It's hard to imagine that pharmacists make 5 million prescription drug errors every year. These mistakes can lead to a myriad of consequences including death and suicide. How does it happen? It happens because so many drugs have names that are very similar. The Institute For Safe Medication Practices has an extensive list of the often confused drugs.
One such drug is the pain control narcotic called Avinza (a form of morphine) which is sometimes confused with the menopause drug that helps fight bone loss Evista. Both of these are taken once daily which can further add to the confusion. It can be particularly hard to recognize when a prescription error has happened if it's the first time you're filling the prescription. Other times, when the prescription is a refill, patients may be more easily able to recognize that a pill does not look the same as it did previously. These errors affect all age groups, both sexes, and regardless of other factors.
A few years ago, when filling prescriptions for my child, I received a wrong drug that I recognized. This was completely unacceptable and forced me to find a new pharmacy. When I told the new pharmacist what had happened, she told me that she previously worked for my previous pharmacy and quit because her superiors didn't care if the prescriptions were filled correctly. The other pharmacy (a large national chain) only cared that she filled prescriptions quickly. I was happy to have a wonderful pharmacist who cared so much that her prescriptions were correct.
My pharmacy is extremely safe. if they have any doubts about what the handwriting says or whether the doctor really meant to prescribe the dose they think it says, they double check. I’ve never had a problem, and I appreciate their attention to detail. It’s part of a well known national chain, and these employees really care about their work.
I’ve never had a problem
Every Pharmacist makes mistakes. We’re human and it’s impossible not to, no matter how careful you are. For most of us, it’s very rare.
Want us to make less mistakes? Don’t interrupt us with non Pharmacy stuff. Ask front of the store employees where the vitamin E that is on sale is. Don’t bring a cartload of crap to be rung up at the Pharmacy and then question every sale price. Don’t come through the drive-thru and expect us to go get you a bottle of Tylenol. Complain to our supervisors that we shouldn’t be giving flu shots and trying to fill prescriptions at the same time. Don’t ask us to change the batteries in your hearing aid. Don’t spend 15 minutes detailing your loast 10 bowel movements when you ask for a reccomendation of a laxative. Imagine your Dr getting interrupted with all that every time you’re in an exam room. Kind of impressive that we don’t make more mistakes, isn’t it?
Its alright healty is very important, so be care full
Of course, pharmacists are human, but complaining about the other work normally done in the pharmacy department is not the solution. One solution is a systematic double-check of every prescription before it is dispensed to the patient.
During a one night hospital stay recently, I suffered SIX medication errors, not due to the pharmacy but the doctor and P.A. One must remain vigilant at every stage, asking what the medication is, how it is to be used and exactly how the name is spelled.
I agree, BJ. It’s about having a system in place to catch the errors that will inevitably happen.
its rather shocking knowing that 5 Million Prescription errors happen every year, getting the right drugs at the right can be vital and error could prolong suffering in some patients but then again we are all human and we all make mistakes
I think that a lot of pharmacies are prone to make those kinds of errors, although I myself have never ever had a problem. for all of those who live in Grand Rapids, Michiga, give all your prescriptions to Kay Pharmacy!!!! They treat you right, fill prescriptions promptly, and they have never made an error thus far and I’ve been dealing with them all my life.
I work for Walgreens, they just want MONEY!!! so they must be a culprit, they over work, upderpay and UNDERSTAFF their pharmacies, put out a sign for 15min wait time and expect the one pharmacist to help fill, ring up peoples cartloads of food, call dr/ins, and give flu shots while counseling to people!! I work for the company in the pharmacy and all they care about it is making more and more money. They claim customer service but cut the hours and make 1 per do the job of 3 so how can we provide customer service…something must give…besides working in a pharmacy is stressful as it is, unless you want to be a pharmacist dont become a pharmacy tech its ridiculous especially if you get a pharmacist who doesnt want to help….oh btw next time you bring in an rx to fill just remember that Walgreens will make you wait if someone comes in later than you for a flu shot, its their policy since flu shots provide them with lots of money and so flu shots come first!! Too bad if your child has a fever…sadly we the employess disagree but then we just “lose hours” = “are laid off”
That’s amazing, I like it very much, a nice idea.worth to have a try.
I’ve said that least 1334869 times. The problem this like that is they are just too compilcated for the average bird, if you know what I mean