When you first start as a pharmaceutical technologist, it’s normal to make mistakes. However, each mistake is a chance to learn and grow.
Over the years, I’ve interacted with hundreds of pharmacists and pharm techs in the community pharmacies—some were great, others still learning, and quite a few were average. I’ve also trained students from the ground up, so I’ve seen mistakes happen firsthand. Through all this, I’ve learned a lot about the common missteps and how to avoid them.
In pharmacy, avoiding mistakes is crucial because even a small error can significantly impact patient health and safety.
In this article, we’ll share these experiences with you to help you avoid common pharmacy mistakes.
The goal is to help you learn from others’ mistakes when dispensing prescriptions.
Prescribing the wrong medication
It’s quite common for interns and students in preceptorship programs to misread prescriptions due to unclear handwriting, abbreviations, or poor understanding of drug names.
I’ll give examples;
Giving an ointment where it is clearly written cream.
Giving betadine antiseptic as betadine mouth wash
Thinking Moza and metoz have the same active ingredient because they are placed close to each other on the shelves.
Confusing between maxitrol and maxidex, this is because boxes look almost similar.
Xatral 10mg and Xarelto 10mg are always issued interchangeably when in a hurry.
Always double-check with the prescribing physician or use resources like drug databases.
Labeling and Dispensing Errors
It is clearly written levofloxacin 500mg once daily for five days but for no reason you proceed to write levofloxacin twice daily for five days but the tablets given are five and not enough.
Incorrect medication labeling or dispensing the wrong medication or dosage form is a very common issue for beginners but this also affects experienced pharm techs and pharmacists.
Always double-check the label against the prescription before dispensing. When you finish preparing the medicines go through the medicines on the prescription one by one counter-checking with your label as you give to the patient.
Poor Communication
Do not assume that the patient knows how to take a particular medicine, even for common medicines like amoxicillin and cetirizine, which are well-known. Ensure that you have labeled everything correctly, mentioned all necessary information, and explained what the patient can expect.
Many pharm techs have a tendency of not clearly explaining medication instructions, potential side effects, or drug interactions to patients especially in community pharmacies where services are often perceived as similar to fast-food services.
However, this should not be the case, always take your time, use clear, concise language and ask patients to repeat instructions back to ensure understanding.
Failure to Check for Drug Interactions or Allergies
There are several tools available on the internet for checking drug interactions. Websites like Drugs.com, Medscape, and WebMD offer databases that allow for quick interaction checks. Using these resources can help you make a more informed initial decision before consulting other reference books like the BNF, Drug Index and Martindale.
For a pharm tech that doesn’t pay attention to detail it is easier to miss potential drug interactions or allergies in the patient’s profile.
Therefore, when more than two drugs are prescribed, use pharmacy software to check for interactions and allergies, and always review the patient’s medication history.
Inadequate Patient Counseling
Simon, a patient recently diagnosed with asthma, has started using inhalers but complains they are not helping much.
A good question to ask Simon would be, “How have you been using your inhaler?”
Let them explain to you without interrupting them, maybe they are not using it correctly and by explaining the correct way of handling the inhaler, the treatment outcome will improve.
By not providing enough information on how to use medications, side effects, or what to do if a dose is missed you are technically unhelpful to the patient.
So, prioritize counseling for new prescriptions, especially for chronic diseases, and offer additional reading information for their use at home if available.
Not Keeping up with Changes in Medications or Guidelines
The Pharmacy and Poison’s Board has made it a requirement to earn 40 CPD points for license renewal. This helps pharm techs and pharmacists stay up-to-date, but you can go above and beyond by continuing to read and learn on your own.
There is no better excuse for dispensing outdated medications or not being aware of new treatment guidelines yet there is so much information out there for free.
Stay updated with continuous education, attend seminars, and read pharmaceutical journals regularly
Overlooking Non-Prescription Interaction
Some supplements, such as calcium, magnesium, and iron, can interact with antibiotics. Additionally, cold and flu medications like Lemsip contain paracetamol, which might also be an ingredient in painkillers, leading to potential overdose if combined.
Therefore, not asking patients about their use of over-the-counter (OTC) medications, supplements, or herbal remedies might lead to a potential interaction with what you are giving unknowingly.
Always inquire about all medications, including non-prescription items, when dispensing or recommending a new drug.
Incorrect Dosage Calculations
It is a common challenge for pharm techs miscalculating dosages, particularly for pediatric or elderly patients who may require adjusted doses.
For most pediatric patients, dosage is dependent on weight, so it is always recommended to double-check your calculations, especially for high-risk medications.
