Immunizations

[Angela1234]

---

Members don't see this ad.

How does everyone feel about pharmacists giving immunizations? Anyone have any stories to share? Especially when the customers are extemely rude when you are preparing them and try to hurry you with needles. As if them bothering you to hurry up with prescriptions wasn't enough. I've even had several customers walk out because they can't be bothered waiting that long when we've been extremely busy. A few of the pharmacies I've been have their biohazard containers overfilled with syringes sticking out. It's disgusting.

 

[JoBreeze]

How does everyone feel about pharmacists giving immunizations? Anyone have any stories to share? Especially when the customers are extemely rude when you are preparing them and try to hurry you with needles. As if them bothering you to hurry up with prescriptions wasn't enough. I've even had several customers walk out because they can't be bothered waiting that long when we've been extremely busy. A few of the pharmacies I've been have their biohazard containers overfilled with syringes sticking out. It's disgusting.

I've always wondered, doesn't this kill y'all work flow? Is it worth it?

 

[pharaday]

How does everyone feel about pharmacists giving immunizations? Anyone have any stories to share? Especially when the customers are extemely rude when you are preparing them and try to hurry you with needles. As if them bothering you to hurry up with prescriptions wasn't enough. I've even had several customers walk out because they can't be bothered waiting that long when we've been extremely busy. A few of the pharmacies I've been have their biohazard containers overfilled with syringes sticking out. It's disgusting.

Completely agree with everything. Have had customers walk out when we couldn't run out there the second they walked up to the counter. Also can't stand the adults who are big babies and complain how much it is going to hurt, and how they might faint. I have no time for that nonsense. Or how about the people who come in with so many tight layers of long-sleeved clothing and then can only pull them up to their elbow and get mad when you tell them that won't work? My absolute biggest pet peeve though is when family members of the patient stand right over your shoulder while you are trying to give the shot. Back off! I think it is so ridiculous that we have to give these shots in the first place, but I won't even get started on that rant.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I'm not really doing anything else at 4AM.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Also can't stand the adults who are big babies and complain how much it is going to hurt, and how they might faint. I have no time for that nonsense.

Sometimes that isn't exactly controllable. I routinely faint when they draw blood from me. I don't even get anxious or anything. I just accept it and faint away.

IM shots, though, I do okay with those.

 

[Pharmavixen]

In the jail, the nurses administer TSTs to all new admits. Sometimes we get these huge guys turning white and getting all woozy over a teeny tiny intradermal inj, and they're totally tattooed smeared all over, including places where it's painful to tattoo. My theory is they load up on Oxycontin before their appointment at the tattoo parlour.

 

[rph3664]

If I had wanted to give shots, I would have become a nurse.

10 years ago, when I decided to leave retail, our grocery store got a new manager who was insisting that we do immunizations; the concept was quite new at the time. One of my colleagues (who I found out recently is still there 🙂 ) was an Army medic during the Vietnam era (all of his service was stateside) and he said there was no way he would do this without a physician present. We always had one on-site when we did flu shots; this was arranged by the home company, and we had nothing to do with it beyond providing the location.

 

[pinipig523]

My take on this is another money making way that WAGS or CVS discovered can be added onto the increasing burden on pharmacists' shoulders. They have realized that they can pin this on you guys and that you guys will handle the malpractice side of it.

I think it's not fair to make you guys run around with less staff than necessary to operate a pharmacy AND then have to deal with shots.

 

[pharaday]

Sometimes that isn't exactly controllable. I routinely faint when they draw blood from me. I don't even get anxious or anything. I just accept it and faint away.

I can understand that, but if they know they have that problem, I wish they would go to a doctor's office, not a retail pharmacy.

 

[MountainPharmD]

I can understand that, but if they know they have that problem, I wish they would go to a doctor's office, not a retail pharmacy.

People are stupid, rude and inconsiderate.

About 8 years ago I was doing a flu shot clinic in the middle of a grocery store. An older lady came up and demaded we give her a flu shot in her butt! She said she could not get it in her arms and did not want it in her leg. I refused and she threw a fit and got the store manger who called my pharmacy sup. My exact words were "you are out of your mind if you think I am going to give someone a shot in their butt in the middle of a grocery store." The lady was a total bitch and threw a fit for like 10 minutes. I mean really? You have some special problem or accomodation and you decide to go to a flu shot clinic in the middle of a grocery store? People are stupid......

 

[radio frequency]

My take on this is another money making way that WAGS or CVS discovered can be added onto the increasing burden on pharmacists' shoulders. They have realized that they can pin this on you guys and that you guys will handle the malpractice side of it.

I think it's not fair to make you guys run around with less staff than necessary to operate a pharmacy AND then have to deal with shots.

You're completely right about this.

I don't yet understand why they don't just hire a nurse for certain days to come in and administer shots (get people to make appointments!); it seems much more reasonable and cost-effective than interrupting the workflow every 20 minutes for another flu shot when you're already completely understaffed.

I agree that pharmacists should be able to vaccinate, but is it really worth it to have pharmacists vaccinating?

 

[ancienbon]

My take on this is another money making way that WAGS or CVS discovered can be added onto the increasing burden on pharmacists' shoulders. They have realized that they can pin this on you guys and that you guys will handle the malpractice side of it.

I think it's not fair to make you guys run around with less staff than necessary to operate a pharmacy AND then have to deal with shots.

So true. I could not agree with you more. The fact is with the many flu shots what we do, we still dont get more tech hours. Last year at this time of the year, we had about 75 hours, now we are down to 40 hours. It is a real burden to us, pharmacist. The fact is we still have to do drive thru, in window, and everything else. It get tougher and tougher for us.

 

[Pharmavixen]

How much do you get paid for flu shots? Where I practice (Ontario), the gov't reimburses pharmacies $7.50 per shot. Physicians, OTOH, get paid > $30 for same.

 

[Eichhoernchen]

How much do you get paid for flu shots? Where I practice (Ontario), the gov't reimburses pharmacies $7.50 per shot. Physicians, OTOH, get paid > $30 for same.

Whaaat? That's just not fair.

 

[lorain]

profit per shot where i worked at was 10 per shot

pharmacist had to do it

 

[Pharmavixen]

Whaaat? That's just not fair.

Cuz drs do their whole diagnostic mojo every time they see a pt for any reason.

 

[BidingMyTime]

It's amazing how rude people are about having to wait to get their shot....and then when you finally take them back and they realize its YOU who is giving the shot, they get all nice & sweet. I don't think most people realize it's one pharmacist doing everything--they think there is someone sitting in the back doing their nails instead of giving them their shot. I am quite open with telling people I am the only pharmacist there and I will get to them when I get to them.

I've also been asked to give shots in the butt before, I tell people it is against our protocol (it is, in IL, pharmacists can only give immunizations under a written physician protocol.)

I had no desire to give shots, but now that I've been doing it for years, its no big deal. The problem is that most pharmacies are not adequately staffed to give shots. It's impossible to keep up with a normal pharmacy workload, at the same time one is giving shots.

 

[Eichhoernchen]

It's amazing how rude people are about having to wait to get their shot....and then when you finally take them back and they realize its YOU who is giving the shot, they get all nice & sweet. I don't think most people realize it's one pharmacist doing everything--they think there is someone sitting in the back doing their nails instead of giving them their shot. I am quite open with telling people I am the only pharmacist there and I will get to them when I get to them.

In our pharmacy, the students give the shots and /or get them ready. It helps with the workflow.

 

[pharmasaur]

In our pharmacy, the students give the shots and /or get them ready. It helps with the workflow.

Yeah the pharmacists make me give the shots. Since I'm new at it it takes me forever to draw up the liquid in the syringe, get the bubbles out, etc etc...I was wondering...does anyone know if it's OK to prepare a couple of syringes in the morning and keep them in the fridge and give them whenever pts walk in? Or do you have to administer it immediately? Obviously just make enough that is around or less than what you would give in a typical day. Doing that will help with efficiency a lot

 

[Digsbe]

Personally, I don't mind giving shots and have no problem with them being offered in community pharmacies. Actually giving the shot takes about as much time as it does to counsel on a new med and the workflow time to process the shot takes about as long as any regular prescription once the patient is done filling out their paperwork. Then again, as an intern I've only worked in a pharmacy that did about 5-10 immunizations per day. We were also very efficient when it came to doing them as well.

 

[BidingMyTime]

In our pharmacy, the students give the shots and /or get them ready. It helps with the workflow.

That would make sense....I'm pretty sure that students can't give immunizations in my state (IL), at least at one time they couldn't, it's been a long time since I've worked with a student, so possibly that has changed.

 

[30Percent]

Yeah the pharmacists make me give the shots. Since I'm new at it it takes me forever to draw up the liquid in the syringe, get the bubbles out, etc etc...I was wondering...does anyone know if it's OK to prepare a couple of syringes in the morning and keep them in the fridge and give them whenever pts walk in? Or do you have to administer it immediately? Obviously just make enough that is around or less than what you would give in a typical day. Doing that will help with efficiency a lot

My pharmacist doesn't even care to get the bubbles out since its IM. Sure if they are huge and will affect the dose amount he'll get it out, but small ones he doesn't care.

 

[SHC1984]

People are stupid, rude and inconsiderate.

About 8 years ago I was doing a flu shot clinic in the middle of a grocery store. An older lady came up and demaded we give her a flu shot in her butt! She said she could not get it in her arms and did not want it in her leg. I refused and she threw a fit and got the store manger who called my pharmacy sup. My exact words were "you are out of your mind if you think I am going to give someone a shot in their butt in the middle of a grocery store." The lady was a total bitch and threw a fit for like 10 minutes. I mean really? You have some special problem or accomodation and you decide to go to a flu shot clinic in the middle of a grocery store? People are stupid......

 

[Pharmgrlnxdor]

A pharmacy student who is also licensed to give immunizations and has a valid and current CPR card can give immunizations under the direct supervision of a licensed and registered pharmacist in the state of Illinois. I am a P3 who has been giving flu shots (CVS) since last year when I was licensed.

 

[TonyRx]

People are stupid, rude and inconsiderate.

Amen. It's sad and unfortunate how utterly crappy people are and can be on a daily basis. And if that's not enough, they spit out 3-4 kids who will be brought up to be just as stupid, rude and inconsiderate...we are doomed.

 

[Angela1234]

If you ever have to do a spilt shift with someone, tell the person to come later in the day after 6 PM. Fortunately I picked up the phone for a couple of immunizations, and I volunteered that the pharmacy would be less busy at 6 PM when another pharmacist would be there.