Nursing is a rewarding and important profession. Each year, millions of Australians rely on them to help get the treatments and medical care that they need. In many cases, nurses do much of the heavy lifting when it comes to providing services to patients including administering prescription medication, providing personal hygiene care, and making after-care recommendations. Because of the sensitive nature of the job, mistakes or errors could result in dangerous consequences.
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) has rules in place to ensure that both patients and nurses are protected through carefully crafted insurance policy requirements. It’s critical for nurses to understand what insurance policies they need to protect themselves from the financial burdens of a claim or lawsuit.
What is Public Liability Insurance?
Public Liability Insurance is a type of insurance that protects nurses, doctors, and medical businesses from lawsuits if they accidentally cause harm to their patients. When it comes to medical care, this usually implies physical harm, pain, or unnecessary discomfort. However, Public Liability Insurance also protects against property damage that comes as a result of activities associated with medical care.
If a patient or other individual files a lawsuit against a nurse, the insurance company will work to mitigate and resolve any claims. If the courts decide that payment is due, the insurance will cover the fees and other associated legal costs.
Why Nurses Should Consider Public Liability Insurance
Many things can go wrong when caring for patients that could unintentionally cause them pain. While these are rarely serious or intentional, nurses should be prepared to protect themselves and their personal safety net from legal action. For example, if you are helping to lift a patient into their bed and lose your grip, they could get seriously injured and file a claim against you for their resulting medical bills.
This insurance also protects nurses against claims made by people who are not patients. Perhaps a family member is visiting one of your patients and slips on fluids that were on the floor for example.
While Australian law does not require nurses to carry Public Liability Insurance, they are required to have Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII). Public Liability Insurance can help add an extra layer of protection if your PII doesn’t cover the specific situation.
Upcover’s Insurance Offerings Can Reduce a Nurses’ Risk of Liability
Look no further than upcover if you need to protect yourself with Public Liability Insurance. Our interactive instant quote generator can help nurses quickly determine the type of coverage they need with our market leading insurance offerings. Go to work each day with the confidence that you, your business and your family are well protected from potential financial liability.
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