“Every liability is just an asset in hiding.”—Mark Victor Hansen.
You may not understand that quote until you’re charged for nursing malpractice.
Did I hear you say, “God forbid a bad thing?” To that, I say, Amen.
However, your prayer alone might not protect you from disputes arising from nursing malpractice.
What is Nursing Malpractice?
Canada Malpractice website defines it “as the failure of a nurse to act according to the expected standard of practice.”
It occurs when a nurse can not practice to an expected standard, resulting in injuries or harm to a patient.
In a hospital setting, the nurse updates a patient’s chart. But when she fails by missing information from a chart, it causes preventable errors, including:
* Overmedication
* Mixing medications that may have side effects
* Triggering allergic reactions and so forth
What is the Difference Between Negligence and Nursing Malpractice?
People often use negligence and malpractice interchangeably. However, there is a difference between the two terms.
Negligence is:
– A general term that denotes conduct lacking in due care
– Carelessness, and
– A deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would use in a particular set of circumstances
Anyone, including a non-nurse, can be liable for negligence. Malpractice is a more specific term, as defined above.
The Five Nursing Claims
Claims for malpractice in nursing include the failure of nurses to:
1. Document procedures or activities.
2. Follow an appropriate standard of care.
3. Use medical equipment responsibly.
4. Communicate with the patient and his family.
5. Assess and monitor a patient.
It is common for patients to allege that nurses didn’t follow the standard of care.
The Three Ways to Protect Yourself From Nursing Malpractice
You can protect yourself from nursing malpractice by following these measures:
1. Strictly adhering to nursing guidelines and protocols.
2. Regularly updating your knowledge through study, training, and research.
3. Taking casualty insurance.
Did you know you can take casualty insurance of ₦1 million per year for a payment of ₦15,000?
Data from 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎 shows that there has been a 1,274 percent increase in the value of gross written property and casualty insurance premiums in Nigeria from €48.4 million in 2000 to €665.4 million in 2020.
Among other factors, the data shows Nigerians are becoming more litigious.
At the risk of sounding like an insurance broker, I strongly recommend you take casualty insurance, as it is an asset instead of an expense. It will protect you against claims resulting from injuries to your patients.
In conclusion, making “declarations” in prayer is good. But without works, faith is dead!