Things I Learn from My Patients.

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Tech from Rite Aid calls and asks,
"hey do you all have flu vaccine and can you dispense it?" Then, Walgreen's tech responds, "yes we have it, no we can not dispense it" Without notice, rude nurse at the in window abrubtly takes over the phone at Rite Aid and asks, "why not, I have a patient that can not leave his/her home" Walgreen's tech replies, because we are only authorized to administer it" Nurse continues to throw fit, so tech hands the phone to the Walgreen's pharmacist (after nurse rudley replies, "well, i thought I wassss talking to the pharmacist??" The tech thinks to himself, well if only you hadn't abruptly taken over the phone maybe you would have known who you were actually talking to?) and she tells the nurse that the protocol only allows us to administer it, not to mention we can not waste a 10 shot vial for 1 flu shot. The pharmacist thinks to herself/himself, well why don't you just get it from the doctors office? The end!
 
Awesome thread! Reminds me of all the stories I would share/hear when I delivered and managed at an inner city pizza shop lol
 
Yes, I forgot that the customer was always right. It IS the 17th and not the 16th. And OF COURSE you can say that the computer saying refill too soon (until the 17th) on your narcotic is wrong.

Please keep exclaiming that you're right even though your phone says the 16th on it. I feed of the impatience and anger of patients.

FEED ME SOME MORE
 
If you are a frequent flyer (who is notorious for altering narc scripts)...

I will tear that rx up in front of your face (after verifying it with the pissed off ER doc) and tell you to never come back or Officer Friendly will give you some beautiful handcuffs for christmas!

Don't you worry about trying another pharmacy, cause every pharmacy will be warned about you 30 seconds after you leave!
 
loo said:
If you are a frequent flyer (who is notorious for altering narc scripts)...

I will tear that rx up in front of your face (after verifying it with the pissed off ER doc) and tell you to never come back or Officer Friendly will give you some beautiful handcuffs for christmas!

Don't you worry about trying another pharmacy, cause every pharmacy will be warned about you 30 seconds after you leave!
Click to expand...

My favorite method is telling them to wait 15 minutes, while I call up the police narcotics squad. Then they show up and the guy is dragged off to prison.
 
If you ask for Plan B and you are under the age of 18...your boyfriend (who is with you) cannot buy it for you.
 
"Pecker-itis" is such a broad term; could you be more specific, please?
 
Please don't call my district supervisor to report a HIPPA violation when it was YOU who drove off with the insurance log clipboard from the drive-thru in the first place.

Idiot.
 
If you are going to call in a fake Rx, do not use technical names.

Example Rx:


Hi, this is Mary from Dr. Smith's office calling in Tussionex PennKinetic 4oz 1 tea bid for John Doe.
 
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Farmercyst said:
They can in CA
Click to expand...

that doesn't make sense though... can you clarify? I'm not really familiar with the law that much, but how is it okay for someone under 18 to have a bf under 18 buy a plan B drug.

on the flip side if the bf is over 18 than isn't there a new host of problems with dating a minor?
 
YiYaoYue said:
that doesn't make sense though... can you clarify? I'm not really familiar with the law that much, but how is it okay for someone under 18 to have a bf under 18 buy a plan B drug.

on the flip side if the bf is over 18 than isn't there a new host of problems with dating a minor?
Click to expand...

Basically, what usually happens is that the person buying Plan B has to be 18 or older. So, what I usually see in my area is that the idiot brings their older friend along and has them buy it for them.

You can tell who is the person who is going to use it and the person who is just buying it, just gotta watch their behaviors.
 
YiYaoYue said:
that doesn't make sense though... can you clarify? I'm not really familiar with the law that much, but how is it okay for someone under 18 to have a bf under 18 buy a plan B drug.

on the flip side if the bf is over 18 than isn't there a new host of problems with dating a minor?
Click to expand...

This is technically an OTC item that is available without prescription if you are over 18. Gender doesn't matter. Unlike Tobacco or Alcohol, it is not illegal to distribute it to minors post-purchase. Therefore if you were to buy it as an 18 year old male, you could then give it to the minor without legal problems. An older sister, brother, boyfriend, etc. If you are 18 you must have a prescription, but in Cali you can take a CE and get prescriptive authority from Plan B. Then you'd be able to prescribe it to the minor and sell it. We also discussed the possibility in class that an RPh could buy it and then give it to the minor.
http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/publications/emer_cont_qa.pdf (CALIFORNIA LAW ONLY, OTHER STATE REGS MAY VARY)
 
Patient: "ya know, they use those albuterol ingredients in them rocket engines for the space shuttle"

Me: YES of course they do

WTF??
 
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Bump

And,

When there are 10 people in line at the counter, by all means, PLEASE empty out your loaded shopping cart before asking "is this ok?". Even better if you're not picking up a script, and you just don't want to wait in line at the front register.
 
Patient: <hands me her pill bottle> This new vicodin that I got doesn't work! I want the vicodin that I got last time. That actually helped with my pain. This new stuff is crap.

Me: <checks prescription in the system> Ma'am, this vicodin is exactly the same as the kind you got last month. Nothing has changed.

Patient: No, it's different! This one <points at the generic name> has acetaminophen in it! My vicodin before didnt have acetaminophen, and that's the kind that actually works!

Me: Umm.. ma'am.. ALL vicodin has acetaminophen in it... or else it wouldn't be vicodin.

Patient: No No NO!!! I want the vicodin with no acetaminophen!!!!!! :annoyed:

....after about 15 minutes of trying to explain to her that her meds haven't changed at all, she finally storms out.... *sigh*







Another one:


Patient: <hands me a new prescription> I'm allergic to polyethylene glycol. Do these pills have PEG in them?

Me: Let me check... <goes back and checks the package insert to discover that yes, the pills do contain PEG> I'm sorry ma'am, but yes these pills contain PEG. But honestly, PEG is a very common ingredient in many pills and is usually present in extremely small amounts. What kind of allergic reaction do you get from PEG?

Patient: It makes my stomach hurt. And I might get a rash.

Me: You might get a rash? As in you've never actually gotten one?

Patient: Yes... well I got this rash one time.. and I think it's from PEG, but I'm not positive.

Me: Okaay.. well... let me look up your medication profile and see what you've taken in the past. <look up patient profile and then double check package inserts to find out that the patient has been on 2 chronic meds with PEG in them for over a year now> Ma'am, apparently you've taken ____ and _____ for a long time now. Both these drugs have PEG in them, and you seem to be fine.

Patient: What??? They both have PEG?? I'm not going to take them anymore!!!


:bang:
 
Please don't think insurance card is like a credit card!!! Don't wait until you fill the prescription and give the insurance card... then moan when we take 5 minutes to insert the information...
 
Me: And.. do you have an insurance for us to bill?

Customer: Sure! <hands over Progressive Car Insurance policy card>

Me: <commits suicide>
 
Patient: How much is my copay?
Me: $6 M'am
P: WHAT??? Insurance didn't cover it?
M: No, it didn't
P: Could you double check?

(After double checking a million times and explaning to her that her insurance didn't cover this, she finally agreed to pay the co-pay with a big sigh. She dumped all of her stuff out of her purse to get to the credit card. I saw a Blackberry and a key to a Linconl!!!😱)...If you can afford those two things, FREAKING pay $6 then!! 😡:meanie:
 
some funny prenunciations of drugs (all from REAL situations):

Norvasack
Metamorphin
Hydro-codeine
Glucofag
Lexaprobe
Celebrate
Augmentation

:laugh:
 
Me: Do you have insurance or will it be cash?

Patient: I'll use my credit card


🙄
 
No, it is not okay for you to talk on your cellphone when I'm trying to get information from you.

I actually put up like 5 signs all around the areas where patients can see that they are not allowed to talk on their cell phones.

District manager came in 2 weeks later and took them all down.
 
"Do you need a prescription for Adderall?"


"Excuse me...can someone tell me the difference between 'foaming hand soap' and 'hand soap'?"
 
gtpederson said:
Me: And.. do you have an insurance for us to bill?

Customer: Sure! <hands over Progressive Car Insurance policy card>

Me: <commits suicide>
Click to expand...

Hah hah. I had a similar situation with someone who was visiting from a different country and i asked them the same question. They handed me a life insurance card from some company in Korea.

The patient kept on insisting that life insurance was the same thing as health insurance in Korea. I then had to awkwardly explain to them how the US treats health and life insurance as 2 totally different things.
 
Sparda29 said:
Me and the pharmacist are talking about something, then this teenager walks up to the counter (looks stoned as hell) and breaks our conversation.

He asks if we sell ping pong balls? We refer him to the toy section. He comes back 5 minutes later saying he can't find them. We say that we probably don't have them then. Then he asks, are there any substitutes for ping pong balls?

At this point, I was about to burst out in laughter and spit coke all over someone's prescription.

He just walks away after we just shrug. The pharmacist gets a call from his wife like an hour or so later, this comes up, and his wife actually tells him that we do sell ping pong balls because that's where she gets them, lol.
Click to expand...
Actually they are in the "house hold goods" section
 
On a transfer prescription:


Tech: Mam, it seems like your insurance isn't working right now, give me a moment to call them and work something out.

Calls insurance

Tech: Good news, it was just a different billing system. You're under Medicare Part D now.

Patient: What?? I never signed up for Medicare!! My husband works for the government and they keep putting me on medicaid/medicare without my consent!! This is ridiculous, I am going to call them and fix this

Tech: (why are you so pissed over medicare? a lot of people who want it can't even get it...) I'm sorry mam, but that's just how it's going to be billed now. Oh and because it is Medicare, we cannot accept your $30 Gift Card coupon.

Patiend: What? No... How can this be? It work fine at Walgreens when I transferred it there!! and Rite aid too! They never mentioned any problems about Medicare to me. I am going to call them on Monday and sort this out. I do NOT want to be on Medicare.

Tech: (oh... so that's why you're so pissed about Medicare. No more GC coupons for you)
----------

RPH: Your copay is $50. Are you sure you want this medication?

Patient that barely speaks english: Yes.

*Fills and lables $500 Epivir. Patient pays with health spending card. Card declined.*

Patient: We don't have money. We don't want anything.
----------
 
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I've never worked retail but I've been working in a hospital pharmacy. I must express how enjoyable it is to come in to work, and the first phone call I get goes like so:

Nurse: I haven't gotten <insert med> yet.
Me: Ok, ma'am, what is the patient's name and room number?
Nurse: We've been over this. You said it was going to be up here fifteen minutes ago.
Me: Ma'am, I've just started my shift, so I'll need to find out which patient you are calling about so that I can help you.
Nurse: Unacceptable. (what?!)
 
fhx06 said:
I've never worked retail but I've been working in a hospital pharmacy. I must express how enjoyable it is to come in to work, and the first phone call I get goes like so:

Nurse: I haven't gotten <insert med> yet.
Me: Ok, ma'am, what is the patient's name and room number?
Nurse: We've been over this. You said it was going to be up here fifteen minutes ago.
Me: Ma'am, I've just started my shift, so I'll need to find out which patient you are calling about so that I can help you.
Nurse: Unacceptable. (what?!)
Click to expand...

I feel justified saying working in the Lab isnt much different than working in the Pharmacy. Good to know! :laugh:
 
A foreign patient comes in to the pharmacy and is somewhat of a regular. Her name is very similar to her husband and her Dr's handwriting is... a Dr's handwriting! So I ask her for her birthday and she goes...

Uhhh.... ##... oh, OCTEMBER!!!

Thank goodness her husband's birthday is in August =)
 
please proceed to hit on me while you are getting your herpes medication. REAL classy!

it went something like this:
pt: how many times?
me: (confused, thinking he was asking about the dosing) how many times...?
pt: how many times do people come up to this counter and tell you how beautiful you are?
me: (stifling a guffaw and unfortunately turning red) Oh. Uh. No, never. Do you have new insurance? it's cashed out.
pt: No really you're so beautiful! (he really kept laying it on thick which was really uncomfortable)
me: do you have new insurance?

finally hands me his insurance card, and I realize he's never been to our pharmacy so the pharmacist asks me to get his phone number and address... awkward much. So I finally had to tell my pharmacist what was going on and how uncomfortable I felt, and she just started laughing (because she was checking his herpes med) and sent my male co-worker to go get the info. I usually don't like handing my work off to other people, but I thought this was appropriate. Later my co-worker tells me he had his black Centurion American Express card out and kept asking about where I went, haha grossness.
 
NaOH said:
What an.... informative thread.
You have to admit, working with the public is interesting.
Click to expand...
Lol so true.

I love it when people don't respect others' space at the counter. We have these old people who walk up, and even though there's a customer, they'll stand so close they're practically looking over their shoulder. hahah, we've had to put a sign up that says "please respect others privacy"
 
OHHH best story i have.

We got a call from a tech at rite aid,
rite aid: "hey do you guys have xx drug, we got a call in from the doc for it"
me: "let me check, yes we do
rite aid: "ok i'm going to send her right over

so one would think that he'd send her over and have the pharmacist give us the info to transfer, but nope, he just hung up. I told the pharmacist i was working with. We were curious what she was bringing with her, and sure enough, she walks in with a rite aid pad that has the information the pharmacist pulled off the voicemail hahaha. We were laughing for weeks!
 
No, your fertility meds will not be covered by your medical assistance. Please don't act surprised to find out that the government does not want to pay for you to reproduce.
 
thephoenician88 said:
Lol so true.

I love it when people don't respect others' space at the counter. We have these old people who walk up, and even though there's a customer, they'll stand so close they're practically looking over their shoulder. hahah, we've had to put a sign up that says "please respect others privacy"
Click to expand...


Yeah, like today there was this young girl picking up her birth control, and there were this psychiatric patient like 1 foot behind her, I noticed this, "CAN YOU ALL BACK UP 5 FEET!!!!"
 
wolfpackhal said:
If you are going to call in a fake Rx, do not use technical names.

Example Rx:


Hi, this is Mary from Dr. Smith's office calling in Tussionex PennKinetic 4oz 1 tea bid for John Doe.
Click to expand...

I don't get this one, as that sounds just like I have prescribed it. However, I've since found out how expensive Tussionex is, and now it's Robitussin AC disp 4 oz. So go figure. (Just in case - which is slim - that drug seekers are lurking, I didn't put more.)
 
Me: Pharmacy this is John
Sir: Sean, I have a huge cut on my leg that is oozing can I but my Albuterol Sulfate on my wound and cover it up with clear plastic wrap
Me: Albuterol sir?
Sir: ya, u know, albuterol syrup?
Me: Yes sir, I know what you are talking about....but why?
Sir: To sooth it.
Me: ...oh lord, sir it will serve no purpose
Sir: Thanks for nothing Sean

HAHA happened today:laugh:
 
Apollyon said:
I don't get this one, as that sounds just like I have prescribed it. However, I've since found out how expensive Tussionex is, and now it's Robitussin AC disp 4 oz. So go figure. (Just in case - which is slim - that drug seekers are lurking, I didn't put more.)
Click to expand...

Usually, when people from MD's office call stuff over the phone, they don't read the entire name.

They'd be like, Hi is this Sally from Dr. Smith's office calling in a prescription for John Hunter, DOB 6/6/06, he needs a Zpak and some Tussionex syrup.
 
haha I love this thread! Here is 2 from me, it might be here somewhere already.

The phamacist always tells me to type "1 and 1/2 tablet" and "by mouth" because the some of the patients don't quite know 1.5 tablet and they might even insert rectally for a cap/tab/ or caplet.
 
russ36 said:
No, your fertility meds will not be covered by your medical assistance. Please don't act surprised to find out that the government does not want to pay for you to reproduce.
Click to expand...

What, they don't want to create and support Octomoms in MN?
 
me: have you filled at (pharmacy name) before?
pt: No, I filled my other medication here last week, but this is a new medication.

Am I just wording the question wrong because I get an answer like this at least once a day.
 
TABOULI said:
me: have you filled at (pharmacy name) before?
pt: No, I filled my other medication here last week, but this is a new medication.

Am I just wording the question wrong because I get an answer like this at least once a day.
Click to expand...

Have you filled any medication/Rx here/at .... before?
 
I have a bunch of pharmacy stories but its actually a store story that sticks out in my mind, they had a new cashier up front that had been there about a week... One of our lovely customers decided to back their a** up to the corner of the stall and take a ****....there was **** all over down the stall wall and a pile on the floor.. They told the new cashier to clean it and the cashier said "hell no" and we never saw him again. :laugh:
 
I was workin production and all of the sudden someone jumps on to the counter of the consultation window ( she was on her knees on the counter holding onto the wall and leaning into the pharmacy) it was some crazy lady and she goes "I was just in the drive thru and you flipped me off" ( crazy was pointing at me) and then she goes "here ya go ya bitch" and she flipped me off....I was like WTF you can't even see me from the drive thru I was on the other side of the pharmacy and i don't look like anyone else that works in the pharmacy... And just to top it off the tech that was doing the drive thru didn't remember her coming through.

pt: after i take this can i eat a cold cut trio
pharm: yes
pt: are you sure
pharm: yes
same pt: where is the mane and tail shampoo
me: the shampoo isle
pt: no its in the pet isle
me: no the people isle
pt: tell me where the pet isle is
me: seven



Me: Hi can I help you
pt: yeah i want to know why the hell you weren't open sunday at 8pm
me: because we close at 6pm
pt: well you should put up a sign that says that your not open 24 hours
me: we have a sign that says our hours ( points to sign)
pt: well it doesn't say that your not open 24 hours
me: no sorry it doesn't
pt: yeah that right you think your so smart
me: okay
they slam the gas and do the classic screech the tires out of the drive thru

my friend had a person come through the drive thru at walgreens and ask where CVS was ( CVS is right next to walgreens you can see it from the drive thru)...she told the customer she didn't know where it was lol
 
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TABOULI said:
me: have you filled at (pharmacy name) before?
pt: No, I filled my other medication here last week, but this is a new medication.

Am I just wording the question wrong because I get an answer like this at least once a day.
Click to expand...

Me: Have we filled for you before?

Pt: Yes, but not this one.

Me: in my head: of course you haven't filled this one, it's in my hand just this second. Can you see how that works?


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