CVS RPh burn out.. considering moving on, opinions?

[zelman]

Ummm...noo; all this was in response to Momus who never even mentioned that in his original argument. So in honesty....you should actually go back to the 1st page yourself and re-read what you typed and what he wrote. You said 40k...then it's now 17k plus 10k of bonus...so which is it? You have a tendency to change your facts half way through any argument when it becomes apparently that it doesn't add up:





So which is it? It's comically that you even think we can't go back and double check you on your claims.

See...what had happened was...you realized Momus was accurate and your silly arithmetic didn't add up...so the 40k became 17k+10k instead. I saw this bs so I had to jump in...I call bs when I see it.

Maybe his staff RPh got a -$13k bonus?

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[wagrxm2000]

So people here think if they switch companies they wouldn't start from the bottom? There's no reason to hire a vet pharmacist at a higher rate instead of a new grad.

 

[Momus]

So people here think if they switch companies they wouldn't start from the bottom? There's no reason to hire a vet pharmacist at a higher rate instead of a new grad.

They pay based on your experience and store you are placed into. I have the pay range table. Only VP/supp/DM has access to it. It's confidential so I'm not gonna post here. Pay is negotiable if you switch company.

And, you don't start as new grad staff unless that's what you want. Between pic to pic, there is no $10 difference, about 3-5/hrish between wag, riteaid, cvs, wmt.

 

[wagrxm2000]

Why though? After 1 year a new grad is on par with a 10 year vet plus since they recently graduated they have more recent knowledge.

While according to you it's true, I don't see why they would do it.

 

[ChalupaBatman86]

So people here think if they switch companies they wouldn't start from the bottom? There's no reason to hire a vet pharmacist at a higher rate instead of a new grad.

When I hired retail pharmacists, internally or externally, I matched their salary and vacation (if they requested it) from their current employer. Didn't really matter how many years of experience. Pharmacists transferring in laterally from other chains were often paid more than incumbents with similar experience and responsibility. There is absolutely no reward for loyalty, experience, or tenure. There is a little bit of reward for performance and Rx volume but even at EE rating you will get smaller (or worse, lump sum with no increase) raise because you fall into a higher "quartile" for your role. If another chain offers a couple more dollars an hour, take it.

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[Momus]

Why though? After 1 year a new grad is on par with a 10 year vet plus since they recently graduated they have more recent knowledge.

While according to you it's true, I don't see why they would do it.

You've been a manager quite a while. When hiring your tech, you rather have a tech just out of school/McDonald cashier or a tech that worked for CVS/wmt/riteaid for a couple yr? Even if you know you have to match their salary or pay a couple dollars/$3 more? It doesn't even come out of your pocket. Which one you pick? Answer this and you can answer your own question.

 

[wagrxm2000]

Well out of the past 3 I've trained, 2 are rxms and one is only couple mistakes away from being let go.

While I may not like new grads, we are near a top 10 school and they are usually easy to train. The bad one was from a school I'd never heard of.

At least when you train them they learn to do things your way. My current one is awesome but may be gone because of it.

 

[BenJammin]

When I hired retail pharmacists, internally or externally, I matched their salary and vacation (if they requested it) from their current employer. Didn't really matter how many years of experience. Pharmacists transferring in laterally from other chains were often paid more than incumbents with similar experience and responsibility. There is absolutely no reward for loyalty, experience, or tenure. There is a little bit of reward for performance and Rx volume but even at EE rating you will get smaller (or worse, lump sum with no increase) raise because you fall into a higher "quartile" for your role. If another chain offers a couple more dollars an hour, take it.

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Are you serious? I would be so pissed if I worked for a company for 20 years earning 5 weeks of vacation and someone from a different company with 20 years there comes over to my company and gets the same benefits as me.

 

[Momus]

Are you serious? I would be so pissed if I worked for a company for 20 years earning 5 weeks of vacation and someone from a different company with 20 years there comes over to my company and gets the same benefits as me.

Welcome to the real world.

 

[BMBiology]

Look, no one can work for CVS for 30 years. No one.

I dont care about the money. You need to get out. This company treats its employees like crap. It only promotes money hunger pharmacists who think you don't have a right to complain about the working condition because you are "making 6 figures". At the end of the day, it does not really matter how much money you make. It is about having a group of good friends, having a family that cares about you and having a peace of mind. You can't buy those things with 20 k.

 

[BenJammin]

Welcome to the real world.

Where is this "real world" you speak of? Here at my facility you get benefits depending on your hiring date. Doesn't matter if you've been a pharmacist for 30 seconds or 30 years. The grocery store pharmacies, from what I hear, operate the same way.

 

[owlegrad]

Getting pay/vacation matched is not that unusual. Or so I have heard. After all how would companies recruit if you had to start from scratch if you ever left your company?

 

[Azianmunk]

I can tell you first hand at Walmart the manager gets peanuts more than the staff.

I laugh at this because I'm currently a Wal-Mart RXM and I only had a dollar raise (CA/hourly) over what I was making as a staff pharmacist. If I recalled, I had to prove my worth and ask them upfront for a "raise." The sad part is that my older staff rph, literally make 20k over me. If you're region is strong enough and find yourself good grossing store and landing the bonuses, then maybe it be worth all the effort. RXM salary will vary depending on the location of the store, since I'm in a "high" metropolitan area, the pay is much less than had I chose a position in a rural area + high volume outside of the city.

Fourth, when it comes to Walmart the grass is definitely not greener unless it's a slow or new Walmart. Too many obstacles to efficient workflow, which scales poorly to increasing script volume, especially "real-time" claims adjudication that takes 30 seconds or more (don't know why and I don't really care because it doesn't change the fact that it ****s up workflow especially at the in window), the existence of a time-wasting bagging queue, and mandatory counseling (no, I assure you that you don't really like counseling on 30 combinations of antibiotic + Norco a day). OMG, did I say counseling was an obstacle! All e-scripts and faxes are 45 minutes so your techs can waste time re-timing **** that people don't need right away. All high-volume Walmarts (like 500 or more a weekday) have ****ty on-time rates. (I check how other stores are doing using the new area report tool.) Flu shot target this year for all supercenters is 400 independent of script volume. Doesn't matter if your store does 40% Medcaid and you can't even bill Medicaid for immunizations, or if you are a new store. My least favorite part is having to be "accountable" for OTC sales as well. The bonus structure for RXM is based on collective performance of your store and collective performance of all pharmacies in your market, so you can have a blowout year but have ****ty stores drag you down, or your own store is ****ty. Throw in a CVS-level sociopathic field manager and your life will suck. I would never take a high-volume Walmart pharmacy. It is way easier to fix a high-volume CVS pharmacy

I can verify this is true for 2016 goals. But I've work with all levels, from tech to upper management in CVS as well and still choose Walmart, lesser of the evil but doesn't necessarily make it better.

 

[Apotheker2015]

Not an old timer and I did not push through CVS. It just wasn't worth it. I rarely tell people with a license what to do but here it goes... You've got to stop whatever it is you're doing with getting a script all through QP & QV to ready status. The first error should have been your last due to that reason. You're compromising patient safety by doing that. Should anything serious happen to a patient you will be done with CVS and expect the Board of Pharmacy to want to have a *chat.

wtf dude...at walgreens...that's equivalent to overriding scanners and making everything in READY STATUS to beat the timer and that's some serious safety issue right there. I would not ever condone such actions to just meet a metric. that's some crazy patient safety at risk right there.

I am right there with you. This guy is getting advice on jumping ships? Someone even said "It seems like you are a really successful manager and that is rare." Huh? I'm not sure any or many have said "dude, you have got to stop doing that."
If I were this PIC's intern or tech I would have asked to be transferred to another store and when asked I would have told the Rx Supervisor in detail why. As a licensed pharmacist, if I were to walk into this PIC telling me I have to search for labels because the items in ready status are not actually filled nor verified, I would take a step back and not touch anything. Yes, hands up in the air to make sure the camera captures that. I would call the the store manager to have a witness right away, next Rx Sup and the DM if I do not get a prompt response from Rx Sup and finally, I would call the board of pharmacy. They handed this PIC a pharmacist license and I was going to say this is the equivalent of handing a loaded gun to a chimpanzee BUT I won't say that because that would be very unprofessional.

 

[anon5666]

.

 

[rxdawg21]

Fourth, when it comes to Walmart the grass is definitely not greener unless it's a slow or new Walmart. Too many obstacles to efficient workflow, which scales poorly to increasing script volume, especially "real-time" claims adjudication that takes 30 seconds or more (don't know why and I don't really care because it doesn't change the fact that it ****s up workflow especially at the in window), the existence of a time-wasting bagging queue, and mandatory counseling (no, I assure you that you don't really like counseling on 30 combinations of antibiotic + Norco a day). OMG, did I say counseling was an obstacle! All e-scripts and faxes are 45 minutes so your techs can waste time re-timing **** that people don't need right away. All high-volume Walmarts (like 500 or more a weekday) have ****ty on-time rates. (I check how other stores are doing using the new area report tool.) Flu shot target this year for all supercenters is 400 independent of script volume. Doesn't matter if your store does 40% Medcaid and you can't even bill Medicaid for immunizations, or if you are a new store. My least favorite part is having to be "accountable" for OTC sales as well. The bonus structure for RXM is based on collective performance of your store and collective performance of all pharmacies in your market, so you can have a blowout year but have ****ty stores drag you down, or your own store is ****ty. Throw in a CVS-level sociopathic field manager and your life will suck. I would never take a high-volume Walmart pharmacy. It is way easier to fix a high-volume CVS pharmacy

I worked at a busy walgreens and wal-mart (very similar script counts at 500+ a day easy, 600-700 on busy Monday's). I agree that Wal-marts bagging system is a giant waste of time, even more so now that cashiers aren't allowed to bag rx's in my state, has to be a registered tech (freaking ridiculous). Wal-marts system is also difficult to push through a specific person and the automatic erx being 45 minutes is a pain. However, having said that, my Wal-mart staffing level was roses compared to CVS and it made my personal job a lot easier. With having good technicians (3 studs, rest good) I enjoyed wal-mart (except for the weekend hours-I hate weekends).

What got me was when they changed the bonus structure, I went from having a 15-16k bonus (>100% on pharmacy profit, >9 CES score and right at 100% sales goal) to a $0 dollar bonus. Why? Because my store profit was below 80%, an auto d/c no matter what the sales/ regional profit for pharmacy was. (3 categories, store profit, store sales, region RX profit)

You have to hit a 95% in a category to get the bonus, but if your store profit was less then 80% you get no bonus. I was at a very high theft store, that had a new manager every 2 years. Before black Friday the only reason my store was making a profit was due to the pharmacy department, seriously the overall profit at my store was less then just my pharmacy profit. That's how bad it was. Somehow I was responsible to help turn this around, you know, locked away behind a glass I sure can make a difference in the overnight theft. That was the final straw, not only was I making less then my staff pharmacists (10k a year, they had been there 7 years, I didn't negotiate a p ay raise as it was $3 more then what I was making at WAGS, did get vacation matched) but now they were going to screw me on my bonus being at the second busiest store, constantly meeting my wait times.

Also my DM was ridiculous, unrealistic expectations. My accuracy and wait times all above goal as well as customer service. She says we always get complaints (well when you are a high volume store that's bound to happen) would never have examples of complaints (so how do I fix them) would complain about going over on tech budget, when my pharmacist budget was short a part time 20 hour a week pharmacist. My overall staff budget was below budget, yet since I was over on Techs, constantly harping on cutting hours. If you are going to jip me on pharmacists I will make sure I have techs here.

 

[Sine Cura]

Moral of the story is make sure you don't take a job at a "complex" (max shrink) store. It isn't worth it. If only I did my homework

 

[Apotheker2015]

I think you misunderstand the "punching out" part. The script gets "verified" as far the timers are concerned, but it's still waiting to be bagged and ACTUALLY visually verified by the RPh. It's still actually reviewed and errors are corrected if found. It just leads to a pickup hassle where a script looks like it's bagged and in the bin but actually not.

Things have gotten a lot better since my original post. I've got some good new staff hired to adequately fill out my schedule and have given up "cheating " on WeCare. My sh*tty scores still make me a top 5% CVS because everything other metric I crush. For now I'm staying with the company and my mood has changed quite a bit. I don't drink their kool-aid and keep things liquid enough to be able to bounce out at any time, but for now I'm much happier. Thanks for everyone's input.

No, I did not misunderstand. What you described is a mess. You are saying that the script is waiting to be bagged and ALSO waiting to be verified by the Rph. Therefore, the script is out of QV even though it really isn't. That's actually even worse. You have these prescriptions on your counter probably with the label/leaflet under them or in baskets. I would still call the same people I said I would call and I would not touch one single item until all the items that are out of QV are actually out of QV and in the bin where they are supposed to be. Somehow the safety implications of what you were doing do not resonate with you. You stopped doing it because you "My sh*tty scores still make me a top 5% CVS because everything other metric I crush" and not because you were seriously compromising patient safety and your license. Your thinking is inherently, deeply and irreversibly flawed. I stand by my previous statement. All good by me. The board of pharmacy thought were fit to have a pharmacist license. The fact remains that it is the equivalent of handing a loaded gun to a chimpanzee.

I'm done. Best,

Apotheker2015

 

[owlegrad]

Plus the patient gets a text letting them know their prescription is ready when it's not. Then you have technicians looking for scripts that aren't ready wasting even more time that they could be using to actually get it ready.

I agree that the worst part of this is the inherent unsafety of working outside the system. I worked with some pharmacist like this at CVS. Scary.

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[Apotheker2015]

Plus the patient gets a text letting them know their prescription is ready when it's not. Then you have technicians looking for scripts that aren't ready wasting even more time that they could be using to actually get it ready.

I agree that the worst part of this is the inherent unsafety of working outside the system. I worked with some pharmacist like this at CVS. Scary.

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And as usual, the voice of reason has spoken. I forgot about the text messages. He said at times he has 30 scripts due in 30 minutes. Those get pushed through QV and then all those 30 people get 30 text messages alerting their stuff is ready when it's not. And the digging begins...Genius... No wonder he can't keep up and mistakes happened.

 

[xiphoid2010]

tl, dr;

If you are thinking of getting out of retail, it might already be too late. I have 2 clinical/staff hybrid pharmacist openings right now, and the company recruiter are sending me a ton of resume from walgreen, CVS, walmart, ect (about 80+% of the resume). I just put those resumes in a folder which I never revisit. In my mind, I'm better off with training a new grad than someone who developed a retail habit, lost all IV med knowledge, no IV certification, with not even recently rotated through a hospital. Currently I'm only considering someone whose last job is a hospital one or residency. I just gave the green light to make an offer to recent grad (class of 2014) but worked as a staff pharmacist for another hospital. I'm also seriously considering another one who has mainly worked at a border town hospital (yes, those are the wild west of pharmacy but at least it's hospital). but I would take that over a retail only. Other DOPs in the metro area feel more or less the same way. Further out might be a different story though.

 

[Lnsean]

tl, dr;

If you are thinking of getting out of retail, it might already be too late. I have 2 clinical/staff hybrid pharmacist openings right now, and the company recruiter are sending me a ton of resume from walgreen, CVS, walmart, ect (about 80+% of the resume). I just put those resumes in a folder which I never revisit. In my mind, I'm better off with training a new grad than someone who developed a retail habit, lost all IV med knowledge, no IV certification, with not even recently rotated through a hospital. Currently I'm only considering someone whose last job is a hospital one or residency. I just gave the green light to make an offer to recent grad (class of 2014) but worked as a staff pharmacist for another hospital. I'm also seriously considering another one who has mainly worked at a border town hospital (yes, those are the wild west of pharmacy but at least it's hospital). but I would take that over a retail only. Other DOPs in the metro area feel more or less the same way. Further out might be a different story though.

People go from retail to hospital all the time. Just depends on if you know people or not. I'd rather hire someone who can work well with the team and is known for competence. Everything else can be learned on the job. However, I do agree that with the abundance of qualified applicants, there is no need to take a chance.

Me, I am getting tired of retail but cannot stand hospital pharmacy either. I want to do industry, but that is a very tough barrier to break in without fellowship.

 

[samuricool]

tl, dr;

If you are thinking of getting out of retail, it might already be too late. I have 2 clinical/staff hybrid pharmacist openings right now, and the company recruiter are sending me a ton of resume from walgreen, CVS, walmart, ect (about 80+% of the resume). I just put those resumes in a folder which I never revisit. In my mind, I'm better off with training a new grad than someone who developed a retail habit, lost all IV med knowledge, no IV certification, with not even recently rotated through a hospital. Currently I'm only considering someone whose last job is a hospital one or residency. I just gave the green light to make an offer to recent grad (class of 2014) but worked as a staff pharmacist for another hospital. I'm also seriously considering another one who has mainly worked at a border town hospital (yes, those are the wild west of pharmacy but at least it's hospital). but I would take that over a retail only. Other DOPs in the metro area feel more or less the same way. Further out might be a different story though.

I see where you are coming from, but you could be missing out on some good people. I'm a retail person trying to get into hospital work and I'm sure they are doing the same thing you are, pushing my application aside for others with experience or someone they think won't have bad habits. I may, as others, have some of those retail habits but like anything else I can change them. I'm an incredibly fast learner. Learned a new computer system within a few hours recently. Did the same thing at a few rotation sites for independents with obscure computer systems. I know that is just one thing of several, but I promise you I can learn, or if necessary relearn, better than anyone out there. I unfortunately took the more money route earlier in my career. Which in itself may scare away an employer thinking that I expect the same money.

Just saying, there are good retail pharmers out there that can cut it in a hospital, too. Don't lock us out.



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[pezdispenser]

I see where you are coming from, but you could be missing out on some good people. I'm a retail person trying to get into hospital work and I'm sure they are doing the same thing you are, pushing my application aside for others with experience or someone they think won't have bad habits. I may, as others, have some of those retail habits but like anything else I can change them. I'm an incredibly fast learner. Learned a new computer system within a few hours recently. Did the same thing at a few rotation sites for independents with obscure computer systems. I know that is just one thing of several, but I promise you I can learn, or if necessary relearn, better than anyone out there. I unfortunately took the more money route earlier in my career. Which in itself may scare away an employer thinking that I expect the same money.

Just saying, there are good retail pharmers out there that can cut it in a hospital, too. Don't lock us out.



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I hear you, but it's hard to change this prejudice that most hospital directors have. Just keep trying until you get your break. Hit up your classmates and preceptors to see if they're hiring, even per diem. Push your strengths just like you wrote. I spent 11 years in retail and did not do a residency before I finally got a hospital job. It's only per diem so I'm sacrificing my weekends off to work there and the pay sucks ($45/hr) but I'm picking up lots of skills and experience to build up my resume, in case I get laid off from my retail job.

 

[xiphoid2010]

I see where you are coming from, but you could be missing out on some good people. I'm a retail person trying to get into hospital work and I'm sure they are doing the same thing you are, pushing my application aside for others with experience or someone they think won't have bad habits. I may, as others, have some of those retail habits but like anything else I can change them. I'm an incredibly fast learner. Learned a new computer system within a few hours recently. Did the same thing at a few rotation sites for independents with obscure computer systems. I know that is just one thing of several, but I promise you I can learn, or if necessary relearn, better than anyone out there. I unfortunately took the more money route earlier in my career. Which in itself may scare away an employer thinking that I expect the same money.

Just saying, there are good retail pharmers out there that can cut it in a hospital, too. Don't lock us out.



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I know what you are asking. But you are asking DOPs to gamble on some long odds vs taking on proven hospital pharmacists. Every retail pharmacist who applies is going to portray him/herself as the special case that fig right in the hospital world, yet lacking convincing proof to support those assertions.

If you are DOP, you got a million and one things that you need to deal with, including looking for replacements. There is a dozen or more applicants for that position. Are you going to spend hours sorting through all the resumes, spending even more hours calling each candidates, meanwhile other things are piling up... or are you going straight to those with good qualifications?

Even if a DOP bring a retail pharmacist in, it would require longer training, decrease the productivity of the staff assigned to train them, and the retail mentality/habit puts them at a higher risk of it not working out, or heaven forbid cost a life or two. After the intial 90 days, you can't terminate them, have to go through the progressive disciplinary action/performance evaluation process, it's going to be at least 6 months or more. Meanwhile HR won't let you re-open the position because you are not budgeted to hire another until the existing personel is terminated. So the cost of taking that chance is more than a year and $150K, which you'll have to answer to the boss for being over budget and under produce.

Sorry. I don't think all retail pharmacists aren't good fit for hospitals. Some indeed are. But unfortunately by going after the money at the beginning, there are handicaps that come with that decision. Back in early to mid 2000s when there was a huge pharmacist shortage, hospital did take on retail pharmacists left and right, because they had no choice. Now a days there is very little reason to take that big expensive risk. Unless the direction of supply vs demand reverses, my advice to students and retail pharmacists who want to get out eventually are: plan out your future and start working towards it right now. Do whatever it takes to get a hospital internship during school, get a residency; or if you are already working retail, apply to all those hospital openings anyway (you still might get lucky), work a LTAC, LTC, infusion job as a stepping stone, be willing to sacrifice some personal life and work a crappy weekends only PRN hospital job that nobody wants, or look at those border towns or couple of hours out of the city. Be willing to make some short term sacrifices to earn those qualifications and you'll get there. Don't expect others to hand you a chance, we have have to pay our dues and earn it.

 

[wagrxm2000]

I know what you are asking. But you are asking DOPs to gamble on some long odds vs taking on proven hospital pharmacists. Every retail pharmacist who applies is going to portray him/herself as the special case that fig right in the hospital world, yet lacking convincing proof to support those assertions.

If you are DOP, you got a million and one things that you need to deal with, including looking for replacements. There is a dozen or more applicants for that position. Are you going to spend hours sorting through all the resumes, spending even more hours calling each candidates, meanwhile other things are piling up... or are you going straight to those with good qualifications?

Even if a DOP bring a retail pharmacist in, it would require longer training, decrease the productivity of the staff assigned to train them, and the retail mentality/habit puts them at a higher risk of it not working out, or heaven forbid cost a life or two. After the intial 90 days, you can't terminate them, have to go through the progressive disciplinary action/performance evaluation process, it's going to be at least 6 months or more. Meanwhile HR won't let you re-open the position because you are not budgeted to hire another until the existing personel is terminated. So the cost of taking that chance is more than a year and $150K, which you'll have to answer to the boss for being over budget and under produce.

Sorry. I don't think all retail pharmacists aren't good fit for hospitals. Some indeed are. But unfortunately by going after the money at the beginning, there are handicaps that come with that decision. Back in early to mid 2000s when there was a huge pharmacist shortage, hospital did take on retail pharmacists left and right, because they had no choice. Now a days there is very little reason to take that big expensive risk. Unless the direction of supply vs demand reverses, my advice to students and retail pharmacists who want to get out eventually are: plan out your future and start working towards it right now. Do whatever it takes to get a hospital internship during school, get a residency; or if you are already working retail, apply to all those hospital openings anyway (you still might get lucky), work a LTAC, LTC, infusion job as a stepping stone, be willing to sacrifice some personal life and work a crappy weekends only PRN hospital job that nobody wants, or look at those border towns or couple of hours out of the city. Be willing to make some short term sacrifices to earn those qualifications and you'll get there. Don't expect others to hand you a chance, we have have to pay our dues and earn it.

What exactly do you think a hospital pharmacist STILL knows that a retail pharmacist doesn't STILL know or can relearn? A good worker is a good worker anywhere.

Yes there are things I would have to brush up on but I guarantee I'd be a better "clinical" pharmacist then most.

I think you are overlooking qualified pharmacists for less qualified ones but what do I know I'm just a retail pharmacist.

 

[PAtoPharm]

I worked at a busy walgreens and wal-mart (very similar script counts at 500+ a day easy, 600-700 on busy Monday's). I agree that Wal-marts bagging system is a giant waste of time, even more so now that cashiers aren't allowed to bag rx's in my state, has to be a registered tech (freaking ridiculous). Wal-marts system is also difficult to push through a specific person and the automatic erx being 45 minutes is a pain. However, having said that, my Wal-mart staffing level was roses compared to CVS and it made my personal job a lot easier. With having good technicians (3 studs, rest good) I enjoyed wal-mart (except for the weekend hours-I hate weekends).

What got me was when they changed the bonus structure, I went from having a 15-16k bonus (>100% on pharmacy profit, >9 CES score and right at 100% sales goal) to a $0 dollar bonus. Why? Because my store profit was below 80%, an auto d/c no matter what the sales/ regional profit for pharmacy was. (3 categories, store profit, store sales, region RX profit)

You have to hit a 95% in a category to get the bonus, but if your store profit was less then 80% you get no bonus. I was at a very high theft store, that had a new manager every 2 years. Before black Friday the only reason my store was making a profit was due to the pharmacy department, seriously the overall profit at my store was less then just my pharmacy profit. That's how bad it was. Somehow I was responsible to help turn this around, you know, locked away behind a glass I sure can make a difference in the overnight theft. That was the final straw, not only was I making less then my staff pharmacists (10k a year, they had been there 7 years, I didn't negotiate a p ay raise as it was $3 more then what I was making at WAGS, did get vacation matched) but now they were going to screw me on my bonus being at the second busiest store, constantly meeting my wait times.

Also my DM was ridiculous, unrealistic expectations. My accuracy and wait times all above goal as well as customer service. She says we always get complaints (well when you are a high volume store that's bound to happen) would never have examples of complaints (so how do I fix them) would complain about going over on tech budget, when my pharmacist budget was short a part time 20 hour a week pharmacist. My overall staff budget was below budget, yet since I was over on Techs, constantly harping on cutting hours. If you are going to jip me on pharmacists I will make sure I have techs here.

So you didn't get your bonus because the whole Walmart store overall wasn't making enough money? Were you a PIC or staff pharm?

 

[owlegrad]

I would argue that a retail pharmacist probably knows more about time management and "hard work" than your average hospital pharmacist, something much harder to teach than any institutional formulary. Would probably be more grateful for the job too and try to make a stronger good impression. Plus they wouldn't have developed any of the bad habits that come with working in an institution long term.

Obviously I am quite biased though.

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[BMBiology]

I see where you are coming from, but you could be missing out on some good people. I'm a retail person trying to get into hospital work and I'm sure they are doing the same thing you are, pushing my application aside for others with experience or someone they think won't have bad habits. I may, as others, have some of those retail habits but like anything else I can change them. I'm an incredibly fast learner. Learned a new computer system within a few hours recently. Did the same thing at a few rotation sites for independents with obscure computer systems. I know that is just one thing of several, but I promise you I can learn, or if necessary relearn, better than anyone out there. I unfortunately took the more money route earlier in my career. Which in itself may scare away an employer thinking that I expect the same money.

Just saying, there are good retail pharmers out there that can cut it in a hospital, too. Don't lock us out.



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Ask yourself this: what would you do if you are a CVS district manager and you have a ton of applicants.

Walgreen pharmacist vs hospital pharmacist? Both with 2 years of experience.

Experience matters. Hospital pharmacists don't think retail pharmacists can do their job and vice versa.


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[BMBiology]

The problem for you? There are a ton of retail position. Hospitals can be much more picky.

Get a per diem hospital position. Do your time and positions will open up for you.

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[Apotheker2015]

I would argue that a retail pharmacist probably knows more about time management and "hard work" than your average hospital pharmacist, something much harder to teach than any institutional formulary. Would probably be more grateful for the job too and try to make a stronger good impression. Plus they wouldn't have developed any of the bad habits that come with working in an institution long term.

Obviously I am quite biased though.

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You for

What exactly do you think a hospital pharmacist STILL knows that a retail pharmacist doesn't STILL know or can relearn? A good worker is a good worker anywhere.

Yes there are things I would have to brush up on but I guarantee I'd be a better "clinical" pharmacist then most.

I think you are overlooking qualified pharmacists for less qualified ones but what do I know I'm just a retail pharmacist.

My humble advice would be to jump on the first overnight position that becomes available. It will be slower at night. You will have time to brush up on things and to work at a safe pace. I have seen several retail pharmacists transition that way. Eventually, they request to transition to daytime and often times is granted.

Best of luck!

 

[Sine Cura]

Ask yourself this: what would you do if you are a CVS district manager and you have a ton of applicants.

Walgreen pharmacist vs hospital pharmacist? Both with 2 years of experience.

Experience matters. Hospital pharmacists don't think retail pharmacists can do their job and vice versa.


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A lot of retail pharmacists can't even do the job they signed up for (distribution is a minimum requirement), so I would be really wary as a hiring manager.

 

[wagrxm2000]

Does no one realize a retail pharmacist can learn anything they've forgot BEFORE applying?

Like I said before if you throw out the retail pharmacist applications, you are missing out on a lot of very good pharmacists and instead getting less qualified ones. A simple call to their store and the store manager can tell you what kind of worker they are.

I've always said give me a hard worker over the smartest pharmacist.

 

[Wickett]

Does no one realize a retail pharmacist can learn anything they've forgot BEFORE applying?

Like I said before if you throw out the retail pharmacist applications, you are missing out on a lot of very good pharmacists and instead getting less qualified ones. A simple call to their store and the store manager can tell you what kind of worker they are.

I've always said give me a hard worker over the smartest pharmacist.

Like others said before...why take the risk when you're already overflowing with applicants that have pure hospital backgrounds and/or have residency training?

It works the same in retail....if you're hiring for a staff RPh at your Walgreen's, and you have a dozen applicants with years of retail experience, why would you take the guy whose sole work experience was being a clinical specialist in a hospital?

If you are hiring a full time tech, do you want someone that has 5 years exp at Walgreen's or someone fresh off the street that will bumble around for 3+ months?

The vast majority of time, it just isn't worth the time and money to train up someone when someone else with exp can slip right in.

It is simply supply and demand....sorry if that hurts the feelings of retail people (and I am a retail person), but unless you take a position no one wants much (per diem night) and works up slowly, it would be stupid for a director to give a hospital position with multiple applicants to a retail person 99% of the time.

 

[wagrxm2000]

Like others said before...why take the risk when you're already overflowing with applicants that have pure hospital backgrounds and/or have residency training?

It works the same in retail....if you're hiring for a staff RPh at your Walgreen's, and you have a dozen applicants with years of retail experience, why would you take the guy whose sole work experience was being a clinical specialist in a hospital?

If you are hiring a full time tech, do you want someone that has 5 years exp at Walgreen's or someone fresh off the street that will bumble around for 3+ months?

The vast majority of time, it just isn't worth the time and money to train up someone when someone else with exp can slip right in.

It is simply supply and demand....sorry if that hurts the feelings of retail people (and I am a retail person), but unless you take a position no one wants much (per diem night) and works up slowly, it would be stupid for a director to give a hospital position with multiple applicants to a retail person 99% of the time.

Because of my last statement, its easier to make a hard worker a good worker then it is to make the smartest worker a good worker. There is nothing a retail pharmacist can't relearn but it's nearly impossible to fix a lazy worker. I've trained plenty so I know.

I have no desire to go into hospital but it's ridiculous to think we don't have or can't relearn everything needed for the job BEFORE starting.

I have friends in hospitals and I hear plenty of stories on how bad some of their coworkers are. It's a shame these are being hired over more qualified retail pharmacists.

 

[Wickett]

Because of my last statement, its easier to make a hard worker a good worker then it is to make the smartest worker a good worker. There is nothing a retail pharmacist can't relearn but it's nearly impossible to fix a lazy worker. I've trained plenty so I know.

I have no desire to go into hospital but it's ridiculous to think we don't have or can't relearn everything needed for the job BEFORE starting.

I have friends in hospitals and I hear plenty of stories on how bad some of their coworkers are. It's a shame these are being hired over more qualified retail pharmacists.

Or you can hire a non lazy worker that has the clinical knowledge and experience right off the bat. I definitely get what you're saying, and I'd love to have the option to jump to hospital if I so desired down the line, but with the explosion of residency training it just doesn't make sense really to hire outside that pool unless it is a position with limited applicants/desirability.

Anyone can say they're a hard worker and that they are up to date on guidelines. If it were me hiring a retail person, I'd make them prove it.

Work the crap per diem night shifts when it's less hectic, and if they perform and improve, give them a later opportunity for full time work. It is just good hiring/business sense.

 

[wagrxm2000]

Or you can hire a non lazy worker that has the clinical knowledge and experience right off the bat. I definitely get what you're saying, and I'd love to have the option to jump to hospital if I so desired down the line, but with the explosion of residency training it just doesn't make sense really to hire outside that pool unless it is a position with limited applicants/desirability.

Anyone can say they're a hard worker and that they are up to date on guidelines. If it were me hiring a retail person, I'd make them prove it.

Work the crap per diem night shifts when it's less hectic, and if they perform and improve, give them a later opportunity for full time work. It is just good hiring/business sense.

I'm not saying you have to hire from retail just that their are plenty of good workers and you shouldn't just bypass them. Oh and residency means nothing.

I could call a friend ask them everything they do and tell them to recommend me for the next opening but again I have no desire of going that route. You have no idea what you'll get out of these new grads instead you could get a retail pharmacist with excellent work ethics. Seems like I read too often that these hospital pharmacists know more then us retail pharmacists.