Liability Issues in Nursing
Question Description
- Read the case study presented at the end of Chapter 9 (Guido, p. 185-186).
- Did the lack of documentation in the admitting nurse’s assessment and notes affect the ultimate outcome of this case?
- Was there negligence on the part of the nursing staff in the care of this patient?
- What could the nurse have done differently to facilitate a different outcome in this case?
- How would you decide this case?
- Using the sample professional liability insurance policy (Guido, p. 193-194), locate the various provisions:
- Limits of liability
- Declarations
- Deductibles
- Exclusions
- Reservation of rights
- Covered injuries
- Defense costs
- Coverage conditions and supplementary payments
- Did you have difficulty finding some of the sections? Would this be a policy that you would consider purchasing for your own liability coverage? Why or why not?
- Read the case study presented at the end of Chapter 10 (Guido, p. 198)
- What provisions of an insurance policy would you consult to determine if an insurance company should pay such a claim, and what would the limits of the liability be?
- Is the nursing home insurance company correct in saying that this is a professional judgment issue?
- Which insurance company (the nursing home’s or that of the administrator of the nursing home, assuming she has coverage) should pay the court-ordered judgment?
- Was the physician neglectful in this case or does the responsibility lie primarily on the nurse?
