I refuse to change my profession

[figgyx]

Last night at the hotel I work at a woman and two young girls walked in around (you can tell they were just coming from a wedding) and she asked me if the hotel had any aspirin. I told her we did not. She then asked if I had any I could give her. I told her I did not but even if I did I was not allowed to just give her some. She got upset and asked me why not and I stated that I was not allowed to dispense free drugs since I was not a pharmacist. Her response in front of two little girls: "I gotta fucking headache"

Really people - every hotel I have ever worked at I have been told we just can't simply hand a guest free drugs - especially from our own supply. I believe it may even be illegal and I could be sued if she has a bad reaction. It is also not a good idea to accept drugs from anyone - what if I was evil and hand her exctasy????

Now it is perfectly acceptable to sell drugs because they come packaged and wrapped. The customer is willingly buying drugs and we cannot be sued for malpractice - etc...

[Moosenogger]

I think it's more about the fact that it's a safety and lawsuit issue. The customer could have an adverse reaction to the medicine, then sue the company and the employee for damages. It's best to just say, "No" and point them to the nearest drug store.

[sirwired]

Sounds like your boss needs to load some Tylenol in the vending machine... I thought that, along with toothpaste, razors, deodorant, etc. were "standard issue" in hotel snack machines.

[bhskittykatt]

Sounds like your boss needs to load some Tylenol in the vending machine... I thought that, along with toothpaste, razors, deodorant, etc. were "standard issue" in hotel snack machines.

We sometimes have it in our vending machines. The selection varies depending on what the vending machine guy has that week.

But yeah, you can't give any to them, especially out of your own supply. Huge liability issues there.

[hinakiba777]

Sounds like your boss needs to load some Tylenol in the vending machine... I thought that, along with toothpaste, razors, deodorant, etc. were "standard issue" in hotel snack machines.

I thought the same thing. Granted the hotel i worked at didn't have that, but we didn't have vending machines because my boss was cheap. I think we only have one soda machine as well.

Smart move not giving her drugs from your purse. I always claim mine are Rx so I can't give them to anyone but myself.

[Draper Mel]

If you're at a wedding, there's got to be somebody there with Tylenol in their purse. I usually have some for sinus headaches.

[taxguykarl]

If this hotel has a ballroom, chances are it also has a sundry store--buy them there you cheap so-and-so....

Yes, I know a reply along those lines would get you written up and probably even canned.

[Little Retail Rabbit]

Once, when I was flying out to see Bear, I was starting to get very tired and felt a bit poorly on my second flight. Before takeoff, a lovely male flight attendant asked if I was alright, and I asked if he had any aspirin. He said "Aww, I'm sorry miss, we can't give out aspirin, its a legal thing." I said oh, ok, sorry, and he said "Its ok, I'll get you some water, just close your eyes and try to get some rest, we'll be in Cincinatti in less than an hour." He kept checking on me, and when we got there, I did feel a little better.

I really coulda done with the aspirin, but I totally understood why he said no. For the sake of an hour's comfort, I didn't want to get him in trouble, the airline in trouble, or, worst case scenario, make myself very poorly. I mean, in the UK, I actually mostly only take paracetomol, because my mum is allergic to aspirin. I don't appear to have the same allergy, but I know that sometimes Americans use different names and painkillers, and I didn't want to take something that could have made me sick just because of a translation issue ^^;; In truth, I felt bad for asking, I means, its not the flight attendant's job to give me drugs, not is it the OP's job to give guests drugs!

Nice bloke though n_n

[RealUnimportant]

Sounds like her sore head turned her into a bear!

I've always been taught that it's poor form to just hand out pills, even over-the-counter meds, regardless of whether it's a customer or a co-worker that's asking; there's simply no way to be sure about what they've already had, what other meds they're on, any possible interactions...

[sirwired]

I mean, in the UK, I actually mostly only take paracetomol, because my mum is allergic to aspirin. I don't appear to have the same allergy, but I know that sometimes Americans use different names and painkillers, and I didn't want to take something that could have made me sick just because of a translation issue

Next time you are in the US, the med you are looking for goes by the generic name "Acetominophen". The most common name-brand of the product is "Tylenol."

[Desk clerk knows all]

Actually at my hotel we have a big bottle of aspirin, Tylenol and advill, as well as tums to give to guest. I never thought about a liability issue. I might have to bring that up to my manager. What I find annoying is people will ask if they can have a couple aspirin and I'll hand them the bottle and they will take a whole handful.

[Merriweather]

Sounds like her sore head turned her into a bear!

I've always been taught that it's poor form to just hand out pills, even over-the-counter meds, regardless of whether it's a customer or a co-worker that's asking; there's simply no way to be sure about what they've already had, what other meds they're on, any possible interactions...

Yeah, handing out pills, even over-the-counter stuff just isn't a very wise thing to do.

I remember when I was a teenager, a bunch of us (church group) teens took a trip over to Catalina Island, going on a boat owned by someone associated wtih the church - so not a big ferry, not a tiny speedboat (there were probably at least a dozen on board, maybe more). I really don't know boats to be able to describe it. But you definitely felt the movement.

So one (I suppose well-meaning) church lady began handing out seasick remedies for everyone, "just in case". Practically forcing them on everyone. I tossed mine overboard, I simply did not take meds I didn't need or had never taken before. Out of curiosity, next time I was in a drug store I looked at the box - these pills had a warning not to be taken when pregnant. And she was practically forcing them on teenage girls without a word. I don't care if it was a church group, you just never know.