Why do chains hire new grads to work as pharmacy managers?

[wagrxm2000]

Below 90% at our outpatient pharmacy is a failing score.

I'm curious what is happening at these places? Almost 16 years and not a single place I've been has gotten in trouble.

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[owlegrad]

The PIC is responsible for everything. Not having the reference requirement and/or law book is not corporate's fault, it's the PIC's fault. Tech stealing drugs on the PIC's day off in an ingenious way is the PIC's fault. That's the way it is. Doesn't matter who is physically on duty, if your pharmacy is open then your PIC is on duty.

And part of being responsible for everything is writing up the people who need to be written up. If the pharmacist on duty is negligent or non-compliant they should be written up.

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[Jibby321]

WTF? Loss prevention audits fall on the PIC. If I made a mistake, it's the responsibility of the PIC to correct it. No way would I sign a write up because of that.

Staff pharmacist would still need to follow proper SOP when filling out any invoices. Especially for controls. A staff rph should be competent enough to do that correctly with out the DM coming in a writing up the RXM because he or she didn't baby sit their staff and double check all the invoices that should have been filed away after they were filled out correctly. You absolutely would have to hold that staff rph accountable for not following sop on controlled substance invoices.

 

[BenJammin]

And part of being responsible for everything is writing up the people who need to be written up. If the pharmacist on duty is negligent or non-compliant they should be written up.

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LOL I'm so glad I'm not a chain retail pharmacist. Getting wrote up because some of the 222 invoices are out of order? Getting wrote up because the physician's address isn't on the front of the called in controlled script? My god. I don't normally play retail vs hospital but we're laughing our asses off at this. Getting written up because you failed the LP audit causing you to lose your bonus waaa waaa waaaaaaa.

If I wrote up employees for doing things that may affect my bonus I'd have a high turnover rate.

 

[MrBonita]

Heres a useful link to answer your question. Notice all the people who lost their licences are PICs. Only someone dumb enough to be a PIC would put their license on the line like that.

http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/enforcement/disciplinary.shtml

 

[wagrxm2000]

Heres a useful link to answer your question. Notice all the people who lost their licences are PICs. Only someone dumb enough to be a PIC would put their license on the line like that.

http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/enforcement/disciplinary.shtml

How many of these did you read? I got through 3 and realized none were due to being the pic. I think one was about compounding/lying, one was stealing, there was an alcohol issue, etc. I stopped after that.

 

[MrBonita]

How many of these did you read? I got through 3 and realized none were due to being the pic. I think one was about compounding/lying, one was stealing, there was an alcohol issue, etc. I stopped after that.

Hello My Rx brother. I truly have not read the most recent list. But going from bottom up and looking only at RPH, the bottom 3 are PICS who are on probation or provoked. Do not look at TCH as that means tech. I have listed the names of the bottom 3 rph who also happen to have their license suspended or revoked and where they were PICs. I also provided their license and pharmacy license. If you need help understanding how to analyze the data, feel free to personal message me brother. I wish I had time go through the whole list and name why each pharmacist lost their license. Just based on my sample size and my previous readings, a good number of pharmacist who lost their license in california are pics, and yes some are thieves. I don't know the exact data but you could be right, maybe its half thieves, half PICS, thank you for showing me my faults.

1st at bottom Robert Yasmeh Rph 48357- PIC at Balboa Pharmacy, Lic 53437-probation restriced now
2nd from bottom Chau Trung Vo Rph 55532- PIC at V & P pharmacy, Lic 50261-probation restricted now
3rd from bottom TODD CRISTINA ALBERTOLLI Rph- PIC at Natures pharmacy Lic 48984-restricted now

 

[Sine Cura]

You do realize that these pharmacists either

1) repeatedly committed violations or committed violations over a long period of time, like acting as an unauthorized wholesaler (taking back drugs, selling drugs to wholesalers) or failing to practice corresponding responsibility or failing to maintain current controlled substances inventory, or
2) committed a DUI

Moreover the pharmacy violations occurred at independent pharmacies. It is unlikely CVS or Walgreens would let this stuff slide (if discovered) over a prolonged period of time.

 

[Jibby321]

LOL I'm so glad I'm not a chain retail pharmacist. Getting wrote up because some of the 222 invoices are out of order? Getting wrote up because the physician's address isn't on the front of the called in controlled script? My god. I don't normally play retail vs hospital but we're laughing our asses off at this. Getting written up because you failed the LP audit causing you to lose your bonus waaa waaa waaaaaaa.

If I wrote up employees for doing things that may affect my bonus I'd have a high turnover rate.

They obviously wouldn't be written up after only a first offense. They would have to be repeat offenders and given fair warning of what needs to be fixed before the next follow up visit to make sure everything gets done. You have SOP in the hospital you must follow and if you don't follow that you can be written up; just as you can be written up in retail for not following proper SOP. If you are responsible for putting the C2s up in the hospital and your documentation is not done correctly or you lose forms and do this over and over again then I'm sure you could be written up for the same reason. I've seen an Rph get written up in the hospital because they did not properly document the intake of the the C2 order. It only took them doing it 2 times before they got written up.

 

[wagrxm2000]

Hello My Rx brother. I truly have not read the most recent list. But going from bottom up and looking only at RPH, the bottom 3 are PICS who are on probation or provoked. Do not look at TCH as that means tech. I have listed the names of the bottom 3 rph who also happen to have their license suspended or revoked and where they were PICs. I also provided their license and pharmacy license. If you need help understanding how to analyze the data, feel free to personal message me brother. I wish I had time go through the whole list and name why each pharmacist lost their license. Just based on my sample size and my previous readings, a good number of pharmacist who lost their license in california are pics, and yes some are thieves. I don't know the exact data but you could be right, maybe its half thieves, half PICS, thank you for showing me my faults.

1st at bottom Robert Yasmeh Rph 48357- PIC at Balboa Pharmacy, Lic 53437-probation restriced now
2nd from bottom Chau Trung Vo Rph 55532- PIC at V & P pharmacy, Lic 50261-probation restricted now
3rd from bottom TODD CRISTINA ALBERTOLLI Rph- PIC at Natures pharmacy Lic 48984-restricted now

Why would I need help reading?

You posted a link and didn't even bother reading them. A pic at a Walgreens or cvs would have to go out of there way to get themselves in trouble. Walgreens corparate office pretty much does everything for me.

Independents have to be on top of things but I have never seen a pic get in trouble who wasn't intentionally doing something wrong.

Could someone show me an incident where a cvs or Walgreens pic got in trouble for unknowingly doing something wrong?

 

[MrBonita]

You do realize that these pharmacists either

1) repeatedly committed violations or committed violations over a long period of time, like acting as an unauthorized wholesaler (taking back drugs, selling drugs to wholesalers) or failing to practice corresponding responsibility or failing to maintain current controlled substances inventory, or
2) committed a DUI

Moreover the pharmacy violations occurred at independent pharmacies. It is unlikely CVS or Walgreens would let this stuff slide (if discovered) over a prolonged period of time.

Hello there. I just wanted to help inform people that being a PIC puts you more at risk. There are job openings asking for PICs and they are willing to hire new grads. Unfortunately the new grads fail to understand what is compliant business practice and puts themselves at risk. When the fines and punishment come down, they target the PIC. The thread is why do chains hire new grads as PICs and I just wanted to point out the pitfalls. Also, here's a link below of a chain pharmacist who was a PIC at Ralphs, which belongs to Kroger a huge national brand getting his license on probation.

http://www2.dca.ca.gov/pls/wllpub/WLLQRYNA$LCEV2.QueryView?P_LICENSE_NUMBER=44207&P_LTE_ID=774

 

[wagrxm2000]

Hello there. I just wanted to help inform people that being a PIC puts you more at risk. There are job openings asking for PICs and they are willing to hire new grads. Unfortunately the new grads fail to understand what is compliant business practice and puts themselves at risk. When the fines and punishment come down, they target the PIC. The thread is why do chains hire new grads as PICs and I just wanted to point out the pitfalls. Also, here's a link below of a chain pharmacist who was a PIC at Ralphs, which belongs to Kroger a huge national brand getting his license on probation.

http://www2.dca.ca.gov/pls/wllpub/WLLQRYNA$LCEV2.QueryView?P_LICENSE_NUMBER=44207&P_LTE_ID=774

Once again this is an error where the pharmacist deserves the outcome. I'll continue to wait for an example where the pic unknowingly got in trouble.

Pill mills are a problem of the past or at least they should be. Walgreens for one is completely on the pharmacist side against these so I don't want to hear pics being pressured into filling everything.

 

[Caffeine QAM]

Once again this is an error where the pharmacist deserves the outcome. I'll continue to wait for an example where the pic unknowingly got in trouble.

Pill mills are a problem of the past or at least they should be. Walgreens for one is completely on the pharmacist side against these so I don't want to hear pics being pressured into filling everything.

Plus, with CURES, there's even less excuse now.

 

[pharmacist_retail]

I really don't think any new grad would be an effective pharmacy manager. However, I do believe that a new grad would be able to adapt and learn on the job. Being a pharmacy manager is tough. You have to deal with a lot of stress, mostly people issues. It really depends on the person, it's not fair to make judgements. However, I believe a new grad in a pharmacy manager role is set up to fail.

 

[Jibby321]

I really don't think any new grad would be an effective pharmacy manager. However, I do believe that a new grad would be able to adapt and learn on the job. Being a pharmacy manager is tough. You have to deal with a lot of stress, mostly people issues. It really depends on the person, it's not fair to make judgements. However, I believe a new grad in a pharmacy manager role is set up to fail.

A tech who has been in retail for 5+ years and understands the work flow and the daily operations of pharmacy should be in a much better place than a new grad with limited experience.

 

[FarmD711]

A tech who has been in retail for 5+ years and understands the work flow and the daily operations of pharmacy should be in a much better place than a new grad with limited experience.

I think that's why I was so successful being a PIC on day 1. I was a tech for 6 years and an intern for 4 years before.


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[Ladyg228]

That's horrid. I was expecting at least 10k in salary plus the bonus.

Thats a generous estimate. My RXM told me that she only made $1/hour more than the staff pharmacist. NOT worth it by any means

 

[BenJammin]

What some people fail to understand is that being PIC separates you from corporate when it comes to responsibility. No running water in the pharmacy? Not Walgreens or CVS' fault, it's your fault. Don't have the required references and state law book? Corporate won't buy it for you but that doesn't matter, it's your duty to make sure the pharmacy is in compliance. State board inspector says the pharmacists full name has to appear on the rx label but your software only puts initials? That's your fault.

 

[bananaface]

My bonus potential (and actual) is large enough that it makes the PIC headaches worth it. The hourly differential would not be if there were no bonus and a staff position open. But, I would not leave my current job for a staff position elsewhere. I recently had to work under a rather horrid PIC so I appreciate not having someone nit pick and micromanage every thing I do for the sake of making themselves feel important and useful.

 

[wagrxm2000]

What some people fail to understand is that being PIC separates you from corporate when it comes to responsibility. No running water in the pharmacy? Not Walgreens or CVS' fault, it's your fault. Don't have the required references and state law book? Corporate won't buy it for you but that doesn't matter, it's your duty to make sure the pharmacy is in compliance. State board inspector says the pharmacists full name has to appear on the rx label but your software only puts initials? That's your fault.

Huh? I've never heard of anyone having these issues.

 

[PAtoPharm]

My bonus potential (and actual) is large enough that it makes the PIC headaches worth it. The hourly differential would not be if there were no bonus and a staff position open. But, I would not leave my current job for a staff position elsewhere. I recently had to work under a rather horrid PIC so I appreciate not having someone nit pick and micromanage every thing I do for the sake of making themselves feel important and useful.

Can I ask what chain you work for?

 

[Jibby321]

Huh? I've never heard of anyone having these issues.

Same.

 

[ABCPharmD]

So I'm one of those optimistic new grads who is thinking about taking a pharmacy manager position at one of the chains. I know it will be a steep learning curve and a challenge but I think it will be a great opportunity. Any tips from managers who were able to successfully transition from student to PIC? Or any tips from a seasoned PIC to a new one?