Professional Liability for APNs
In the above writings, I agree that organizations have the responsibility of information their providers on how to identify and minimize risks associated with professional liability. Any healthcare organization should guide its employees on risk management and educate them about risk-related issues. Nurse practitioners should be provided with continuing education in the assessment of risks and risk minimization regularly. When nurse practitioners understand the potential liability risks, they will be able to prevent or mitigate these risks. Research and collection of data related to nursing malpractice liability should go on being published to increase nurse practitioner’s knowledge concerning malpractice and professional liability (NAPNAP, 2015).
The issue I would like to add to enhance the conversation is the importance of employers providing liability insurance for their staff and strategies that a nurse practitioner can use to reduce the risk for professional liability. According to NAPNAP (2015), liability insurance safeguards providers of health care as well as their clients. Even though the employer might provide coverage for malpractice insurance, it might not entirely safeguard the individual nurse practitioners of their license. Therefore, nurse practitioners must analyze the coverage provided by the employer to establish whether having individual malpractice is necessary. Nurse practitioners have the obligation of understanding of malpractice risks within their work setting and have an awareness of the form of coverage paid for employer- provided insurance.
Stewart and DeNisco (2018) indicate that while a nurse practitioner may be covered by the malpractice program of his or her employer, it behooves the nurse practitioner to have personal malpractice insurance to avert an employer’s conflict of insurance. Also, the nurse practitioner can lessen the risk of professional liability by maintaining present clinical knowledge and skills, clearly documenting all treatments and carefully evaluating how a patient responds to treatment.
References
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP). (2015). Position Statement on Malpractice Insurance for Nurse Practitioners., Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 29(4), A11-A12.
Stewart, J., & DeNisco, S. (2018). Role Development for the Nurse Practitioner. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
How your organization should identify and minimize the potential risks regarding professional liability for APNs?
Discuss specific strategies or actions the APN can utilize to ensure effective risk management.
Discuss how APNs will maintain standards of care to as they practice throughout your organization.
Hi All,
As we focus on potential risks and liabilities for our providers, it is important to outline these risks for our nurse practitioners. As with any providers, increased responsibility also brings more associated risks (Pearce, 2016). As mistakes occur it is important that our providers are informed, ready, and supported. A way to do this is by preparing and understanding potential risks. These risks include the following: possible clinical errors, malpractice, negative public view towards nurse practitioners, potential HIPAA violations or exposing confidential information, not informing patients, and additional direct practice risks (Buppert, 2018).
By ensuring our providers are aware of associated risks helps minimize potential risks. These risks can have anything to do with quality of care to the patients individual view of care or of the provider themselves (Buppert, 2018). Therefore, our company puts strain on keeping up with clinical professional appearance including physical as well as maintaining a positive reputation. Maintaining up to date clinical practice and utilizing those current practices in day to day care. Ensure our NP’s understand the importance of having personal insurance. Keeping NP’s aware of HIPAA laws and potential violations (Pearce, 2016).
In order for our company to help support our providers, it is important that we provide them with content to continue to be successful and minimize potential liability risks. This include educational content, providing up to date information to serve as educational documents as well as giving a consistent reference to standards of care. These standards are especially important to keep clear and intact for our company, especially in the case of any possible malpractice lawsuits (Norful, de Jacq, Carlino & Poghosyan, 2018).
In the above writings what do you agree with how they answered the questions and what would you add to enhance the conversation regarding the above question.. this is a discussion question