Refilled a couple controls early due to negligence. Feeling extremely guilty.

[a student]

Hi, just wanted to share and let out my feelings. My store is very busy and I gradually got more and more careless with checking refill due dates. Today while checking the refill due date of a benzo rx, I realized that I refilled it early by 8 days once a few months ago. This is when it hit me that my carelessness resulted in undesired consequences. Then I started searching through the work queue to see if I’ve done this more times in the past and ended up finding another rx that I refilled early months ago. Now I’m feeling extremely guilty and I can’t stop thinking about it. How can I get over this?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[wucool33]

Your system doesn’t have at least a soft stop warning?

 

[a student]

Your system doesn’t have at least a soft stop warning?

It does but when we get busy I blast through a lot of DURs and only pay attention to the red ones. I regret doing that so much now

 

[ancienbon]

Hi, just wanted to share and let out my feelings. My store is very busy and I gradually got more and more careless with checking refill due dates. Today while checking the refill due date of a benzo rx, I realized that I refilled it early by 8 days once a few months ago. This is when it hit me that my carelessness resulted in undesired consequences. Then I started searching through the work queue to see if I’ve done this more times in the past and ended up finding another rx that I refilled early months ago. Now I’m feeling extremely guilty and I can’t stop thinking about it. How can I get over this?

Relax. Take a chill pill

 

[wucool33]

It does but when we get busy I blast through a lot of DURs and only pay attention to the red ones. I regret doing that so much now

You are fine. The fact that you actually care is already better than a lot of people. I always paid close attention to controls when I was working retail, even when it was crazy busy. The be more careful in the future...

 

[APN-59 rph]

Hi, just wanted to share and let out my feelings. My store is very busy and I gradually got more and more careless with checking refill due dates. Today while checking the refill due date of a benzo rx, I realized that I refilled it early by 8 days once a few months ago. This is when it hit me that my carelessness resulted in undesired consequences. Then I started searching through the work queue to see if I’ve done this more times in the past and ended up finding another rx that I refilled early months ago. Now I’m feeling extremely guilty and I can’t stop thinking about it. How can I get over this?

I used to have brewskis with a DEA agent and sometimes I would ax a question like this...the boy would just laugh.....They have bigger fish to fry like McK (sorry I blew up).....Unless "they" are laying for u for some reason...unlax....

 

[FarmD711]

This is not a big deal.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[zelman]

I’ve filled fake oxy 30 rx’s. You’ve done nothing to lose sleep over.

 

[wagrxm2000]

The only thing you did was upset customers in the future when they think they can take 8 days extra of their med and still be able to fill it.

So you did nothing wrong.

 

[Momus]

You make the customers happy. That's a positive for me.

 

[genesis09]

We have all done this. DEA is not going to come after you for making a bad decision. If you are regularly filling bad rx than you will have a problem. There is not a practicing pharmacist was has not filled controls too early or a forgery.

 

[johnpharm01]

We have all done this. DEA is not going to come after you for making a bad decision. If you are regularly filling bad rx than you will have a problem. There is not a practicing pharmacist was has not filled controls too early or a forgery.

I wouldn't go that far.

 

[wagrxm2000]

I wouldn't go that far.

How would you know you didn't fill a forged script? If the office doesn't call you and say they noticed you filled a script under their name, you would never know.

 

[lord999]

If it comes back to haunt you, it's "medical necessity." I fully agree with the others that this is not anything morally questionable or illegal on your part, but I also would think that if the pharmacy wants to enforce this policy, they would make it a hard DUR override. Part of the practice.

Also, you need to let go of your sense of guilt in general for administrative matters. That actually is something that doesn't serve you well working anywhere, and supervision will take advantage of you. It's ok to feel guilty for normative matters (stealing or misfilling), but don't expand it to company rules.

 

[Prosperity8]

Hi, just wanted to share and let out my feelings. My store is very busy and I gradually got more and more careless with checking refill due dates. Today while checking the refill due date of a benzo rx, I realized that I refilled it early by 8 days once a few months ago. This is when it hit me that my carelessness resulted in undesired consequences. Then I started searching through the work queue to see if I’ve done this more times in the past and ended up finding another rx that I refilled early months ago. Now I’m feeling extremely guilty and I can’t stop thinking about it. How can I get over this?

Lol. You must be a new pharmacist. It's a benzo. Stop overreacting. As long as your state laws allow for it, it's no big deal.

 

[Thoughtfulsinner]

They really have to start sifting out the betas in the admission process. Don't need anymore pharmacists like this.

 

[johnpharm01]

How would you know you didn't fill a forged script? If the office doesn't call you and say they noticed you filled a script under their name, you would never know.

Because forgeries are easy to spot.

 

[genesis09]

Because forgeries are easy to spot.

Not all of them are easy to spot. You get a rx from an unusual prescriber. My favorite was when it was an inside job using the real rx and the provider's signature was so bad you could never tell.

 

[johnpharm01]

Not all of them are easy to spot. You get a rx from an unusual prescriber. My favorite was when it was an inside job using the real rx and the provider's signature was so bad you could never tell.

Well, if it is an unusual prescriber that calls for verification. Real rxs with fake signatures can be easily spotted the hard ones are verbal rxs called in by current or former employees of doctors who's regular course of work was calling legitimate rxs in. Drs never really let you know who is authorized and who isn't. Part of the problem is the mobile, impersonal country we live in. In smaller communities its easier to tell.

I would suggest the OP take a little more time and when the durs come up during rx processing either address them or set them aside. Others may have filled fakes or otherwise not worry but my experience is different. One fake can result in a board action and I worked with a pharmacist who filled a fake and subsequently got a visit from the dea. Filling early controls will result in the potential abusers targeting you and you becoming their favorite rph.

 

[txpharmguy]

If you work for WBA, just put a DUR exception on benzos and chronic opiates and move on. Check fill dates when the workload lightens up

 

[wagrxm2000]

Well, if it is an unusual prescriber that calls for verification. Real rxs with fake signatures can be easily spotted the hard ones are verbal rxs called in by current or former employees of doctors who's regular course of work was calling legitimate rxs in. Drs never really let you know who is authorized and who isn't. Part of the problem is the mobile, impersonal country we live in. In smaller communities its easier to tell.

I would suggest the OP take a little more time and when the durs come up during rx processing either address them or set them aside. Others may have filled fakes or otherwise not worry but my experience is different. One fake can result in a board action and I worked with a pharmacist who filled a fake and subsequently got a visit from the dea. Filling early controls will result in the potential abusers targeting you and you becoming their favorite rph.

Sounds like a huge waste of time. So everytime you get one of those scripts with 30 different doctors on top you call?

I just ask the patient who they saw and move on.

My point though is, script pads get stolen and it's very easy to forge an MD signature (everyone knows you sign it upside-down ). How would you know you got one of those before the office notices?

We get emails every once in awhile that say this doctor had a pad stolen be cautious.

 

[johnpharm01]

Sounds like a huge waste of time. So everytime you get one of those scripts with 30 different doctors on top you call?

I just ask the patient who they saw and move on.

My point though is, script pads get stolen and it's very easy to forge an MD signature (everyone knows you sign it upside-down ). How would you know you got one of those before the office notices?

We get emails every once in awhile that say this doctor had a pad stolen be cautious.

Its not hard. I don't have to call because I see the same signatures regularly even if there are many on the prescription and the prescriber does not indicate their dea. This itself forces one to concentrate.

Your approach to pharmacy is definitely different from mine. I look at practicing pharmacy as a privilege and one which requires pharmacists to hold themselves accountable i.e. filling only valid rxs. You can get away some errors we are all human. But start being lazy or incompetent and it will catch up with you.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

If this is the worst mistake you make in your career, you will retire the greatest pharmacist that has ever lived.

 

[ChalupaBatman86]

In the name of the Farxiga, the Sonata, and Holy Spiriva I absolve you of your sins my son.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[owlegrad]

I am loving this thread so much. Do you practice in a town of 20 doctors that you can remember everyone’s signature and call on every script that you don’t recognize the prescriber?

It’s been my experience that the people who are most confident that they don’t make mistakes make the most mistakes. I bet the same principle applies to people who are so confident that they can spot forgeries a mile away.

 

[beautifulrobot]

I am loving this thread so much. Do you practice in a town of 20 doctors that you can remember everyone’s signature and call on every script that you don’t recognize the prescriber?

It’s been my experience that the people who are most confident that they don’t make mistakes make the most mistakes. I bet the same principle applies to people who are so confident that they can spot forgeries a mile away.

Yep, the Dunning-Kruger effect.

 

[Saisri_PharmStdnt]

In the name of the Farxiga, the Sonata, and Holy Spiriva I absolve you of your sins my son.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

This made me laugh out loud. Thank you for that!

 

[johnpharm01]

I am loving this thread so much. Do you practice in a town of 20 doctors that you can remember everyone’s signature and call on every script that you don’t recognize the prescriber?

It’s been my experience that the people who are most confident that they don’t make mistakes make the most mistakes. I bet the same principle applies to people who are so confident that they can spot forgeries a mile away.

What course of action do you take when you cannot validate a signature on a control rx in this day and age of an opioid crisis?

I admit I am lucky small town, few prescribers, mostly erx, patients who see specialist and get handwritten rxs are regulars, work with rphs and techs at same time so can ask their opinion, and most customers are regulars.

 

[owlegrad]

What course of action do you take when you cannot validate a signature on a control rx in this day and age of an opioid crisis?

I admit I am lucky small town, few prescribers, mostly erx, patients who see specialist and get handwritten rxs are regulars, work with rphs and techs at same time so can ask their opinion, and most customers are regulars.

Thankfully I work LTC so we really only work with a few prescribers. When the RXs come from outside our normal prescribers, such as an ER script when the patient has been readmitted, I just assume it is valid.

When I was at CVS I just did my best to judge if the RX seemed valid. Without a doubt I am sure I was fooled more than once. I can't wait until only E-RXs are mandatory. At the very least that should cut down on the number of forgeries.

 

[johnpharm01]

Thankfully I work LTC so we really only work with a few prescribers. When the RXs come from outside our normal prescribers, such as an ER script when the patient has been readmitted, I just assume it is valid.

When I was at CVS I just did my best to judge if the RX seemed valid. Without a doubt I am sure I was fooled more than once. I can't wait until only E-RXs are mandatory. At the very least that should cut down on the number of forgeries.

I agree. OP just try your best to avoid obvious forgeries and mindless overrides of durs (set them aside if necessary) and no one will fault you for that.

 

[wagrxm2000]

Its not hard. I don't have to call because I see the same signatures regularly even if there are many on the prescription and the prescriber does not indicate their dea. This itself forces one to concentrate.

Your approach to pharmacy is definitely different from mine. I look at practicing pharmacy as a privilege and one which requires pharmacists to hold themselves accountable i.e. filling only valid rxs. You can get away some errors we are all human. But start being lazy or incompetent and it will catch up with you.

Ok your whole post doesn't make sense.

How am I being lazy? You don't think you can rely on a customer to tell you who they saw?

Also I never once said I think it's ok to fill fake scripts.

I love my job and im one of the few here who actually seems to appreciate what I get to do.

Let me ask you this, how many fake scripts have you caught? Im well into double digits.

 

[zelman]

What course of action do you take when you cannot validate a signature on a control rx in this day and age of an opioid crisis?

I admit I am lucky small town, few prescribers, mostly erx, patients who see specialist and get handwritten rxs are regulars, work with rphs and techs at same time so can ask their opinion, and most customers are regulars.

The legal definition of “signature” is “something in ink”. If it’s that, I’ll take it.

 

[johnpharm01]

Ok your whole post doesn't make sense.

How am I being lazy? You don't think you can rely on a customer to tell you who they saw?

Also I never once said I think it's ok to fill fake scripts.

I love my job and im one of the few here who actually seems to appreciate what I get to do.

Let me ask you this, how many fake scripts have you caught? Im well into double digits.

That blurb was part of my philosophy on pharmacy, not an indictment of your practice. Sometimes patients don't know who they saw or they do and its not the prescriber who actually wrote the rx.

I catch my fair share. I'll issue you a challenge. Whoever catches the most fakes in the next month buys the other a meal from Portillos. I will take an italian beef with sweet peppers, side of of hot greasy fries and a schooner of beer. If I win.

 

[grumpyRph]

What's the bigger issue here? Blindly going through dur's that aren't red.

My system at the greenz doesn't make most duplicate therapy dur's red. Then you're gonna run into countless clueless old people (and their families) not only picking up ace's and arbs, protonix/Prilosec, Lipitor 40&80 (need I go on?), but calling you later to complain about how they wasted their money paying for an (previous dose) med they didn't need anymore and also the confused grandma took both and they'll complain to the doc (hopefully not the board but they're in their right). The doc is gonna call to berate you about it, you may even have to file an incident report at the point too.

Early refill on controls is usually arbitrary and minor and prob went through the insurance anyway. But blindly going through dur's eeek. Only speaking from experience and I also need to get better at it. I find myself buzzin through super quick and I have to go back all the time "wait what did that dur say? Ugh " then I have to try to find it in my queue blah blah.

 

[Apotheker2015]

Hi, just wanted to share and let out my feelings. My store is very busy and I gradually got more and more careless with checking refill due dates. Today while checking the refill due date of a benzo rx, I realized that I refilled it early by 8 days once a few months ago. This is when it hit me that my carelessness resulted in undesired consequences. Then I started searching through the work queue to see if I’ve done this more times in the past and ended up finding another rx that I refilled early months ago. Now I’m feeling extremely guilty and I can’t stop thinking about it. How can I get over this?

Your system justs you refill anything early? Are you just clicking through DURs?

 

[CetiAlphaFive]

In the name of the Farxiga, the Sonata, and Holy Spiriva I absolve you of your sins my son.
Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

BAHAHAHA

 

[Apotheker2015]

In the name of the Farxiga, the Sonata, and Holy Spiriva I absolve you of your sins my son.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

LOL. This is awesome. I would use it but that would be enough for my techs to call the ethics line and accuse me persecution based on religious beliefs.