Question

Judy, a new allied health professional, has little background in pharmacology. Sara, a young mother of a 2 year old, calls and states that her child has a cold with fever. She asks Judy to call in a prescription to the local pharmacy for a child. Judy does not think that it is necessary to ask for any further questions about the child's condition because "a cold is a cold." Judy does not pull the medical record and sees that the child is allergic to penicillin but was give Augmentin previously. So, without consulting the physician, Judy orders the same antibiotic. The next day Sara calls to say the child has a rash covering the entire body and cannot breath properly. Judy tells Sara to continue the medicine because it sounds like the child has measles and will be fine. Later that day Judy learns that the child is in intensive care at the local hospital with an adverse reaction.

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• What are some of the implications for Judy?

• What has she done that could be grounds for litigation?

• Should she have called in the prescription without consulting the physician? Explain your answer.

• What is the physician's responsibility?

• What is the pharmacist's responsibility?

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