Working my first overnight shift at CVS

[SpartanLaser]

Any tips? I recently got licensed and I have never worked an overnight before. Should i be going to sleep the day before with some benadyrls?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[maria1oh]

Are you going to be training with an overnight pharmacist?

 

[zelman]

Any tips?

There's a good chance you will have a stupid rush from 11:45pm until 12:45am of controlled substance prescriptions that were too soon until the date your shift ends. Don't make promise times too short.

If you have to do the day 14's: If there is a tech after you get there or if you have some downtime before midnight, run the "Cash Loss" report for 13 days ago so you can do the return to stocks before you get ReadyFills at midnight.

I recently got licensed and I have never worked an overnight before. Should i be going to sleep the day before with some benadyrls?

I usually would start my 7 on by going to an Indian buffet for lunch and getting a nice food coma going.

Any other specific questions?

 

[zelman]

Are you going to be training with an overnight pharmacist?

CVS doesn't usually do that.

 

[maria1oh]

At cvs the computer system reboots at 3 am and doesn't start back up until 3:20am (sometimes longer). The system will warn you about this. The cash registers will still work.
If you are nearby a hospital expect to have a lot of waiters.
also it's possible you may be responsible for putting the truck order away and logging in the c2s. Also responsible for filing the prescriptions in order. If you have an automation machine you will be responsible for that. Also restocking the pharmacy with supplies such as vials and taking out the trash. Pretty much anything that doesn't get done during the day.

 

[Momus]

Any tips? I recently got licensed and I have never worked an overnight before. Should i be going to sleep the day before with some benadyrls?

If this is one of your first overnight, you'll be in for a shock, the first day is the hardest around 4-5 am until the morning rush, your body just wants to pass the fu3k out and sleep. Day 2 and 3 are easier. After a while your body will kind of getting used to it but never really getting used to it coz it's not encoded in your DNA to switch schedules every 7 days - not how a normal human function. After the 7th day, you will literally fu3k up your circadian system, either you stay up the whole day to pass out at night to reset it back to normal or be a zombie taking naps here and there try to reset it slowly. Just find whatever works for you because everyone is different. But, it will never feel "normal" working graveyard. Trust me, I did it for 5 years.

I never like to take antihistamine/Benadryl because it could make you gradually stupid. The only time I take chlorpheniramine is when I get severe runny nose from a cold (haven't gotten a cold for almost 2 years now - crossing finger). I don't mind telling people to take antihistamine to make people more stupid tho LOL.

 

[farmadiazepine]

I worked overnight for 3 years straight. What Momus said is right. You will never feel normal. It's not natural. It's easy for a young kid to do. When we're young we like to stay up all night. If we're getting paid, WTF, even better! But in all honestly, it's not natural, it's not normal. You feel like a zombie all week long, and even on your week off you feel like a zombie. It's hard to adjust on your week off. All your friends and family will be at work from Monday through Friday, and you find yourself with really nothing to do. It's great to run errands, but you don't need a full 7 days off to run errands. It's great to also take trips, but who is financially capable of taking a trip every other week? I used to float a lot during my week off, and it didn't help me feel any more normal. I always felt so numb working in CVS stores. Now that I'm working days and doing regular Monday through Friday and no weekends, I feel like a human being again. I used to feel like a zombie from The Walking Dead. Not anymore.

 

[rxglasshalffull]

I worked overnight for 3 years straight. What Momus said is right. You will never feel normal. It's not natural. It's easy for a young kid to do. When we're young we like to stay up all night. If we're getting paid, WTF, even better! But in all honestly, it's not natural, it's not normal. You feel like a zombie all week long, and even on your week off you feel like a zombie. It's hard to adjust on your week off. All your friends and family will be at work from Monday through Friday, and you find yourself with really nothing to do. It's great to run errands, but you don't need a full 7 days off to run errands. It's great to also take trips, but who is financially capable of taking a trip every other week? I used to float a lot during my week off, and it didn't help me feel any more normal. I always felt so numb working in CVS stores. Now that I'm working days and doing regular Monday through Friday and no weekends, I feel like a human being again. I used to feel like a zombie from The Walking Dead. Not anymore.

having a great schedule is priceless

 

[SpartanLaser]

I'll only be working a few days overnight (4 days), then going back to day time. The overnight pharmacist is going on vacation.

 

[ExpressMaiL]

At cvs the computer system reboots at 3 am and doesn't start back up until 3:20am (sometimes longer). The system will warn you about this. The cash registers will still work.
If you are nearby a hospital expect to have a lot of waiters.
also it's possible you may be responsible for putting the truck order away and logging in the c2s. Also responsible for filing the prescriptions in order. If you have an automation machine you will be responsible for that. Also restocking the pharmacy with supplies such as vials and taking out the trash. Pretty much anything that doesn't get done during the day.

Wow they really work you guys...

 

[Gombrich12]

I worked overnight for 3 years straight. What Momus said is right. You will never feel normal. It's not natural.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/11207716/Shift-work-linked-to-brain-power-decline.html

Congrats on leaving CVS and here is to you feeling a lot healthier in the coming years.