For the past four years, I have been temping in long term care pharmacies.. about the only time that we talk to office staff is involving oral Rxs for controlled substances. Recently I have been getting calls from a temp service to fill in for a BIG BOX store pharmacy. Not all practices have moved over to electronic prescribing, so talking to office staff for oral orders .. is the order of the day…
One day last week, the usual female staff member was calling in a Rx for patient… this time it was for Cialis … directions for use for “ED” drugs have always been difficult to get “just right” .. without having a second meaning…
Got all the necessary data points for the prescription.. except one… the quality to be dispensed… As a matter of fact question.. “how many tablets do you wish to provide ??”
Without thinking… she responded “…a thirty day supply…” I could not resist…. in my best mono-tone … “and how would I determine what a 30 days supply would be…??”
In the back of my head.. I was going over… should I ask the patient, the wife, the girl friend… ask all three and get a consensus?
Of course, her response was basically a “automated response”… the laughter on her part after my attempt to clarify … was not ! PRICELESS !
Filed under: General Problems
In the US.. just about anyone working in the prescriber’s office is considered a “agent of the prescriber” and can call in any Rx – except C-II’s, however they can fill out a Rx for any medication.. as long as the prescriber signs it.
In the nursing home environment… we can accept non-controlled orders from nursing staff .. and the prescriber can designate a nursing home staff as a “agent of the prescriber” and can call in orders just like they were on the prescriber’s office staff.
Is it true in all US states that pharmacists can accept verbal rxs from office staff? I seem to see such statements on many US rx blogs. As a Canadian pharmacist practicing in BC and Yukon, I can only accept a verbal from the physician.