I’ve gotten allergy shots in many doctors’ offices around the country over time, and almost all made mistakes – sometimes serious ones – drawing up doses. The staff at the Mayo Clinic, which provides the serum but hasn’t been giving the shots, advised that for my own safety, I should check every step taken each time I get a shot.
As described in last week’s column, though, recently a nurse practitioner (NP) started drawing up the doses before I was in the room, and said quite heatedly that I would be refused treatment if I insisted on seeing that step. I asked readers for their views.
Extracts from representative reader comments, lightly edited for conciseness and clarity, follow.
From a patient: “Absolutely you should be present before your syringe is filled! When I received allergy shots for 3 years in Texas, not only did I observe the nurse filling them, I was asked to confirm that my name was on the vial plus I had to initial and date a form that became a record in my file. I'm surprised that this is not required, standard practice everywhere. Good luck getting your doctor's office to see the error and danger of their ways. Otherwise, change doctors.”
From a former medical assistant: “There is no way you should have been spoken to in that way. I would have been fired if I spoke like that. Talk to the office manager. If she can't get you an NP that will accommodate your request, I say move on to an office that does.”
From a registered nurse with decades of experience: “The nurse practitioner (NP) was VERY unprofessional in her response to you. After all, as patients, we have to be our own advocates. . .The NP works under the auspices of the physician. Send a letter to the physician expressing your unhappiness and explaining that you will be taking your business elsewhere because of the errors and rudeness. Be very specific. I bet the NP had other complaints filed. Keep up the good work and remember WE HAVE TO BE OUR OWN ADVOCATES.” (emphasis in the original)
From another patient: “I would ask the staff to have the doctor call me and discuss it with him. If that was unsuccessful, then find a new doctor and file a formal complaint against the NP [with the Arizona State Board of Nursing].”
From yet another patient, “Please tell me the name of this medical establishment so I make sure I never go there.” (I don’t name names; I focus on helping readers understand what to watch out for regardless of which providers they see.)
I elected to get the shots elsewhere. Next week’s column continues the discussion.
