What Insurance Should I Have As An Enrolled Nurse?

80,000 Australians are hospitalised every year due to medication errors. 

What’s more, 50,000 people end up permanently injured due to medical negligence.

Medical lawsuits are common in Australia.

And just like doctors and other healthcare professionals, nurses run the risk of litigation every time they go to work and care for a patient. 

Professional Indemnity Insurance For Enrolled Nurses

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) (in charge of protecting the general public by regulating Australia’s registered health practitioners in the country) stipulates that nurses and midwives must hold professional indemnity insurance to register.

Professional indemnity insurance (PI) covers nurses against liability that can arise from negligence, error or omission in the conduct of nursing activities.

Here are some situations in which PI can protect you as an enrolled nurse:

• You’ve administered the wrong medication or dosage to a patient.
• You didn’t carry out instructions properly while caring for a patient.
• You’re wrongfully accused of unprofessional conduct whether it be while performing medical duties or administration tasks
• You’ve given incorrect advice to a patient.
• You’ve applied or removed dressings negligently, resulting in damage or injury to a patient.
• You made a mistake due to being overworked.
• You’re sued after performing a Good Samaritan act outside of your workplace.

Public Liability Insurance For Enrolled Nurses

While a professional indemnity policy covers you for liability that can occur when you’re delivering nursing services, including medical advice, public liability insurance protects you and your business in the event one of your patients, suppliers or a member of the public sustains a personal injury or property damage as a result of your negligent business operations.

For instance, if you own a practice and one of your patients slips on a puddle and injures themselves, public liability insurance will cover you for the costs of legal action if you’re found liable. Another example would be when you enter or exit a patient’s home during an at-home visit and accidentally break a valuable item. Enrolled nurses working with patients can also be liable in circumstances where their duties to a patient causes damage, for example if you're helping a patient in the shower and they slip and injure themselves.

Where To Find The Best Insurance Cover For Enrolled Nurses?

Although, as a qualified enrolled nurse, you have the highest work standards and strive to ensure that you never find yourself in the position of being sued for negligence or making a mistake, having insurance will give you peace of mind knowing that you’re protected just in case.

To find the best protection based on the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) requirements, use our free instant quote generator, where you can get an estimate on market-leading insurance for enrolled nurses in seconds. Simply enter your occupation as an enrolled nurse and expected revenue to get started.