Things I Learn from My Patients.

[PharmGrl]

My favorite was the guy who brought in a script written for MORFINE

He ran out of the store while the tech was still giggling.

I love that!

We had someone come in with an rx for Tussionex and it was copied so obviously, the pharmacist actually asked her how many times she had copied it, and which one had she given to us! The girl ran out of there, but she still got arrested (she worked at one of our other stores and had come in there wearing her work clothes)

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[Ellain]

First post here- I actually joined SDN just to post in this thread. I have been a pharmacy tech for 9 years now...

1) Little old lady, waited until she barely had the strength to lift the phone before calling the pharmacist. She wanted to know when she could eat again- there was a plastic thing in her bottle that said "Do Not Eat."

2) Patient looking for dressings for his knife wound insisted on showing me the oozing belly wound from the bar fight. I really needed to see that, thanks.

3) Something's wrong when you need to get 6 Ovide scripts (one for you, one for each of the kids) every couple of months like clockwork.

4) Patient brought in a CII with no date, no strength, and no physician signature. The nurse who discharged her from surgery wrote it herself. Amazingly, the doctor actually drove a new rx over after his shift!

5) This just last week: Patient got impatient waiting for her Duragesic patch to kick in, and decided to EAT it. She barely survived.

 

[padfoot84sb]

last week this girl came up to the pharmacy counter with a bottle of isopropyl alcohol and asked if it would be good for using to put her contacts in her eyes

 

[desmoulins45179]

last week this girl came up to the pharmacy counter with a bottle of isopropyl alcohol and asked if it would be good for using to put her contacts in her eyes

my eyes are burning just thinking about that

 

[Passion4Sci]

Right up there with a physician writing a 'scrip for the Nuva Ring with "po" SIG...

 

[Monalyce]

I think your attitude would change when the neighborhood tweaker's meth lab reaction runs of control and the ensuing explosion destroys the entire block. That's beside the fact that addiction is but one facet of the drug problem in this country; addiction leads to people doing desperate things to feed said addiction, oftentimes resorting to violence in order to do so.

Think outside the box; it's not just the habit that ruins lives.

What gets me are the kids who are exposed to meth chemically...and who end up in foster care while their parents are in jail, or dead. The cycle has to stop somewhere.

On a funnier note, I worked for a pharmacist who said he had no problem with people doing meth- "natural selection at its finest," he said.

 

[drjmariesegars]

Actual conversation in front of me.
Pharmacist: Please be cautious with ketamine for you dog..(general guidelines)
Idiot: (picking up prescription surreptitiously) soo...if a person takes this ketamine what would happen to them?

are you kidding me? Really? You're just gonna fill the prescription like that..for a person clearly addicted? And his pet if he even has one is probably in soo much pain

 

[IrishRxMan]

There are pharmacists out there that will fill anything for anyone as long as there is a legal prescription for it signed by an authorized prescriber.

As for what you need to know with patients: there will always be those that are easy to deal with and those that you want to slap silly or beat senseless. The most important thing to know is when to slap someone around and when not to (and I mean figuratively, not literally). You have to set your own line in the sand that nobody will cross and be prepared to defend it like it were your life on the line when push comes to shove. It might very well be your license and livelihood that changes if you don't decide this beforehand.

 

[Passion4Sci]

You have to set your own line in the sand that nobody will cross and be prepared to defend it like it were your life on the line when push comes to shove.

That sounds awfully black and white.

 

[NYSEMT]

When brushing those molars (way in the back) make sure to keep a good grip on the handle and for the love of god, don't swallow! Gag me with a toohbrush. LOL

 

[caroladybelle]

And I hate it when people tell us to "put a rush on it" because they have "somewhere to go". Do you tell your dentist to "put a rush on it" when he's taking out your wisdom tooth? Do you tell your surgeon to "put a rush on it" when she's taking out your appendix? Do you tell your optometrist to "put a rush on it" when she's giving you an eye exam?

Yes, actually they do.

I spend an inordinate amount of time, explaining to people why they are waiting for CVDL, CTs, results of CTs, the MD to explain the results of CTs, surgery, colonoscopy, etc. etc.

"But I haven't had anything to eat since midnight, what if I pass out..., I'm diabetic, 75 years old....surely they can bump me ahead. I have a manicure appt at 1600 - will I be out of recovery and leaving by then....I just can't miss my manicure/stock broker appt/personal trainer time."

What really kills me...if I had a dime for every time a pt requested a laxative and demanded to know "exactly" when it would work...I would be a rich woman.

 

[Miss Creant]

Best.Script.Ever.

Our chain's RX system has this "workload balancing" program that gives us the ability to type in scripts that have been scanned by other stores. I got this one the other night.

Haldol 5mg #30 1 t po qd prn voices

PRN VOICES?!?


Who's to say the voices wouldn't tell him not to take the Haldol?


I laughed myself silly and thanked the baby jeebus this wasn't a patient at our store.

 

[Farmercyst]

Best.Script.Ever.

Our chain's RX system has this "workload balancing" program that gives us the ability to type in scripts that have been scanned by other stores. I got this one the other night.

Haldol 5mg #30 1 t po qd prn voices

PRN VOICES?!?


Who's to say the voices wouldn't tell him not to take the Haldol?


I laughed myself silly and thanked the baby jeebus this wasn't a patient at our store.

Just be careful with these. I know you don't plan on doing anything with the information, but technically since it's not a patient you're actively treating, or being transferred to your store, it is still considered PHI and would technically be a HIPPAA violation if I'm interpreting it correctly.

 

[Miss Creant]

Just be careful with these. I know you don't plan on doing anything with the information, but technically since it's not a patient you're actively treating, or being transferred to your store, it is still considered PHI and would technically be a HIPPAA violation if I'm interpreting it correctly.

I don't see the HIPPAA violation. I haven't mentioned the patient's name or other identifying information. I actually don't even remember the name or the doctor. Only the RX

 

[Passion4Sci]

Doesn't seem like a violation of HIPAA, any moreso than TAP or Drug Monkey posting on his blog about the Nuva Ring Rx he saw that was "po prn".

And I gotta admit, "prn voices" is ******ed. Shouldn't it be, at best, "q voices", read as "every time or when pt hears voices, pt will take the medication" as opposed to "as needed pt hears voices, pt will take the medication"?

Meh, what do I know.

 

[lymmys]

Me: it's gonna be 45$ for you mam'
Pt: Great! I'm glad the Dr. changed it to this nasal spray (Nasonex). The other one that I used was too expensive. Can you check to see how much did I pay for the other spray (Fluti.) last time?
Me: 4$

.... wtf

 

[nervoushabits]

My favorite, and it may be on here already so sorry if it is.

Me: This is Jane, Pharmacy Tech. How may I help you?
Person on phone: Yes, I need to get a refill for myself.
Me: Ok. What's the last name?
Person: I said I needed it for myself.
Me: Ok. Look up Myself in the computer. I'm sorry, sir, but I don't have anyone by the last name of Myself. What's your birthday?



And here's my drive thru advice:
1. If we say its going to be a 15 minute wait, it does not mean that you can wait in the drive thru and watch us fill your prescription.
2. Do NOT say we aren't busy if you are not following advice 1, because you CAN'T see other people being waited on. you are in drive thru, where there are some-what tinted windows, and there ARE people in the store, which is what you should be doing since you obviously don't know what a drive thru is.
3. If you are using the second lane, place your money behind the clip in the box. I am not about to chase down your money when it flies away, so just don't do it.

 

[NaOH]

And here's my drive thru advice:
1. If we say its going to be a 15 minute wait, it does not mean that you can wait in the drive thru and watch us fill your prescription.
2. Do NOT say we aren't busy if you are not following advice 1, because you CAN'T see other people being waited on. you are in drive thru, where there are some-what tinted windows, and there ARE people in the store, which is what you should be doing since you obviously don't know what a drive thru is.
3. If you are using the second lane, place your money behind the clip in the box. I am not about to chase down your money when it flies away, so just don't do it.

Hahaha. I love trying to explain to an indignant person that no, you can't wait in the drive-through, and no, I'm NOT being rude to you and letting people in the other lane wait - they're picking up stuff that they dropped off 30 minutes ago. Shocking, I know! And I'm sorry, but threatening to sue me isn't going to help me get your amoxicillin ready any quicker. Nor will demanding to talk to my manager.

 

[Farmercyst]

Doesn't seem like a violation of HIPAA, any moreso than TAP or Drug Monkey posting on his blog about the Nuva Ring Rx he saw that was "po prn".

And I gotta admit, "prn voices" is ******ed. Shouldn't it be, at best, "q voices", read as "every time or when pt hears voices, pt will take the medication" as opposed to "as needed pt hears voices, pt will take the medication"?

Meh, what do I know.

Best.Script.Ever.

Our chain's RX system has this "workload balancing" program that gives us the ability to type in scripts that have been scanned by other stores. I got this one the other night.

Haldol 5mg #30 1 t po qd prn voices

PRN VOICES?!?


Who's to say the voices wouldn't tell him not to take the Haldol?


I laughed myself silly and thanked the baby jeebus this wasn't a patient at our store.

I don't mean posting anonymous info on a web forum, I mean actually looking up a patient you are not actively treating and reviewing their medical info. Somewhat similar to what UCLA folks get into trouble for on occassion when celebrities come through.

 

[pharm B]

I don't mean posting anonymous info on a web forum, I mean actually looking up a patient you are not actively treating and reviewing their medical info. Somewhat similar to what UCLA folks get into trouble for on occassion when celebrities come through.

I know it used to be common practice for a certain big chain pharmacy to do the same thing. Our store would frequently get Rx's from Gun Barrel City (it's real).

 

[delano2000]

My favorite, and it may be on here already so sorry if it is.

Me: This is Jane, Pharmacy Tech. How may I help you?
Person on phone: Yes, I need to get a refill for myself.
Me: Ok. What's the last name?
Person: I said I needed it for myself.
Me: Ok. Look up Myself in the computer. I'm sorry, sir, but I don't have anyone by the last name of Myself. What's your birthday?



And here's my drive thru advice:
1. If we say its going to be a 15 minute wait, it does not mean that you can wait in the drive thru and watch us fill your prescription.
2. Do NOT say we aren't busy if you are not following advice 1, because you CAN'T see other people being waited on. you are in drive thru, where there are some-what tinted windows, and there ARE people in the store, which is what you should be doing since you obviously don't know what a drive thru is.
3. If you are using the second lane, place your money behind the clip in the box. I am not about to chase down your money when it flies away, so just don't do it.

This has to be the funniest one on here.

 

[Passion4Sci]

I learn from my patients that the laziest, most no-life patients are the ones that seemingly can't wait 45 minutes for their Rx to be filled and insist on it being done now and creating a ruckus.

 

[SYPHARMACY]

I learn from my patients that the laziest, most no-life patients are the ones that seemingly can't wait 45 minutes for their Rx to be filled and insist on it being done now and creating a ruckus.

WORD!!!!! what ARE you going to do with that 45 minutes ANWYAYS? NOTHING!

ME: Its gonna be around 20 minutes, is that ok?
******: NO!
--Give her the meds after 10 minutes, and the FAT_SS STAYS IN THE WAITING AREA EATING ICE CREAM! WTF

 

[NaOH]

Certain things we're conditioned that it's 'normal' to wait on; some, unfortunately, are not. Like how the carhops at Sonic get tips all the time, because people realize that it's expected, yet the poor schmucks sacking and carrying out groceries all day are lucky to get enough for a Faygo and a Little Debbie brownie.

 

[Jammerdez1]

Certain things we're conditioned that it's 'normal' to wait on; some, unfortunately, are not. Like how the carhops at Sonic get tips all the time, because people realize that it's expected, yet the poor schmucks sacking and carrying out groceries all day are lucky to get enough for a Faygo and a Little Debbie brownie.

But that's because a lot of the big chain grocery stores have a strict no tipping policy for their baggers. If a bagger (or any employee for that matter) is caught accepting a tip, it's an immediate termination. I know of at least 2 people that have been fired for trying to accept a small tip.

 

[NaOH]

But that's because a lot of the big chain grocery stores have a strict no tipping policy for their baggers. If a bagger (or any employee for that matter) is caught accepting a tip, it's an immediate termination. I know of at least 2 people that have been fired for trying to accept a small tip.

Which makes that super-awesome minimum wage even more of a slap in the face.

I'm not sure why anyone would have a problem with it, anyway. Most days when I worked I wouldn't get any tips at all, if I did it was maybe $2-3 a night - or enough to buy a soda and a candy bar. Yep, that's horrible alright!

 

[will7678]

Certain things we're conditioned that it's 'normal' to wait on; some, unfortunately, are not. Like how the carhops at Sonic get tips all the time, because people realize that it's expected, yet the poor schmucks sacking and carrying out groceries all day are lucky to get enough for a Faygo and a Little Debbie brownie.

I work as a nurse in a hospital setting and I actually once had a patients wife try to tip me one time. It took me a couple of minutes to convince them that I couldn't accept it and they seemed actually insulted that I wouldn't. If it had just been a dollar or two I would have probably just taken it and used it to buy someone else a soda, like one of the techs that work harder for less money. But when I looked down they were trying to give me a 50 dollar bill

 

[Miss Creant]

I don't mean posting anonymous info on a web forum, I mean actually looking up a patient you are not actively treating and reviewing their medical info. Somewhat similar to what UCLA folks get inwto trouble for on occassion when celebrities come through.

If you read the OP, I explain I got the RX because I was working within our pharmacy system that allows us to type in rx's from other stores that need help.

 

[kayb]

Your right, you probably don't need approval from your insurance if you get it filled at another pharmacy.

 

[kayb]

So I had this guy come through the drive through and I rang up his medication. I asked if he had any questions and he said "yeah, what do I tell my wife". I just looked at him so he asked if I had read what the medication was. "No" He tells me it is his medicine for chlamydia and ask me what I think he should tell his wife again.

 

[Passion4Sci]

So I had this guy come through the drive through and I rang up his medication. I asked if he had any questions and he said "yeah, what do I tell my wife". I just looked at him so he asked if I had read what the medication was. "No" He tells me it is his medicine for chlamydia and ask me what I think he should tell his wife again.

I am curious what you ended up telling him to tell her? LOL.

"Hey hon, I've got the clap." Yeap, that worked!

 

[Farmercyst]

If you read the OP, I explain I got the RX because I was working within our pharmacy system that allows us to type in rx's from other stores that need help.

You're right, I didn't make the transition from "workload balancing" to looking up rx's in other pharmacies computers to help balance the workload. Sorry.

 

[Miss Creant]

WORD!!!!! what ARE you going to do with that 45 minutes ANWYAYS? NOTHING!

ME: Its gonna be around 20 minutes, is that ok?
******: NO!
--Give her the meds after 10 minutes, and the FAT_SS STAYS IN THE WAITING AREA EATING ICE CREAM! WTF

It always seems like these are the same people who's meds are being paid for by my tax dollars. Also, it always seems like the people who are in the biggest hurry, are filling maintenance meds. Sometimes, when I see that the script wasn't even written that day (I love when it's not even the same month) I fake joke that it can't be that urgent if I took them 3 weeks to bring it in. And for god's sake, if you don't get your simvastatin in the next 10 minutes, you're not going to die!

Has anyone else noticed the shocking number of doctors who write refills on C-II's or PRN refills on other controls? I'm not talking about the fakes, but legit scripts that have been verified with the doctor.

 

[Ttennis31590]

Realize that when you tell us, in a bossy tone, to "hurry it up" or "make it snappy", we'll likely go out of our way to take additional time to prepare your prescription.

My SP's rule is, every time they push that the script be filled more quickly we add an additional 15 minutes to the wait time. This is also extremely helpful in weeding out the people that think your calling the cops every time ur on the phone while his narc script is being processed.

 

[NaOH]

Dang, I wish I worked in such an environment where it was culturally acceptable to 'punish' unpleasant patients. I find that I spend a pretty significant portion of my workday kowtowing to patients and apologizing for the fact that their meds aren't ready - it'd be lovely to have the freedom to just say "Look i'm sorry we don't have your prescriptions ready, but half the town has come in for flu shots and some ******* just made me spend 10 minutes calling every other store in town to see if they had drug _____ that we're out of stock on. It'll be another 20 minutes. Now would you mind moving out of the drivethrough, you're blocking traffic k?"

Man, that'd be something else I tell ya.

 

[LoudSpeakers]

Dang, I wish I worked in such an environment where it was culturally acceptable to 'punish' unpleasant patients. I find that I spend a pretty significant portion of my workday kowtowing to patients and apologizing for the fact that their meds aren't ready - it'd be lovely to have the freedom to just say "Look i'm sorry we don't have your prescriptions ready, but half the town has come in for flu shots and some ******* just made me spend 10 minutes calling every other store in town to see if they had drug _____ that we're out of stock on. It'll be another 20 minutes. Now would you mind moving out of the drivethrough, you're blocking traffic k?"

Man, that'd be something else I tell ya.

I agree. Earlier this year I had to explain to a patient why I couldn't give out our fax number (it's company policy that we can only give it out to doctors). Then she gets really mad at me because it's my fault that her doctor gave her a hand-written script and she only wants to fax it over so we can fill it. I also didn't understand why she contacted our pharmacy which is 20 miles away from where she was. However, she asked me if she could bring the script to a closer pharmacy then waste her time driving 20 minutes to pick it up at our pharmacy.....

 

[aliasra1182]

My absolute favorite is a guy came in on a cell phone. Stopped long enough to say he was picking up for his girlfriends kid, last name starts with a G sounds kind of spanish.
He was angry and shocked that we couldnt read his mind and told him he needs to call his girlfriend and get some information.
*the last name didnt start with or have a G in it. I think he got dumped for that one

 

[aliasra1182]

I worked with a girl who typed up an RX with instructions Insert 1 ring per vagina. I said kandis how many do you have? I only have one.

 

[aliasra1182]

Filled an rx for hydrocodone, directions take 1 tablet by mouth daily as needed. he came in 4 days later saying I need a refill now! Im all out. I said sir this says take 1 daily as needed.
He comes back with but I as needed then 4 times yesterday.
I said what the prescription is saying is one a day.
he says "oh"

 

[Sparda29]

I worked with a girl who typed up an RX with instructions Insert 1 ring per vagina. I said kandis how many do you have? I only have one.

That's actually a legit sig code. But yeah, to avoid confusion, you would say Insert 1 ring into vagina.

 

[Passion4Sci]

Filled an rx for hydrocodone, directions take 1 tablet by mouth daily as needed. he came in 4 days later saying I need a refill now! Im all out. I said sir this says take 1 daily as needed.
He comes back with but I as needed then 4 times yesterday.
I said what the prescription is saying is one a day.
he says "oh"

You'd think the daily part of that would make sense to someone other than us...

 

[Passion4Sci]

That's actually a legit sig code. But yeah, to avoid confusion, you would say Insert 1 ring into vagina.

My fave in this category:

NuvaRing PO Q24H.

 

[phathead]

Had an elderly woman call in about six or seven refills this weekend. All of the numbers were really weird as they were only six digits. After trying to figure out what the hell she wanted, the pharmacist and I realized at about the same time that she called in the dates, not the Rx numbers.

Which is weird because the Rx numbers are bold, large and in a yellow box whereas the date is in thin small type on the bottom corner.

Better than the woman who always calls in her refills via NDC number...

 

[lymmys]

I worked with a girl who typed up an RX with instructions Insert 1 ring per vagina. I said kandis how many do you have? I only have one.

This has to be one of the best in here so far

 

[kylota]

This is not from a patient but actually from a nurse, but I felt it was worthy of posting. I work in a LTC pharmacy; we ship our medications to residents in nursing homes. While I do not have to deal with very many patients, I deal with a lot of nurses, several of which scare me daily. We receive our orders via fax, and the nurses only call us if their is an issue or a problem, so about every five minutes. Yesterday, I received a phone call from a nurse saying they had faxed over an order with two medications on it but only received one. The nurse is very irate, and asks us why we can not simply fill the orders we received, why must there always be a problem? I asked him what order was missed, and he said, "The order for the mid scapula, it was right above the order that you did fill! How could you not see it?" "Sir, we do not send body parts." "The mid scapula is a body part??" "Yes, sir." "click"
Just scary.

 

[rxlea]

When I worked in retail, a patient came in to fill a script- her kids cough medicine- and said she would wait the 15 minutes for it to be ready. Meanwhile, she also went to the beer fridge and picked out a 12-pack of Coors. When she came back for the script, the copay was $2.00 (she was on the state-funded plan). She immediately threw a fit saying she wasn't going to pay that and it was completely ridiculous that she even had a copay because, "The state pays for that". So, the pharmacist (old guy) looked at her and said, "Well, you know what, Lady? If you put that rocky mountain piss water of a beer back in the fridge, you can get your kid's cough medicine." So, she put the beer down and took off. I was like WTF! these welfare people can be so frickin' ridiculous!

 

[NaOH]

When I worked in retail, a patient came in to fill a script- her kids cough medicine- and said she would wait the 15 minutes for it to be ready. Meanwhile, she also went to the beer fridge and picked out a 12-pack of Coors. When she came back for the script, the copay was $2.00 (she was on the state-funded plan). She immediately threw a fit saying she wasn't going to pay that and it was completely ridiculous that she even had a copay because, "The state pays for that". So, the pharmacist (old guy) looked at her and said, "Well, you know what, Lady? If you put that rocky mountain piss water of a beer back in the fridge, you can get your kid's cough medicine." So, she put the beer down and took off. I was like WTF! these welfare people can be so frickin' ridiculous!

A-damn-MEN.

As a former grocery sacker, I always loved seeing people come in and get hundreds of dollars of government cheese... and then spend the money they did have on cartons of cigarettes and suitcases of Natty Light.

I grew up in a pretty classy town, you can see.

 

[Monalyce]

A-damn-MEN.

As a former grocery sacker, I always loved seeing people come in and get hundreds of dollars of government cheese... and then spend the money they did have on cartons of cigarettes and suitcases of Natty Light.

I grew up in a pretty classy town, you can see.

Hence our NEED for welfare reform in this country. The whole idea is to be a hand up, not a hand out.

 

[rxlea]

Hence our NEED for welfare reform in this country. The whole idea is to be a hand up, not a hand out.

Agreed! Even if the system changes, it will take longer for people to change. It has gone on this way for far too long and people are conditioned to it. I hope our generation does something about it.

 

[Passion4Sci]

Yeah, I'm sure that Generation E (Entitled) will definitely work on changing social welfare programs.