You receive a prescription but cannot read the handwriting well. What do you do next?

The interviewer is asking this question to better understand how you would work through this common problem in the pharmacy. Though most prescriptions are likely electronically transmitted, there may still be times you receive a prescription that is handwritten and illegible. If the patient's name, date of birth, address, etc. are not legible, you can ask the patient to verify that information, however, if you cannot read the details of the medication or the dosage, you will need to verify with the provider's office to ensure accuracy. Speak to the interviewer about your training or experience with these types of situations.

"From time to time, we do get a prescription that we are not able to read. I've worked in the same pharmacy for three years, so during that time, I've worked with many of the same providers repeatedly and have learned to decipher their handwriting. If ever I'm unsure, I will run it by the pharmacist as a second set of eyes, and if we cannot clearly determine the handwriting, I will call the provider's office to verify. We never want to guess and put the patient's safety at risk, so it's always best to verify."