Protect Yourself Now

I just spoke to another nurse who is trying to find the money to defend herself against an investigation by the Board. It is extremely risky and dangerous to represent yourself before the Board, so it is crucial that all nurses obtain legal representation. You need an attorney whether you are guilty or not and the Board does not think you are guilty just because you have an attorney. (More in a future post about why nurses should not represent themselves)

What can a nurse do today to plan for a potential investigation by the Board? Purchase malpractice insurance!!!! Be sure the policy contains licensure protection or a rider to cover any actions before the Nursing Board. By buying malpractice insurance with licensure protection, a nurse not only obtains legal representation for a lawsuit but also for legal representation before the Board of Nursing. But, a nurse cannot buy insurance for an incident that has already occurred. The insurance must be in place before an occurrence.

It costs money to defend yourself against a lawsuit or an action by the Nursing Board. Even if you are innocent, you will still have to defend yourself. The costs include legal fees, consultant fees, expenses, expert fees and more. It is cheaper and provides peace of mind regarding your finances to have malpractice insurance.

Watch for future posts explaining the misconceptions of malpractice insurance and how to find insurance.