Thursday, June 17, 2010

Compounding woes

I enjoy compounding medications, for me it's fun and it's kind of like being back in my lab. There are many things that really suck about it though. This is mostly due to the fact that you're compounding in a retail pharmacy and not a specialty one.

Patients trying to scare the crap out of you, well they do that indirectly by saying the suspension that was compounded was shorted to them. Um, if there wasn't enough solution then that could mean the active ingredient was not properly diluted with the 'delivery vehicle'. There was NO way this particular one was 'shorted'. This is usually code for "I am a fucking idiot and gave my kid too much" or "I spilled it, but will blame it on you instead."

I triple check all my suspensions' volumes before and after they are combined. Then that gets checked by the RPh on duty. Shitty part is, thanks to the world of corpo pharmacy, we just have to 'accept it' and give them more.

I also like compounding because most people leave you alone when you are wearing gloves, a face mask (for some powders this is a must), and holding some strange looking objects. Unfortunately, there are always those dipshits that shout "HEY I NEED TO PICK UP MY MEDS!" at you while you're trying to pour the suppository mixture into the mold with your back to them. Then go to the pick up window dumbass. Do you see a cash register back here?

Sometimes when I'm holding a 50ml syringe with an 18G needle mischevious thoughts run through my mind, I giggle to myself a bit then return to my work while my coworkers stare with a frightened look on their face. They know I'd never hurt them, I work with some of the best people, but I guess you never know when that last straw breaks the mules back.

And of course when they want their compounded med "right now." Sure thing, let me pull it out of my ass.

No comments: