title: Liability insurance in midwifery education: faculty and student needs versus academic realities.
abstract: The objective of this study was to examine faculty and student liability claims and insurance problems in midwifery education. The American College of Nurse-Midwives Professional Liability Section and Division of Education developed and administered an Internet survey to 45 midwifery programs. Of the 39 programs that responded to the survey, 28 (72%) were previously involved in a liability claim, yielding a maximum claim incidence of 1%. Liability coverage was provided to midwifery faculty and students by a variety of mechanisms, including sovereign immunity, organizational trust funds, and private insurance. The costs of annual liability coverage ranged from $1,500 to $7,000 for faculty and from $1,000 to $1,800 for students. Six of 31 program directors (19%) knew a student who did not enroll because of the cost of liability insurance. Thirty of the 39 directors (77%) reported difficulty with obtaining clinical placements as a result of liability-related preceptor concerns. Midwifery student involvement in liability claims is low; however, liability insurance is required by hospitals for clinical practice and many clinical preceptors. The price of private liability insurance is a disincentive for students to study midwifery and for clinical preceptors to work with students. Midwifery program directors and academic administrators must advocate for affordable liability coverage.
authors: Midwifery and Nursing, University of South Florida Colleges of Nursing and Medicine, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. cjevitt@health.usf.edu
authors: Cecilia
authors: C
authors: Jevitt
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Johnson
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate / Q000191:economics*; D005181:Faculty, Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007344:Insurance Claim Reporting / Q000191:economics*; D007351:Insurance, Liability / Q000191:economics*; D008318:Malpractice / Q000191:economics; D009042:Motivation; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000191:economics* / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011231:Preceptorship / Q000191:economics; D017149:Private Sector; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits / Q000191:economics; D012579:Schools, Nursing / Q000191:economics; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities / Q000191:economics