Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Signatures

At the pick-up window a lady asks for a medication for June Smith. It takes a moment to verify the birthday because the lady isn't June Smith. It's a neighbor or friend or someone duly appointed to pick up medication for June Smith.

"You'll have to sign out the medication for June," I say, pointing to signature capture device. I cringe, inside, knowing what's about to happen next...

The Actual Look on my Face
"Do I sign my name or June's name?" she says, and there it is, a full cringe on my part. Yep, she said it. She really said it.

I couldn't help myself. The words left my lips before I could stop them. Maybe it's the lack of tech help, or that it was late in the day... I don't know.

"When have you EVER signed any legal documents using someone else's name?" I asked.

Startled, she pondered for maybe five seconds, then signed her name. She was quiet as she took the medication and left.


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm so burnt out, I just stopped caring a long time ago.

That and I caught a complaint for being snarky to someone who asked that.

I hate people.

May I help who's next?

Anonymous said...

Well....I was picking up medication for an elderly lady once and the person at the pharmacy counter instructed me to sign the elderly lady's name.

Anonymous said...

Sorry Anon 2:48p

You should've refused and signed your name.

Just change the settings and it'll make way more sense to you.

Imagine signing for a package being delivered to you. You see that it is meant for your roommate/significant other/whatever, anyone but you. Whose name do you sign?

Also, most pharmacies these days will have an option that pops up that will classify who you are: "patient/caregiver/relative/misc."

I hope this helps so that the next time, you can correct what I can only assume to be a very new tech.

May I help who's next?

Anonymous said...

I didn't sign her name. I didn't even sign my name, I drew a little sqiggle. It was accepted. It was the pharmacist himself who told me to sign her name, and he had been there for at least 10 years. Burn out, perhaps?

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:02a
That would've been my next guess.

Good choice with the squiggle. I've seen people just tap the signature capture machine. That usually fools the machine too.