Anxiety after making a dispensing error
I made an error involving a methadone instalment while working as a pharmacist, and ever since then my anxiety at work has been awful.
I keep replaying the incident in my head and questioning every decision I make. Before each shift, I feel sick with worry, and during work I repeatedly check prescriptions because I’m terrified of making another mistake. Even after getting home, I go over everything I dispensed and convince myself that I may have missed something.
I understand the importance of reflecting, learning from an error and putting safeguards in place, especially with controlled drugs. However, I feel as though this has gone beyond healthy professional caution and has seriously affected my confidence. I recently returned to work after having a baby, so I was already trying to rebuild my confidence while working in unfamiliar pharmacies.
Has anyone else experienced severe anxiety after making a dispensing error? How did you regain trust in your clinical judgement and stop taking the fear home after every shift? I would appreciate honest advice from other pharmacists who have been through something similar.