Because learning doesn't end with a cap and a gown.

We've gathered the latest insights from the some of the best minds in nursing to bring you practical and relevant information.

Select your category:

Most Recent


Nurse Practitioner Case Study: Failure to diagnose tick-borne illness

Diagnosis-related allegations represent a significant area of liability for nurse practitioners (NPs). Diagnosis-related allegations can stem from factors such as the NP’s failure to order appropriate diagnostic tests to establish a diagnosis, failure to obtain a complete patient and family history and thorough patient physical assessment, and/or a lack of sound documentation supporting the decision-making process of the treating NP. This case study involves a nurse practitioner (NP) who was working in an urgent care clinic.

Workarounds: 6 ways nurse leaders can reduce their risks

Nurses must contend with many competing demands during a typical shift (delivering care to patients, educating families, communicating with other members of the healthcare team, to name just a few), often causing them to seek ways to compress everything they must do into a short time frame.

License Protection Scenario: Nurse Reprimanded by Board of Nursing After Supervisor Files Complaint

Legal Defense Costs:  $14,000
Time to Resolve Matter:  2.5 years

Nurse Case Study: Failure to monitor and inadequate documentation in home health setting

RN working in home health setting fails to monitor and properly document ulcer wounds in post-surgical Alzheimer’s patient.

Nurse Practitioner Case Studies: State Board of Nursing matters involving allegations of a non-clinical nature

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses and License Protection Case Studies with Risk Management Strategies, Presented by NSO

Nurse Case Study: Wrongful delegation of patient care to unlicensed assistive personnel

Our insured was a registered nurse (RN) employed by a home healthcare agency. She was with a patient when she received a telephone call from a certified nursing assistant (CNA) who was employed at the same agency.

Nurse Practitioner Case Study: Failure to monitor; failure to complete documentation in a timely manner

The patient (plaintiff) in this case was a 50-year-old male who first came to our insured nurse practitioner (NP) after researching his symptoms on the internet.

Full practice authority: What it means for NPs

Recent developments have led to significant progress with achieving full practice authority (FPA) for nurse practitioners (NPs) in the United States. However, it’s crucial for NPs to understand that FPA comes with professional responsibilities and the need to protect yourself against potential liability. This article provides a general overview of state practice and licensure laws, trends driving FPA, and strategies that NPs can use to reduce potential legal action related to their practice.

Documenting nursing assessments in the age of EHRs

Nurses have grown accustomed to documenting assessment results in the electronic health record (EHR), rapidly clicking responses to assessment checklist questions. However, at times nurses complete these actions without giving enough thought to their documentation because they want to move on to their “real” work: caring for patients.

Liability considerations as nurse practitioners’ scope of practice expands

The authors of the report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine state that allowing NPs to practice to the full extent of their education and training will improve access to care and health equity. The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity, released May 2021, calls for eliminating restrictions on the scope of practice of nurse practitioners (NPs).

When the patient disagrees

Nurses and nurse practitioners take pride in providing detailed information to patients to help them make treatment decisions. But what happens when patients don’t make what you think is the “right” choice? Ultimately, you need to respect the patient’s autonomy and right to choose (self-determination) even if you feel the patient isn’t making the best decision, for example, by refusing an important diagnostic test.

Risk Management Considerations in Telehealth and Telemedicine

As the provision of healthcare services via technology—commonly called telehealth or telemedicine—expands during the current COVID-19 emergency period, questions arise regarding the permitted scope of practice, licensure requirements and compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), among other regulatory-based inquiries.

Healing and Humor in Nursing: A Path to Resilience

Date: Wednesday, April 27, 2022 
Time: 03:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Duration: 1 hour

Defending Your License: Strategies for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs)

The presentation will focus on providing strategies for advanced practice nurses to defend their professional license.

Defending Your License: Strategies for Nursing Professionals

In 2017, more actions were taken against nursing licenses in the U.S. than there were malpractice claims.  

-National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB)  

Workplace Violence Prevention: Recommendations for Nurses

Nurses are at increased risk for experiencing workplace violence due to their close contact with patients as well as working in an occupational environment marked by stress and burnout.

Medical Malpractice 101 for Nursing Students: Know the Facts, Know Your Risk

What do nursing students need to know about medical malpractice? What should nurses know about their professional liability risks?

5 Common Legal Issues in Nursing

While registered nurses and licensed practical/vocational nurses (“nurses”) work to ensure the safety and well-being of their patients, they may also face a range of potential legal challenges - from malpractice lawsuits to licensing board complaints - that can have a significant impact on their careers and personal lives. By understanding the legal issues that may arise in their practice, nurses can protect themselves and their patients while delivering the best possible care.

Workarounds: 6 ways nurse leaders can reduce their risks

Nurses must contend with many competing demands during a typical shift (delivering care to patients, educating families, communicating with other members of the healthcare team, to name just a few), often causing them to seek ways to compress everything they must do into a short time frame.

The Non-Adherent Patient: Risk Control Strategies for Nurses

Patient non-adherence can come in many forms: unwillingness to follow a course of therapy, repeated missed appointments, rejecting treatment recommendations, reluctance to take medications, refusal to provide information or chronic late payments. If left unchecked, such conduct may result in litigation.

Substance use disorders and drug diversion among nurses

Drug diversion occurs when a healthcare clinician diverts a drug intended for a patient for their own purposes. Clinicians steal drugs to sell or use themselves because they are suffering from substance use disorder (SUD).

Nurse Practitioner Case Study: Failure to diagnose tick-borne illness

Diagnosis-related allegations represent a significant area of liability for nurse practitioners (NPs). Diagnosis-related allegations can stem from factors such as the NP’s failure to order appropriate diagnostic tests to establish a diagnosis, failure to obtain a complete patient and family history and thorough patient physical assessment, and/or a lack of sound documentation supporting the decision-making process of the treating NP. This case study involves a nurse practitioner (NP) who was working in an urgent care clinic.

A systematic approach to ethical decision-making for nurses

Throughout their careers, nurses, nurse practitioners, and other nursing professionals will encounter challenging situations at work that present ethical dilemmas. Deciding what to do in these situations can cause significant stress, as the appropriate course of action can vary depending on each unique set of circumstances. This article reviews a model that nursing professionals can use as a guide to help them gain a better understanding of conflicting issues and navigate ethical dilemmas.

Nurses’ Malpractice Insurance Claim Reports

Ever wonder why nurses are sued for malpractice and what you can do to reduce the risk of a potential lawsuit? Now you can find out. NSO, in collaboration with CNA, has released their new report: Nurse Professional Liability Exposure Claim Report: 4th Edition: Minimizing Risk, Achieving Excellence.

Nurse Video Case Study: Failure to assess and monitor

Failure to complete nursing assessments or adequately monitor patients are some of the most frequent malpractice allegations asserted against nurses. They account for a combined 12.7% of all malpractice claims against nurses, according to the Nurse Professional Liability Exposure Claim Report: 4th Edition. These claims most often involved nurses working in areas of high patient acuity, such as the ED, ICU, and PACU.

NSO Puts Your Best Interests First

You’ve studied hard and invested a lot of time and resources into becoming a nurse. You identify as a nurse. it’s your career. Your ability and license to practice can be taken away by a complaint. Further, one lawsuit can be financially devastating in legal fees. Help protect your investment and future by renewing.

Nurse Practitioner Case Study: Failure to Diagnose

Failure to diagnose is the most frequent malpractice allegation asserted against nurse practitioners. It accounts for 32.8% of all malpractice claims against nurse practitioners, according to the Nurse Practitioner Claim Report: 4th Edition. Failure to diagnose cancer and failure to diagnose infections account for 50% of failure to diagnose allegations.

Nurse Practitioner Case Study: Failure to Diagnose

Failure to diagnose is the most frequent malpractice allegation asserted against nurse practitioners. It accounts for 32.8% of all malpractice claims against nurse practitioners, according to the Nurse Practitioner Claim Report: 4th Edition. Failure to diagnose cancer and failure to diagnose infections account for 50% of failure to diagnose allegations.

Responding to questions in a pre-trial deposition.

This video can help you be prepared. 

Learn about malpractice prevention and earn CE credits.

"Focus on Malpractice Prevention" is a risk management continuing education program that offers CE accreditation and a 10% discount on NSO premiums. 

Nurse Practitioner Professional Liability Exposure Claim Report: 5th Edition

This Nurse Practitioner Claim Report, released by NSO and CNA, reports that the average total incurred of professional liability claims is $332,137 in 2022. 

Avoiding diagnostic errors: Strategies for nurse practitioners

Diagnosis is an essential part of the nurse practitioner (NP) role. An accurate diagnosis serves as the basis for treatment and achieving optimal patient outcomes. Unfortunately, making a diagnosis can be a complicated process that can lead to errors. An inaccurate or missed diagnosis can result in an NP being named in a lawsuit, which can have professional (loss of job) and personal (loss of income) consequences. In fact, NSO and CNA’s 2022 report, Nurse Practitioner Professional Liability Exposure Claim Report: 5th Edition, notes that diagnosis-related malpractice claims topped the list of reasons for allegations against NPs at 37.1 percent of claims in the report dataset. But by understanding potential sources of error during the diagnostic process, NPs can help ensure patients receive optimal care and reduce their risk of legal liability.

Ready to enhance your risk management education?

Stay up to date on industry insights, trends, and tips when you sign up to receive our exclusive monthly newsletter. You’ll receive case studies, industry insights, articles, videos, webinars, and more!
 

Fill out my online form.