How to deal with staff that talks about patients

[akaykay]

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Basically the title sums it up. ...How do you deal with staff that is constantly, and I mean constantly, talking about their patients/customers in negative ways as soon as they walk out the door. Makes me not trust the pharmacy, but also medical and dental staff members too 🙁
And how do you do it in a way that doesn't hurt peoples feelings

 

[OhHey]

Yea I know what u mean. A lot of people say staff do it as a coping mechanism.. like cracking jokes to deal with seeing difficult illnesses and life and death situations all the time everyday. I totally understand this, but sometimes it crosses that line. Some people really don't put heart into this work, and they just try to get through their boring work days by gossipping about their patients and about each other. And it's really easy to get sucked into this work culture. You'll try to avoid it at first but you'll find yourself joining in on the "fun" after a while. It's really the only way to be accepted.. if you stick up for patients, the staff won't like you. I've seen this happen personally. My only advice is to try to work at a place with a more honorable and classy culture. It's okay to get frustrated with patients and the health system once in a while.. but you'll know whether staff actually really TRY to care for their patients or not.

 

[Digsbe]

Gossip about them with another coworker after they make a mistake at work

In all seriousness though I would address the issue professionally and tell them that gossiping about patients is not acceptable. It makes for an uncomfortable work environment and you never know who may overhear a conversation.

 

[rxlea]

Tell them to STFU.

Or

call the compliance line if your company has one.

 

[type b pharmD]

I've watched some good presentations and heard some good talks on this and how to handle it, but it's been years and the info wasn't very memorable.

I'd recommend looking at corporate training. All of the institutional places i've worked have had powerpoints or training regarding how to handle that type of situation.

Also remember courtesy goes a long way. You don't want to make the co-workers feel at fault, attacked, or that they were negligent. Try phrasing things in ways that show youre just looking to build a more positive patient care environment. Bring the conversation towards ways that your team can help patients, ways that you can help protect your licenses and confidentiality. One great way I was taught to bring up problems with patient care is to use an example with a family member (such as "how would you feel if that patient was your grandmother" etc,). It reminds people that everyone really does deserve their own dignity and respect, which can be forgotten as people get jaded.

 

[owlegrad]

Tell them to STFU.

Or

call the compliance line if your company has one.

😱

I would at least try addressing it with the staff before resorting to that. Anyway, I am not sure what a compliance line could do in this situation.

 

[Corpseman]

Join in! You don't want to be the one outsider looking in.

 

[tootoo30]

Join in! You don't want to be the one outsider looking in.

Lol

 

[rxlea]

😱

I would at least try addressing it with the staff before resorting to that. Anyway, I am not sure what a compliance line could do in this situation.

Depending on how they are talking about patients, it could violate HIPAA. I don't have enough information.

If it was me, I'd go the STFU route....in a professional way, of course 😉

I was being facetious though. Two solutions: talk to staff or go through a company provided method that safeguards whistle blowers. Not much else you can do really

Unless the supervisor isn't doing it. Then go to him/her.

But, like I said, we don't know the entire situation.

 

[owlegrad]

But, like I said, we don't know the entire situation.

Good point.

 

[naseuy]

I love the silly notes that are left in patient's profiles...

 

[owlegrad]

I love the silly notes that are left in patient's profiles...

OMG I hate patient notes so much. My guestamation is that 90% of notes are outdated or useless in the first place, just wasting time.

CVS Specific: I especially hate that if a patient has a forced note their refills go to QT as "pre-edit exemption". What an incredible waste of everyone's time. 👎

 

[Sparda29]

I love the silly notes that are left in patient's profiles...

I remember opening up profiles at CVS and right under the name it says BITCH!!! I was always afraid those would somehow get printed, especially when print screening a reject or DM walking in and seeing that.

 

[GodsSon2011]

If its there way to vent so they can stay productive at your pharmacy...let them vent...

 

[DiomedeaExulans]

Perhaps use such conversations as opportunitties to find better ways to deal with "difficult" patients? I've never been in position to supervise people who talk negatively of patients, but if I find myself in the middle of such conversations with other students, I try to focus on potential solutions the specific problem rather than the dirt. I figure that fueling the whining really serves no one.

 

[DustinfromCA]

If its there way to vent so they can stay productive at your pharmacy...let them vent...

I agree.. techs/clerks sometimes get treated like crap by patients and as long as they can keep up a good face in FRONT of the customer and provide excellent customer service in FRONT of the customer.. and as long as they aren't saying anything supremely offensive (ie racist, etc) I don't see the harm. Let them vent. they don't make 100-130k a year like you do to put up with the garbage.