What must the supervising RPh do regarding work performed while the RPh was absent?

• A. RPh shall review any work performed while absent
• B. RPh shall ignore the work performed while absent
• C. RPh shall delegate review to the intern
• D. RPh shall document and archive without review

Answer: (A)

The supervising pharmacist must review any work performed while they were absent. Even when staff like interns or technicians carry out tasks under established procedures, the pharmacist remains ultimately responsible for safety, accuracy, and regulatory compliance. Upon returning, the pharmacist should verify and validate everything done in their absence, catch any errors, ensure proper documentation, and address any issues before the work affects patient care. This review protects patient safety and upholds legal and professional standards.

Not reviewing would skip essential oversight and risk safety and compliance. Delegating the review to an intern would place the responsibility on someone who isn’t licensed to supervise, which isn’t appropriate. Simply documenting and archiving without verification leaves potential mistakes uncorrected and provides no assurance of accuracy.