PHARMACIST STEVE

How many of you know that you are violating some part of the practice act… how about not taking breaks required by it… how about working more hours/day that is statue limit.. how about filling more Rx/shift than the practice act says is “dangerous”?

This applies particularly if you are the PIC… if you or a staff RPH files a complaint against the company for these or other such violations of the practice act.. the BOP.. could actually come back and CHARGE YOU with violating the practice act.. once again .. treating you – the PIC – as if you have some sort of authority over any staffing and other issues regarding the ultimate operation of the pharmacy dept.

Now here comes the real bite in the ass… you have done what should be expected of a professional… of your course.. you probably get fired ..and .. then you discover that most employers will not hire anyone that has ANY ACTION AGAINST THEIR LICENSE BY A  BOP…

How do you protect yourself from such a catch-22… in breaking your practice act… you are concurrently breaking the policy and procedures of the company. No employer can tell an employee to break a law or do something illegal. The HR dept/CCO is in charge of enforcing the P&P for the company.  Depending on the severity of the infraction, the people in the HR dept and/or the CCO could be held PERSONALLY LIABLE for failing to make sure that the company’s policies and procedures are followed.

By expressing concerns to the HR/CCO .. you take the entire onus off of you.. a company cannot legally tell/encourage/condone an employee breaking the law. If they fire an employee for refusing to break a law… there can be substantial financial consequences.. in the case of a RPH.. where you may become virtually unemployable because of actions that could be taken by the BOP against you and your license for violating the practice act…  basically… you lose the right to practice pharmacy without actually losing your license.

There is a growing RPH surplus and 75% of the BOP’s have chain exec sitting on them.. could those two facts … create an environment that more and more RPH’s are going to be taken to task by the BOP… for things that the chains have total control over?  Maybe to help keep the remaining RPH’s “in line”.

Because, if the RPH had never expressed concerns – in writing – to the HR/CCO.. the chain will defend itself… “we have no record of the RPH every expressing concerns.. had we known that the RPH had some concerns… we would have taken corrective action”… basically we are pleading ignorance… and all of you know damn good and well they were fully aware of what was going on…BUT… guess who the BOP is going to believe… as they have been told over and over again.. “… if it is not documented.. IT DIDN’T HAPPEN…”

BOTTOM LINE.. the only difference between you and turkey at a turkey shoot… the turkey has feathers… you are both in someone’s “cross-hairs”

Filed under: General Problems