Euphemisms for Staff Pharmacist

[John Detter]

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It seems that hospitals are avoiding the term "staff pharmacist" like the plague in their job listings, which I have to say makes it incredibly time consuming when trying to go through job listings to find out what the expectations really are. What are some unusual ones you guys have encountered?

I've seen Patient Care pharmacist, Point-of-Care pharmacist, and then of course those hospitals that decide to call all their pharmacists clinical pharmacists, or ones that do the Pharmacist I, II, III, IV thing.

 

[deleted820760]

Oh I hear ya. Even the job responsibilities and details are not usually accurate in the job post. I've gone on interviews thinking the job was how it was described in the post, only to find out it was completely different.

 

[gwarm01]

Oh I hear ya. Even the job responsibilities and details are not usually accurate in the job post. I've gone on interviews thinking the job was how it was described in the post, only to find out it was completely different.

This one is frustrating. Job description sounds like some exciting, cutting edge clinical dream job. Then you get there and its 90% checking Pyxis carts.

 

[deleted820760]

This one is frustrating. Job description sounds like some exciting, cutting edge clinical dream job. Then you get there and its 90% checking Pyxis carts.

It's especially frustrating when you are applying out of state. You fly out on your own dime only to find out the job post was not an honest reflection of what you would be doing. For the local jobs, I knew people who worked at various places, so sometimes I would ask them about the jobs. Again, a lot of times they would say it was nothing like the job posting. Isn't that false advertising?

There was one place that had job posting as Critical Care pharmacist, but the responsibilities consisted of med rec, albeit med rec on ICU patients. Those patients are usually sedated so you have to try to get the info from family or call the outpatient pharmacy.

 

[John Detter]

It's especially frustrating when you are applying out of state. You fly out on your own dime only to find out the job post was not an honest reflection of what you would be doing.

I've had this happen. It was listed as a critical care/emergency medicine position, but when I got there it was basically staffing the whole house. Then they had the nerve to ask me why I applied since they thought I was overqualified.

 

[Sparda29]

I don't understand why hospitals still fill carts for medications. Why not just have a Pyxis machine on every floor?

 

[ChalupaBatman86]

I always call myself a Druggist. If I am trying to impress people at a cocktail party I call myself an Apothecary.


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[Sparda29]

I always call myself a Druggist. If I am trying to impress people at a cocktail party I call myself an Apothecary.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Some dude from England stopped by one time and referred to me as The Chemist.

 

[KARM12]

I don't understand why hospitals still fill carts for medications. Why not just have a Pyxis machine on every floor?

Because the machines only have a certain amount of space and you can't fit every single drug in there. That is why you fill them with the most commonly used medications and send as needed for uncommon drugs.

 

[Sparda29]

Because the machines only have a certain amount of space and you can't fit every single drug in there. That is why you fill them with the most commonly used medications and send as needed for uncommon drugs.

Yes, send as needed but why the cart? Why not just have those meds stored in the patient room?

 

[gwarm01]

Yes, send as needed but why the cart? Why not just have those meds stored in the patient room?

Centralized storage is convenient for med delivery and storage considerations like refrigeration.

I agree that Pyxis machines tend to be underutilized. My PRN job loads almost everything into the Pyxis, and if a new med is ordered the techs will load it. Things go very smoothly there.

 

[Dred Pirate]

Some dude from England stopped by one time and referred to me as The Chemist.

that is the norm overseas - at least in the UK But it is better than the "farmist"

 

[Dred Pirate]

I've had this happen. It was listed as a critical care/emergency medicine position, but when I got there it was basically staffing the whole house. Then they had the nerve to ask me why I applied since they thought I was overqualified.

we interviewed a guy who was the "transplant pharmacist" - only to find out he basically dispensed meds from a satellite pharmacy and only did very rudimentary order entry. He didn't even know anything other than "you have to draw levels on some drugs" - didn't know appropriate levels, etc.

There is nothing wrong with a "staff pharmacist" I would much rather the title actually reflect what you do to avoid confusion. And I have one of those titles that I need to explain what my job is when I interview.

 

[farmadiazepine]

I agree with the above poster. WTF is this is Pharmacist Level I, Level II, Level III BS?

If you are a looking for someone to staff your pharmacy, the job description is Staff Pharmacist. Plain and simple.

 

[Sparda29]

I agree with the above poster. WTF is this is Pharmacist Level I, Level II, Level III BS?

If you are a looking for someone to staff your pharmacy, the job description is Staff Pharmacist. Plain and simple.

That sounds like Mount Sinai in NYC. I used to just apply to any of their jobs, then I realized that Level 2 requires a residency, and Level 3 is a residency with years of experience.

 

[gwarm01]

we interviewed a guy who was the "transplant pharmacist" - only to find out he basically dispensed meds from a satellite pharmacy and only did very rudimentary order entry. He didn't even know anything other than "you have to draw levels on some drugs" - didn't know appropriate levels, etc.

There is nothing wrong with a "staff pharmacist" I would much rather the title actually reflect what you do to avoid confusion. And I have one of those titles that I need to explain what my job is when I interview.

This is a frustrating problem in pharmacy. Standards of practice vary wildly from institution to institution or region to region. You can't really do an apples to apples comparison between pharmacists and jobs.

I agree with the above poster. WTF is this is Pharmacist Level I, Level II, Level III BS?

If you are a looking for someone to staff your pharmacy, the job description is Staff Pharmacist. Plain and simple.

The local university here follows that nomenclature. I saw a posting for pharmacist III which sounded like a supervisor. It's kind of confusing.

 

[Saiyo]

This is a frustrating problem in pharmacy. Standards of practice vary wildly from institution to institution or region to region. You can't really do an apples to apples comparison between pharmacists and jobs.

Sounds about right- my job sounds way "fancier" on paper than it actually is...

 

[Dred Pirate]

Sounds about right- my job sounds way "fancier" on paper than it actually is...

that is funny because mine is the other way

 

[BidingMyTime]

Oh I hear ya. Even the job responsibilities and details are not usually accurate in the job post. I've gone on interviews thinking the job was how it was described in the post, only to find out it was completely different.

Yes, I've been disappointed enough by job listings, to expect absolutely anything going in. But it does waste people's times, when a job is made to sound far more spectacularly grand than it actually is.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I always call myself a Druggist. If I am trying to impress people at a cocktail party I call myself an Apothecary.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

I just go with "I sell drugs." I then take a sip of what I'm drinking and just look right at them.

 

[pharmasaurusRex17]

I just go with "I sell drugs." I then take a sip of what I'm drinking and just look right at them.

YASSSSSSS. LOL. I tend to tell people I deal drugs for a living while trying to keep a straight face. 🙂

 

[Saiyo]

that is funny because mine is the other way

If I tell you that I do rounds with the physicians, that sounds super cool and clinical right?
What If I told you that rounds consists of standing there listening to the docs talk for 45 minutes and making 2 uninvited minor recommendations, 1 of which is declined...