Scanning drugs

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VictorOfHungerGames

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Has anyone encountered a technician that does not scan drugs before filling? This obviously would be an issue at places like cvs since the system will not allow you verify without having to scan it first but at independents, using systems like Pioneer, it can be done.

Other than just sloppy work ethic and risk of misfill, does anyone know if there is a law against this type of practice?

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Has anyone encountered a technician that does not scan drugs before filling? This obviously would be an issue at places like cvs since the system will not allow you verify without having to scan it first but at independents, using systems like Pioneer, it can be done.
Other than just sloppy work ethic and risk of misfill, does anyone know if there is a law against this type of practice?
I have never heard of a law requiring barcode technology.

What you can do is use your leverage as the RPh to force them to do what you want
 
There are literally pharmacy systems in use today that do not use barcode technology. So yes, I have seen this and no, it can't possibly be against the law (unless there are states that simply do not have certain pharmacies I suppose).

What I cannot wrap my head around, and I see it every day, is treating the bar code scan as though it is the least important thing in the world. I often see bar codes getting scanned in batches and then the tech going back and filling the labels in batches. I saw it at CVS and I see it at my current job. I don't know why techs don't care more about the most critical step they have in preventing errors. *shrug*

Even my boss's boss, the Pharmacy Director, has tried to make the techs use the bar code scanners correctly and they literally just will not do it. It is bananas to me. What you are describing OP is, I suspect, a wide spread issue in the industry. Anyone who jumps in and says "My techs never do this! I wouldn't allow it!" probably simply isn't aware of how often it happens.
 
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There are literally pharmacy systems in use today that do not use barcode technology. So yes, I have seen this and no, it can't possibly be against the law (unless there are states that simply do not have certain pharmacies I suppose).

What I cannot wrap my head around, and I see it every day, is treating the bar code scan as though it is the least important thing in the world. I often see bar codes getting scanned in batches and then the tech going back and filling the labels in batches. I saw it at CVS and I see it at my current job. I don't know why techs don't care more about the most critical step they have in preventing errors. *shrug*

Even my boss's boss, the Pharmacy Director, has tried to make the techs use the bar code scanners correctly and they literally just will not do it. It is bananas to me. What you are describing OP is, I suspect, a wide spread issue in the industry. Anyone who jumps in and says "My techs never do this! I wouldn't allow it!" probably simply isn't aware of how often it happens.

Yeah, so I caught one of my techs scan everything all at once and filling them all together as a batch. I told her not to do that and instead as soon as she scans something, she should fill. She got an attitude with me and said that takes too much time. I almost brought out my Dr. Cox impression but didn't want to scare her so I gently told her that everything that goes out of our pharmacy is my responsibility therefore things need to be done the right way.

The original issue came up from the sister pharmacy where the tech just ignored the scanning all together... again the apparent reason is he, the tech, thinks that he's never wrong and does not need to scan... wtf?!
 
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There are literally pharmacy systems in use today that do not use barcode technology. So yes, I have seen this and no, it can't possibly be against the law (unless there are states that simply do not have certain pharmacies I suppose).

What I cannot wrap my head around, and I see it every day, is treating the bar code scan as though it is the least important thing in the world. I often see bar codes getting scanned in batches and then the tech going back and filling the labels in batches. I saw it at CVS and I see it at my current job. I don't know why techs don't care more about the most critical step they have in preventing errors. *shrug*

Even my boss's boss, the Pharmacy Director, has tried to make the techs use the bar code scanners correctly and they literally just will not do it. It is bananas to me. What you are describing OP is, I suspect, a wide spread issue in the industry. Anyone who jumps in and says "My techs never do this! I wouldn't allow it!" probably simply isn't aware of how often it happens.
I had a tech with a British accent at a south Austin pharmacy give me attitude once because her PIC let her do it.
I discovered she left a BUNCH of Rxs scanned but unfilled in the corner.

Same PIC also wanted me to leave empty CII bottles in a drawer.

I stuck her at drive through or register for her entire shift every time I went back to that store.
 
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You can have laws for whatever you want but what good does it do if there is little consequence? I have never heard of a technician being really disciplined for anything besides failing to comply with CE requirements and stealing controls.
 
Are you sure Pioneer just has that setting turn off? When I check a med the tech hasn't scanned it pop ups a red flag and is a non bypassable error until I click "Manual verify"

Good god. I answered a retail question. Ive been at my side hustle for a year and I guess some of it is finally sticking lol
 
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Yes, and I pay very close attention to when this tech's credentials show up during verification. I am also quite astonished how long this tech has managed to stay employed given all the errors this tech has been involved with. Bypass can be just as bad as not scanning
 
We run reports on the inpatient side on who bypasses the barcode scanning (nurse and pharmacy techs alike) and provide education (and disciplinary action, if warranted).

We also look at the aggregate barcode scanning rate for each unit and report to their respective managers.

No laws, however...and any errors that result in a lawsuit, all evidence of our investigations and discipline are protected from discovery by Evidence Code 1157 (in California).

Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
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The original issue came up from the sister pharmacy where the tech just ignored the scanning all together... again the apparent reason is he, the tech, thinks that he's never wrong and does not need to scan... wtf?!
If he’s never wrong, I’d agree with him. But the second he misfills, he’d be gone.
 
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