As a pharmacist, you take great pride in your work. You have no intention of making a mistake, but you’re human. There could come a point when your lapse in judgement results in a serious error that affects a patient.
The last thing you want to learn is that you’re under investigation for a mistake you made. Should this happen, the end result could be disciplinary action, such as the suspension of or loss of your license.
Here are some of the most common mistakes that pharmacists make:
- Prescribing the wrong medication: Not only does this mean that the patient doesn’t get access to the medication they need, but they could take something that impacts their overall level of health.
- Prescribing the wrong dosage: Too high of a dose can result in an overdose. Not enough means that the patient isn’t getting what they need to treat their condition.
- Prescribing expired medication: Most medicines don’t last forever. It’s important to never prescribe a medication that’s expired. Doing so may result in the patient taking a medication that’s no longer effective.
- Failure to consider drug interactions: As you review a patient’s records, pay attention to any drugs that may interact with one another. Doing so helps protects against an interaction that could result in serious illness or even death.
- Failure to discuss side effects with the patient: Most medications come with potential side effects. Discuss these with the patient so that they’re fully aware of what they may experience.
With so much responsibility as a pharmacist, it’s important that you do whatever it takes to prevent these mistakes (among many others). Doing so will give you and your team peace of mind, while also helping your patients get the treatment they need.
If you make a mistake that results in a review of your license, don’t hesitate to collect more information and learn more about your legal rights in Pennsylvania.
Even if you think you’re in the clear, don’t sit back and let the process unfold. You should take action to ensure that you protect the license you worked so hard to obtain.