Pharmacists giving injections!?!

Nurses Medications

Published

I went into a a local store the other day to get a presription filled. I saw a sign that said basically get your flu, tetorifice, meningitis, and other vaccinations right there. My first thought was "Great, I missed the flu shots given at work and they take my insurance." I went onto read that the vaccinations are given by specially trained pharmacists that took a course. I was a bit upset reading this. I don't want to fill my pts meds and I don't want a pharmacist who took an hour course to be thinking that is enough training to safely do part of my job!

Am I overreacting? Just seems like nursing should remain nursing. Once they start this, who knows what's next!

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

Hey, lots of folks give others injections - diabetics have caregivers who inject them.

Nursing is not tasks. Nursing is thinking and planning and caring.

Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.
I went into a a local store the other day to get a presription filled. I saw a sign that said basically get your flu, tetorifice, meningitis, and other vaccinations right there. My first thought was "Great, I missed the flu shots given at work and they take my insurance." I went onto read that the vaccinations are given by specially trained pharmacists that took a course. I was a bit upset reading this. I don't want to fill my pts meds and I don't want a pharmacist who took an hour course to be thinking that is enough training to safely do part of my job!

Am I overreacting? Just seems like nursing should remain nursing. Once they start this, who knows what's next!

Yup, it's been this way for at least a couple of years around here. Not sure how I feel about it.

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I have a friend who is pharmacist who worked for a large national chain. He retired a couple of years ago, and one of the reasons was because of the flu shots. He said it was because he was so busy trying to keep caught up on filling prescriptions, and pt education, that adding that task was too much.

I wonder if these big chains realize how much money they are paying a highly educated pharmacist to administer injections when they could hire MAs/LPNs/RNs for a lot less money. Seems like a very poor use of your time and resources for pharmacists to be pulled away from their normal duties to give flu shots. Just my :twocents:

They're just doing to pharmacists what they have been doing to nurses; add on more tasks to an already over-worked health-care worked. Cheaper to do that than hire someone qualified to do the shots and give education.

Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

I happily got my flu shot from my pharmacist at Target yesterday. I also stopped reading this thread on page two because the argument seems pretty stale.

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
I happily got my flu shot from my pharmacist at Target yesterday. I also stopped reading this thread on page two because the argument seems pretty stale.

Yeah except last time we had this thread giving a shot wasn't rocket science. Now it's not brain surgery. Sorry. :o

To the OP - I think I understand what you're saying and I agree with you. I guess erosion would describe it pretty well. It seems to be the trend now to delegate a task formerly exclusive to nursing to a tech making a third as much $$$, and if nothing untoward happens they will continue on with it. I'd say this mostly happens at clinics and doctor's offices, though. I know some doctors who delegate things to MAs that make your toenails curl, like cauterizing polyps.

Giving injections is easy, but, I am sure pharmacists would rather be doing pharmacist stuff. This is just added irritation for them. But since a pharmacist salary is set, all the pharmacy chains are doing is just adding to their workload, and profiting hugely as flu shots cost what is it like a buck or two, but they sell for about $30. This is huge and easy profit for the grocery and pharmacy chains. Big money they pocket now that nursing has been eliminated.

Nursing is losing ground in many areas that used to be viable for extra income. Now, it's clear nurses who used to rely on flu shot clinics for some extra cash can no longer for the most part, but at a few areas. The big chains of drug stores and grocery stores across the country no longer hire nurses to be involved. Sad for new grads looking for just something to do with themselves and earn a little money as a nurse while waiting for a real job to come along. Sadly, flu shot clinics was the only thing and now that's all but gone.

BINGO!

Specializes in Hospice.

Im somewhat familiar with Walgreens and I believe they get a 4 hour training on giving im injections for the flu shot (they only give it to people over 7) .......4 hours is way more training than i have had for that.

I wouldn't want to work a flu clinic (they pay horrible) but i still see nurses doing that around here so i think there are still opportunities.

Specializes in ER.

hey folks-

I am with the original poster on this one. My ER has a pharmacist in our satelite at almost all times. I have watched as the pharmacists have slowly increased their nursing practice.

First, they only prepared code drugs in codes. Then they started pushing code drugs. After that, they started hanging drips on intubated patients. THAT was followed by administering tetorifice shots to patients AND breathing treatments and OH! Mag to asthma patients.

Let me tell you: assessing the patency of an IV is a skill they do not possess and is entirely outside of the scope of their practice. Furthermore, they often do all of these activities with nothing more than a verbal order and then toss off some statement to the nurse like "oh can you chart this for me?" as if it is just some matter of convenience.

Let me tell you: when the trauma team comes in and sees unordered drips and drugs, they immediately turn to the nurse and even if you defend yourself with "well, the pharmacist said that..." they blame the nurse which is why I pause their drips until I get an order.

my other question is if I need someone to verify the orders, why doesn't a pharmacist need another pharmacist to verify orders before they administer drugs? Seems like hypocrisy to me!

Its a slippery slope and its better if they stay in their own lane.

hey folks-

I am with the original poster on this one. My ER has a pharmacist in our satelite at almost all times. I have watched as the pharmacists have slowly increased their nursing practice.

First, they only prepared code drugs in codes. Then they started pushing code drugs. After that, they started hanging drips on intubated patients. THAT was followed by administering tetorifice shots to patients AND breathing treatments and OH! Mag to asthma patients.

Let me tell you: assessing the patency of an IV is a skill they do not possess and is entirely outside of the scope of their practice. Furthermore, they often do all of these activities with nothing more than a verbal order and then toss off some statement to the nurse like "oh can you chart this for me?" as if it is just some matter of convenience.

Let me tell you: when the trauma team comes in and sees unordered drips and drugs, they immediately turn to the nurse and even if you defend yourself with "well, the pharmacist said that..." they blame the nurse which is why I pause their drips until I get an order.

my other question is if I need someone to verify the orders, why doesn't a pharmacist need another pharmacist to verify orders before they administer drugs? Seems like hypocrisy to me!

Its a slippery slope and its better if they stay in their own lane.

It's a simple injection, not starting an IV. Who said anything about IV's??

I don't think many pharmacists are looking to take any nursing jobs.

Have we been reading the same thread?

Yes, MA's and LPN's are what we see in clinics. Employment ads usually state LPN or MA for clinics. The MA program is, I believe, one year with clinicals. I think some are missing my concerns. As for the monkey, I'm not sure they can pull back the plunger and recognize whether they see blood or not; but I do get everyones point. I still wonder what is next. That's all, nothing more :)

Pretty sure that was a joke. :rolleyes:

Specializes in ER.
It's a simple injection, not starting an IV. Who said anything about IV's??

I don't think many pharmacists are looking to take any nursing jobs.

Have we been reading the same thread?

We have in fact been reading the same thread. My point is that today the pharmacist is giving injections, tomorrow they will be doing your job at the hospital for you just like they do at my facility.

There are nurses I work with in the level I trauma I work at who have NEVER pushed code meds and have NO IDEA how to start a drip because the pharmacist always does it. The next step will be to prevent nurses from ever starting drips because pharmacy can do that now and oh! we will be increasing your patient load since you don't have to worry about the drips.

We have in fact been reading the same thread. My point is that today the pharmacist is giving injections, tomorrow they will be doing your job at the hospital for you just like they do at my facility.

There are nurses I work with in the level I trauma I work at who have NEVER pushed code meds and have NO IDEA how to start a drip because the pharmacist always does it. The next step will be to prevent nurses from ever starting drips because pharmacy can do that now and oh! we will be increasing your patient load since you don't have to worry about the drips.

Well, that makes sense. However, I don't think we should worry about Pharmacists taking our job. I guess it just depends on your facility, but at my facility during a code a RN is pushing meds and hanging their own drips when needed in other cases.

If I was a pharmacist, I wouldn't want that extra responsibility when a properly trained RN can do it.

I can see why you would worry though if you facility runs things like that.

+ Add a Comment