New Lows

Words of advice I impart upon all new pharmacists/interns/pharmacy employees:
Just when you think you have seen it all, along will come someone to lower the bar significantly. It is when I get comfortable and complacent that a new nadir is reached. Not only was the bar lowered into an abyss that had previously not existed, someone jumped on it to drop it even further.

Doctor handed a patient a prescription sheet. The patient had been in and requested refills for his 3 medications by handing the doctor his bottles. The doctor simply wrote the patient's name, the 3 prescription numbers, "X3 each", then signed it. Yep. Pretty sure in no state is this legal. There is no drug name. No quantity. No strength. No directions. (Is X3 equal to 3 times total? or this plus 2 more?). No date. Nothing. Not even sure whose numbers they were. Surprised the doctor didn't just sign the bottle instead.

This was followed by a patient who visited her doctor. While the office is in the same plaza as my pharmacy, she felt a wee bit peckish and decided to stop home for a quick nosh. Feeling sated, she cast her shadow upon my counter, at which time I approached her.
Full Customer: I need to fill my prescription.
CP: Lovely. We do that here.
FC: I can't seem to find it.
CP: Well that is a bit of a problem then, innit?
FC: Not really. I left it on the kitchen table. Can you just call my doctor for it?
CP: Nope.
FC: Why not? I know what it is.
CP: And you know where it is.
FC: You mean I have to drive all the way back home to get it?
CP: Of course not. I did not imply that at all. Though it is one solution to your problem. Might I also suggest, since we are in close proximity to your doctor, actually getting in your car and driving to his office?