In 2013, I was working for a home care company and providing nursing/wound care for my husband. He developed some abdominal abscesses which I reported to his doctor, and was given verbal orders for warm compresses, and to increase his prophylactic Bactrim, which he was taking for chronic UTI's to BID for several days, then to go back to once daily. I was on speakerphone so my husband could hear. I never wrote the order down, as I didn't even have order sheets and my RN supervisor was coming to do a recert later that week. I did let her know at that time. My husband ended up in the hospital 2 weeks later d/t kidney stones. I told the nurses that he didn't need the wound care nurse, whom he had interaction with before and didn't like, to even come in. She waited until I left to grab something to eat, then came in and looked at my husband's abdominal and leg wounds even though he wanted nothing to do with this woman.
Basically, what came down was this hospital wound care nurse reported me to the BON, the doctor claimed he never gave the order to increase the Bactrim, and the RN supervisor for the home care company claimed I wasn't doing measurements or BS, even though she had my paperwork, which we both turned into the board.
Long story short, I got popped for violation of the nurse practice act, and my license has been suspended in Ohio. I have to pay a $500 fine, obey the law, take an educational course, which looks like it's going to cost me close to $1000, and do a boatload of CEU's before I can apply for reinstatement. They also gave me permanent practice restrictions, and I am on monitoring for 4 years after I get my license back.
My question is this: will they ever remove the practice restrictions? Right now I will only be able to work in facilities. Also, what can I do to stay in the medical field while I am jumping through the hoops to get my license back? Can I work as a MA or a STNA? After I do get my license back, how hard will it be for me to find a job?
RNPatriot
6 Posts
Always get an attorney immediately. The board never stand behind the accused. I am so sorry this happened to you.