Pharmacy tests and patient aggression: "Malicious coughed on staff"

Some pharmacists did not know what they were signing up for when joining the COVID-19 testing program in pharmacies. Those who are already testing describe surprising situations and behaviors of patients.

– We had a patient cough viciously at the staff. This is after pointing out that he should wear a protective mask. He refused, claiming that it would limit his freedom. When the test came back positive, he announced angrily that he was going shopping. We said that with such symptoms he should absolutely isolate himself at home. He replied that there was no epidemic, says Dr. Piotr Merks in an interview with Gazeta.pl.

On another occasion, a father brought his three sons to the pharmacy for an examination. When one of them tested positive, the man first demanded to mark it as negative, and then threw a chair at the door of the pharmacy, shouting that the employees of the facility had spoiled the children's holidays.

Another patient was said to have kicked the door with such force that it flew out of the frames out of anger at the result of the examination, and another to block it, saying that he would not leave until he heard the result immediately. Dr. Merks admits that he did not expect such outbursts of aggression. As a result, in December, the Union of Pharmacy Workers - of which he is the chairman - appealed for support for the "Stop violence in pharmacies" campaign (read also: The pharmacist asked the patient for not wearing a mask. He was beaten for it ...).

Actions in connection with aggression in pharmacies are also taken by the self-government of the pharmacist profession. The Lower Silesian Chamber of Pharmacists convinces decision-makers to give pharmacists the protection that public officials are entitled to. The point is that acts of aggression against pharmacists should be prosecuted ex officio with high penalties (read more: Aggression in a pharmacy? The Chamber calls for reporting all cases ...).

Source: ŁW/WP