Strategies to limit CNS malpractice liability exposure.

The number of nurses named as defendants in medical malpractice cases is increasing. The CNS may be especially vulnerable in this legal climate. The complexity and diversity of the CNS role expose the CNS to an increased risk of malpractice liability in a variety of situations. Malpractice judgments and verdicts are used to describe the legal milieu that the CNS practicing in the various roles may encounter. The CNS roles examined are that of: clinician, educator, consultant, and researcher. The liabilities inherent in each of the CNS roles are defined, as well as strategies to limit malpractice liability exposure.