Graveyard pharmacist!

[gaucon1973]

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Hi guys,
Is anybody here working as a graveyard pharmacist? I am thinking to work as a graveyard pharmacist after I get my license. I like to travel, so the schedule likes 1 week on and off sounds interesting to me. Is there pros and cons of that? How can you keep yourself awake for the whole night?

thanks ,
Gaucon

 

[imperial frog]

Hi guys,
How can you keep yourself awake for the whole night?

thanks ,
Gaucon

One of the perks is that they have a bell that the customer rings to wake you when you take naps in the corner.

 

[baggywrinkle]

Hi guys,
Is anybody here working as a graveyard pharmacist? I am thinking to work as a graveyard pharmacist after I get my license. I like to travel, so the schedule likes 1 week on and off sounds interesting to me. Is there pros and cons of that? How can you keep yourself awake for the whole night?

thanks ,
Gaucon

I worked graveyard at WAGS for five years. You become a master of the
power nap and very sensitive to the slightest sound like the tapping that
people do. My store would have a rush from 10pm to about 1 or 2AM then it would die down for a while. I would then take a thirty minute catnap and eat my lunch on the run while working later.

It takes about six months to acclimatize and establish a rhythm. Once established breaking the rhythm with a vacation was murder to recover from
almost to the point I preferred not to take time off.

 

[sdn1977]

Graveyard in a hospital is hard work! There is very little staff & it seems as though all the really bad stuff happens at night. Also....the cold tpn bag gets dropped on the floor & breaks (never happens during the day for some reason), the OR can't find the cardioplegia solution & the ER will get a snake bite victim & you need to find the d*^# snakebite venom in the refrigerator - ALL AT THE SAME TIME!

Then....the nursing supervisor starts on you because you aren't getting the orders verified in the computer fast enough for the nurses to access Pyxis....

I found the nights are long and tiring. I never had time to sleep - I did have a hard time sleeping in the day though.

But...for night people - its great! Thank God there are those out there! We hate it when the night guy takes a vacation!

 

[trishias]

Graveyard in a hospital is hard work! There is very little staff & it seems as though all the really bad stuff happens at night. Also....the cold tpn bag gets dropped on the floor & breaks (never happens during the day for some reason), the OR can't find the cardioplegia solution & the ER will get a snake bite victim & you need to find the d*^# snakebite venom in the refrigerator - ALL AT THE SAME TIME!

Then....the nursing supervisor starts on you because you aren't getting the orders verified in the computer fast enough for the nurses to access Pyxis....

I found the nights are long and tiring. I never had time to sleep - I did have a hard time sleeping in the day though.

But...for night people - its great! Thank God there are those out there! We hate it when the night guy takes a vacation!

LOL!!!! When I pick up OT on the midnight shift, something funky always happens. Tubes wont stop dropping, RN's calling for stuff tubed long time ago, everyone needs a nitro or insulin drip or worse epidurals or morphine drips or theres triplets born (regardless of the GA). Its good money, but I couldnt be paid enough to work that shift regularly.... well maybe when the new womens pavilion open.

 

[DownonthePharm]

If your at the graveyard its too late for you to need meds....

Seriously though:

Cons: You will probably have limited staff, and also less people to call in case of a problem, it is probably the most dangerous time for crazy drug seekers, and prolonged night shift work tends to make you gain weight because you snack and drink sugary stuff to stay awake. Usually when something goes wrong, it goes WRONG. Going anywhere on vacation sucks because you spend your whole time with your sleep schedule backwards, unless you go somewhere open all night like Vegas. You sleep most of the time things are open, so getting anything done at a place open 9-5 can be a pain.

Pros: limited staff, so you can have some quiet time, no store managers breathing over you, very few people asking what asle the soap is in, you may have some down time, so you can bring some knitting or a book or something. Shift differental, and you can probably work as much as you want because less people want that shift. May only have to work three days, or have 7 on-7off option. Good for people with kids because they can go to work while their kids and spouse are asleep.

If I could play on the internet in my down time I would jump all over night shift at least for a few years. But if I just had to sit there when it was slow, I think I would bore myself to death in a few weeks. For long term though, I think it ages you, so I wouldnt want it.

 

[vraypharmd2md]

I work parttime with WAG and prefer to work the graveyard when I get the chance.

This is for retail only:

Advantages: shift differential; very interesting people (in a mid-size to large city there is a group of people that work overnight in a variety of fields; Phonecalls!!!); lots of down time to get other things done (like reading or studying for medical school); Lots of opportunity to help people with drug information!!!!!!!

Disadvantages: screws up your sleep patterns(big time!!!); safety (never know when one wants the drugs bad enough to "jump the counter."); usually solitary work;

 

[prnrx]

I'm thinking it will be something like this,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUOAL8Z_f18

 

[BiOGoly]

Going anywhere on vacation sucks because you spend your whole time with your sleep schedule backwards, unless you go somewhere open all night like Vegas. You sleep most of the time things are open, so getting anything done at a place open 9-5 can be a pain.

That's why you take all of your vacations on the other side of the international date line, your sleep schedule won't get messed up and no jet lag as a bonus!

 

[CuriousPharmD]

Is it true most WAGS night time pharmacist does mostly compounding?

 

[vraypharmd2md]

Not me!!

When I work in the daytime, we tell people that it will be done overnight. This is only b/c it is so busy during the day/evening hours (>400 rxs).

It differs according to the store's location (more dermatologists>>>>> more compounds for the night pharmacist).

 

[gaucon1973]

Hey,
thanks for the link. It is so funny to watch it. I used to work in a pharmacy like this when I did my internship there 🙂)

I'm thinking it will be something like this,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUOAL8Z_f18

 

[baggywrinkle]

lots of down time to get other things done (like reading or studying for medical school

Depends on your store. I lucked out and got a store that had just opened.
I was aware of sister stores in Tampa Orlando and West Palm that had tech
coverage until 3AM, if THAT tells you anything.

Even at my old store, try getting twenty four totes put up, 120 scripts filled out of the que and the place looking pristine (to coin the phrase used
by my manager) before the morning crowd starts in at 5AM. Busy as a one
armed paper hanger....

 

[ethyl]

If your at the graveyard its too late for you to need meds....

Seriously though:

Cons: You will probably have limited staff, and also less people to call in case of a problem, it is probably the most dangerous time for crazy drug seekers, and prolonged night shift work tends to make you gain weight because you snack and drink sugary stuff to stay awake. Usually when something goes wrong, it goes WRONG. Going anywhere on vacation sucks because you spend your whole time with your sleep schedule backwards, unless you go somewhere open all night like Vegas. You sleep most of the time things are open, so getting anything done at a place open 9-5 can be a pain.

Pros: limited staff, so you can have some quiet time, no store managers breathing over you, very few people asking what asle the soap is in, you may have some down time, so you can bring some knitting or a book or something. Shift differental, and you can probably work as much as you want because less people want that shift. May only have to work three days, or have 7 on-7off option. Good for people with kids because they can go to work while their kids and spouse are asleep.

If I could play on the internet in my down time I would jump all over night shift at least for a few years. But if I just had to sit there when it was slow, I think I would bore myself to death in a few weeks. For long term though, I think it ages you, so I wouldnt want it.

I'd be down for a graveyard shift if I can play my PSP or watch DVDs during the down time. 😳 $45 an hour for playing Lumines. 👍

 

[ttran01]

i would work graveyard...im more awake at night than during the day 😎

 

[letjin]

i would work graveyard...im more awake at night than during the day 😎

We need people like you 😍 Personally...I can't think straight after 1am... can't pull an all-nighter even in pharm school.