Ethics case study

Ashley Bruckman

March 12, 2013

HCS/335

Introduction
Jerry McCall is Dr. William’s office assistant. He has received professional training as both a medical assistant and a LPN. He is handling all the phone calls while the receptionist is at lunch. A patient calls and says he must have a prescription refill for Valium, an antidepressant medication, called in right away to his pharmacy, since he is leaving for the airport in thirty minutes. He says that Dr. Williams is a personal friend and always gives him a small supply of Valium when he has to fly. No one except Jerry is in the office at this time. What should he do? In this case study I am going to answer a few questions and give some advice to jerry.
Jerry is just on call while Dr. Williams is away; even though he has had medical assisting and LPN training does not qualify him to refill the prescription. LPN’s do see patients while the Doctor is out but for prescriptions the doctor must authorize it. The fact that the medications are to make the patient comfortable while he is flying is not an urgent matter. If the situation were more impotant I could see where it would be hard for jerry to tell the patient he can’t refill him prescriptions; nevertheless he is not authorized. It would not make any difference if the medication was for high blood pressure or something that had to be taken daily, jerry is still not licensed to prescribe anything so his hands are completely tied in this situation.
If something happens to the patient while he is flying that is not jerry’s fault because he did his job. If he does refill the prescriptions without the permission of the doctor he is looking at a lawsuit anyway and possible jail time. If he does not and something happens he is protected by the doctrine of respondent superior. This in all reality is the patients fault for waiting until the