Friday, August 1, 2008

the Lord must have a sense of humor

So my previous post about boredom was completely turned upside down on Thursday. It began slowly as the other Thursdays have begun for the past month or so. Then we receive a call from a pharmacist questioning a script I had written. Wondering why I was writing for 9 times the usually prescribed amount of Adderall, a controlled substance for ADD that PAs can not write.

What went through my brain:
1. What idiot in the office had me sign an Adderall prescription when they all WELL know I can't write for that. (I was a little freaked out that I could have done this but was not the first thought that came into my mind.)
2. What was I thinking, I could get my license taken away for signing a script for something I can't write. (AKA PANIC )

What came out of my mouth, per office staff:
"Who is going to get fired for screwing up royally? Who gave this patient a script that I couldn't sign? Did you?" (can you feel the fire coming out of my eyes and nose, if not, read it again)

So I looked in the patient's chart. The prescription had been written but I didn't ok it, nor did any of the doctors in the office. Then I wisely asked the pharmacist what the prescription looked like. She said it was on a white 1/2 sheet of paper. I asked her to fax me a copy of that script and not to fill it until I looked at. I also told the pharmacist that we have copy proof blue script paper. Then I asked our front desk lady if she signed for it. There was no signature, and she wouldn't let a script be picked up without being signed for. (I love followers of rules.)

My blood pressure lowered about 40 points because I realized all those silly rules we follow showed I didn't do anything wrong, and neither did any of the staff.

The pharmacist was very dear and faxed it 4 times for me. The first 3 times didn't come through because she was faxing a 1/2 sheet of paper so all that came over was blank sheets. And had to hear my frantic voice on the phone 4 times! Finally the script showed up.

And my worst fear came true. A patient betrayed my trust and was forging my signatures on scripts. I was shocked but not amazed. It's sad what people will do these days. I was told the person could get between $10-$20 per pill!! That's over $1000 per month. The sad part, the pharmacies were filling the scripts. And they had been filling them since March.

So Thursday I got to make my first police report, and hopefully my last. And today I got to contact the DEA in Oklahoma City and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. I just can't believe the pharmacies were filling prescriptions on a medication all PAs are not allowed to write. I'm just afraid I'll be visited by many law enforcement people in the next few weeks.

I know not to pray for patience because you'll be tested. Little did I know I didn't want to be praying about being bored either. No longer. . . .

I know Michael and Jesus are getting a good chuckle out of this one, maybe my grandparents are sitting nearby shaking their heads. I can just hear God, "Boy! If Sarah thinks she is bored, watch this!"

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