2.5 dd given wrong Rx at Pharmacy - **UPDATE #22**

[Maleficent13]

People work in the pharmacy. People are not perfect. People make mistakes.

I thought this bore repeating. Mistakes do happen...that's why it is good that the OP checked before giving anything to her child. Pharmacists are not perfect people...I know we would like them to be, but they're not, any more than our doctors and nurses are. It's good to be an informed consumer, and kudos to the OP.

I too would be asking for a more reactive response from the pharmacy, although it's a given that they aren't going to say anything that will incriminate themselves. Some people will take even an effusive apology as an admission of guilt.

 

[Geoff_M]

Mistakes do happen...that's why it is good that the OP checked before giving anything to her child. Pharmacists are not perfect people...I know we would like them to be, but they're not, any more than our doctors and nurses are. It's good to be an informed consumer, and kudos to the OP.

I agree up to a point. Most patients are only given administration instructions about the script ("Give him two tablets in the morning, and two again before bedtime for the next week.") and perhaps the name of the drug being given. However, I don't recall ever being told the concentration information on the drug. If the pharmacy dispenses 200mg tablets instead of 100mg tablets (as was the case with my wife), it's not likely that a patient will catch that. Ditto if the pharmacy labels the bottle correctly but mis-fills it. Unless everyone's got a PDR in their home, those errors are going to be hard to catch.

 

[Maleficent13]

I agree with you, Geoff...your situation could not have been helped (and how horrible!). I was referring more to the OP, who was given an entirely different prescription. That is something that is fairly easy to ascertain.

 

[mookie]

I thought this bore repeating. Mistakes do happen...that's why it is good that the OP checked before giving anything to her child. Pharmacists are not perfect people...I know we would like them to be, but they're not, any more than our doctors and nurses are. It's good to be an informed consumer, and kudos to the OP.

I do recognize how important it is that people check the label for anything that they put into their mouths. In fact, when I checked the label, the Xanax prescription was under a generic name. At first, I thought my dr. might have given our daughter pain meds to help with her infection. But the fact that she was 2, and they were in pill form just didn't seem right. It did take me quite a while before I figured out that generic name was actually Xanax. So even reading the label took awhile!

I also know that many people make mistakes, and yes, it is entirely human. In fact, I was willing just to drop the bottle back off before I had friends and family urge me to think twice. Then, after posting here, the seriousness actually came to light for me (controlled substance, etc.) and I think that is what has made me want to take my problem to a slightly higher level. I think the way the managing pharmacist handled the situation was too lax, and it seemed as if he was just grateful that I had covered my butt and read the label, so in essence, his was covered, too.

I will probably be calling corporate headquarters this afternoon. I'll let you all know where I get with this. Again, thanks so much for all of your thoughts and opinions...they have really been helpful, and it's reassuring to know I have done all the right things.

 

[AmyJ of Ca]

As a mother of 4 kids ages 8,6,2 and 1, I think it should be standard practice to give the Mom's of the sick kids a script for Xanax!! It would make all that late night barf scrubbing a little more bearable. The combo just sounded funny together LOL....

Please don't take me too seriously, I know how medications can harm or kill if not taken correctly. I lost a very close family member to accidental drug overdose. Amy

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Xanax is a benzodiazepene, similar to valium. An inappropriate dose could cause severe somnolence and even respiratory arrest. We see this happen in the hospital and in fact there is an antidote for benzo overdose. On occasion we have to use it when someone either comes in after taking too much or a person has an unexpected reaction to a smaller dose. Either way, very dangerous. I would be very upset if I was given a prescription for this for one of my children (or anyone else in my family for that matter).

A pharmacy tech is not licensed to fill prescriptions. Only a pharmacist can. It is the pharmacist on duty who is accountable for this mistake, not the tech. There is a pharmacy licensing board in each state, you should let them know about this. It is not necessarily to penalize this particular pharmacist, but rather to alert the pharmacy overseers that these problems are happening so they can institute changes that will enhance the safety of all consumers.

Our hospital just went to an online electronic medication administration system. They invested millions of dollars to ensure the safety of their patients with this technology. It will pay for itself many times over in reduced costs due to medication errors and litigation. Perhaps it is time for pharmacies to do something similar.

 

[SpecialK]

I'm also in the Chicago 'burbs and I won't use the pharmacy at Walgreens. A couple of years back, I picked up my husbands prescription and the pharmacy tech gave me completely incorrect instructions for his meds. This was not his first time on these meds so I corrected her - and was shrugged off. I kept wondering, what if it had been his first time on these meds? That was the last prescription I ever filled at Walgreens.

Yes, people make mistakes, even those who work in pharmacies. But there are a lot of people out there who don't have the facility and/or education to question medical personnel. (like my elderly in-laws) They rely on the knowledge of the people who are serving them. For that reason, pharmacy employees need to be well-trained and conscientious. If they're not, then they shouldn't be behind the counter of the pharmacy.

 

[malibuconlee]

Just found this thread.

I know when my mom had to started using a mail order company for her prescriptions she bought a book that had pictures, descriptions, and uses of different drugs.

Must admit after the safety of the child one of my thoughts was that they would have to destroy the meds as they can't give them back out. Also made me wonder if someone working there was wanting the meds for their own use once returned.

I do agree that mistakes happen and medical professionals are human. I think in this instance they could be a little more humble.

 

[SGB13]

I am a pharmacist. If you ever have a question about a prescription being correct, PLEASE call and ask to speak to a pharmacist. The tech should never handle any issues about a misfilled prescription. And by law, the pharmacist checks every prescription and is the one responsible for the error.

I am so sorry that the cashier didn't look into the problem when your husband questioned 2 prescriptions. It would have saved you a lot of stress. I can tell you exactly how the error happen though. Most likely, your daughter's amoxicillin prescription was entered into the computer right before the other patients Xanax prescription. The tech entering the info in the computer forgot to enter the new patients name on the Xanax prescription and your daughther's name ended up on the Rx. Should this have been caught by the Pharmacist? Yes! That is one reason we always ask for patient's birthdates when you bring in a prescription. Even if the pharmacist overlooks the name when checking, they have a birthdate to doublecheck.
I know it sounds like no big deal to be sure the correct name is on a prescription, but when one pharmacist checks 200 to 300 prescriptions over a 12 hour day, mistakes do happen. It's no excuse, every prescription should be correct, everytime. But we are human, we do get tired, we do have life stress from home affecting our day at work, just like everyone else.
When you do take the bottle back, be sure you speak to the pharmacist. They should give you a phone number and report number from them reporting the incident to their headquarters. Be sure they give you one. As long as these things are reported, the company will be sure one pharmacist is not making too many mistakes. And yes, some pharmacists are fired for making errors.
Again, I'm sorry you are having to deal with this when your husband questioned it at the register. Not what you need when you have a sick little one at home!