Nursing Malpractice Insurance
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Clearly, investing in nursing malpractice insurance is of major importance where safeguarding oneself from liability is concerned. In fact, there are a number of reasons why many nurses choose to secure this kind of round-the-clock protection. As a rule, these reasons are based on incidents arising from allegations that nurses caused some form of harm. And one million dollars is not an unusual amount for a nursing malpractice insurance claim. At any rate, especially in the case of injury, a nurse should receive appropriate and timely medical payments. Indeed, there have been instances where global protection proved to be of great benefit. "And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it." (Exodus 2:9).
Most commonly, an individual deals with either occurrence or claims-made policies. First of all, with an occurrence plan, if nurses are accused of negligence then they are covered even if the claim against them is made after the policy itself runs out. In other words, the alleged negligence claim made against the nurse is covered as long as the incident supposedly happened before the policy was canceled. Second, there are claims-made plans providing nursing malpractice insurance coverage only during the period that the policy is maintained. Obviously, keeping this kind of plan updated as long as the nurse is working would be best. Otherwise, any claims made against the nurse concerning past actions receive no malpractice coverage at all.
To begin with, understanding what personal injury actually means is very important when seeking insurance. Contrary to popular belief, personal injury does not refer to bodily harm. Instead, it actually means injury that results, for example, from: prosecution, wrongful eviction, false arrest, and either spoken or written slander. In the case of nursing malpractice insurance, any form of personal injury is covered only while the individual actually nurses. Also, if the policy has been allowed to lapse no coverage of this kind is possible. Meanwhile, the term personal liability refers to damage nurses allegedly cause to either property or another person. However, it is important for nurses to note that damages related to their job are not covered. This kind of coverage is already provided, for example, in the protection of one's home. The only benefit this has in a nursing malpractice insurance plan is for those not already covered from a previous source. In addition, a thorough understanding of the hazards involved with improper nursing documentation is of great consequence. Because effective documentation goes a long way towards safeguarding nurses and the subsequent interpretation of actions taken during their job performance. For instance, risk management courses available to nurses instruct them about proper charting. These courses cover areas such as: explaining which charting formats are preferable and which are not, promoting documentation clarity, illustrating dangerous mistakes commonly made, and demonstrating exactly how nursing documentation is viewed through legal glasses.
Also, when examining the various policy options available for nursing malpractice insurance, a person should ascertain whether the plan covers them when the shift is over as well. Decidedly, before transferring with a case to another hospital, a wise person finds out whether their coverage transfers along with them. It is also good to examine details about coverage for injuries occurring outside the nurse's place of employment. And the same goes for details pertaining to any possible future charges involving physical assault or slander. Perhaps one wishes coverage for these kind of incidents occurring inside the home. And too, close examination of the conditions under which a lawyer is provided is mandatory.
Of primary importance is investigating the insurance company's financial status and reputation. Especially in times of economic crisis, taking a very close look at the company's history, as well as its current activity and business connections in the financial world, in addition to media coverage is, again, of the utmost importance before engaging a company's plan. Naturally, obtaining a policy with a company likely to suddenly disappear provides neither true protection nor peace of mind. And, even if a nurse's employer says that they are already covered by them, it is still necessary to double check this out after requesting a copy for your own files. Indeed, a nurse has both the right and the personal obligation to ascertain facts such as: what exactly is one expected to do in the case of a lawsuit, who pays for the cost of legal representation, which type of policy provides their coverage, if that employer goes out of business will they still provide nursing malpractice insurance coverage, and to exactly what amount of medical payments is one is entitled.
Like it or not, the need for nursing malpractice insurance is here to stay. There are several professional nursing organizations, at least one of which has received an award for excellence, that provide a wide range of information enabling nurses to make the wisest choices. Furthermore, a person should be aware that special discounts are available, for example, to new graduates as well as student nurses. Malpractice insurance discounts are also available for nurses who have documented their study of risk management. In fact, even officially retired nurses are eligible for discounts as long as their license is still in effect. Also, a nurse should take advantage of various guides to malpractice that have been published. And finally, there are websites where one can enter their information quickly obtaining a quote for the desired coverage. On the whole, professional liability insurance, whether round the clock or round the globe, is an essential investment for guarding nurses against the pitfalls connected with liability claims.
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