On-call: Non-clinical scenarios

Last updated: Monday, June 03, 2024

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Of course, you'll be called upon to solve problems while on-call that don’t necessarily involve clinical decisions. You'll be consulted about all sorts of other matters such as legal, procedural, and supply issues.

To complete this scenario section, consider the questions below. You may never be faced with      these situations, but think about them now and chat to a senior colleague about the approach to take if you're not sure. What other information do you need? It's good to have thought about them in advance.

• Ward nurse: We've lost the keys to our drugs trolley and can't get into it to give patients        their evening doses. 
• On-call pharmacist for another local trust: Sorry to call you out, but we desperately need some more noradrenaline injection for two ITU patients. Can you loan us some and send it over by taxi? 
• Switchboard: The pharmacy alarm is going off. Can you come in and sort it out please? 
• Duty manager: We've had some controlled drugs go missing in theatres. Should we call the police? 
• Community pharmacist: I'm working in the late night pharmacy for the city tonight and I've got an FP10 here for linezolid tablets that was prescribed at the hospital this afternoon. The patient's wife insists that it's for a serious infection and must start immediately, but I don't have any in stock. Can you supply it please, or dispense the FP10? 
• Ward nurse: We've always been taught that nurses are not supposed to give IV potassium on the ward, but our locum registrar insists we've got to do it. Can you tell her that we're not allowed to do it please?