Nursing Professional Claims Studies
Understanding Nurse Practitioner Liability: CNA HealthPro Nurse Practitioner Claims Analysis 1998-2008, Risk Control Strategies and Highlights of the 2009 NSO Survey
Did you know that claims for malpractice suits against nurse practitioners cost an average $189,300 plus another $42,900 for expenses such as legal costs? Or that nurse practitioners without prescriptive authority appear to be twice as likely to have a professional liability claim as those with prescriptive authority? Or that nurse practitioners who use electronic medical records instead of hand-written records report lower incidence of malpractice suits?
These are only a few of the informative insights you’ll find in this collaborative malpractice claims study by NSO and CNA. The study is broken into three sections:
- Statistical data from CNA’s claims files on malpractice lawsuits brought against NSO nurse practitioner insureds between 1998-2008
- Risk management recommendations designed to help nurse practitioners reduce their professional liability exposures
- The results of a survey conducted among 3,037 nurse practitioners, including 287 nurse practitioners involved in malpractice claims
The only report of its kind in the nation, this study provides nurse practitioners and businesses with a valuable tool for managing liability risks.
Read Press Release of CNA’s Nurse Practitioner Claims Study (1998-2008)
Read CNA's Nurse Practitioner Claims Study (1998-2008)
Read Summary of CNA's Nurse Practitioner Claims Study (1998-2008)
Read the Full Report of the NSO Survey Findings (2009)
Read CNA's Nurse Practitioner Claims Study (1994-2004)
CNA HealthPro Nurse Claims Study:
An Analysis of Claims With Risk Management Recommendations 1997-2007
While common perception may be that doctors bear the brunt of lawsuits, the reality is that nurses are increasingly finding themselves defending the very care they provide to patients.
NSO and CNA’s “Nurse Claims Study” examines the overall nursing litigation environment and provides risk control recommendations. The analysis reviews 10 years (1997 – 2007) of malpractice suits brought against NSO insureds.
Three key findings uncovered by the study:
- Over $94 million in claims settlements and expenses have been paid out over the course of the 10 years analyzed, and an additional $43 million is set in reserve for open suits.
- While the obstetrics/gynecology nurse specialty realized the highest average paid claims at $335,000, the medical/surgical nurse specialty accounted for 56% of all closed claims.
- Thirty-eight percent of claims came from a hospital inpatient setting (excluding the hospital emergency department’s 7.8 percent).
The study is divided into three major sections: claim data and analysis, examination of the overall nursing litigation environment and risk control recommendations.

