walgreens floaters 101

[Estrace]

what are some of the things that can get you fired at walgreens ? I just heard that using another pharmacist"s barcode, checking out a customer when another employee is signed in etc can get you fired. For all us new floaters, what are some other things to be mindful of while floating.

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[pezdispenser]

Urinating in the pharmacy sink. True story!

 

[BrightLight]

If your supervisor doesn't like u, he or she will find a million ways to write you up and get you fired. Otherwise, if your supervisor likes you, you can even get away with having sex with your intern. True story.

 

[ancienbon]

what are some of the things that can get you fired at walgreens ? I just heard that using another pharmacist"s barcode, checking out a customer when another employee is signed in etc can get you fired. For all us new floaters, what are some other things to be mindful of while floating.

You can be fired for being lazy, stealing, making too many mistakes, especially selling incorrect package to patients more than 3 times in a row. You can also be fired for gross insubordnation. I already mentionned in other post an overnight pharmacist who was fired for using the pharmacy backdoor to use the bathroom. she was warned multiples times not to do so. you could also be fired for making phony scripts for yourself, price modifying the psc to meet goals. You could be fired for sleeping during the daytime in the pharmacy, and of course if you fail a drug test.
Try to be honest and ethical as much as possible. Never do stuff that would put your license on the line. Do what is best for you patients while at the same time try to abide to state and federal laws, and walgreens policies.

 

[Momus]

I already mentionned in other post an overnight pharmacist who was fired for using the pharmacy backdoor to use the bathroom. she was warned multiples times not to do so. You could be fired for sleeping during the daytime in the pharmacy.

So you can't urinate in the sink and at the same time you can't go to the bathroom? What do they expect you to do? Use a catheter bag?

I can't sleep during the day shift but it's ok for me to can sleep during my graveyard shifts, good to know!

 

[21PharmD]

what are some of the things that can get you fired at walgreens ? I just heard that using another pharmacist"s barcode, checking out a customer when another employee is signed in etc can get you fired. For all us new floaters, what are some other things to be mindful of while floating.

I hope we cant get fired for accidentally breaking the printer it still works but i lost a piece of the printer when i tried to clear a paper jam. I had crazy anxiety all day trying to find it to no avail, i hope it turns up eventually. should i offer to pay for the printer?

 

[Momus]

I hope we cant get fired for accidentally breaking the printer it still works but i lost a piece of the printer when i tried to clear a paper jam. I had crazy anxiety all day trying to find it to no avail, i hope it turns up eventually. should i offer to pay for the printer?

No.

 

[BrightLight]

I hope we cant get fired for accidentally breaking the printer it still works but i lost a piece of the printer when i tried to clear a paper jam. I had crazy anxiety all day trying to find it to no avail, i hope it turns up eventually. should i offer to pay for the printer?

Did you just start with Walgreed? If not, you should know that Walgreed printers break, break, BREAK! It's not your fault that you have to fix the junk yourself because the company does not have a better way of maintaining better functioning printers. Hell, I have burned my finger once while trying to reach inside and figure out what went wrong with that junk, and since then I never bothered to try too hard to fix any broken printers. Don't worry about not finding a missing part.

 

[pezdispenser]

Otherwise, if your supervisor likes you, you can even get away with having sex with your intern.

I already mentionned in other post an overnight pharmacist who was fired for using the pharmacy backdoor to use the bathroom.

Wait so you're saying it's ok to pork the interns through the backdoor?

 

[genesis09]

The printers break down all the time. Just put in a ticket and a new one will arrive via DTR.
As long as your don't steal and/or do anything blatantly illegal, you are fine.
As a floater, document anything which cannot be resolved that day.
With regards to the backdoor, some stores keep it open and others do not. If it is locked, don't use and just use the main door.

 

[Estrace]

From my experience at Walgreens, it is really difficult to get fired. The only reasons I can think of that would get you fired without several warnings would be stealing or failing a drug test. Even failing a drug test will not get you fired in most instances I have seen.

Try to make a good impression at every store, and make friends with the staff. This will come in handy later. Try your hardest to meet each patient's needs. They might say you were helpful to the staff later, and this will help build your reputation.

To be honest, most stores are not expecting much from floaters. I know I am overjoyed if I come in to no major problems or irate customers that could have been prevented. Bonus points for making adherence calls, checking in controlled substances, and volunteering for immunizations when two pharmacists are on duty.

I wish that's all it takes to make most pharmacist happy. I didn't realize how mean spirited some pharmacists are until I started floating.

I had a pharmacist I worked with for just an hour ( I worked 8-3 and she came in at 2 so we were basically together from 2-3) send an email to the DS that she saw me using the RXM barcode while working at their store. I always print my barcode once I get to new store so I was beyond upset when I met the DS concerning the issue.

I do all the things you listed above at every store. I was trained at a store were the pharmcists love to do it all so I learned from them. I gave 7 immunizations where I worked yesterday and when I told the RXM that I have been with the company for a couple of weeks , she was shocked. The store is super busy so they usually have 2 pharmacist but I worked alone for 5 hrs and held my own.

Some pharmacists just don't like floaters unfortunately

 

[wtpharm81]

This is one of the best threads I have seen in a while, mainly because I can provide some insight from personal experience.

I am not employed in a mandatory counseling state, so I thankfully do not have to worry about accidentally using another pharmacist's barcode. But, I will agree with those who say that it is best to avoid doing that.

Do your best to get to know all of your staff. What I have found that works for me is to crack jokes here and there mixed in with some small talk. It will help you break the ice.

Check your ego at the door. Trust me, your techs will appreciate it if you don't speak down to them. I have been told about a number of both current and former floaters who come in with arrogant attitudes and make life hell for the techs. I imagine that this is not a good way to give yourself a better chance to get a store.

At busy stores you will likely not have the opportunity to make adherence calls; however, if you are at a slow store, do what you can to help out in that regard. General cleaning before closing also wins you points. The store manager at one of my last stores saw me cleaning the counters when he came to get my last cash drawer and complimented me on doing so.

If you are in a district that has stores located over 30 miles away from your home store, you will be reimbursed for any mileage over 30 miles. For example, if your next store is 60 miles away from your home store, you will be reimbursed for 30 miles.

Hope some of this is helpful...

 

[ancienbon]

If your supervisor doesn't like u, he or she will find a million ways to write you up and get you fired. Otherwise, if your supervisor likes you, you can even get away with having sex with your intern. True story.

how did the supervisor find out?Did they make out in the rx?

 

[PharmD2014Rx]

I'm an intern and I feel bad for some of the floaters. They never know what kind of mess they may be walking into. At the store I work at, there was this old man floater pharmacist working on a Saturday night, and one of the assistant managers called the pharmacy manager and asked if they could shut the pharmacy down because the floater was about to have an anxiety attack because it was just him and a tech and it was insanely busy and there was one problem after another. I always ask the floater pharmacists how long they have been with Walgreens. I get confused when some people say 20 years....then I see new people who get placed at a store within like 6 months.

 

[Lnsean]

From my experience at Walgreens, it is really difficult to get fired. The only reasons I can think of that would get you fired without several warnings would be stealing or failing a drug test. Even failing a drug test will not get you fired in most instances I have seen.

Try to make a good impression at every store, and make friends with the staff. This will come in handy later. Try your hardest to meet each patient's needs. They might say you were helpful to the staff later, and this will help build your reputation.

To be honest, most stores are not expecting much from floaters. I know I am overjoyed if I come in to no major problems or irate customers that could have been prevented. Bonus points for making adherence calls, checking in controlled substances, and volunteering for immunizations when two pharmacists are on duty.

This makes me laugh. I worked as a floater and i can assure you the staff pharmacists as well as pharmacy managers...a good number of them are more incompetent/lazy...and they're the ones that usually leave a mess for the floater that comes in. Everyone just likes to blame the floater because it's easy...but there are many stores where it's just plain messy because the staff there is unorganized/lazy/complacent.

 

[owlegrad]

This makes me laugh. I worked as a floater and i can assure you the staff pharmacists as well as pharmacy managers...a good number of them are more incompetent/lazy...and they're the ones that usually leave a mess for the floater that comes in. Everyone just likes to blame the floater because it's easy...but there are many stores where it's just plain messy because the staff there is unorganized/lazy/complacent.

My understanding is that if anything goes wrong within 24 hours of a floater being present it is the floater's fault.

I don't know though, most floaters i have worked with are pretty terrible.

 

[UHpharmd13]

If your supervisor doesn't like u, he or she will find a million ways to write you up and get you fired. Otherwise, if your supervisor likes you, you can even get away with having sex with your intern. True story.

True that. I've heard of a married rxm who knocked up his staff pharmacist. He is still one of ELs, though with a tainted reputation.

 

[UHpharmd13]

My understanding is that if anything goes wrong within 24 hours of a floater being present it is the floater's fault.

I don't know though, most floaters i have worked with are pretty terrible.

Correct on both points. I'm only an intern, but they always find ways to blame floaters. Seems like more people need to be held accountable.

 

[LucidDream]

Sorry to bump such an old thread but this is really useful. Did have a question on selling wrong prescriptions to patients. Is that 3 times in a given year, one's career or some other length of time? Also, what constitutes the event? Forgive my ignorance but I am confused as to what counts. Some examples:

1. Tech sells Rx for Mary Jones to Martha Jones
2. Pharmacist mistakenly bags Rx for Mary Jones in Bill Smith's bag
3. Bill Smith and Mary White are taking the same medication, dose, quantity. Mary White's label is on Bill Smith's vial as well. Bill Smith picks up his Rx and sees her name on the vial.

Maybe I am thinking too hard about this, but would not all of the above count as selling the wrong Rx because all of the events are HIPAA related? Also, in situation #2, if Smith and Jones both picked up the wrong medication, would that could as one event or two? Thanks for the guidance!

 

[nextyearrx]

So in order to fire some one at Walgreens, about how many write-ups need to be done for rph/ tech??