Things I Learn from My Patients.

fhx06 said:

Doesn't this thread just leave you with an overwhelming sense of confidence in the future of our species?

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fa sho.

just kidding. Sometimes, you just need to look at the bigger picture. They are just trying to humor us, that's all. They do it on purpose.

At the pharmacy I work at, the phone number is the same as the fax number.

*Phone rings*

Me "How may I help you"
Patient "Whats your fax number"
Me " The same as our telephone number"
Patient "I've been trying, its not working"
Me "Our fax machine is working fine, we've been recieving faxes all day, the line might be busy, try again"
Patient "So what do I do...what do I press"?
Me "....??"

Yes, I'm supposed to know what kinda fax machine you have and tell you exactly which buttons to press in order to fax your Rx's over!

Miss Creant said:

Drive Thru-
When dropping off scripts in the drive thru feel free to just drop in the empty tube of Retin-A and the empty tub of Benzeclin with a bark of "REFILL" then proceed to get all worked up because I have to ask who these are to be REFILLED for. And please get even more upset when your answer of "my daughter" turns out to be even less helpful than the answer to my first question. And finally, please roll your eyes at me as I am an obvious ***** who should be shot when I make you tell me you daughter's name and phone number.


The worst - counter or drive thru -PT: Hi, picking up a prescription. Me: after waiting a few seconds. "for who?" You're at the pharmacy, I didn't think you were here for the pancake breakfast. TELL ME WHO THE F@CK YOU ARE PICKING UP FOR!!!!!

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you just summed up some of my favorites. so simple, it's just like ---really? do people not think, ever?

lol. I guess I had to ask last name and first name nearly every pick-up customer. Some're maybe smart by telling all the name of medication but didn't tell me the most important thing is their name. Name of medication later pls. Some're very upset at me when I ask DOB to confirm. lol. It looks like people just want to get any medication and get out the pharmacy. Maybe it's because it's just a pharmacy not Macy's or any thing similar else.

this lady called and chewed my bum because someone in the "pharmacy" told her husband that we didn't have a prescription for her. We suggested maybe he was at the wrong store....The sad part is he wasn't he was at the photo counter up front and they thought he wanted to pick up pictures. The photo counter always gets people trying to pick up scripts there. One time this pt went to the photo and forced the photo tech to take the prescription telling her she didn't have time to walk to the back of the store.

Some guy called up the store yelling because I wouldn't fill prescription for his wife. One of them was a prescription for Tylenol #4, and was over 1 month old (thus invalid).

Another one was for Percocet 5/325 #60, DAW, and with 3 refills.

A few years ago, when i was in retail, we were dispensing either endocet(602) or the mallinckrodt generic(512) for percocet.

pt: I want the 602s with my script, not the 512s. the 512s have too much aspirin, it upsets my stomach.
me: there is no aspirin in percocet, regardless of manufacturer.
pt: yes there is.

in the drive thru:
Me: how can i help you?
pt: I need my oxyCOTTON filled..
Me: (after I checked out his profile) sir, we cant fill this again until next month, you just picked it up two days ago, and the rx says not to fill until next month.
Pt: tell the druggist that my dog ate it
Me: i'm sorry sir there is nothing we can do, you will have to wait until next month
Pt:call your druggist over here
So..the pharmacist comes over, and by now the patient is mad and has gotten on the back of his truck bed to URINATE ON THE DRIVE THRU WINDOW!!!! and he wouldn't move his truck
Me: we just called the cops, that is illegal.

lol we saw that man get taken to jail!! but that was really gross!


I love it when the patient thinks we're are wrong and incompetent! And then he calls the doctor's office to "straighten this out" and it turns out we were right all along! Just because you are a sheriff, that doesn't mean that we will give you an extra Transderm patch for your vacation when the doctor clearly wrote the rx for #1!

Or this one time
Me: hi, how can i help you?
girl: I need birth control.
Me: ok, well do you need a refill? Do you have a new rx?
girl: no I want to buy some for a month!! (with a glare!)
Me: I can't sell you birth control without a prescription.
girl: what?! that's crazy! since when?
Me: sorry, it's the law.
girl: ok then, I guess I'll just get the day-after-tomorrow pill.

WTF!!!???
OMG!!! by all means she had a good intention of preventing a pregnancy, we don't want her to procreate!

after unfortunately running out of oral syringes and instead dispensing a measuring spoon for a child.. Phone call received hours after dispensing medication as well as giving precise directions to the mother. So the incompetent ***** dad calls up saying that us not giving him an oral syringes is like selling him a car without a steering wheel?! And that was just after yelling about us using a HUGE bottle for just 30 mls.... PS it was a 2 oz bottle!!!!! Needless to say he hung up on me after i told him he was being a little bit rude

Ugh!! i hate retail

pharm210 said:

after unfortunately running out of oral syringes and instead dispensing a measuring spoon for a child.. Phone call received hours after dispensing medication as well as giving precise directions to the mother. So the incompetent ***** dad calls up saying that us not giving him an oral syringes is like selling him a car without a steering wheel?! And that was just after yelling about us using a HUGE bottle for just 30 mls.... PS it was a 2 oz bottle!!!!! Needless to say he hung up on me after i told him he was being a little bit rude

Ugh!! i hate retail

Click to expand...

Ehh, if you're in retail, that's usually the districts fault. We hog a lot of oral syringes, we never give them to other stores to make sure that all of our patients get them. The father was right, all oral solutions should be dispensed with a oral syringe.

Sometimes, we run out of the 5 ml syringes, so we give them the 1 ml syringes and tell them that it's gonna take a little longer but w/e.

Me: Pharmacy, how may I help you?
Patient: I was wondering something on my wife's prescription?
Me: Sure. How can I help?
patient: I was wondering what flavor her vaginal suppositories come in?
Me: sir....?
WTF!!!???

A women came up to the counter having a hard time breathing (It appeared she was having an anaphylactic reaction) She tries to tell the pharmacist, "Help.... I think... I think I am having a prophylactic reaction!!!"

I'm sorry, I have to be a b!tch. The public drives everyone nuts, as evidenced by this thread. You know what else drives me nuts? Blatant grammatical errors. Makes me cringe.

YOUR[ copay is $25," not "YOU'RE copay..." Just remember to replace the apostrophe with "a" (works for most) and make 2 words. You're turns into "you are". You are copay is $25 certainly doesn't make sense. I'm sure not perfect, but just had to get that out there. Carry on - great thread. [/B][/I][/U]

foroneaudience said:

Actual stories:

Me: You're copay is $25
Pt: WHAT?! I'VE ALWAYS PAID $10!
Me: Look at his profile, umm no, the past 2 months it's been $25
Pt: Well why'd you change it?!
Me: I didn't, your insurance co. did, and if you think there's a mistake you need to contact them.

Me: (Ring the pt up with meds and a tabloid) Ma'am, you're total comes to $87.50
Woman: I only have $85 in my checking account
Me: well, you could not get the magazine and then it'd be under $85
Woman: but I'd just die if I didn't get to read it
Me: Well then you could give up one of your meds
Woman: how about the amoxil
Me: that's an antibiotic, you really should take that
Woman: okay, I guess I'll put the tabloid back

Click to expand...

SteakandShake said:

I'm sorry, I have to be a b!tch. The public drives everyone nuts, as evidenced by this thread. You know what else drives me nuts? Blatant grammatical errors. Makes me cringe.

YOUR[ copay is $25," not "YOU'RE copay..." Just remember to replace the apostrophe with "a" (works for most) and make 2 words. You're turns into "you are". You are copay is $25 certainly doesn't make sense. I'm sure not perfect, but just had to get that out there. Carry on - great thread. [/b][/i][/u]

Click to expand...

If YOU'RE going to come into the pre-pharm forum and be the grammar police (sidenote: get over yourself), then when and if you do become a doctor you better make damn sure that your prescriptions are free of errors and legible, or you will make us do more than cringe.

Patient on the phone - "Hey, can I have a refill of my hydrocortisone?"
Me - "I'm sorry, but you don't have any rx for hydrocortisone in your profile."
Patient - "WHAT?! I take it all the time, give me my hydrocortisone!!!"
Me - "Uh ... are you talking about ... hydrocodone?"
Patient - "NO! My hydrocortisone!"
Me - "Are you talking about pain tablets?"
Patient - "YEA! Don't you know anything?!"
Me - "Ok, 1: they're called HYDROCODONE! And 2: You're out of refills!"
Patient - "Ok then ... when can I get my hydrocortisone?"

*hangs myself with the phone cord*

At drive-thru

Me: Hi, can I help you?
IDIOT: I'm here to pick up a prescription
Me: Ok, for who?
IDIOT: Myself

please kill me now

I work at a pharmacy on the 2nd floor of a medical office building on a hospital campus. The elevators are located in such a place that people HAVE to walk by them in order to get to our pharmacy. As such, it infuriates me to end to have conversations like this:

Lost patient wanders into pharmacy: Excuse me, I'm looking for suite 515
Me: Oh yes, that would be up on the 5th floor.
Lost patient: The 5th floor??? How do I get there!???
Me: Um, you can take the elevator....
Lost patient: (looks even more confused at this revelation) elevator?????
Me: (points to elevators, which are visible from where I am standing) those elevators, I believe you may have walked past them?...
Lost patient: (stares at me)
Me: Or you can take the stairs.......
Lost patient: (turns and walks out, presumably to try and find those elusive elevators...)

I'm not kidding, I have variations of this conversation at LEAST 3 times a day.....it makes me wonder how people even managed to get out of the parking ramp.....

I have been laughing non stop since finding this post!

Some of my favorites:

Do you have a gereneric brand for that? "Yes, we have it in GENERIC." Patient says "Yeah, that's what I said". Um.....ok!

The phone rings, I answer it "____ pharmacy, this is Melissa", "Hi Martha, can I get a refill?" (I so want to ask who the heck Martha is). I say "Who is it for?", I get "It's for me!", I reply "Who is "me"?"

Acyclovir is not pronounced "Assy-clover"

Lisinopril is not pronounced "Lis-o-pril", "linsopril" or any other way you want to rearrange the letters!

If you have to wait an hour for me to fill your prescription, it might just be that there have been other people that have dropped off their Rx's before you did, and your reply to that hour wait should not be "Well, those people ain't here now!"

I spend a good part of my work day shaking my head in amazement!

No, your birth control pills are not more effective if you insert them vaginally.

No, your sons ear infection will not clear up faster if you squirt the "pink medicine" in his ear with the oral syringe.

This is a question I get almost on a weekly basis..

Q."Does this look normal?"

A."No, your arm is COVERED with ring worm. Put some lotrimin, clotrimazole, miconazole, and every anti-fungal cream you can find on it."

A."No, that is puss coming out of your EYE. Your next stop should be the doctors office."

A."No, that looks like a SEVERE burn on your leg. I can almost smell chicken."

A."No, that cut looks to be BONE deep. And it will probably require a stitch or two."

Me: pharmacy, how may I help you?
Pt: Do you have xxxx in stock?
*checks shelves
Me: nope, we are out of stock
Pt: can you loan me some for today???
Me: nope, we are completely out of stock
Pt: you cannot refill my prescription???
Me: no,no. We can, but we don't have any xxxx available in the pharmacy, so we have to order it
Pt: oh, ok
*click

5 minutes later the patient comes in and we repeat the same conversation in person. She then proceeds to repeat the conversation with the pharmacist (i work as a clerk right now).

Lesson learned:
customers can make medication magically reappear on our empty shelves by asking us over and over again whether or not we have it! Or not.

Man @ drive through: hi, i'm here to pick up a script
Me: what's the last name?
Man: signs
Me: how do you spell that
Man (in annoyed tone, like I'm supposed to know how to spell his last name): SAENZ!

Lesson learned:
I should know homophones for last names... and I should also know how to spell them

man is desperate to get prescriptions and does not want to come into store. he has dog but he doesn't want to tie to a tree and come in. man gets in drive thru lane 1 behind a waiting car. when the car drives away, man gets to the front.

man: rings the bell
me: walks over
man: how come nobody was here to serve me
me: i am sorry sir, the bell only rings when a car drives past the sensors
man: is that my fault?
me: i am sorry sir, how can i help you?
man: i am here to pick up prescription for last name X
me: looks like this prescription is not ready yet, give us about 10 minutes
man: ok
me: sir, you can't wait in the drive thru
man: you just told me it would be about 10 minutes
man: gets pissed and starts cussing and hitting window
me: EXCUSE ME, i have been patient enough about this matter. First you are in a drive thru lane AND you are NOT in a car. Second, you complain about not getting service, well, I am sorry you're not as big as a car and can't set the sensor off. Third, I asked you politely to wait for the prescription, but NOT in drive thru

Lesson: Do not serve people in drive thru if they DO NOT HAVE A CAR even if you want to be nice.

I can relate to many of these.

My favorite is... "no we are not a drive through"






Good thing no one was using the copy machine...

UTPharmDoc said:

I love it when you call an insurance to see why they are rejecting your information for the prescription claim, you get the automated operator and you have to listen all the way through the voice prompt to select an answer and they will put as many menus as they can so that you don't talk to a live representative and when you do they say "I am transfering to someone to better help you" and the next person asks for the information you gave to the first person all over again and they keep on transfering and eventually, you get on hold or they hang up and you have to do it all over again. If you're lucky, you get to talk to someone they routed the call to overseas and have a person with a really thick accent and keep on saying "one moment sir" over and over... and you can't understand them and it takes you 5 tries to put in the override codes cause all the numbers they are saying sound all the same

Click to expand...

Ohhh lord I had this exact thing happen to me today. After explaining the situation to my third heavily-accented insurance co employee while the pharmacist stood next to me chanting "Reverse the claim! Reverse the claim!" he finally understood that I wanted him to reverse a claim. He told me I would have to do it. I asked him how. Then he put me on hold for several more minutes.

My personal favorite patient call:

Me: Thank you for calling, how may I help you?
Guy: Hi, I need to know what strength Xanax I'm on. It's small and white. Do you know?
Me: I'll check and see what we dispensed to you, what is your date of birth?
Guy: Oh...I didn't get them from a pharmacy.

What I hate is when the agents at the insurance companies basically repeat to you what the computer tell you.

A patient came in for a refill on Provigil, so we went to fill it. For some reason, a prior authorization came back on it, even though the claim went through the first time it was filled.

Here's the following conversation:

Insurance: Hi I'm Kelly, can I have your NABP/NPI and RX# in question.
Me: I give the information.
Me: Right, so I'm getting this message for a prior authorization on this ladies Provigil. She got it last month without a prior authorization, can you tell me why is there a prior authorization on it?
Insurance: There is a prior authorization on it.
Me: I already know that. Tell me why there is a prior authorization.
Insurance: Hold on one second.

Five minutes pass and I'm on hold.

Insurance: Okay sir, this prescription has a prior authorization on it.
Me (I snap): Are you ****ing kidding me? You spent 5 minutes just to come back and tell me the same thing you told me 5 minutes ago. I'm asking you why the **** is there a prior authorization on this prescription when it was filled last time you dumb ****. (At this point the customer is laughing out loud at my use of profanity against the insurance company agent).
Insurance: Umm, I don't know why there is a prior authorization.
Me: So why didn't you tell me that 5 minutes ago instead of wasting my time and coming back to tell me the same thing. Just override the damn prescription or give the phone to someone who know's what they are doing.
Insurance: I can't do that.
Me: You're a ****ing *******. I hang up.

I call back 5 minutes later, someone else picks up and tells me that there is only 1 fill allowed on that particular drug, then it requires a prior authorization but overrides it for me.

Some more favorites...

At the drive thru, a man came through to pick up his rx. I saw that it was for a ton of Viagra and was like $689.
Me: Sir are you aware of the price?
Man: Yup. *Pulls out a roll of hundreds and hands me seven*
Me: Are you sure? You don't have to get the full quantity now.
Man: Trust me. Tonight will make it all worth it.

WAYYY too much information...

***

At my store, you can buy needles without a script as long as you have some sort of proof that you need them for a medical reason. It can be anything--you have previous needle scripts on your profile, an insulin rx from another store, a medical card, whatever. Just give me something to work with. So I'm at the drive thru again and two guys pull up.
Guy: Hi I need two needles.
Me: Ok, have you filled with us before?
Guy: No but I think my brother has.
Me: Are the needles for him?
Guy: No they're for me and my friend here. We need to give ourselves vitamin shots.
Me: *rolling eyes* Vitamin shots, of course, do you have some sort of prescription for those that I can see?
Guy: No it's at home.
Me: Sorry I can't sell these then.
Guy: C'mon baby, just do this for us and we'll take you out and buy you a beer when you get off!

Because I'm just dying to get intoxicated with two random junkies I met in my drive thru...

***

Guy: Hi I need to get my nasal medicine refilled. I think it's my Xanax.
Me: Are you maybe thinking of Xopenex or something? Because Xanax isn't a nasal medicine. (He had both on his profile)
Guy: Yes it is. It helps my nose. Aren't you supposed to know that?
Me: ......it's not a nasal medicine.
Guy: You're not a pharmacist. Ask the pharmacist. She'll tell you.

***

This one taught me just how important counseling can be...
An elderly man came in to get his Ultram refilled. He was given 270 of em (a three month supply) and he was coming in about a month and a half early. I told him he was way too early and should have plenty left. He argued with me that the doctor only wrote him a one month supply and he was totally out. I pulled up the original rx image to show him that it was in fact a three month supply. The sig on it was Q8H.
Guy: See!! I told you! I'm supposed to take 8 a day! That is NOT a three month supply!
Me: Sir....that means take one every 8 hours...please tell me you haven't been taking 8 a day.
Guy: NO it means TAKE 8 A DAY!!!
Me: Please step over to the consultation window, I really think you need to have a chat with the pharmacist.
Guy: *mumbles something about me being incompetent and storms off*

***

Guy at consultation window: My grandson has problem. It's his little pee-pee. It burns.
Pharmacist: Oh, like a UTI?
Guy: Yes, that. I am going to put baking soda on it. (what the hell?)
Pharmacist: No, don't do that. Take him to the doctor, he needs antibiotics.
Guy: Those don't work. Where is your baking soda?

) Thank you so much for anyone who posted these interesting stories in this thread. Whenever I'm stressed out, just reading this thread makes me relax and continue study to continue to work in a pharmacy. hahahaha

sgoods said:

This one taught me just how important counseling can be...
An elderly man came in to get his Ultram refilled. He was given 270 of em (a three month supply) and he was coming in about a month and a half early. I told him he was way too early and should have plenty left. He argued with me that the doctor only wrote him a one month supply and he was totally out. I pulled up the original rx image to show him that it was in fact a three month supply. The sig on it was Q8H.
Guy: See!! I told you! I'm supposed to take 8 a day! That is NOT a three month supply!
Me: Sir....that means take one every 8 hours...please tell me you haven't been taking 8 a day.
Guy: NO it means TAKE 8 A DAY!!!
Me: Please step over to the consultation window, I really think you need to have a chat with the pharmacist.
Guy: *mumbles something about me being incompetent and storms off*

Click to expand...

What I want to know is how the patient found out about Q8H. That should have been nowhere on the prescription label or the prescription print out.

Sparda29 said:

What I want to know is how the patient found out about Q8H. That should have been nowhere on the prescription label or the prescription print out.

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The patient probably read the script while bringing it to the pharmacy. Gotta love patients reading their scripts and thinking they know exactly what they say.

ernievdb said:

The patient probably read the script while bringing it to the pharmacy. Gotta love patients reading their scripts and thinking they know exactly what they say.

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Yet another argument against using abbreviations and sig codes.

PHYSICIANS - JUST WRITE OUT THE DAMN DIRECTIONS LEGIBLY OR TYPE THEM UP!!!

Sparda29 said:

Yet another argument against using abbreviations and sig codes.

PHYSICIANS - JUST WRITE OUT THE DAMN DIRECTIONS LEGIBLY OR TYPE THEM UP!!!

Click to expand...

Butbutbut. Deciphering sig codes makes me feel like a cool member of a secret society or something. They oughtn't take that away from me. :\

Miss Creant said:

At drive-thru

Me: Hi, can I help you?
IDIOT: I'm here to pick up a prescription
Me: Ok, for who?
IDIOT: Myself

please kill me now

Click to expand...

I'm sorry but you getting stressed out over the wrong reason. Instead of asking for who? ask for the last name and then first name.

Me: pick up?
pt: yes.
Me: last name and first name
pt: Garcia John or something

vtran007 said:

I'm sorry but you getting stressed out over the wrong reason. Instead of asking for who? ask for the last name and then first name.

Me: pick up?
pt: yes.
Me: last name and first name
pt: Garcia John or something

Click to expand...

Yeah, but you still have to ask who they're picking up for anyway, because it may not be for the person picking up.

Farmercyst said:

Yeah, but you still have to ask who they're picking up for anyway, because it may not be for the person picking up.

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You do not have to. I only do that if the insurance ask them to select the relationship. I ask for last name, first name and DOB. The person picking the medication knows who is it for unless they get distracted and not paying attention.

One thing that is actually not the patient's fault but he doctor's fault.

The ******* doctor writes down the patient's middle name and last name on the prescription.

So when they drop off the prescription, I ask for the first name of the patient and I get a completely different answer from what I see on the prescription.

Sparda29 said:

One thing that is actually not the patient's fault but he doctor's fault.

The ******* doctor writes down the patient's middle name and last name on the prescription.

So when they drop off the prescription, I ask for the first name of the patient and I get a completely different answer from what I see on the prescription.

Click to expand...

When there is confusion on identifying a patient in the computer, you can also ask for the patient's address and/or telephone number(s). This usually narrows it down to the patient you're looking for.

(This is assuming the patient has a record with your pharmacy)

Sparda29 said:

What I hate is when the agents at the insurance companies basically repeat to you what the computer tell you.

A patient came in for a refill on Provigil, so we went to fill it. For some reason, a prior authorization came back on it, even though the claim went through the first time it was filled.

Here's the following conversation:

Insurance: Hi I'm Kelly, can I have your NABP/NPI and RX# in question.
Me: I give the information.
Me: Right, so I'm getting this message for a prior authorization on this ladies Provigil. She got it last month without a prior authorization, can you tell me why is there a prior authorization on it?
Insurance: There is a prior authorization on it.
Me: I already know that. Tell me why there is a prior authorization.
Insurance: Hold on one second.

Five minutes pass and I'm on hold.

Insurance: Okay sir, this prescription has a prior authorization on it.
Me (I snap): Are you ****ing kidding me? You spent 5 minutes just to come back and tell me the same thing you told me 5 minutes ago. I'm asking you why the **** is there a prior authorization on this prescription when it was filled last time you dumb ****. (At this point the customer is laughing out loud at my use of profanity against the insurance company agent).
Insurance: Umm, I don't know why there is a prior authorization.
Me: So why didn't you tell me that 5 minutes ago instead of wasting my time and coming back to tell me the same thing. Just override the damn prescription or give the phone to someone who know's what they are doing.
Insurance: I can't do that.
Me: You're a ****ing *******. I hang up.

I call back 5 minutes later, someone else picks up and tells me that there is only 1 fill allowed on that particular drug, then it requires a prior authorization but overrides it for me.

Click to expand...

Professional *and* classy. As always.

AngelaCL said:

Professional *and* classy. As always.

Click to expand...

It's my job to be professional with patients, that courtesy doesn't extend to insurance agents. The patients actually love it when we take a stand for them against insurance companies.

Me: HOw many prescription are you picking up sir?
P: 4
Me: What is your DOB?
P:Why?
Me: I need to clarify to make sure you pick up the right med
P: I've never heard of it before. So unappropriate!!!
Me: So what is your address sir?
P: Why?
Me: I don't want to give you the wrong med
P: Whatever, I don't care. Give me my medicine. It's impossible to have more than one John Smith in this city!
Me: (shout out loud) Pharmacist please!

Haha some of my favorites

At drop off window
Me: Have we filled for you before here?
Them: Oh yeah all the time (in a snotty and condescending tone)
like I can remember all the hundreds of people who come in to get their vicodin filled early

When some lady was picking up her rx for fentanyl
Me: Hi whats your address
Her: (angrily) I've never been asked that before here! I come here all the time I know the pharmacist

I don't care! Work with me people it helps me sleep better at night knowing I didn't give you someone elses meds.

I even verify with people see weekly. It seems like the more patients I get to know the easier it is to get their names mixed up.

trailrider400 said:

Haha some of my favorites



I even verify with people see weekly. It seems like the more patients I get to know the easier it is to get their names mixed up.

Click to expand...

I completely agree with you. I also confirm with pt just drop off because if there are many people drop off at the same time, and you don't to give them the wrong med

vtran007 said:

You do not have to. I only do that if the insurance ask them to select the relationship. I ask for last name, first name and DOB. The person picking the medication knows who is it for unless they get distracted and not paying attention.

Click to expand...

How do you know who's medication to give them.

Hi I'm John Smith, my DOB is 12/12/77.

If I'm picking up for Alice Smith 12/2/99, whose meds are you gonna give me. You don't even know I'm picking up for my daughter cuz all you asked was for my name and DOB. If you look at some of the posts in here that's the exact problem people have encountered.

It amazes me how innocent...or not...people can be. It is not rocket science, just common sense. Women seem to be more sensitive when I ask them for the DOB, I tried my hardest to not let it soung weird but they still get offended.

One pharmacy call
Me: CVS pharmacy may I help you?
Some1: Hey, I decided. Give me 5, I'll pay cash for it. I'll pick it up around 4. Have to have it by 7, you know.
Me: What is...
Some1: Are you sure you have it, check!
Me: What is...
Some1: Ah, never mind, you told me.
Me: Sir, what is...
Some1: Ok, I'll be there and pick it up in a minutes.
Hang up
Me: ... out loud in the pharmacy-- did anyone talk to someone about something that he'll pay cash for 5 and he needs it before 7

I don't care if they are offended by me asking for their age. I will ask them for their complete date of birth and address each time.

One of the worst things a health care provider can say to a patient happened to my boss on my last shift.

A woman came in to talk about some prescriptions that she was getting. Apparently, she was on some prenatal vitamins and was on the larger side.

Boss - So, if you don't mind me asking, when are you due?
Patient - I'm not pregnant.

The facial expression on my boss was like "oh noes".

Eh? How did that work out? Who were the prenatal vitamins for?

fhx06 said:

Eh? How did that work out? Who were the prenatal vitamins for?

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The prenatal vitamins were for the same patient, but she wasn't pregnant when she was taking them.

I've heard about people taking them to help with hair and nail growth, as well as taking before a planned conception.

Yea. It happened at mine shift once time. That pt pick prenatals vit and birth control. Consultation --> She just want some vit. She doesn't plan for pregnant.

ernievdb said:

The patient probably read the script while bringing it to the pharmacy. Gotta love patients reading their scripts and thinking they know exactly what they say.

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Yep exactly. He just went off the hard copy instead of, say, the nice typed directions that were on the bottle.

Here's another one that just happened today. A girl called in wanting to transfer her rx to us from another chain. I got all the information from her and just needed the other store's phone number.
Me: And can I get the phone number for **** ?
Girl: Sure, let me look it up...ok got it...ready?
Me: Ready.
*BEEP BEEP BOOP BEEP BEEP BOOP BEEP*
Me: OW OW OW stop that!!!
Girl: Did you get it?
Me: No, you need to TELL it to me!
Girl: Oh, I thought I could just punch it in.

(While it was well-intentioned........no.)

Sparda29 said:

The prenatal vitamins were for the same patient, but she wasn't pregnant when she was taking them.

I've heard about people taking them to help with hair and nail growth, as well as taking before a planned conception.

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We have a lot of patients on them, male and female. Usually the ones with malabsorption issues due to large med load, transplant, surgery, etc. Probably useful for bariatric patients too.

Well, to be honest, here's my store. In Raleigh, NC. Apparently some people wanted to literally "drive through" haha.

Happened in drive thru yesterday

Me: CVS may I help you?
Pt: Pick up
Me: What's the name mam?
Pt: last name "?"-l-a-u-n, first name Rebecca
Me: I'm sorry, can you spell the last name one more time?
Pt: "?"-l-a-u-n
Me: "P" as Peter?
Pt: -yelled- NO! "P" AS PAUL!!!
Me: -thinking- Did I spell Peter wrong all these years???