Opinions please!

[mmw11]

I need some feedback regarding an issue that I encountered at work today. I work in the LTC setting and we are still using a paper MAR system. I am a FT regular on a hall that I have worked on for many years and I today I was written up for 12 med errors and had disciplinary action taken against me for something I technically did not do. I am a reliable employee with a clean record - I have never been written up for anything in my life. One of my residents receives Levemir every evening per MD order. When I am done popping all of her evening medications & drawing up her insulin (using the 5 rights/3 checks) I administer the medication & insulin. Following administration I sign off on all meds (which she receives several pills at that time.) Anyways, since September started I have missed signing it off on the MAR. The resident is A&O x3 and has given a statement to the director of nursing that she always gets her medications as ordered (including her Levemir.) She if very much aware of all of her meds & knows if something is missing. The vial of Levemir which was opened 8/29 is a little over half full, showing that there was insulin that was drawn from the vial in the month of September. However they are still accusing me of not administering medication as ordered by the physician. I understand that it is my fault that I didn't sign & I am more then willing to take the blame for that. But it was a simple human error - not a med error. I normally check the MAR prior to leaving but I still overlooked it. Her blood sugars have been stable and consistent the entire month. They called and reported it to the MD and family that I didn't administer the insulin for the entire month of September when I really did. I just feel like everyone is looking down on me over a stupid error. Am I wrong to feel this way? Any worlds of advice?

[MunoRN, RN]

I would point out to them that the patient's BG levels didn't change after you supposedly stopped giving them insulin, so clearly the patient suddenly stopped requiring insulin on the same day you stopped giving it, if you had given it they sure would have become hypoglycemic, so, you're welcome.

This is the problem with the "if you didn't chart it, it didn't happen" mantra; it's moronic. There actually is a difference between doing something and not charting it vs not doing it or charting it, and it's an extremely important difference in a variety of ways.