I get this question from RPh’s across the country almost weekly.. along with “if I say anything… I will lose my job..”
Anytime that you are asked to do anything that is of questionable ethics, legalities and or puts patient health/safety at risk – ie can be the genesis of medication errors… You need to ask yourself.. in a worse case scenario … where will the consequences fall.. If it is on you and only you.. then you need to decide if your protecting your license is more important than following the instructions/edicts of someone who will have no consequences if all goes wrong.
Take for example the recent incident in NC. The PIC of this chain pharmacy decided that after verifying 300 Rxs by the 7th hour of a 14 hr work day – that is one every 80 seconds.. patient safety would be better served by closing the drive thru window. The Front End non-RPh manager decided that he was in charge and insisted that the drive thru window remain open. Long story short.. the RPH DM got into the issue – via phone – and concurred with the drive thru staying open.
The PIC exercised his authority and SHUT DOWN THE RX DEPT… as a matter of patient safety issue.
What did the BOP do?… well … it is reported that the investigator for the BOP.. only talked to the PIC, DM RPH and the non-RPH store manager as to determine what occurred that day…. did the investigator talk to the 3-4 technicians present when this all happened … NOPE !
The outcome ???? . The BOP issued a letter warning to the permit holder (chain pharmacy), the RPH DM and the PIC… what did the BOP do in regards to the non-RPH store manager?…. NOTHING !!! and why was that.. because the non-RPH store manager was not a registered technician, RPH or any other entity that is under the authority of the BOP and the practice act. Thus, we have an employee of the permit holder.. that has decided to impose their beliefs… or what they belief are the beliefs of their corporate employer on to the Pharmacist on duty..
The response from the BOP .. is that those whose are not licensed by the BOP… the BOP has no authority over.. and thus… if you are a Pharmacist in one of those chains… whose non-RPH store managers believes that they are also the “manager” of the Rx dept… you had better think again before you cave to their wishes… the law is on your side… also you might consider looking up in your company’s Policy and Procedures manual (P&P).. does the interference of a non-RPH store manager in you carrying out your professional duties … causing a hostile work environment ?
Ignore the interference until one day it becomes the distraction that causes a medication error. Then the problem shifts from the non-RPH manager to YOU.. YOU make the MISTAKE… now YOU have violated both the practice act and the company’s P&P. If you have not previously sent emails expressing your concerns about the interference from the manager in doing your professional duties and what the consequences may be from such a hostile work environment… Whatever you say now… will be viewed as you just trying to justify YOUR MISTAKE… I can assure you that no one in management will remember any conversations over your concerns. It will be your word against them..
Filed under: General Problems
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