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.

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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. 

Administer meds without a doctor's order? Proceed with caution.

Registered nurses generally should administer medications only with a physician’s order. Only certain advanced practice nurses have prescriptive authority, and their qualifications, as well as the type of drug and the amount they are allowed to prescribe, vary from state to state.

Charting by exception: the legal risks.

There are numerous variations to charting by exception. Virtually every facility that uses such a system does it differently.

Are You Filing Incident Reports Properly?

Knowing when—and how—to file incident reports can help you to protect yourself, your patients, your colleagues, and your organization.   

Keeping up with technology: your risks and responsibilities.

Information technology is constantly evolving. Among the most common types are electronic health records (EHRs) and computerized physician order entry systems (CPOEs).

Don't cross the line: respecting professional boundaries.

At best, nurses and patients develop a special bond based on trust, compassion, and mutual respect.

Do's and Don'ts of Documentation

Good documentation can help nurses defend themselves in a malpractice lawsuit, and keep them out of court in the first place. 

Nurse Fatigue Creates a Dangerous Environment

Nurses work long hours and play a critical role in keeping patients healthy. Many nurses feel that fatigue “comes with the territory” of such a high-stress, high-impact job. But what’s really at risk when a nurse is fatigued? 

Documentation: proactive prevention of litigation.

There is no quick and effective antidote to malpractice allegations. Prevention, however, is necessary.

Documentation on trial: 9 ways to protect your agency.

In most states, a patient can wait several years to file a lawsuit and then it can take years before the suit goes to court.

Defensive Documentation: Steps Nurses Can Take to Improve Their Charting and Reduce Their Liability

Whether you are an experienced nurse or recent grad, documentation can be challenging. Here is some information that can assist with improving your charting and reducing liability risks:  

How documentation could come back to haunt you.

The confusing or opinionated words you choose in charting today could come back to haunt you tomorrow.

Abbreviations in Documentation: A shortcut to disaster for Nurses

Trying to save time by using abbreviations? Make sure that you aren't putting yourself or your patients in jeopardy.

Responding to questions in a pre-trial deposition.

This video can help you be prepared. 

Test Your Liability IQ: Top Reasons Nurses Get Sued

This webinar explores indemnity and expense payments for professional liability claims on behalf of nurses, RN, LPN and LVNs, insured under the CNA/NSO program during the most recent five-year period, 2011-2015.

A Solution to Sitters That Won’t Fall Short

Patient falls continue to be a leading cause of preventable injury in U.S. hospitals1.

Creating Inclusiveness for Transgender Patients

As a nursing professional, being attuned to the needs of transgender patients helps you ensure their health needs are met and reduces the risk of legal liability.

Hospital Workplace Violence and Safety Response

Healthcare workers, and in particular hospital workers, are at high risk for workplace violence. Yet many hospitals don’t have safety protocols in place, and those that do often haven’t examined protocol adherence or efficacy.

Dispensing Alert! Dial, Set, and Lock that Dose

NSO and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) have teamed up to help you practice safe medication use and keep patients safe. The following is an ISMP Medication Safety Alert from the August 2017 NSO Risk Advisor.

Social Media Etiquette for Nursing Professionals

Social media is a powerful tool that almost everyone uses, but it’s important to remember that what’s shared on social media can have negative effects on your life and career.   

The Ins and Outs of Patient Abandonment

What is patient abandonment, and why do nursing students need to know about it? 

End of Life Care: Responsibilities and Risks

Nurses can make a major contribution in easing the transition from aggressive treatment to palliative care, regardless of the setting. To do so, they must be prepared to make ethical and humane decisions while also avoiding professional liability exposures.

When to Refuse a Nursing Assignment

Being assigned to an unfamiliar clinical area is one thing, but what if you are ordered to perform an unfamiliar procedure or a task that’s outside the scope of nursing practice? When should you refuse an assignment?

Protect Your Professional License, Protect Your Livelihood

When you purchase your own professional liability insurance policy through Nurses Service Organization (NSO), you have peace of mind knowing that you have the resources available to protect your license and your right to practice.

Overcoming the pitfalls of medication reconciliation

Any time there’s a hand-off in patient care, there’s an increased risk for a medication error. Medication reconciliation has been used to help bridge this hand-off communication on admission, between transfers in the hospital, and at discharge.

Reducing readmissions through discharge communication

One of the most important transitions in the continuum of care is patient discharge. Unfortunately, many patients across the country will leave hospitals, clinics, and healthcare provider offices unsure about what medications to take, when to make a follow-up appointment, and other critical details about their care.

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.

What to Do in an Active Shooter Situation

Does your workplace have a plan in place for how to handle an active shooter? Would you know how to react to protect yourself and your patients or clients?

Medication Management for Advanced Practice Nurses: Protecting Yourself from Liability

NSO and The American Association of Nurse Attorneys is hosting a workshop on Medication Management. Attendees will obtain 3 Continuing Education Credits*.

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?

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.

Wrongful Designation Attorney's Designation of A Testifying Expert Without the Expert Knowledge

At a recent annual conference of the American Association of Insurance Management Consultants (“AAIMCo”), the agenda included a session on an emerging issue which AAIMCo refers to as Wrongful Designation that expert witnesses may need to pay close attention to. Wrongful Designation is when an attorney designates an individual as a testifying expert without the expert’s knowledge.
 

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)  

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.

Renewing in 4 Simple Steps

We’ve made it easy to renew your policy online. All you need is your policy number and zip code. And we’ve also included an autopay capability to make renewing next year even easier.

4 Risks Nurses Face Amid Coronavirus (COVID-19)

As the coronavirus spreads and nurses are tasked with caring for an influx of patients, the Nurses Service Organization risk management team has identified four specific risks/tips nurses should keep in mind to protect themselves. Download the infographic here.

5 Most Commonly Questions About Malpractice Coverage

Everyone who has insurance also has questions about their insurance. Don’t worry—we’re here to answer any questions you have. 

Thinking of relying on your employer's malpractice coverage? Think again

Employer-provided malpractice insurance delivers only partial coverage

Everything You Need to Know About Your Coverage

What You Need to Know About Your Coverage

Are You in Compliance With the Recommended Standards of Care? Use Our Checklist

Nurses play a critical role in patient care, detecting potential problems, and advocating for a culture of safety. NSO and our insurance carrier partner, CNA, designed this self-assessment checklist based on significant topics from our Nurse Claim Report to help nurses enhance patient safety and minimize your liability exposure. 

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.

Risks of Practicing Without Malpractice Insurance for Nurses

You wouldn’t risk driving a car without insurance. Nor would you go without health insurance. Going without malpractice insurance is just as risky financially. Because your nursing career and reputation are at stake, you have a lot more to lose than just your savings. 

Infographic: Medical Malpractice 101 for Nurse Practitioners

What are the most common injuries that lead to a malpractice lawsuit against nurse practitioners? What is the average payout by injury? Medical malpractice lawsuits are a reality for nursing professionals. If named in a lawsuit, what should you do? These and more questions are answered!

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.

10 Surprising Facts from the Nurses Malpractice Claim Report

As a nursing professional, what do you consider to be the greatest risk to your career? In the Nurses Claim Report, NSO and CNA review and analyze malpractice and licensing claims to help nursing professionals understand your areas of greatest vulnerability. Armed with the knowledge gained from the Report, nurses can reduce their risks of potential litigation and take steps to help improve patient outcomes.

The 5 most important takeaways you need to know from nurse's claim report

5 Key Takeaways in the Nurses Claim Report 

The 4 most important takeaways you need to know from the Nurse Practitioners claim report

4 Key Takeaways in the Nurse Practitioners Claim Report 

Claims Made Vs. Occurrence Coverage

Claims Made or Occurrence Coverage? A quick overview of the difference and picking the right one for you.

7 Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Charting Patient Information

Accurate and complete patient information is essential to providing the highest possible standard of care. Here is simple guidance to keep charting at its best, protect patients from treatment error and prevent potential malpractice liability. 

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 Webinar: Using Malpractice Claims Data to Identify Risks in Nursing Practice

Learn about key findings from NSO and CNA’s 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.

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.

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.

The Pandemic and Post-Traumatic Growth in Healthcare

Stress can affect nurses, and other healthcare staff, but it also can affect patient safety. Recent studies suggest overstressed caregivers are more likely to make errors and lower the quality of care. The American Nurses Association Survey of Nurses has documented high levels of stress among practicing nurses. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated work stressors, which may lead to an increase in liability lawsuits, highlighting the need for a greater focus on stress management and self care. Assessing one’s reactivity and “thinking about feeling” is the basis to developing self-awareness and ameliorating stress. Healthcare education programs and employing organizations need to formalize self-care and stress management education in light of the recent pandemic and the need to build a resilient workforce for the future to improve patient safety.

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).

Meeting the Nurse Staffing Challenge: Retention Tips

Ensuring appropriate nurse staffing levels is key to the financial health of healthcare organizations like hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. High quality nursing care helps to reduce the likelihood of patients safety events and costly medical malpractice lawsuits related to missed errors. The second of a two-part series, this article addresses effective retention strategies that leaders can utilize to help reduce turnover of nursing staff.

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.

Healing and Humor in Nursing: A Path to Resilience

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

Protecting your Nursing License

Understanding the process and how to protect your license is critical to maintaining your career. Our infographic outlines why it is important to protect your nursing license and what it takes to defend it.

Check out the infographic below or download it!
 

How nurses can counter health misinformation

Although recent issues involving health misinformation have emerged related to the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation has been a problem in many other areas related to wellness and healthcare. Misinformation isn’t a new issue, but the internet and social media have supercharged the ability for it to spread. This article helps explain the nature of the problem, why people may be inclined to believe information that is not grounded in science, and what nurses and nurse practitioners can do to counteract misinformation.

Strategies to Prevent Patient Falls and Minimize Liability

Think like an expert witness to minimize the risk of inpatient falls


An 88-year-old patient slips on the floor, falling and breaking his hip. Your immediate concern is getting him the help he needs, but another thought crosses your mind –could you be legally liable for what happened? By thinking like an expert witness, you can help determine if this concern is valid and whether you could have taken steps to prevent the patient fall in the first place. But first, you need to understand some background information.

Reducing legal risks in retirement

Retirement. The word conjures up an image of relaxation and a leisurely lifestyle. But for many nursing professionals, the picture is one of a life nearly as busy as when they were working full-time. Many retirees choose to volunteer, whether it’s responding to disasters, working at a pop-up clinic in an underserved area, answering questions for members of the community, or something else. 

Advancing your career – and minimizing risk

You just landed your first leadership role as a nurse manager. Or perhaps you’re shifting your career from bedside, hospital-based nursing to home care nursing because you’re ready for a new challenge. Congratulations! Advancing your career, whether by taking a leadership position or exploring a new specialty, can lead to enhanced job satisfaction and a bigger paycheck.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

Nurse Practitioner Malpractice Data Trends Update: Newly Released Data

Date: Tuesday, November 15, 2022
Time: 12:00 PM  – 1:00pm Eastern Daylight Time
Duration: 1 hour*

Safety Considerations for Minimizing Vaccination-Related Errors

Date: Wednesday, December 14, 2022
Time: 3:00 PM  – 4:00pm Eastern Daylight Time
Duration: 1 hour*

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.

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.

Macroeconomic Trends Influencing the Healthcare and Insurance Industries

Date: Wednesday, May 3, 2023
Time: 3:00 PM  – 4:00pm Eastern Daylight Time
Duration: 1 hour*

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