I'm going to be scheduled as a pharmacist soon and sometimes feel terrified of being responsible as a pharmacist on a shift at a very busy Walgreens. I've never done any reviewing of prescriptions/patient profiles (but have done the final check on the product) and am worried about being slow, about not knowing everything needed to counsel patients, not knowing which interactions to overide and which to call the doctor on and so on. Does anyone have any advice/similar experience?

I'm going to be scheduled as a pharmacist soon and sometimes feel terrified of being responsible as a pharmacist on a shift at a very busy Walgreens. I've never done any reviewing of prescriptions/patient profiles (but have done the final check on the product) and am worried about being slow, about not knowing everything needed to counsel patients, not knowing which interactions to overide and which to call the doctor on and so on. Does anyone have any advice/similar experience?

This is where the rubber meets the road. What you need to do is:



Concentrate.
Check the same way each time. DO NOT deviate. Once you have done it a few thousand times, it will be automatic.
Go fast enough to get things done but not so fast that your endangering your patients. It's like driving. You need to drive fast enough to not be a hazard, but not so fast that are hazard that way.
Don't let one rx get you behind. If you find an interaction or a problem. Put that aside. Contact the patient and let them know what's going on.

You will be fine. This is the part where the know it all students get a taste of reality. You work for Walgreens. There are 7000 locations. You can call a nearby store and ask a colleague for advice.....

You will be fine. This is the part where the know it all students get a taste of reality.You know it! :D What do they say, "the 2.0 and 3.0 students lead the 4.0 students"?

Be afraid...very afraid.

As a rookie you are entitled to a few DDIs per day. Go ahead and use them while you can. Just blame it all on your co workers. They'll never know. Don't initial your name on the labels. Don't leave any paper trails.

I'm going to be scheduled as a pharmacist soon and sometimes feel terrified of being responsible as a pharmacist on a shift at a very busy Walgreens. I've never done any reviewing of prescriptions/patient profiles (but have done the final check on the product) and am worried about being slow, about not knowing everything needed to counsel patients, not knowing which interactions to overide and which to call the doctor on and so on. Does anyone have any advice/similar experience?
Have you not interned at a very busy Walgreen's store before? I just got off of an 8 hr shift at a very busy store so I apologize for the lack of empathy, but this sounds like whining. All drug interactions are at your fingertips on the Walgreen's computer and busy stores have enough staff to help you out. I'm looking forward to starting my pharmacy education this fall, but the fact that you have such little confidence after your four years of pharmacy studies is scaring me. How many years have you been with Walgreen's? Please don't tell me it's been more than a year, because that's how long I've been with Walgreen's and I'm already confident about becoming a pharmacist. Don't worry so much, it's hard to screw up at Walgreen's. I'm sure you'll be fine with some more experience.

Just say to yourself "**** it, I'm the man, dammit."

Worked for me.

Just say to yourself "**** it, I'm the man, dammit."

Worked for me.

:)

Have you not interned at a very busy Walgreen's store before? I just got off of an 8 hr shift at a very busy store so I apologize for the lack of empathy, but this sounds like whining. All drug interactions are at your fingertips on the Walgreen's computer and busy stores have enough staff to help you out. I'm looking forward to starting my pharmacy education this fall, but the fact that you have such little confidence after your four years of pharmacy studies is scaring me. How many years have you been with Walgreen's? Please don't tell me it's been more than a year, because that's how long I've been with Walgreen's and I'm already confident about becoming a pharmacist. Don't worry so much, it's hard to screw up at Walgreen's. I'm sure you'll be fine with some more experience.

I don't care what you do as tech/intern. When you assume the responsibility it's certainly a challenge. Speak to me when you are a grad intern. So what if the computer says there is an interaction. Do you need to do anything about it. Like I said, this is where the rubber meets the road. Every student I have ever had and there have probably been close to 100 by now have all had trepidations when they first started out. This is a natural fear that you will overcome with experience.

Have you not interned at a very busy Walgreen's store before? I just got off of an 8 hr shift at a very busy store so I apologize for the lack of empathy, but this sounds like whining. All drug interactions are at your fingertips on the Walgreen's computer and busy stores have enough staff to help you out. I'm looking forward to starting my pharmacy education this fall, but the fact that you have such little confidence after your four years of pharmacy studies is scaring me. How many years have you been with Walgreen's? Please don't tell me it's been more than a year, because that's how long I've been with Walgreen's and I'm already confident about becoming a pharmacist. Don't worry so much, it's hard to screw up at Walgreen's. I'm sure you'll be fine with some more experience.

I think you'll better appreciate the responsibility you are charged with after a year or two in pharmer school.

I have 2 years at Walgreens and a summer nuclear internship under my belt now- yea sure, they have tools that assist the pharmacist, but it's very easy actually to screw up at Walgreens or any other pharmacy. Thinking otherwise can be the road to unemployment or a lawsuit - I've heard of two lawsuits involving pharmers in the two Walgreens districts I've worked in. I have also heard of two incidents involving radiopharmaceutical dispensing errors that resulted in immediate termination for the tech and pharmacist involved in a nuclear pharmacy setting.

Your perspective will change when you aren't watching a pharmacist excercise their professional judgement and you ARE the pharmacist excercising professional judgement.

Being confident is good, but the attitude that it is "very hard to screw up" isn't going to help.

I don't care what you do as tech/intern. When you assume the responsibility it's certainly a challenge. Speak to me when you are a grad intern. So what if the computer says there is an interaction. Do you need to do anything about it. Like I said, this is where the rubber meets the road. Every student I have ever had and there have probably been close to 100 by now have all had trepidations when they first started out. This is a natural fear that you will overcome with experience.

:thumbup:

I'd been a tech for 8 years with experience in retail, mail order, and hospital, and I worked as intern in a hospital, so I pretty much know the ropes. However, I agree completely with OT here. Once that safety net of NOT YET being a pharmacist is removed, it is certainly scary at first. You have to start using clinical judgement, and even the simplest issues you encountered as a intern get, at the very least, a second thought before dispensing.

To the OP, the biggest things you have to maintain and protect are your license and the safety of your patients.

I'm going to be scheduled as a pharmacist soon and sometimes feel terrified of being responsible as a pharmacist on a shift at a very busy Walgreens. I've never done any reviewing of prescriptions/patient profiles (but have done the final check on the product) and am worried about being slow, about not knowing everything needed to counsel patients, not knowing which interactions to overide and which to call the doctor on and so on. Does anyone have any advice/similar experience?

Ah, welcome to Walgreens! :laugh: Are they just going to throw you in there your first day or are you lucky enough to be able to get some real practice with another pharmacist supervising? Definitely ask for the latter. If they don't have enough in the budget to cover that (which I'm suspecting they will say) I would even volunteer to do it without pay.

Make sure you have another pharmacist that you can call to ask any questions you have. Don't worry about being slow. You're just starting so you're allowed. Just make sure you and the tech are both on the same page re: wait time. Also to avoid getting yelled at make sure you call the patient any time there is a problem (drug interaction, out of stock, partial fill, etc.) Also, like someone else said, do final verification the same way each time. You need to establish a routine for yourself. This is how I do it- verify quantity and color, verify markings or NDC, make sure same name is on bottle and label that you are bagging. I personally always double check warfarin and control prescriptions against the hardcopy to make sure everything matches up.

Also keep an eye out for brand/generic (based on rx and patient profile history) for warfarin and levothyroxine as well as any C2's. Good luck! It might be a rocky first few weeks but you'll get through it. We've all been there.

Your perspective will change when you aren't watching a pharmacist excercise their professional judgement and you ARE the pharmacist excercising professional judgement.

Being confident is good, but the attitude that it is "very hard to screw up" isn't going to help.
I was just telling the OP to grow some balls. Given the education, if it's any good at all, I would assume that the pharmacist would have sound professional judgment when it comes to pharmacotherapeutics. Pharmacy education plus one year of workflow at Walgreen's is practically idiot proof. Treat patients like they're dumb as **** when it comes to medicine, but smart as hell when it comes to law and suing your white coat off. If you can't do that, you're probably too dumb to be a pharmacist. If you think you're stupid, you shouldn't even try to become a pharmacist; this is people's healths we're dealing with. And what I'm trying to say is that if the OP believes he/she is smart enough to be a pharmacist, these qualms should be easy to overcome.

As a tech, I care about screwing up. License or no license, I give a damn about every patient, even down to insurance issues and finding cheapest alternatives even if I have to do extra labor for little or no gain. If you think that a tech shouldn't care as much as a pharmacist, then you've misjudged my intentions for wanting to become a pharmacist and I can't help but question your intentions of your service to pharmacy.

I was just telling the OP to grow some balls. Given the education, if it's any good at all, I would assume that the pharmacist would have sound professional judgment when it comes to pharmacotherapeutics. Pharmacy education plus one year of workflow at Walgreen's is practically idiot proof. Treat patients like they're dumb as **** when it comes to medicine, but smart as hell when it comes to law and suing your white coat off. If you can't do that, you're probably too dumb to be a pharmacist. If you think you're stupid, you shouldn't even try to become a pharmacist; this is people's healths we're dealing with. And what I'm trying to say is that if the OP believes he/she is smart enough to be a pharmacist, these qualms should be easy to overcome.

As a tech, I care about screwing up. License or no license, I give a damn about every patient, even down to insurance issues and finding cheapest alternatives even if I have to do extra labor for little or no gain. If you think that a tech shouldn't care as much as a pharmacist, then you've misjudged my intentions for wanting to become a pharmacist and I can't help but question your intentions of your service to pharmacy.

This response shows you are truly clueless. You equate being a pharmacist with being a tech. They are NOT the same. Also since you have checked exactly ZERO prescriptions and you have observed exactly ZERO grad interns make the transition from student to pharmacist it's remarkable you say the OP should grow some balls.

The OP expressed the concerns of just about every single pharmacist the first time out. He was not paralyzed with fear. He wanted some advice on what to expect since he had not rally held the responsibility in his own hands. You need something to, understanding. The understanding that you KNOW NOTHING about what it's like to be a pharmacist.

I was just telling the OP to grow some balls. Given the education, if it's any good at all, I would assume that the pharmacist would have sound professional judgment when it comes to pharmacotherapeutics. Pharmacy education plus one year of workflow at Walgreen's is practically idiot proof. Treat patients like they're dumb as **** when it comes to medicine, but smart as hell when it comes to law and suing your white coat off. If you can't do that, you're probably too dumb to be a pharmacist. If you think you're stupid, you shouldn't even try to become a pharmacist; this is people's healths we're dealing with. And what I'm trying to say is that if the OP believes he/she is smart enough to be a pharmacist, these qualms should be easy to overcome.

As a tech, I care about screwing up. License or no license, I give a damn about every patient, even down to insurance issues and finding cheapest alternatives even if I have to do extra labor for little or no gain. If you think that a tech shouldn't care as much as a pharmacist, then you've misjudged my intentions for wanting to become a pharmacist and I can't help but question your intentions of your service to pharmacy.


you really think what you are providing is sound advice? your 1-year tech experience provides you with that much insight of being a pharmacist. If you think what you said is anything other than arrogrant, inexperienced, or demeaning, then you're not as compassionate or intelletually competent as you think. If that's the case, then I can't help but question your suitability to the profession of pharmacy.

Thank you very much to all of you who posted constructive replies. Though I've achieved high scores on the NAPLEX and CPJE, and am confident about my knowledge base, the application of this knowledge as well as the ability to do it in a retail setting is a new challenge. I have had 6 months experience at Walgreens, and though I was allowed to verify prescriptions using another pharmacist's sign on (noting the times I did so on the logbook so that I could be held accountable for what I checked off), and though I made countless calls to doctors' offices based on obvious problems with prescriptions I had typed up or that pharmacists had pointed out to me, I have had zero experience formally reviewing prescriptions.

It may be possible to have another pharmacist on duty at the same time; but is it possible to volunteeer? I heard our pharmacy manager once telling a tech applicant that volunteering wasn't allowed at Walgreens. I imagine that if I were reviewing prescriptions I would have to have a sign-on so that I am held accountable for what I do...or can they just assign me a sign-on and not pay me?

Thank you very much to all of you who posted constructive replies. Though I've achieved high scores on the NAPLEX and CPJE, and am confident about my knowledge base, the application of this knowledge as well as the ability to do it in a retail setting is a new challenge. I have had 6 months experience at Walgreens, and though I was allowed to verify prescriptions using another pharmacist's sign on (noting the times I did so on the logbook so that I could be held accountable for what I checked off), and though I made countless calls to doctors' offices based on obvious problems with prescriptions I had typed up or that pharmacists had pointed out to me, I have had zero experience formally reviewing prescriptions.

It may be possible to have another pharmacist on duty at the same time; but is it possible to volunteeer? I heard our pharmacy manager once telling a tech applicant that volunteering wasn't allowed at Walgreens. I imagine that if I were reviewing prescriptions I would have to have a sign-on so that I am held accountable for what I do...or can they just assign me a sign-on and not pay me?

Now you are over-thinking this. Just follow my rules and life will be fine....

This response shows you are truly clueless. You equate being a pharmacist with being a tech. They are NOT the same. Also since you have checked exactly ZERO prescriptions and you have observed exactly ZERO grad interns make the transition from student to pharmacist it's remarkable you say the OP should grow some balls.

The OP expressed the concerns of just about every single pharmacist the first time out. He was not paralyzed with fear. He wanted some advice on what to expect since he had not rally held the responsibility in his own hands. You need something to, understanding. The understanding that you KNOW NOTHING about what it's like to be a pharmacist.Understanding? I'm understanding that he said I'm going to be scheduled as a pharmacist soon and sometimes feel terrified of being responsible as a pharmacist on a shift at a very busy Walgreens. OP's concerned were particularly about Walgreen's, a place where I've worked with at least twenty different pharmacists, in several different stores, with several managers, several interns, several new hires, and two pharmacists who have been fired. I think I know what it takes to get hired, fired, promoted, demoted, and transferred around at Walgreen's. If the OP said she/he is nervous about starting at a hospital, I wouldn't say anything, because I am totally clueless about hospital pharmacy---even CVS, I have no clue. You're focusing too much on the fact that I'm just a tech and not a Walgreen's employee. You see at Walgreen's, when I'm doing my part as a tech, I am relying on the pharmacist's pharmacy education to achieve a shared goal of giving the patient their medication just as much as the pharmacists themselves are also relying on their educations. And at Walgreen's, when in doubt, there is the computer and there is the phone call to the doctor to clarify and ascertain that we are giving the patient the proper medication. Which is why I wanted to tell the OP to relax because granted his/her education is sound, it's very very hard to mess up. Medicinal knowledge is something you either know or you don't. If you know it, how can you mess that up? If you're not sure, you can look it up. Depending on the layout of the store and the number of pharmacists and techs present at a certain time, Walgreen's has a specific workflow plan which will guide you on what you should focus your time on and in what order. You can't negotiate your wage as a pharmacist at Walgreen's because it really is idiot proof.

Medicinal knowledge is something you either know or you don't. If you know it, how can you mess that up? If you're not sure, you can look it up.


Actually, if you understood medicine at all, you'd know that nothing in pharmacy is black-and-white. Things are constantly changing, we're constantly learning more, and every patient is very individual in their response and reaction to treatment. Not everything can be looked up. A LOT of what we do is "a judgement call" and that's the scary part. Just because the computer system makes sure the prescription is filled on time doesn't mean it makes sure it's filled correctly. Not everything about a patient is even IN the system. I worked for Walgreens for 3 years and saw EVERY pharmacist in there (including the best and brightest) make mistakes. It happens. But when it happens and it's YOUR license and concience on the line, it's a bit different than when you're auxillary staff (i.e. tech/intern) watching it go down.

I am going to weigh in here only based on leadership vs. subordinate responsibility levels, leapfrogging off Vitamin K.

When I was a heady E4 in the Army I was a 249 gunner in garrison (not deployed) when we ran MOUnT, or Military Operations on Urban Terrain, exercises with my squad and the rest of the unit.

I would watch the senior E4s, E5s and sometimes E6s (Non-commissioned officers; these are are de facto supervisors) lead platoons and squads through "dangerous" mock streets where insurgents, played by rival platoons or companies, would be staked, and it all very closely resembled what we would end up facing in Iraq or Afghanistan. While I could appreciate the difficulty in making sure one's squad/element is all accounted for, directing them during direct or indirect fire or when receiving contact of any sort, it was until I was slapped on the bird and sent overseas and told that I would be leading a real squad, in real combat operations, that the gravity of my training really hit me like a ton of bricks.

In a sense, my "license", that is, my life and the structural integrity of my element, was actually at stake, and a mistake on my part could and would almost assuredly lead to death or injury. Not heeding the warning signs during a presence patrol in Tikrit, Baqubah or Ramadi and you just endangered a lot of lives.

It's not a perfect example by any means, but the take-home message is just like Vitamin K alluded to - When you're "auxiliary" personnel, or in my case, just another cog in the machine during training, you are there and absorbing, but it's not your responsibility if you lose an asset from your element. However, when the health and sustainability of your unit is up to you, and your decisions, and your decisions alone will be accounted for on record, the whole scenery changes... Suddenly, situations which seemed simple for me to handle as just a member of the squad were like a sucker punch when I was a team or squad leader in theater with live ammunition and people who wanted me/us dead in the street.

Perhaps this can be applied quite nicely to Pharmacy after all. When you're a technician, you're observing, but it isn't your ass on the line when something goes boom and someone loses an arm or pays the ultimate price. It's the Pharmacist who is left when the smoke clears. The brass will be gunning for the Pharmacist's license, not your CPhT cert.

Actually, if you understood medicine at all, you'd know that nothing in pharmacy is black-and-white. Things are constantly changing, we're constantly learning more, and every patient is very individual in their response and reaction to treatment. Not everything can be looked up. A LOT of what we do is "a judgement call" and that's the scary part. Just because the computer system makes sure the prescription is filled on time doesn't mean it makes sure it's filled correctly. Not everything about a patient is even IN the system. I worked for Walgreens for 3 years and saw EVERY pharmacist in there (including the best and brightest) make mistakes. It happens. But when it happens and it's YOUR license and concience on the line, it's a bit different than when you're auxillary staff (i.e. tech/intern) watching it go down.Either you're assuming I'm dumb as a rock, or perhaps I'm not expressing myself clearly. Assuming the latter, I'll explain. What I meant by either knowing or not knowing medicinal knowledge is something like knowing that if you've had allergic reactions to penicillin, there is a chance that you will have allergic reactions to cephalexin, and as I said before, you should treat your patient like they're lawyers and give them a full disclosure about that and tell them to stop taking it immediately if blah blah blah. Of course pharmacists make mistakes, but a professional judgment is what it is and that's why it's very important to protect yourself when you communicate to your patients. "They're very very stupid when it comes to medicine, and they're very very smart when it comes you suing you." Ask the patient questions and explain risks. That's why at Walgreen's we ask every patient if they have any allergies or health conditions. And thank goodness for CAPs! If you're choosing to be a pharmacist you have to suck it up and know that you will probably make a mistake at one point or another, but as long as you're consistent and competent there is no need for terror. If I typed something incorrectly, and no pharmacist was able to DRE my mistake, and the patient was hurt as a result, trust me, I would feel immensely guilty about it. Apart from losing a license, I put the patient's health far above it. And as said before (perhaps a bit unclearly and unfortunately offensively--I do apologize,) if one cares about their license more than the best interest of their patient, then perhaps they are not fit to be a pharmacist. If one consistently serves the interest of the patient, the room for error is very small, and especially at Walgreen's your butt is covered quite well against lawsuits. Ahh, I do love Walgreen's. :)

I am going to weigh in here only based on leadership vs. subordinate responsibility levels, leapfrogging off Vitamin K.

When I was a heady E4 in the Army I was a 249 gunner in garrison (not deployed) when we ran MOUnT, or Military Operations on Urban Terrain, exercises with my squad and the rest of the unit.

I would watch the senior E4s, E5s and sometimes E6s (Non-commissioned officers; these are are de facto supervisors) lead platoons and squads through "dangerous" mock streets where insurgents, played by rival platoons or companies, would be staked, and it all very closely resembled what we would end up facing in Iraq or Afghanistan. While I could appreciate the difficulty in making sure one's squad/element is all accounted for, directing them during direct or indirect fire or when receiving contact of any sort, it was until I was slapped on the bird and sent overseas and told that I would be leading a real squad, in real combat operations, that the gravity of my training really hit me like a ton of bricks.

In a sense, my "license", that is, my life and the structural integrity of my element, was actually at stake, and a mistake on my part could and would almost assuredly lead to death or injury. Not heeding the warning signs during a presence patrol in Tikrit, Baqubah or Ramadi and you just endangered a lot of lives.

It's not a perfect example by any means, but the take-home message is just like Vitamin K alluded to - When you're "auxiliary" personnel, or in my case, just another cog in the machine during training, you are there and absorbing, but it's not your responsibility if you lose an asset from your element. However, when the health and sustainability of your unit is up to you, and your decisions, and your decisions alone will be accounted for on record, the whole scenery changes... Suddenly, situations which seemed simple for me to handle as just a member of the squad were like a sucker punch when I was a team or squad leader in theater with live ammunition and people who wanted me/us dead in the street.

Perhaps this can be applied quite nicely to Pharmacy after all. When you're a technician, you're observing, but it isn't your ass on the line when something goes boom and someone loses an arm or pays the ultimate price. It's the Pharmacist who is left when the smoke clears. The brass will be gunning for the Pharmacist's license, not your CPhT cert.
Nice analogy. First of all, thank you for your service.

Although, I've been saying I'm just a tech, I'm actually an intern, since I do intend to become a pharmacist, and most pharmacists treat me as one. I consider techs, interns, Rph's as a healthcare team. Yes, a pharmacist has more to "lose" in the event of an error, but to me, an error is an error.

I know many pharmacists probably care more about their own asses, but I see the world in big pictures and theories. If I do what is right and I do it consistently, my conscience is clear and I have no fear. To err is human. Shoot, I'm glad pharmacists can lose their licenses. Can you imagine how it would be if healthcare professionals didn't face repercussions for their errors? Scary.

Nice analogy. First of all, thank you for your service.

Although, I've been saying I'm just a tech, I'm actually an intern, since I do intend to become a pharmacist, and most pharmacists treat me as one. I consider techs, interns, Rph's as a healthcare team. Yes, a pharmacist has more to "lose" in the event of an error, but to me, an error is an error.

I know many pharmacists probably care more about their own asses, but I see the world in big pictures and theories. If I do what is right and I do it consistently, my conscience is clear and I have no fear. To err is human. Shoot, I'm glad pharmacists can lose their licenses. Can you imagine how it would be if healthcare professionals didn't face repercussions for their errors? Scary.

You're welcome.

Oh, I didn't know you're a tech... Your tag still says pre-pharmacy, and I didn't know you got your intern license yet. My bad! Although you did just call yourself a tech, so I guess it's not entirely my fault.

And while "an error is an error", you still don't feel the same about it. Maybe YOU personally do, obviously I can't tell you how to feel. But, I know that practicing in urban ops and doing the exact same thing, but as a leader, felt COMPLETELY different. If I tell my men to break contact and we run right into an ambush, I just got us killed... That is different, in scope, than if I am ordered to break contact by my squad/team leader and we run into an ambush and I get killed. Indeed, the error is the same... We should have engaged and taken cover until reinforcements arrived, and the effect is the same... Most of our element died. But the responsibility of having made that decision, that weight on my "old brain" that commands fight or flight, is much different as a leader than as a follower.

That is simple biomechanics, and I will be very shocked if you don't look back at this thread in 4 years when you've been a Pharmacist out in the field and post saying "Wow, it really IS different."

See, the beautiful flaw in our psychology is illustrated wonderfully by my attitude when I was a follower. It looked and felt easier, and there was zero responsibility on me besides guilt if we lost an asset. Sure, it sucked, sure I'd feel the pangs of survivor's guilt, but without the pressure of decision-making, that mantle of thorns on your head, you just can't know what it's like.

I am not trying to patronize you Kirby, I think you have an expert grip on what life is like as a Pharmacist in Walgreen's, but you certainly can't get into the psyche of the pharmacist until you've been one. I think that's what the Veterans here are trying to impress upon you most keenly...

Until they'd walked in my boots, the soldiers I trained to stand in my place when I got promoted had no idea what they were getting into either. They thought they knew, but they didn't know.

And yes Kirby, I know exactly what it's like in a health care world where the physicians face no repercussions... it's called military medicine.

Either you're assuming I'm dumb as a rock, or perhaps I'm not expressing myself clearly. Assuming the latter, I'll explain. What I meant by either knowing or not knowing medicinal knowledge is something like knowing that if you've had allergic reactions to penicillin, there is a chance that you will have allergic reactions to cephalexin, and as I said before, you should treat your patient like they're lawyers and give them a full disclosure about that and tell them to stop taking it immediately if blah blah blah. Of course pharmacists make mistakes, but a professional judgment is what it is and that's why it's very important to protect yourself when you communicate to your patients. "They're very very stupid when it comes to medicine, and they're very very smart when it comes you suing you." Ask the patient questions and explain risks. That's why at Walgreen's we ask every patient if they have any allergies or health conditions. And thank goodness for CAPs! If you're choosing to be a pharmacist you have to suck it up and know that you will probably make a mistake at one point or another, but as long as you're consistent and competent there is no need for terror. If I typed something incorrectly, and no pharmacist was able to DRE my mistake, and the patient was hurt as a result, trust me, I would feel immensely guilty about it. Apart from losing a license, I put the patient's health far above it. And as said before (perhaps a bit unclearly and unfortunately offensively--I do apologize,) if one cares about their license more than the best interest of their patient, then perhaps they are not fit to be a pharmacist. If one consistently serves the interest of the patient, the room for error is very small, and especially at Walgreen's your butt is covered quite well against lawsuits. Ahh, I do love Walgreen's. :)

You're missing the point here. As a tech, you have an ethical obligation as a tech to do your best for the patient, but little to no professional or legal obligation. You might "feel bad" if a patient is hurt as a result of your error, but there really are no ramifications for you aside from that.

I felt the additional burden of responsibility when I received my intern permit, but I can only imagine how heavily that onus weighs as a pharmacist. Assuming the role as the final safeguard on a patient's life must be incredibly frightening.

As a tech, you have an ethical obligation as a tech to do your best for the patient, but little to no professional or legal obligation. You might "feel bad" if a patient is hurt as a result of your error, but there really are no ramifications for you aside from that.

Quit stealing my moral of the story, dammit! =]

and especially at Walgreen's your butt is covered quite well against lawsuits. Ahh, I do love Walgreen's. :)

Are you serious? Walgreens is in it for THEIR best interest as a company, not yours as a pharmacist. They would get rid of a pharmacist at the drop of a hat if it meant they wouldn't be sued.

Are you serious? Walgreens is in it for THEIR best interest as a company, not yours as a pharmacist. They would get rid of a pharmacist at the drop of a hat if it meant they wouldn't be sued.

QFT. Buy that malpractice insurance, folks...

I am not trying to patronize you Kirby, I think you have an expert grip on what life is like as a Pharmacist in Walgreen's, but you certainly can't get into the psyche of the pharmacist until you've been one. I think that's what the Veterans here are trying to impress upon you most keenly...

Until they'd walked in my boots, the soldiers I trained to stand in my place when I got promoted had no idea what they were getting into either. They thought they knew, but they didn't know.
Keep me accountable in 4 years!!! Ask me then if I'm scared lol. :)


Are you serious? Walgreens is in it for THEIR best interest as a company, not yours as a pharmacist. They would get rid of a pharmacist at the drop of a hat if it meant they wouldn't be sued. Of course Walgreen's does what is in its best interest. I'm saying Walgreen's has a system set up so that a reasonably competent pharmacist will be protected naturally if they do what they are supposed to do. Privacy disclosure forms, registration procedures, these Walgreen's templates are all in place for a reason if one pays close attention. A pharmacist who was truly interested in their protection would follow suggested guidelines.

Are you serious? Walgreens is in it for THEIR best interest as a company, not yours as a pharmacist. They would get rid of a pharmacist at the drop of a hat if it meant they wouldn't be sued.

Get some friends in law school. They are 100% responsible for the person they employ. They hired him/her they placed him/her and they are resposnible for supervising him/her.

They can't just dump the pharmacist and absolve themselves of liability.

The reason malpractice insurance is so cheap is it is only secondary to your employers coverage. If it was a primary policy, we would be sued way more often.

The main thing is getting the correct drug, in the correct strength, with the correct directions, to the correct patient. You said you already had experience in verifying/final check so you are already ahead of the game. The rest will fall into place as you gain experience. If you want to call the MD on every interaction at first, that is fine (although it will slow you down). You will eventually learn which ones you can let go.

As far as customer questions/counseling, you can download Facts and Comparisons to your smartphone from SkyScape (Nokia N Series, iPhone, or BlackBerry) and can look up anything you do not know right at the window. "Let me look that up for you." or "Let me double check that." seems to work.

Don't worry about looking like an idiot occassionally, it is not the end of the world. You will have fewer incidents where you look stupid to the customers or coworkers as the years roll by.

The advantages of working at a busy store include overlap with other Pharmacists and of course lots of Techs working. If you don't know something you can always ask a coworker.

Yeah, I love the smartphone idea with Facts and Comparisons. I'm also in the same position as OP but my biggest concern is getting questions you have no ******* idea about. Thus, I need a smartphone with epocrates or whatnot and be able to get back to the patient.

I def think one of the stressors is a busy store. I think this scenario has been presented but with 3 phone calls on hold, 5 waiters, 5 drop offs, a couple of insurance rejections, couple of patient consults waiting for you, while still verifying, along with being understaffed and being a new grad, that can get stressful. I'm sure everyone has experienced this.

I guess the bottom line is really just experience, experience. Everyday for me is a learning experience, no matter how easy-difficult the task is.

Off-track question, how's your smartphone in terms of speed, in opening programs and looking stuff up?

And, what malpractice insurance plan has everyone been getting? Seems like the big one is HSPO's Pharmacist plan with 1,000,000/3,000,000 coverage for $71.

And, what malpractice insurance plan has everyone been getting? Seems like the big one is HSPO's Pharmacist plan with 1,000,000/3,000,000 coverage for $71.

OK, why do you think it's only $71.00 per year?

Have you not interned at a very busy Walgreen's store before? I just got off of an 8 hr shift at a very busy store so I apologize for the lack of empathy, but this sounds like whining. All drug interactions are at your fingertips on the Walgreen's computer and busy stores have enough staff to help you out. I'm looking forward to starting my pharmacy education this fall, but the fact that you have such little confidence after your four years of pharmacy studies is scaring me. How many years have you been with Walgreen's? Please don't tell me it's been more than a year, because that's how long I've been with Walgreen's and I'm already confident about becoming a pharmacist. Don't worry so much, it's hard to screw up at Walgreen's. I'm sure you'll be fine with some more experience.

Oh gawd, you are really one of those know-it-all techs or interns aren't you? You are completely missing the point that the retail milieu is very subjective in terms of training and the acquisition of skills. There are people who are not very ept at integrating different aspects of the job with speed. Confidence does not equal competence. The OP might be a very competent person....even might have graduated at the top of his class, but needs time to develop the confidence of handling his responsibilities, that's just how some people are. You've worked for only one year and you think your confidence mirrrors your professional accountability as a pharmacist? How dare you? You haven't even started pharmacy school yet. Do you know how dynamic the profession is? A drug interaction you get on a computer screen could mean something or nothing at all depending on the situation. Having a litany of drug interactions at your fingertips and applying them in a patient specific circumstance are two different things, which will only come to you as a result of your knowledge base. I do not know who you are, you might be a very bright person, maybe average, maybe not too smart; whatever the case, may the Lord be with you during the integrated therapeutics portion of your pharmacy education, but until you take start studying those, you do not have the credibility to ascertain what it feels like to bear the responsibility of a pharmacist who is the last safeguard in drug therapy. Your one year experience is laughable.....trust me...I worked in retail for 6 years before starting pharmacy school and I felt on top of the world just like you are now. I can even remember thinking how I could totally do a pharmacist's job. But until you have gone to school and fathomed how much knowledge and the complexity of knowledge that is required in making the right therapy decision, you would not know what it entails. Trust me ...it's also gonna dawn on you!

Off-track question, how's your smartphone in terms of speed, in opening programs and looking stuff up?



I have a Nokia N75 with the 2GB memory card and love it. I keep Facts & Comparisons open all the time in the background, just one button to push and it pops up. The speed is good when I move around to the various sections on a particular drug.

I also keep my work schedule on there, syncing with Google Calendar via GooSync so my wife can look it up online if she needs to. I have the unlimited Internet plan and the speed is decent with 3G. If for some reason my Comcast Internet is down at home, I can use my Nokia as an Internet access point for my laptop via Bluetooth. Best phone I have ever owned.

Keep me accountable in 4 years!!! Ask me then if I'm scared lol. :)


Of course Walgreen's does what is in its best interest. I'm saying Walgreen's has a system set up so that a reasonably competent pharmacist will be protected naturally if they do what they are supposed to do. Privacy disclosure forms, registration procedures, these Walgreen's templates are all in place for a reason if one pays close attention. A pharmacist who was truly interested in their protection would follow suggested guidelines.

Ugh, almost 700 posts of nonsense.

Please? As a pre-pharm tech, you know all? It is very natural to feel apprehensive and scared about your first time in charge. All of us who have made this transition from student to pharmacist have felt this way. I worked as an intern for my company for 2 1/2 yrs prior to being a pharmacist and I was scared. It is different when it is your license and you are the one responsible. OldTime sums it up and gives great advice. You build confidence and learn a routine that works best for you. No system is fool proof and as a pharmacist, you should always have that in your mind. No one is invincible.

Oh gawd, you are really one of those know-it-all techs or interns aren't you? You are completely missing the point that the retail milieu is very subjective in terms of training and the acquisition of skills. There are people who are not very ept at integrating different aspects of the job with speed. Confidence does not equal competence. The OP might be a very competent person....even might have graduated at the top of his class, but needs time to develop the confidence of handling his responsibilities, that's just how some people are. You've worked for only one year and you think your confidence mirrrors your professional accountability as a pharmacist? How dare you? You haven't even started pharmacy school yet. Do you know how dynamic the profession is? A drug interaction you get on a computer screen could mean something or nothing at all depending on the situation. Having a litany of drug interactions at your fingertips and applying them in a patient specific circumstance are two different things, which will only come to you as a result of your knowledge base. I do not know who you are, you might be a very bright person, maybe average, maybe not too smart; whatever the case, may the Lord be with you during the integrated therapeutics portion of your pharmacy education, but until you take start studying those, you do not have the credibility to ascertain what it feels like to bear the responsibility of a pharmacist who is the last safeguard in drug therapy. Your one year experience is laughable.....trust me...I worked in retail for 6 years before starting pharmacy school and I felt on top of the world just like you are now. I can even remember thinking how I could totally do a pharmacist's job. But until you have gone to school and fathomed how much knowledge and the complexity of knowledge that is required in making the right therapy decision, you would not know what it entails. Trust me ...it's also gonna dawn on you!

I never said the OP was incompetent. I was just trying to boost his/her confidence. I assumed correctly that the OP did not work for Walgreen's for more than one year (they worked only 6 months) and that's why my confidence would insinuate that after an additional 6 months of working with Walgreen's, the OP should feel more confident as well. I don't see how your post helps the OP in anyway. You DON'T know me and I've been accepted into pharmacy school after just 6 months of pharmacy experience, but it took you 6 years before you could get into pharmacy school and you're trying to judge me? Where do you think my confidence comes from? It doesn't come from my 1 year of pharmacy experience but practically everything else about myself, my life experiences, etc. You must think I rolled out of bed one morning and thought I wanted to become a pharmacist. Yes, my post wasn't sugary and nice, but at heart I wanted the OP to rely on his/her education and also reflect on why they chose to become a pharmacist to remotivate them all over again. Walgreen's is a great place with lots of safety nets compared to other retail pharmacies so I wanted to the OP take comfort in that. That combined with other posters' advices would perhaps help the OP move on from their fears.

Ugh, almost 700 posts of nonsense.

Please? As a pre-pharm tech, you know all? It is very natural to feel apprehensive and scared about your first time in charge. All of us who have made this transition from student to pharmacist have felt this way. I worked as an intern for my company for 2 1/2 yrs prior to being a pharmacist and I was scared. It is different when it is your license and you are the one responsible. OldTime sums it up and gives great advice. You build confidence and learn a routine that works best for you. No system is fool proof and as a pharmacist, you should always have that in your mind. No one is invincible.

Resident? Another non-Walgreen's employee trying to rebut my statement on how it feels to work at Walgreen's. Awesome.

Understanding? I'm understanding that he said OP's concerned were particularly about Walgreen's, a place where I've worked with at least twenty different pharmacists, in several different stores, with several managers, several interns, several new hires, and two pharmacists who have been fired. I think I know what it takes to get hired, fired, promoted, demoted, and transferred around at Walgreen's. If the OP said she/he is nervous about starting at a hospital, I wouldn't say anything, because I am totally clueless about hospital pharmacy---even CVS, I have no clue. You're focusing too much on the fact that I'm just a tech and not a Walgreen's employee. You see at Walgreen's, when I'm doing my part as a tech, I am relying on the pharmacist's pharmacy education to achieve a shared goal of giving the patient their medication just as much as the pharmacists themselves are also relying on their educations. And at Walgreen's, when in doubt, there is the computer and there is the phone call to the doctor to clarify and ascertain that we are giving the patient the proper medication. Which is why I wanted to tell the OP to relax because granted his/her education is sound, it's very very hard to mess up. Medicinal knowledge is something you either know or you don't. If you know it, how can you mess that up? If you're not sure, you can look it up. Depending on the layout of the store and the number of pharmacists and techs present at a certain time, Walgreen's has a specific workflow plan which will guide you on what you should focus your time on and in what order. You can't negotiate your wage as a pharmacist at Walgreen's because it really is idiot proof.

A typical miss guided rant by a "super tech"/I am smarter than the pharmacist technician. These are the worst kind of technicians to work with in my opinion. They are not smart enough to know they are not smart enough to do what the pharmacist does.

With statements like “And at Walgreen's, when in doubt, there is the computer and there is the phone call to the doctor to clarify and ascertain that we are giving the patient the proper medication.” And “ You can't negotiate your wage as a pharmacist at Walgreen's because it really is idiot proof.”
You should get promoted to upper management fast. It seems that is what every idiot in charge at Walgreens thinks. You can put anyone behind the verification computer and the “system” will take care of it. What a joke Walgreens has become.

Resident? Another non-Walgreen's employee trying to rebut my statement on how it feels to work at Walgreen's. Awesome.


Good Lord....

Karm can run circles around you in everything that pertains to pharmacy. Know your place...you're just a little prepharm who rang up a couple of customers at Wags...

Get it straight...Karm is a PGY2 which means she has more experience and knowledge than most posters on this forum.

Know your F*****kin place.


:thumbdown

Either you're assuming I'm dumb as a rock, or perhaps I'm not expressing myself clearly.

I am going to vote yes on both.

I am going to vote yes on both.


For the first time in my life, I'll agree with you here...she's too dumb to know how dumb she is...

And if I remember correctly, Karm did retail prior to beginning residency?

This thread turned nasty real quick. From what I have read, I think you are all trying to give the OP some confidence, but providing them in a different manner.
I think Kirbypuff's intentions just came off wrong, granted her efforts were very poorly worded. I personally would like to be told that time will give me the confidence instead of someone questioning my confidence in my level of education.

I'll be a P1 this upcoming fall and have never worked in retail pharamy, heck, I have never worked as a pharmacist tech, but if life has taught me anything, it's the two things listed below.

1. Things are a lot easier said than done.

2. You can't ignore experience.... there is a reason people with experience are more highly regarded in all aspect of life.

So overall, I think it would be highly presumptuous of me to tell the OP to how to feel better about his situation and be more comfortable, because I have never been a pharmacist at Walgreen, yet even a pharmacist.

Get some friends in law school. They are 100% responsible for the person they employ. They hired him/her they placed him/her and they are resposnible for supervising him/her.

They can't just dump the pharmacist and absolve themselves of liability.

The reason malpractice insurance is so cheap is it is only secondary to your employers coverage. If it was a primary policy, we would be sued way more often.

Do a search about what Wal-Mart is doing to some of its pharmacists. In the P&P manual it says if you make an error and have violated any company policies in doing so you are responsible for the liability not the company. I will try and find out where I read about that. I think I read about one example on the TPA forums.

It would be very easy for a company to shift liability to the pharmacist. They may employ the pharmacist and therefore share some liability but Walgreens corporation is not licensed to practice pharmacy the individual pharmacists are.

For the first time in my life, I'll agree with you here...she's too dumb to know how dumb she is...

I have seen it many times before. A very dangerous tech to work with.

And if I remember correctly, Karm did retail prior to beginning residency?


And she graduated early and worked as a clinical coordinator before starting the residency.

And she graduated early and worked as a clinical coordinator before starting the residency.

:thumbup:

For the first time in my life, I'll agree with you here...she's too dumb to know how dumb she is...

Second time. The first was agreeing with me that I should get out of retail. Its okay I will let your oversight slide.

Second time. The first was agreeing with me that I should get out of retail. Its okay I will let your oversight slide.


:eek: dang.... I've been proven wrong..

Crap....I have been up since 4:30...I should go to bed. I am sure I will be up at 4:30 again. Yeah, yeah...I am wuss....Thanks Z.:thumbdown

Crap....I have been up since 4:30...I should go to bed. I am sure I will be up at 4:30 again. Yeah, yeah...I am wuss....Thanks Z.:thumbdown

Your wife has you trained!! Good for her!!

A typical miss guided rant by a "super tech"/I am smarter than the pharmacist technician. These are the worst kind of technicians to work with in my opinion. They are not smart enough to know they are not smart enough to do what the pharmacist does.

With statements like And
You should get promoted to upper management fast. It seems that is what every idiot in charge at Walgreens thinks. You can put anyone behind the verification computer and the “system” will take care of it. What a joke Walgreens has become.
When have I ever said that I was smarter than a pharmacist? I have not even sat through a lecture of pharmacy school. I know I have what it takes to succeed in pharmacy school, but I never compared my knowledge to that of someone who graduated pharmacy school. All I ever said was that I know what it's like to work at Walgreen's and that any pharmacist who graduated from a good pharmacy school should be fine. I know the in's and out's of Walgreen's decently well because I have been paying very close attention. What exactly are you reading from my posts that makes you think that I consider myself smarter than someone who has had 4 years of pharmaceutical education?

Your wife has you trained!! Good for her!!

It has been a long process...Thats why I told Z she would never leave me home by myself for 2 weeks. 11 years of training gone like that!

Good Lord....

Karm can run circles around you in everything that pertains to pharmacy. Know your place...you're just a little prepharm who rang up a couple of customers at Wags...

Get it straight...Karm is a PGY2 which means she has more experience and knowledge than most posters on this forum.

Know your F*****kin place.


:thumbdown
Know my place? I'm sure Karm has a lot of experience with pharmacotherapeutics and a good deal of the frontiers of the science, but she doesn't have all the knowledge of this world. I made my comments on my experience at my company and she went off to assume that I'm pretending to know it all. I only know what I've experienced and she only knows what she has experienced. God forbid a little technician knows something she doesn't know. I admitted that I only know Walgreen's, and I admitted that this knowledge does not transcend to knowledge at hospitals and not even at CVS, but you're trying to say that Karm's experience as a PGY2 transcends into experience at Walgreen's?

Know my place? I'm sure Karm has a lot of experience with pharmacotherapeutics and a good deal of the frontiers of the science, but she doesn't have all the knowledge of this world. I made my comments on my experience at my company and she went off to assume that I'm pretending to know it all. I only know what I've experienced and she only knows what she has experienced. God forbid a little technician knows something she doesn't know. I admitted that I only know Walgreen's, and I admitted that this knowledge does not transcend to knowledge at hospitals and not even at CVS, but you're trying to say that Karm's experience as a PGY2 transcends into experience at Walgreen's?


Congratulations on becoming the first SDN poster to get on my ignore list..

Congratulations on becoming the first SDN poster to get on my ignore list..Thanks for showing me my place on this forum. Wow, what an honor. Does it hurt that much to read a post from a lowly know-nothing pre-pharmer who might disagree with your highness? Your caste system of people is truly disrespectful to humans. Do you ignore certain patients who need your help as well?

I never said the OP was incompetent. I was just trying to boost his/her confidence. I assumed correctly that the OP did not work for Walgreen's for more than one year (they worked only 6 months) and that's why my confidence would insinuate that after an additional 6 months of working with Walgreen's, the OP should feel more confident as well. I don't see how your post helps the OP in anyway. You DON'T know me and I've been accepted into pharmacy school after just 6 months of pharmacy experience, but it took you 6 years before you could get into pharmacy school and you're trying to judge me? Where do you think my confidence comes from? It doesn't come from my 1 year of pharmacy experience but practically everything else about myself, my life experiences, etc. You must think I rolled out of bed one morning and thought I wanted to become a pharmacist. Yes, my post wasn't sugary and nice, but at heart I wanted the OP to rely on his/her education and also reflect on why they chose to become a pharmacist to remotivate them all over again. Walgreen's is a great place with lots of safety nets compared to other retail pharmacies so I wanted to the OP take comfort in that. That combined with other posters' advices would perhaps help the OP move on from their fears.

Sweetheart no one ever said u said they were incompetent....I was just trying to give you insight as to how the most competent of ppl, regardless of resources, would still question their decision making abilities as a novice. The funniest thing is pretty much everyone on this thread thinks your rant is ridiculous and you are still trying hard to justify it. The issue is that you are telling the OP he OUGHT TO BE confident based on YOUR experience, no that he WILL BECOME confident. I'm sure you have the best intentions at heart, but you really are not coming about it the right way, and you are using one year's worth of experience to express your know how about therapeutic decision making. It's great you got into pharmacy school after just 6 months of pharmacy experience and you prob wanted to be a pharmacist since you were in the womb. All we are really trying to point out is that confidence is a great tool in all aspects of life, but it does nothing to help a knowledge base it just complements it. One can make a wrong therapy decision with the utmost confidence that they got it right. I guess I should phrase it this way; Some people need to become fully comfortable with applying the knowledge they've gained, before becoming fully confident in bearing the professional responsibility....and it takes time...and most ppl...if not everyone goes through it. I'm not trying to judge you, but I also think you really shouldn't be that full of yourself. Jefferson university has 1 year experience in educating pharmacists, nevertheless I'm sure they'll do a good job to instill some pharmacy practice reality into you....I hope...since one OUGHT to be confident after going to a good pharmacy school.;)

Thanks for showing me my place on this forum. Wow, what an honor. Does it hurt that much to read a post from a lowly know-nothing pre-pharmer who might disagree with your highness? Your caste system of people is truly disrespectful to humans. Do you ignore certain patients who need your help as well?

Pretty much your first post in this thread got off on the wrong foot. On one hand, you were giving a back-handed compliment to gradintern by saying that she should be confident in her knowledge, but on the other hand, it's how you said it which honestly, to me, sounded as if you thought she had nothing to worry about since she was finished with school. Your wording does come off offensive to those who are pharmacists because you made it sound like retail pharmacists just press buttons and quickly screen interactions. Unfortunately, most students don't understand that retail pharmacists don't just click buttons on programs. I remember one of my professors saying that you can't assume that retail is easier. She made the example of being busy and a random customer asks about a cold medication and you recommend one with phenylephrine without even asking if they are on blood pressure medications. Though minor (or not), your judgements regarding interactions and your recommendations outside of working on computers aren't to be taken lightly. You will understand the tremendous responsibility once you are in her place (and I know you said you understand, but you don't truly know what a Rph goes through until you are in that exact position). Don't be offended by the comments others are posing, just learn from them. (Why do I feel like this comment should be on a Full House episode..)

Off to bed...:sleep:

Pretty much your first post in this thread got off on the wrong foot. On one hand, you were giving a back-handed compliment to gradintern by saying that she should be confident in her knowledge, but on the other hand, it's how you said it which honestly, to me, sounded as if you thought she had nothing to worry about since she was finished with school. Your wording does come off offensive to those who are pharmacists because you made it sound like retail pharmacists just press buttons and quickly screen interactions. Unfortunately, most students don't understand that retail pharmacists don't just click buttons on programs. I remember one of my professors saying that you can't assume that retail is easier. She made the example of being busy and a random customer asks about a cold medication and you recommend one with phenylephrine without even asking if they are on blood pressure medications. Though minor (or not), your judgements regarding interactions and your recommendations outside of working on computers aren't to be taken lightly. You will understand the tremendous responsibility once you are in her place (and I know you said you understand, but you don't truly know what a Rph goes through until you are in that exact position). Don't be offended by the comments others are posing, just learn from them. (Why do I feel like this comment should be on a Full House episode..)

Off to bed...:sleep:Thanks for reflecting on things that were actually said. You actually taught me something aside from things previously mentioned (about certain cold medications interacting with bp meds.) Thank you. You and a lot of people who have already said it are right that until I actually become a pharmacist, I wont truly know how it feels to be one. I guess I started working at Walgreen's when they introduced a new application called CAP-Consultation Application which flags RX's with interaction possibilities. And for patients who have insurance, IC+ can tell us about possible drug interactions with medications patients have gotten at other pharmacies. And we have on record the allergies to medications and health conditions of patients so these things give me a sense of safety for the RPh's decision to override interactions. It's usually new patients and cash patients who need to be given the third degree. CAP is such a new application that it really feels like if a pharmacist has not worked with Walgreen's, not CVS, not Rite Aid, not DR, not Kroger's, etc, but Walgreen's in the past year, it's hard to see how they can understand that Walgreen's has a good safety net which forces RPh's do what they're supposed to do (ask patients lots of questions) and truly guides them to avoid errors. I realize I have been calling IC+ an idiot proof system, which may have been construed to compare pharmacists with idiots, but I was just trying to say that IC+ is just that good. Pharmacists are intelligent people. At work, I have so much respect for all the pharmacists I work with and have worked with. I love learning from those who are willing to teach me. I feel like I'm a patient standing at the consultation window and asking questions all day lol. Whenever I am taught something, I'm inspired to become a good pharmacist and take full advantage of the knowledge I will get at pharmacy school. The reason why I feel so confident is because it feels like if being a pharmacist is the test, I've taken a look at the exam before I've even started studying at pharmacy school. It looks like it will be an open-book exam to which I've got the structure down cold, I just need to study the material. But you're right, I will not know until I actually am a pharmacist. I think I got that 30 posts ago, but perhaps I didn't say I got it. I got it!

Also, if I had to start working at a retail pharmacy other than Walgreen's (a place I'm comfortable and experienced with), I would probably be whimpering too.

I missed all the excitement!! Damn!

Yes I worked hospital and retail as a PHARMACIST (including the short stint as clinical coordinator)...not just a student (or pre-pharm)...hell I worked for both Safeway and Walgreens. I've been around the block (not in the good way). I have a lot of respect for technicians and pharmacists in both settings.

What I hate...cocky students...seriously, be humble and learn.

I missed all the excitement!! Damn!

Yes I worked hospital and retail as a PHARMACIST (including the short stint as clinical coordinator)...not just a student (or pre-pharm)...hell I worked for both Safeway and Walgreens. I've been around the block (not in the good way). I have a lot of respect for technicians and pharmacists in both settings.

What I hate...cocky students...seriously, be humble and learn.


:meanie: yeah..see what you miss when you go to bed early?

:annoyed: is me in this thread and at alot of the threads in this forum. Anymore tips? Preferably from a pharmacist. Or did OldTimer and Ancient pretty much sum it up?

I, for one, applaud gradintern for starting this topic and addressing a *few* of the fears that most of us new grads (not just Wags associates) are having right now. It would be nice to hear more from the seasoned RPh's without having to sift through pages of :rolleyes: and :wtf: ...

JMO.

Thank you very much to all of you who posted constructive replies. Though I've achieved high scores on the NAPLEX and CPJE, and am confident about my knowledge base, the application of this knowledge as well as the ability to do it in a retail setting is a new challenge. I have had 6 months experience at Walgreens, and though I was allowed to verify prescriptions using another pharmacist's sign on (noting the times I did so on the logbook so that I could be held accountable for what I checked off), and though I made countless calls to doctors' offices based on obvious problems with prescriptions I had typed up or that pharmacists had pointed out to me, I have had zero experience formally reviewing prescriptions.

It may be possible to have another pharmacist on duty at the same time; but is it possible to volunteeer? I heard our pharmacy manager once telling a tech applicant that volunteering wasn't allowed at Walgreens. I imagine that if I were reviewing prescriptions I would have to have a sign-on so that I am held accountable for what I do...or can they just assign me a sign-on and not pay me?


Call your district supervisor and ask to arrange to be a shadow for a pharmacist on the day that you first work as a licensed pharmacist. It's important to do this because you do need to know all of the aspects of the computer system as far as how to properly document when you override a DUR. Also, try to have a few phone numbers on hand for nearby stores who can act as your mentor ....I always carried a few numbers with me so I could have a second opinion the first few times I ran into new situations.

:meanie: yeah..see what you miss when you go to bed early?

Early? Please! ID rounds don't start until after 1pm. I don't miss those PGY1 days of surgery rounds starting at 5am.

Oh man, first day as a pharmacist// first 14 hour shift// first back to back 14 hour shift//first day in new store//next Mon.

This is going to be fun. /sarcasm on

Oh btw, in CVS. Hopefully it is not a busy store, at least from what I heard.

Training as a grad intern for ~ 1-2 months isn't enough. Need mor training!

Scared? You damn well better bet it.

You DON'T know me and I've been accepted into pharmacy school after just 6 months of pharmacy experience, but it took you 6 years before you could get into pharmacy school and you're trying to judge me?

Wow. Honestly, u sound very cocky. From that quote above and on, it was really hard to read your other posts. From that quote, you make it sound like RXCARE took more than 6 yrs to get into pharmacy school. *Sighs*

Oh man, first day as a pharmacist// first 14 hour shift// first back to back 14 hour shift//first day in new store//next Mon.

This is going to be fun. /sarcasm on

Oh btw, in CVS. Hopefully it is not a busy store, at least from what I heard.

Training as a grad intern for ~ 1-2 months isn't enough. Need mor training!

Scared? You damn well better bet it.

and they said there were 'no more' jobs available in new jersey. :cool:

Wow. Honestly, u sound very cocky. From that quote above and on, it was really hard to read your other posts. From that quote, you make it sound like RXCARE took more than 6 yrs to get into pharmacy school. *Sighs*I just said that to RXCARE cus he was putting me down for having only worked at a pharmacy for 1 year compared to his 6 years *wow*... so I put it into perspective of what that possibly means.

He said "Your one year experience is laughable.....trust me...I worked in retail for 6 years before starting pharmacy school and I felt on top of the world just like you are now." If you're going to insult me, you better be ready for what I have to say next.

and they said there were 'no more' jobs available in new jersey. :cool:

Not jersey. D.C.

Oh man, first day as a pharmacist// first 14 hour shift// first back to back 14 hour shift//first day in new store//next Mon.

This is going to be fun. /sarcasm on

Oh btw, in CVS. Hopefully it is not a busy store, at least from what I heard.

Training as a grad intern for ~ 1-2 months isn't enough. Need mor training!

Scared? You damn well better bet it.

What did they have you do as a grad intern? More tech work or did you get to actually do what a pharmacist does? It makes a HUGE difference. This is why it is important that the grad intern is an extra on staff and not scheduled into the staffing for the day as it seems to happen most of the time. So you are stuck at the cash register or at the in window all day. I know these positions are important to learn, but it leaves the grad intern clueless on how to transition into a PHARMACIST when they pass the boards.

What did they have you do as a grad intern? More tech work or did you get to actually do what a pharmacist does? It makes a HUGE difference. This is why it is imortant that the grad intern is an extra on staff and not scheduled into the staffing for the day as it seems to happen most of the time. So you are stuck at the cash register or at the in window all day. I know these positions are important to learn, but it leaves the grad intern clueless on how to transition into a PHARMACIST when they pass the boards.

Yeah, you are pretty much on the ball. More like a overpaid tech.

What did they have you do as a grad intern? More tech work or did you get to actually do what a pharmacist does? It makes a HUGE difference. This is why it is imortant that the grad intern is an extra on staff and not scheduled into the staffing for the day as it seems to happen most of the time. So you are stuck at the cash register or at the in window all day. I know these positions are important to learn, but it leaves the grad intern clueless on how to transition into a PHARMACIST when they pass the boards.

Yeah, you are pretty much on the ball. More like a overpaid tech.

I don't know what goes on in your district. Your pharmacy sup is not doing a good job. I have trained two grad interns this summer. I make sure they can open a store, close a store, complete all necessary tasks and most important, how to verify prescriptions. When to intervene. What DUR's are real and which are noise. How to handle problem customers etc.... I don't understand why your boss would want you to be so unprepared to run a store....

Well, to give my pharmacy manager some credit, he did go through some of those necessary tasks such as verifying prescriptions, as you said, important DURs vs. noise etc, opening a store, transfers, handling C2 etc. Haven't closed a store yet, might volunteer to do that tomorrow. Problem customers not so much as we only had 1 real problem customer in the 1-2 months. Pretty much the basics, retail 101.

As for retail 202, well, lets just say I haven't attended those.

Def trying to take an initiative in overlooking and asking questions here and there to get a better understanding though.

I don't know what goes on in your district. Your pharmacy sup is not doing a good job. I have trained two grad interns this summer. I make sure they can open a store, close a store, complete all necessary tasks and most important, how to verify prescriptions. When to intervene. What DUR's are real and which are noise. How to handle problem customers etc.... I don't understand why your boss would want you to be so unprepared to run a store....


If only all sups were like you. Yes, that is how I would imagine it should be in transitioning a grad intern into a pharmacist!! Makes sense! However, this is not the case because a lot of companies have cut the staff and utilize the grad interns to meet the daily short comings of the cuts. So they really don't care if you are not learning everything, just as long as the day goes smoother and more prescriptions go out..... Very short sighted....
I know "a friend" who asked to be moved to a less busy store so she could learn more to be more prepared as a pharmacist and got the request rejected by the DM even though she was mainly doing only the cash register and In window in the current pharmacy.....she was told that she was needed there because the pharmacy manager needed more help as the tech hours for that store had been cut.... This friend just recently decided to quit that company because she was feeling unprepared to be a pharmacist...amongst other MAJOR problems that she witnessed there. Just saying...

If only all sups were like you. Yes, that is how I would imagine it should be in transitioning a grad intern into a pharmacist!! Makes sense! However, this is not the case because a lot of companies have cut the staff and utilize the grad interns to meet the daily short comings of the cuts. So they really don't care if you are not learning everything, just as long as the day goes smoother and more prescriptions go out..... Very short sighted....
I know "a friend" who asked to be moved to a less busy store so she could learn more to be more prepared as a pharmacist and got the requested rejected by the DM even though she was mainly doing only the cash register and In window in the current pharmacy.....she was told that she was needed there because the pharmacy manager needed more help as the tech hours for that store had been cut.... This friend just recently decided to quit that company because she was feeling unprepared to be a pharmacist...amongst other MAJOR problems that she witnessed there. Just saying...

yeah you can take anything old timer says with a grain of salt, since he is probably not the norm in the pharmacy world, given that he works harder, wiser, and makes sure **** goes correctly more so than most retail pharmacists out there

yeah you can take anything old timer says with a grain of salt, since he is probably not the norm in the pharmacy world, given that he works harder, wiser, and makes sure **** goes correctly more so than most retail pharmacists out there

Why would anyone want a pharmacist in one of their stores who was not prepared? Your service scores will go down, customer complaints will go up. It doesn't make sense to do it any other way.

Make fun of me all you want. How many grad interns did you train this year?

yeah you can take anything old timer says with a grain of salt, since he is probably not the norm in the pharmacy world, given that he works harder, wiser, and makes sure **** goes correctly more so than most retail pharmacists out there


So instead taking his advice with a grain of salt, why wouldn't anyone strive to be like him?

So instead taking his advice with a grain of salt, why wouldn't anyone strive to be like him?

Don't try common sense......

Thanks for reflecting on things that were actually said. You actually taught me something aside from things previously mentioned (about certain cold medications interacting with bp meds.) Thank you. You and a lot of people who have already said it are right that until I actually become a pharmacist, I wont truly know how it feels to be one. I guess I started working at Walgreen's when they introduced a new application called CAP-Consultation Application which flags RX's with interaction possibilities. And for patients who have insurance, IC+ can tell us about possible drug interactions with medications patients have gotten at other pharmacies. And we have on record the allergies to medications and health conditions of patients so these things give me a sense of safety for the RPh's decision to override interactions. It's usually new patients and cash patients who need to be given the third degree. CAP is such a new application that it really feels like if a pharmacist has not worked with Walgreen's, not CVS, not Rite Aid, not DR, not Kroger's, etc, but Walgreen's in the past year, it's hard to see how they can understand that Walgreen's has a good safety net which forces RPh's do what they're supposed to do (ask patients lots of questions) and truly guides them to avoid errors. I realize I have been calling IC+ an idiot proof system, which may have been construed to compare pharmacists with idiots, but I was just trying to say that IC+ is just that good. Pharmacists are intelligent people. At work, I have so much respect for all the pharmacists I work with and have worked with. I love learning from those who are willing to teach me. I feel like I'm a patient standing at the consultation window and asking questions all day lol. Whenever I am taught something, I'm inspired to become a good pharmacist and take full advantage of the knowledge I will get at pharmacy school. The reason why I feel so confident is because it feels like if being a pharmacist is the test, I've taken a look at the exam before I've even started studying at pharmacy school. It looks like it will be an open-book exam to which I've got the structure down cold, I just need to study the material. But you're right, I will not know until I actually am a pharmacist. I think I got that 30 posts ago, but perhaps I didn't say I got it. I got it!


Dude, you have no idea what you are getting into. I have been a stockboy/tech/intern/grad intern/pharmcist for 7+ years worked for 3 chains. I know I am wanted because I am fast, accurate, good customer service, and know how to get around the number. Thus, I can say that I and pretty much everybody here have more experience than you do. The best advice I can give to you now is to 1. learn to respect your seniors 2. be humble, and 3. learn to stfu (dont be offended by this but take it literally) and watch. You might learn a thing or two that you'll be grateful for.

As someone whos barely practicing for a while, I can tell you that I and pretty much every pharmacist out there is nervous on their first day. There is no way a 1 year tech like you knows what that feel like. Being a good "Walgreen" employee does not equate to being a good pharmacist. You might think that a good pharmacist is a fast pharmacist who gets people out as fast as possible while covering minimum basis. In reality, a pharmacist is one who practice according to their state's definition of pharmacy which is to optimize drug therapy. They are thus held accordingly for everything and it only takes one screw up for them to be 150k in debt, 6-8 years waste of their life, and a useless degree. Considering that the error margin is about 2-3 percent, and you fill a large volume of scripts.. you bet u better be worried.

So instead taking his advice with a grain of salt, why wouldn't anyone strive to be like him?

A retail drone brainwashed by his company? We should strive to be like this? No thanks.

Loo's Rookie Pharmacist Survival Tips:

1. What Old Timer Said.

2. Don't rush. Take the time to make sure everything is right. Oftentimes you may think you're slow, but in reality, it's usually not the case. People can wait.

3. Trust your intuition. If it feels wrong, it usually is. Doublecheck, but don't get paranoid.

4. Make sure your techs learn not to talk/ask questions while you are on the phone. This kind of distraction can lead to mistakes.

5. Most techs are good, but don't become totally dependent on them. Remember that you are supervising them and it's your butt on the line no matter what.

6. Follow the law.

7. In the case of suspected forgeries, etc. you have the right (in most states) to refuse to fill. Be careful to not deny legit controlled rx's, though. Remember to call your fellow colleagues in the area and let them know a fake rx may be coming their way.

8. When in doubt, check it out. This means call the prescriber, fellow colleagues from other stores, poison control, etc. No pharmacist is an island. There is help if you are stumped with a clinical, legal, etc question. Don't be afraid to ask!

9. Don't forget to eat. We all know what happens when hypoglycemia sets in...

Good luck and relax--it'll be OK.;)

A retail drone brainwashed by his company? We should strive to be like this? No thanks.

Shut up.. I'm not telling you to love CVS or Wags for that matter. I'm just saying "be positive and love what you do." This could make you a healthier human being.

Don't try common sense......


Common sense isn't so common no mo.

Dude, you have no idea what you are getting into. I have been a stockboy/tech/intern/grad intern/pharmcist for 7+ years worked for 3 chains. I know I am wanted because I am fast, accurate, good customer service, and know how to get around the number. Thus, I can say that I and pretty much everybody here have more experience than you do. The best advice I can give to you now is to 1. learn to respect your seniors 2. be humble, and 3. learn to stfu (dont be offended by this but take it literally) and watch. You might learn a thing or two that you'll be grateful for.

As someone whos barely practicing for a while, I can tell you that I and pretty much every pharmacist out there is nervous on their first day. There is no way a 1 year tech like you knows what that feel like. Being a good "Walgreen" employee does not equate to being a good pharmacist. You might think that a good pharmacist is a fast pharmacist who gets people out as fast as possible while covering minimum basis. In reality, a pharmacist is one who practice according to their state's definition of pharmacy which is to optimize drug therapy. They are thus held accordingly for everything and it only takes one screw up for them to be 150k in debt, 6-8 years waste of their life, and a useless degree. Considering that the error margin is about 2-3 percent, and you fill a large volume of scripts.. you bet u better be worried.

Her last line states that "SHE GOT IT!" - Get it? Starting to see that reading comprehension is not your strong point!

As far as respecting her seniors...and to stfu ? Wouldn't you call this a borderline disgusting post? Where is the maturity in that remark that warrants the respect you feel you deserve???:confused:

Wow, what a thread!

Kirby---I work for Wags and I know you know how insane it gets behind that counter. It doesn't matter how good the system is at Wags or how good the individual can prioritize there are sooo many variables in the science of pharmacy that can eat your time and have the potential for a mistake that I can't conceptualize how a new grad could NOT be anxious.

I can see what you're saying about having a standard approach to resolving all the issues but even the most seasoned RPhs I work with get behind.

Shut up.. I'm not telling you to love CVS or Wags for that matter. I'm just saying "be positive and love what you do." This could make you a healthier human being.

No, you shut up!

I'm just saying be positive and love what you do.

What you said was So instead taking his advice with a grain of salt, why wouldn't anyone strive to be like him? .

My response still stands.

I'm going to be scheduled as a pharmacist soon and sometimes feel terrified of being responsible as a pharmacist on a shift at a very busy Walgreens. I've never done any reviewing of prescriptions/patient profiles (but have done the final check on the product) and am worried about being slow, about not knowing everything needed to counsel patients, not knowing which interactions to overide and which to call the doctor on and so on. Does anyone have any advice/similar experience?

How long have you worked for Walgreen's? Generally, if you worked for them for a few years as an intern, it is not that hard to transition... though that depends on the pharmacists you worked with, how much autonomy they were willing to give you, and how much they were willign to teach you. Ask for some extra time at a slow store where you can learn what you feel you don't know about the system.

And for your first day:

Rule #1: Don't worry about being slow. I have heard of people who died from medication errors, but I have yet to hear about someone who died because they waited for their medication 35 minutes instead of 25. Just be very upfront about wait times - if it is an hour, then don't be afraid to say that it is an hour.

Rule #2. Double-check and triple-check everything until you feel confident, and even when you are confident, keep double-checking. And when you make your first mistake (note: it is "when", not "if"), learn from it, and don't freak out. Cool head always helps.

Rule #3. Use your clinical knowledge (you spent four years gaining it, after all) to determine the clinical significance of the interaction and whether or not you should call the doctor. That said, whenever in doubt, call the doctor. It is much better if a nurse thinks you are annoying than if a patient thinks you almost killed them.

Relax, take a deep breath, and tell yourself everything will be fine. :)

well. I don't see how your post helps the OP in anyway. You DON'T know me and I've been accepted into pharmacy school after just 6 months of pharmacy experience, but it took you 6 years before you could get into pharmacy school and you're trying to judge me?

Now I just saw this doozy - so for those of us (myself included) who got into pharmacy school without ever having stepped foot behind the counter, are we just super awesome amazing?

Now I just saw this doozy - so for those of us (myself included) who got into pharmacy school without ever having stepped foot behind the counter, are we just super awesome amazing?

Agreed, we must be awesome! I didn't work in a pharmacy until the end of my P1 year.

With that, I would recommend working before being accepted and during school to all students. That is the way you really learn.

Now I just saw this doozy - so for those of us (myself included) who got into pharmacy school without ever having stepped foot behind the counter, are we just super awesome amazing?

My only pharmacy experience prior to acceptance was a 2-hour "shadow" at a Shopko. :) I must be way better than Kirby, but not quite as amazing as you.

And guess what? I'm still a pharmacist like all my colleagues with "6 months experience" before pharmacy school.

Now I just saw this doozy - so for those of us (myself included) who got into pharmacy school without ever having stepped foot behind the counter, are we just super awesome amazing?

I had four years. I'm going to be awful! :(

Although, I've been saying I'm just a tech, I'm actually an intern, since I do intend to become a pharmacist...

Hate to break it to you, but you are actually a tech, no matter what your intentions.

And for patients who have insurance, IC+ can tell us about possible drug interactions with medications patients have gotten at other pharmacies. And we have on record the allergies to medications and health conditions of patients so these things give me a sense of safety for the RPh's decision to override interactions.

The key concept here is "possible drug interactions." As a pharmacist you will find that the computer you so desperately seem to want to rely on will spit out a variety of levels of interactions which will leave you with the responsibility of dermining which are crap ones that 1 person reported to some which will kill the customer. 6 years of school make that task easier than someone without it, but let us know when you graduate how comfortable you are with making that decision fresh out of the box. I pretty much guarantee that any pharmacist will admit that what they taught us in school either doesn't always apply in real life pharmacy and that the sheer volume of potential interactions for every drug combination makes it impossible to know everything about pretty much every drug.


And while having the customer's allergies on record is nice, the pharmacist also has to consider the severity of these allergies, or even if they exist in the first place. I've run into countless times where the all-powerful computer tells me that an allergy interaction is present for a new rx but it turns out that the pcn reaction was an upset stomach and the amox prescribed was actually the drug the patient needed. This is what separates the techs from the pharmacists and it's not as simple as working as a tech for 1, 2, or 10 years at Walgreens.

And before you go spouting again, I worked as an intern for 3 years at the WAG and while it did give me insight as to the functional working of the company, it did not take away the anxiety of that first day when you are expected to be the one with the correct solution to every problem that every customer brings to you.

I can see what you're saying about having a standard approach to resolving all the issues but even the most seasoned RPhs I work with get behind.True.

Now I just saw this doozy - so for those of us (myself included) who got into pharmacy school without ever having stepped foot behind the counter, are we just super awesome amazing?Omgosh you guys all suck lol. :p

Hate to break it to you, but you are actually a tech, no matter what your intentions.Then why do I get paid at an intern's rate and why do I have selective intern duties? :d Honestly, I don't know what the heck my position is either, so I usually go for the tech title. I was recruited for this job and my last research position (I was asked 3 times by a professor before I conceded to join the research team.) So I perhaps I have become a little "puffed" up in the head since most students apply for jobs/research positions and not the other way around. If I'm very confident, I can't help it. But for the sake of playing roles, I will try to behave more humbly. :)

And before you go spouting again, I worked as an intern for 3 years at the WAG and while it did give me insight as to the functional working of the company, it did not take away the anxiety of that first day when you are expected to be the one with the correct solution to every problem that every customer brings to you.For that alone I give you a lot of credit.

Although, I've been saying I'm just a tech, I'm actually an intern, since I do intend to become a pharmacist, and most pharmacists treat me as one.

Hate to break it to you, but you are actually a tech, no matter what your intentions.

I don't mean to mince words even more, but in some states, you are not considered eligible to be a Pharmacist Intern until after you pass your P1 year.

In either case, I have worked at CVS for a year as a technician, completed a year of schooling, and I have interned as well. The PIC and staff pharmacists have put me on the spotlight to counsel patients and "treat me" as a pharmacist. I have been in situations where I field questions and concerns from other technicians and trainees. At the end of the day, though, I won't pretend to hold the same status, experience, or purview.

Even if you have verified prescriptions in the pharmacy as an intern, a pharmacist or preceptor has always been in the pharmacy as your safety net; as a person to confer with whenever you have questions, concerns, or simply someone to glance at for reassurance. It is certainly different when you are the only figure of authoratative knowledge in the room. At that point, whenever you find an odd-ball or confounding situation, you only have your own initiative to fix the problem. It's a lot different when you are in a position where you are the last line of defense, and where you are personally responsible and accountable for the events of the pharmacy. That realization alone is going to be a little bit unnerving at the very least.

In any case, I hope the newly-minted pharmacist had a good first day. Best of wishes, and post back about your experience if you read this!

--Garfield3d

Question to all of the retail Rphs and techs out there: when a script comes in to the pharmacy, and the tech enters the information in to get the script filled, when does the pharmacist get a chance to look at all of the meds the patient has? I'm asking because from what I saw (which was not very much of since I only had to do 50 hrs in retail for IPPE), isn't it the tech who enters in most of the information, while pharmacist verifies the information on the label is correct? Does the pharmacist go back and look into the profile of every patient with whom's label they come in contact with? :confused: I'm asking because I just have questions about all the responsibilities techs have in retail without them actually having that knowledge that a pharmacist or even a pharmacy student has.

Hate to break it to you, but you are actually a tech, no matter what your intentions.

Note true at all. Think of squares and rectangles. All squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are square. All interns are techs, but not all techs are interns. In PA, interns are permitted to do things that techs are not and at CVS interns are permitted to do things techs are not.

That does not mean interns should look down on techs, but there is certain expectation that their performance should be at a higher level.

Note true at all. Think of squares and rectangles. All squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are square. All interns are techs, but not all techs are interns. In PA, interns are permitted to do things that techs are not and at CVS interns are permitted to do things techs are not.

That does not mean interns should look down on techs, but there is certain expectation that their performance should be at a higher level.

I think imperial frog was saying that she is a tech because she doesn't have an intern's license - she is saying that her intentions make her an intern regardless of actual titles. Kind of like how Sparda improperly counseled patients since "he knows better", even though it's not okay.

Question to all of the retail Rphs and techs out there: when a script comes in to the pharmacy, and the tech enters the information in to get the script filled, when does the pharmacist get a chance to look at all of the meds the patient has? I'm asking because from what I saw (which was not very much of since I only had to do 50 hrs in retail for IPPE), isn't it the tech who enters in most of the information, while pharmacist verifies the information on the label is correct? Does the pharmacist go back and look into the profile of every patient with whom's label they come in contact with? :confused: I'm asking because I just have questions about all the responsibilities techs have in retail without them actually having that knowledge that a pharmacist or even a pharmacy student has.

It depends on what kind of computer and workflow system you have. My system allows that once I see the bottle, I scan it, look at the clinical review screen for possible drug-drug or drug-disease interactions, put in intervention codes, check medication profile, then do a final quality assurance check -- right drug (matches NDC from bottle scan, visual verification of drug picture), right patient, right directions, and even look at previous price and insurance to see if there were changes. Being the busy bee that you are in retail, you rarely get to spend as much time as you'd like reviewing medication profiles and interactions, but I always try to see if the patient has had the medication before to know whether to counsel, see if any changes in dose and price and alert the patient to it, and whether they have other medications already in the will call bin to keep them together.

Note true at all. Think of squares and rectangles. All squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are square. All interns are techs, but not all techs are interns. In PA, interns are permitted to do things that techs are not and at CVS interns are permitted to do things techs are not.

That does not mean interns should look down on techs, but there is certain expectation that their performance should be at a higher level.

I never have looked down on techs as either an intern or pharmacist. My job would require considerably more rum without them. However, unless I'm mistaken, Kirby said she was a tech but then later said she was an intern simply because her intentions were to go to pharmschool. Unless she's in a state with some funky laws, that would not make her the intern she claimed to be.

I don't mean to mince words even more, but in some states, you are not considered eligible to be a Pharmacist Intern until after you pass your P1 year.

In either case, I have worked at CVS for a year as a technician, completed a year of schooling, and I have interned as well. The PIC and staff pharmacists have put me on the spotlight to counsel patients and "treat me" as a pharmacist. I have been in situations where I field questions and concerns from other technicians and trainees. At the end of the day, though, I won't pretend to hold the same status, experience, or purview.

Even if you have verified prescriptions in the pharmacy as an intern, a pharmacist or preceptor has always been in the pharmacy as your safety net; as a person to confer with whenever you have questions, concerns, or simply someone to glance at for reassurance. It is certainly different when you are the only figure of authoratative knowledge in the room. At that point, whenever you find an odd-ball or confounding situation, you only have your own initiative to fix the problem. It's a lot different when you are in a position where you are the last line of defense, and where you are personally responsible and accountable for the events of the pharmacy. That realization alone is going to be a little bit unnerving at the very least.

In any case, I hope the newly-minted pharmacist had a good first day. Best of wishes, and post back about your experience if you read this!

--Garfield3d

Thanks to everyone for your input! I've been working now for a few days as a pharmacist at Walgreens, and I'm happy to say I'm getting used to it. I'm still rather slow but I'm getting more efficient, while being as careful as I can. There are a few procedural things I still need to learn but I'm getting there :)

I had to pull this thread up again. I remember reading this as a P4 thinking that I could relate. No, until you get YOUR license you cannot!! Well, I have only spent 4 hours as a pharmacist alone. Tomorrow and Saturday I will open and close my store, just me and a tech. Two days, two different stores, its the life of a new grad who floats. I don't, but boy I am nervous.

Thank you to all who replied to this thread in the past.:thumbup: