Forum topic

 All nurses everywhere in every specialty should have their own malpractice policy, in my opinion and as recommended by the ANA. There is no specific policy that mentions PICC nurses. The only specialty that is listed separately and has a higher yearly premium is ob nurses. You will find advertisements for this insurance in all nursing journals such as AJN and Nursing2012. You will also find information about these companies from professional orgaanizations that you belong to. NSO is a common company. For more than 30 yeaqrs now, I have carried my own insurance. It is cheap peace of mind that I could hire my own lawyer to represent me if I were ever named in a lawsuit. Now I carry a corporate policy through my original company. This is extremely important for all nurses. Lynn

If you work for a state or goverment agency...check with your risk management department about this issue.  There are some different issues related to if coverage will or will not be covered under if you have personal coverage.

I carry NSO as a nurse who does education

kathy

I am also looking for someone carrying private proffesional insurance for PICC.

 I have never seen any nursing malpractice insurance that singled out nurses who practice PICC/CVAD insertion. The only specialty that has a separate status are nurses working in OB/L&D/Maternity. But you are covered under the policy for the general nursing group. I don't understand why this is an issue. Being separated according to what your practice involves means that the insurance carrier has decided this group of nurses has a higher risk due to more lawsuits being filed and you will definitely be paying a higher premium. So I would take this as a sign and the number of lawsuits involving PICC/CVAD insertion by nurses is very low and does not mean a greater risk for financial outlay to the carrier. This is not about risk to the patient or you. it is about the amount of money that the insurance company might have to pay out on your behalf. Lynn

 I am a PICC nurse and I also own an independent PICC company.  When I worked for an independent PICC company I did carry insurance through State Farm who had my car insurance to protect the personal property of the equipment I was carring but that was required by the independent company I worked for. Currently, I carry an umbrella over all my nurses through NSO for nursing medical malpractice for 1 million per occurance and a 3 million aggregate and that is required with those hospitals and pharmacies that I contract with. I do not carry additional medical malpractice insurance. Some of my nurses have also chose to carry their own policy through NSO and I don't think it is a bad idea. I as a nurse have always carried nursing medical malpractice insurance and in my opinion it is good practice.  The legal cases that you will get involved with as a PICC nurse are still at a low cost so do not spend money on high coverage. NSO/Nursing Service Organization is very reasonable for pricing and well respected adn they only require a yearly fee generally between $200 to $300.

Jamie L Hammm RN, BSN, VA-BC
CEO Vascular Access Plus 

Cell 420-450-4264