How to Protect Your Pharmacy License

Everybody makes mistakes, but when those in the medical field make errors, it can cause serious health effects or even death. Pharmacists are no exception. They have a huge responsibility when it comes to dispensing the right drug and the correct amount of the drug.

Whether a pharmacist makes a mistake on purpose or accidentally, the ramifications can be serious. He or she can lose their license by acting in an irresponsible manner. Therefore, pharmacists need to be proactive and take the proper steps to ensure their license is protected. Here are some ways to keep your license safe.

Keep Up to Date on Laws

Pharmacists have a lot of rules to follow. There are state and federal laws to keep in mind, as well as specific policies and procedures for each company. You can check with your state board as well as federal agencies to keep up to date on all the laws that will affect you.

Learn New Medications and Technologies

New medical technologies and drugs become available all the time. Medications and pharmacy guidelines quickly become outdated. What you learned in school may no longer apply in the real world. Therefore, it’s important to enroll in continuing education programs to stay up to date on the latest and greatest news in the pharmacy field.

Document Everything

As the saying goes, if you didn’t document it, it didn’t happen. Keeping record of everything is important for future occurrences. And if you don’t keep track of special cases, such as a higher dosage of medication than usual, you could get in trouble for the overdose. Proper documentation can also help identify cases of medication misuse or abuse.

Act in a Moral and Ethical Manner

All patients must be treated the same, regardless of race, age or gender. You cannot refuse to give a medication to a patient, nor give patient a medication a dosage not indicated by the prescription. Many pharmacists have been arrested and have had licenses suspended for selling medications to patients.

Patient Health Comes First

Above all, the health and welfare of patients come first. Pharmacists should focus on helping patients effectively treat their illnesses and feel better. They have access to so many medications, so they need to use them in an ethical manner. Prescribing the wrong medication or dose can have negative effects, so attention to detail and restraint are traits that a pharmacist needs. 

Keep Your License with Help From a Tampa Pharmacy License Lawyer 

Pharmacists have a huge duty to uphold. They are obligated to dispense medication in a safe and ethical manner. Any type of unethical behavior is grounds for license suspension or revocation.

If you are facing punishment from the state board for a not following the law or acting negligently, make sure you understand your legal rights. Seek legal representation from the Law Offices of David P. Rankin, P.A. I am a Tampa administrative lawyer who focuses on licensing issues for pharmacists and other professionals. For a free consultation, contact my office today by calling (813) 968-6633.

Resource:

fsbpt.org/Licensees/EthicalConduct/TenEasyWaystoLoseYourLicense.aspx