Nurse legality issue, help

hmvassar, ASN, RN · Aug 2, 2018

If you are not comfortable with it, DO NOT DO IT. Stand your ground and state you are not comfortable doing so. I wish someone would of told me that. It is your license protect it.

heron, ASN, RN · Aug 2, 2018

Please check with your state Board of Pharmacy. I know that in my state we are not allowed to change a pharmacy label.

jess124 · Aug 2, 2018

Thank you I'm definitely standing my ground. Better be safe than sorry

jess124 · Aug 2, 2018

So I contacted the California State Board of Pharmacy like you said and turns out it is illegal

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Aug 3, 2018

I'm guessing this is private duty.

All nurses should be administering medication based on the written medication orders, regardless of what the pharmacy bottle says. If the Mom reports the dose has changed or of the Physician orders an increased dose to last the family longer (I'll fully admit that one of my doctors did this once for me when I was on brand name medication with a high copay), the nurse should clarify the order with the MD and transcribe an interim order with the correct dose.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Aug 3, 2018

Also, if the Mom wants this done, why doesn't she just do it herself?

AceOfHearts<3 · Aug 3, 2018

So I contacted the California State Board of Pharmacy like you said and turns out it is illegal

I used to work in a pharmacy and I'm pretty sure this is a type of insurance fraud. I definitely wouldn't be signing my name with it.

Swellz · Aug 3, 2018

I used to work in a pharmacy and I'm pretty sure this is a type of insurance fraud. I definitely wouldn't be signing my name with it.

I worked for a pharmacy for 6.5 years and although it was done periodically, it was a very definite no-no. I agree with you OP that you shouldn't be doing it and it's inappropriate of your company to ask you to do it.

Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM · Aug 4, 2018

It's quite a lengthy explanation but I'll do my best to keep it short.
The company that I am employed with has instructed me to cross out the dosage on a liquid medication bottle and rewrite the correct one with my signature next to it on the bottle. They said I am supposed to do this every time I receive a new bottle. So I questioned them, why not just have the pharmacy print the correct label so that there are no room for possible errors or confusion. They told me the doctor had written it that way so that my patient's Mom could receive more medication before having to refill it again. I told them I am not comfortable with continually having to cross out the dosage on the medication bottle and want it to be printed correctly. Is it legal what they are asking me to do? I will not do anything to jeopardize my license that I worked so hard for. Now whenever I go into the office they give me attitudes and even the patient's mom. Their reasoning is that all the other nurses before me would do it. I'm in a very uncomfortable situation. Please help and let me know if this is legal or not

That is prescription fraud and tell them you are not participating in it. The pharmacy writes the correct dose. If you cross it out, YOU are changing the prescription from what it was originally ordered.

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Aug 4, 2018

Furthermore, how does anyone know what is really in the bottle?

The label from Pharmacy says 1 thing, the nurse is expected to know that the label is wrong and is expected to correct it. Huh?????

Now another nurse comes along, she isn't in on the little ruse, what does she believe is in the bottle?

While I do understand wanting to help the family with cost of meds, it is tremendously confusing to have a label typed one way and hand-written another. Seems like an accident waiting to happen.

caliotter3 · Aug 4, 2018

Have frequently seen that done, but only until a prescription change caught up at the pharmacy. Something to think about when the doctor and your employer want to implicate you in fraud.