Why Nurses Need Malpractice Insurance
According to the American Nurses Association, only 47 percent of respondents to a recent online poll carried malpractice insurance. While a nurse can expect coverage under her employer's policy, individual professional liability insurance remains a wise investment for a number of reasons.
Other People Are Reading
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Conflict of Interest
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An individual policy can alleviate fears of conflict of interest between the nurse and her employer by providing the opportunity for the nurse to retain her own, independent counsel to represent her interests.
Non-Coverage
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An individual policy will offer protection in instances where a nurse's employer's policy may not provide coverage. It will also protect the nurse in the event her employer pursues a claim against her for negligence.
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Licensure Actions
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Professional liability insurance can provide coverage for actions brought by boards of nursing against a nurse's license. These include investigations of reports of inappropriate behavior, or drug or alcohol abuse.
Self-Employed and Volunteer Nurses
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Because self-employed nurses and those who volunteer do not have an employer policy available to them, they should definitely carry professional liability insurance.
Policy Limits
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If a nurse carries higher limits than physicians in his region do, those higher limits could make him a target once litigation begins. Consult with an insurance professional and even a lawyer before making a decision on policy limits.
Considerations
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Nurses undecided about whether to purchase malpractice insurance might consider asking their employer for a copy of the company's policy and reviewing it to see the extent of coverage it provides.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of The U.S. Army
