a good one since you are not the one that hired them)
You stop and help someone with an injury.
You give advice in any health matter.
The doctor or the facility being sued can turn around and sue you.
In the process of going to court, the jury can look at your participation in the matter. In so doing, the jury can find you negligent in their eyes. You can be held criminally responsible. Did I make it clear enough for you. My intent is to make sure you go into the nursing profession with your eyes open. The more you know, the better able you will be to act within the law and protect yourself against potential suits.
So Beware, get your own malpractice insurance.
http://advocatefornurses.typepad.com/my2cents/
Nurse at Risk: A Million Dollars Worth of Common Sense About Nursing Practice, Professional Liability Insurance, and How to Avoid Malpractice lawsuit
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