Many of you are asked to precept students and residents. Some enjoy this duty and others prefer to avoid it. Some managers have presented this duty as obligatory. THAT IS NOT TRUE! Kaiser made clear in negotiations that as an organization they see precepting as voluntary. All pharmacists are free to decline to precept. As preceptorship is a voluntary activity, you will not be subject to any disciplinary actions if you refuse or decline to be shadowed, to precept, or to train any students, residents, pharmacists, or non-pharmacist personnel. Pharmacists have pointed out that they feel some managers are having them precept without providing them the necessary time and resources to precept and to practice safely and effectively. It is undeniable that preceptorship will distract you from providing the highest quality pharmacy and patient care services, which is what Kaiser expects from all of its employees. Pharmacists are no exceptions. Therefore, although Kaiser recognizes preceptorship as a voluntary, Good Samaritan effort, it will not reduce the severity of any disciplinary actions if you make any medication errors or patient care mistakes while engaging in preceptorship activities.
Furthermore, if you are the official, designated preceptor on the record, you will be held professionally, legally, and financially liable for any tasks that are performed by the students, residents, or trainees. This is true even when these tasks are not performed under your direct supervision. For instance, if a student provides inaccurate or incomplete information during a medication consultation session and the patient suffers from any harmful effects as a result, you, as the preceptor, will be held liable regardless of your absence or presence at the medication consultation session. The Guild urges you to take all of the above information into consideration along with whether you feel management is providing an environment that has inadequate time and resources to do your job safely while precepting.
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