H
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I am also a pharmacy technician and there have been ocassions that I was about to dispense the wrong medications. It's pretty scary. Thankfully we double check each other's work. And before the nurse gives the medication, they also double check. A lot of errors are prevented that way.
I have also learned that not knowing the proper storage of medication is just as bad as giving the wrong meds. Yesterday, I put lasix IV in the fridge and that could have crystallized. If it were given intravenously, it could have caused a clot. (I don't feel so bad, cause apparently not refrigerating lasix is a new rule). These are the things that make me nervous to be a pharmacist. But I will do my absolute best to avoid medication errors. People's life depend on me.
Anyways, I think that you should have told your boss so that you could have both resolved the situation. It's better to fix a small problem rather than a waiting for a bigger problem. Especially if you end up going to the person's place, that kinda sounds like a violation of privacy. Also, you may wanna check that the instructions for both the patients are the same. What if she is under dosing or double dosing herself?
I hope this helps you.
I have also learned that not knowing the proper storage of medication is just as bad as giving the wrong meds. Yesterday, I put lasix IV in the fridge and that could have crystallized. If it were given intravenously, it could have caused a clot. (I don't feel so bad, cause apparently not refrigerating lasix is a new rule). These are the things that make me nervous to be a pharmacist. But I will do my absolute best to avoid medication errors. People's life depend on me.
Anyways, I think that you should have told your boss so that you could have both resolved the situation. It's better to fix a small problem rather than a waiting for a bigger problem. Especially if you end up going to the person's place, that kinda sounds like a violation of privacy. Also, you may wanna check that the instructions for both the patients are the same. What if she is under dosing or double dosing herself?
I hope this helps you.
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Okay, I needed to vent. I've been a pharm tech at my local walgreens for about 2-3 months and I feel like I screw up more with each day that I'm there. The other weekend, I had to work in the drive thru and this old lady came to pick up her prescription for xalatan (eye drops), we have it in the fridge and i only saw one box of xalatan to be picked up so i assumed it was hers, and then an hour later my manager was looking for this other ladies prescription for xalatan and i noticed the first ladies prescription in a vial...im thinking to myself "****". So on my break I tried going to the ladies house to give her the right prescription and I didnt tell anyone what I had done, the old lady wasnt at home so I just put it back in the fridge and prayed she didnt notice that I gave her the wrong prescription. Although it was the same medication...it was just the wrong label, does this make me a bad person? lol its not like i steal vicodin or oxycodone when time permits...
Your not a bad person - and that defnitely happens more often then we care to admit. I do think you need to adjust how you handled it though. One important aspect of working in the health field is checking your pride and opinions at the door. If a mistake is made - it could be serious (even if in this case it was not). Errors must be fixed, and the reasons that cause them to occur need to be rectified. Does Walgreens not have CQI??? In the future - dont be afraid to cause a huge problem because you made an error. The problem already exists - your just being man enough to face it...
~above~
Okay, I needed to vent. I've been a pharm tech at my local walgreens for about 2-3 months and I feel like I screw up more with each day that I'm there. The other weekend, I had to work in the drive thru and this old lady came to pick up her prescription for xalatan (eye drops), we have it in the fridge and i only saw one box of xalatan to be picked up so i assumed it was hers, and then an hour later my manager was looking for this other ladies prescription for xalatan and i noticed the first ladies prescription in a vial...im thinking to myself "****". So on my break I tried going to the ladies house to give her the right prescription and I didnt tell anyone what I had done, the old lady wasnt at home so I just put it back in the fridge and prayed she didnt notice that I gave her the wrong prescription. Although it was the same medication...it was just the wrong label, does this make me a bad person? lol its not like i steal vicodin or oxycodone when time permits...
No, you're not a bad person - we all make mistakes. However, it is a HIPAA violation for one person to end up with another person's label information. Learn from your mistake - that's the important thing. I bet you never take another Rx out of the refrigerator without checking the label!
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Whoa! I can't believe you had the guts to go the ladies house...
Pharmacy is a profession of precision and patient care
so ok...u made a mistake..u're human..everyone will make a mistake sometime in their pharmacy career but there are ways to handle mistakes.
In the future if you do make another mistake, immediately inform the pharmacist and contact the patient. Imagine if you made a medication error that could consequently affect a patient's health or cost them their life. I really don't think you can compare affecting a patient's health to stealing a bottle of vicodin. Another reason you don't want to sweep your mistakes under a rug...there's always a possibility your mistakes will reveal which can cost you your job. Fix them if you can, it exhibits responsiblity. Your mistakes will follow you.Pharmacy is a tight-knit community. You don't want to harm your chances of being employable elsewhere.
Pharmacy is a profession of precision and patient care
so ok...u made a mistake..u're human..everyone will make a mistake sometime in their pharmacy career but there are ways to handle mistakes.
In the future if you do make another mistake, immediately inform the pharmacist and contact the patient. Imagine if you made a medication error that could consequently affect a patient's health or cost them their life. I really don't think you can compare affecting a patient's health to stealing a bottle of vicodin. Another reason you don't want to sweep your mistakes under a rug...there's always a possibility your mistakes will reveal which can cost you your job. Fix them if you can, it exhibits responsiblity. Your mistakes will follow you.Pharmacy is a tight-knit community. You don't want to harm your chances of being employable elsewhere.
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I wouldent feel too bad if I were you. Mistakes Happen. On Sunday I noticed that my pharmacist filled two different medications under the wrong patients names. Obviously she dosent check the hard copy. It's kinda scary and I dont think I want to be an intern under her! Like others said, you need to handle it differently.
On a side note....I have a question that I have been dying to ask of walgreens employees. Do the techs not know how to look up patients insurance informtion? Or are they just not allowed? I've called wags serveral times to get information for a transfer and they put me on hold for the pharmacist. I am just curious.
On a side note....I have a question that I have been dying to ask of walgreens employees. Do the techs not know how to look up patients insurance informtion? Or are they just not allowed? I've called wags serveral times to get information for a transfer and they put me on hold for the pharmacist. I am just curious.
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Re: WAG techs and insurance information
I'd say that the techs you are talking to probably fall into one of two catagories:
a) new/inexperienced -OR-
b) just plain lazy
Are you calling the same store every time? If so, I'd say there was a lack of training involved. I sometimes wonder why the pharmacy managers or senior techs don't take the time to train new-hires properly... it may seem like a pain in the beginning, but it sure saves a LOT of headaches in the long run.
IMO: As techs, we usually have an easier time accessing patient's profiles and insurance info. than the pharmacists do (less info on our computer screen to back out of, minimize, etc.).
If you keep having problems, my suggestion would be to tell the tech that you're calling from another pharmacy and you need insurance info. on a patient who's at your store and has forgotten his/her card (but has filled at Walgreens in the past). If you so much as mention the word "transfer" you'll more than likely be routed to the pharmacist immediately.
Hope that helps
I'd say that the techs you are talking to probably fall into one of two catagories:
a) new/inexperienced -OR-
b) just plain lazy
Are you calling the same store every time? If so, I'd say there was a lack of training involved. I sometimes wonder why the pharmacy managers or senior techs don't take the time to train new-hires properly... it may seem like a pain in the beginning, but it sure saves a LOT of headaches in the long run.
IMO: As techs, we usually have an easier time accessing patient's profiles and insurance info. than the pharmacists do (less info on our computer screen to back out of, minimize, etc.).
If you keep having problems, my suggestion would be to tell the tech that you're calling from another pharmacy and you need insurance info. on a patient who's at your store and has forgotten his/her card (but has filled at Walgreens in the past). If you so much as mention the word "transfer" you'll more than likely be routed to the pharmacist immediately.
Hope that helps
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I also work at walgreens. The first couple of months, They really pack your head with a ton of information & procedures. Have you finished the PHT training online yet? I know that some of the training that they require dosn't have to be completed for 120 days, so they can't expect you to not make mistakes. The best thing you can do is verify the patients information before you give her the meds. Ask for her address to make sure it's the right patient. You should have reported the incident to the pharmacist, and called the patient asap to tell her she has the wrong meds.
After a few more months it'll come second nature. It's a great place to work and get experience. How many scripts does your walgreens fill daily. I've heard some do about 800 a day?
After a few more months it'll come second nature. It's a great place to work and get experience. How many scripts does your walgreens fill daily. I've heard some do about 800 a day?
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And this is why you're supposed to ask for their address to make sure that you've grabbed the right person's stuff.
That is a pretty inappropriate way to handle the situation. If something like that happens you need to tell your pharmacist.
That is a pretty inappropriate way to handle the situation. If something like that happens you need to tell your pharmacist.
H
hiphopsingher
Lasche-- we do about 500 a day, but on the weekends it dies down, as in any pharmacy. As for the people's plus traning, my training got screwed up because my manager was on vacation like the day after i was hired, so I was supposed to level out my traing by doing people's plus and going back in the pharmacy..instead i did people's plus for like 2 weeks and then started working in the pharmacy...after 3 months, I still have some online training to finish up, but its so worthless...lol. And i DEFINTELY, check the label and ask them about 2-3 times what their address/dob is...sigh!
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patmdc is correct. You always need to alert your pharmacist to an error and let them address it.
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Re: WAG techs and insurance information
I'd say that the techs you are talking to probably fall into one of two catagories:
a) new/inexperienced -OR-
b) just plain lazy
Are you calling the same store every time? If so, I'd say there was a lack of training involved. I sometimes wonder why the pharmacy managers or senior techs don't take the time to train new-hires properly... it may seem like a pain in the beginning, but it sure saves a LOT of headaches in the long run.
IMO: As techs, we usually have an easier time accessing patient's profiles and insurance info. than the pharmacists do (less info on our computer screen to back out of, minimize, etc.).
If you keep having problems, my suggestion would be to tell the tech that you're calling from another pharmacy and you need insurance info. on a patient who's at your store and has forgotten his/her card (but has filled at Walgreens in the past). If you so much as mention the word "transfer" you'll more than likely be routed to the pharmacist immediately.
Hope that helps
I have called two different stores and this has happend. I dont say "transfer" I just tell them I am calling from a different pharmacy and need some insurance info for a patient. The crazy thing is, is they will put me on hold the call will "ring back" to remind them I am on hold. When this happens someone else will pick up, I'll explain the situation again, and they will put be on hold again. Maybe its just a coincidence I caught newbies.
I totally agree about the training. My store does very little training. I basically had to learn on my own. Now we have a bunch of new people that dont know what they are doing and I have to bail them out on the weekends.
I dident mean to hijack this thread.
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ok, so why isn't the pharmacist on duty at your pharmacy checking everything that goes out?? it seems to me that no matter how busy your pharmacy is, EVERYTHING that goes out should be checked. and also, instead of going to her house, why didn't you just call her? you definitely should have told your pharmacist, btw, but everyone makes mistakes. don't beat yourself up over it, just handle it better next time.
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The pharmacist that I worked under tells it to me this way: Every nit-picky thing she tells me is not because she hates me, but that she wants me to learn more and get better. She also tells me to tell her everything...even if it's bad: It's her license on the line and NOT yours.
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