ALnurse85

Hello, I am a licensed nurse in AL and currently working in LTC as the 2p-10p CN for a unit split between COVID and non-COVID residents (since March). I have been dealing with an issue from a family member since July and would like some input as none of my nurse friends have dealt with this kind of situation before. In April, I was treating a resident with COVID who was in poor condition. We received an order from their MD to hold all of their RA medications including a monthly Simponi injection. The order was then received to resume those medications in May. The facility does not receive these injections from our pharmacy, instead, the resident's daughter brings them from an outside source when she is in town for a visit. We have no way of logging these injections into the facility to know what we have on hand. They are simply handed over and placed in the fridge in the med room. In July, the daughter began calling the Ombudsman on various issues, one of them was to file a complaint that her Mother's injection had not been given in either May or June and of course I was questioned as such. I stated then that I knew I had administered June's injection, but could not recall May's as April, May and June were our hardest hit months with COVID. I had multiple discussions with my DON and RM on the issue and opted to complete Med Error inservices to have on file. After a couple of months my DON pulled me aside to notify me that the daughter was continuing to push the issue and that she had been instructed by the Ombudsman to report me to the BON. I was contacted by the Board and asked to provide a statement via email. Everything stated above was stated to the investigator. That was the only correspondence I had with them. Two months pass again and I received a Consent Order from the BON outlining a $300 fine and the issuance of a Public Reprimand pending their ultimate approval after executing the documents. The Consent Order stated that I could also opt for an Administrative Hearing, but I cannot afford an attorney for such. I was told by the legal department within the Board that the Reprimand is indefinite and will never go away. So I'm wondering, has anyone ever dealt with anything like this? At this time there is no discipline attached to my license, I submitted the executed Consent Order in mid-October. Am I stupid for hoping for some sort of reprieve from the Board when they review the Order again? And if I do end up with this discipline, however "minimal", does anyone know of the lasting implications this can have on a nursing career? I will appreciate anyone's input here! Thank you!