Is CVS a 'last resort' job?

[bacillus1]

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Hmm, odd, over the past 3 years at the CVS district where I work, they went from not caring much about us wearing jeans to not tolerating it at all. The funny thing is, at every independent pharmacy I have walked into, everyone is wearing jeans (the pharmacist is wearing jeans too).

Jeans? That's unheard of at RA. Back when we had our previous PDM, one guy got sent home because he didn't have a tie on. I don't wear my lab coat because it's really hot in my store, but every time the PDM comes on hes kinda mad that I don't have it on. Oh well, at least the dress code somewhat reminds the pts. that we are health professionals behind the counter (sometimes).
On the other hand I hear horror stories about CVSs being forced to have 15-minute waits. Our average wait is about 45 minutes, and it's always been like that, and the patients are used to it and don't fuss about it too much. It's probably because we have a mall across the street and they just go shopping in that 45 mins. Of course other other stores are different with patient expecting shorter wait times.

Uh oh, I realize that I'm fueling the RA vs. CVS argument. I am just comparing now, not for argument's sake. Not saying either is better or worse. Both have positives and negatives.

 

[Doctor M]

Hmm, odd, over the past 3 years at the CVS district where I work, they went from not caring much about us wearing jeans to not tolerating it at all. The funny thing is, at every independent pharmacy I have walked into, everyone is wearing jeans (the pharmacist is wearing jeans too).

hmmm...We never wear jeans at our new store...its unprofessional...now, if we are off that day (seldomly for now) we do stop in in our street cloths....but jeans while you're on duty???? hmmmm...i dont think so...

 

[BMadjuster]

hmmm...We never wear jeans at our new store...its unprofessional...now, if we are off that day (seldomly for now) we do stop in in our street cloths....but jeans while you're on duty???? hmmmm...i dont think so...

I agree, jeans are unprofessional unless you are in a mail order operation then dress code goes out the window.

 

[Sparda29]

hmmm...We never wear jeans at our new store...its unprofessional...now, if we are off that day (seldomly for now) we do stop in in our street cloths....but jeans while you're on duty???? hmmmm...i dont think so...

I wear the whole shirt + tie + white coat now, doesn't bother me as much anymore since it's only for 8 hours/week that I gotta dress up (I like wearing the white coat). However, it's gonna piss me off if I can't wear scrubs to my hospital rotations.

But yeah, I read an article in one of the pharmacy magazines a year ago where there was a pharmacist who owned his own store who said he always wear jeans because it makes the patients more relaxed around you and not as afraid.

When I did my IPPE at the independent pharmacy, I walked in with a white coat + shirt + tie + slacks, and I was told to take off the white coat since they think white coats belong in the mental institutions. But I still had to dress up business, and I had to make sure everything was ironed and whatnot because the preceptor ripped us when our shirts or pants were wrinkled. (I never care about wrinkles and whatnot because the white coat hides it.)

 

[confettiflyer]

I think I'd be more amenable to retail if i could wear scrubs, getting dressed + doing laundry is kind of a pain in the ass sometimes. I'll just throw in my scrubs with underwear and whatnot and not worry about sorting/overdrying/etc...

I say hawaiian shirts all around

 

[type b pharmD]

I wear the whole shirt + tie + white coat now, doesn't bother me as much anymore since it's only for 8 hours/week that I gotta dress up (I like wearing the white coat). However, it's gonna piss me off if I can't wear scrubs to my hospital rotations.

But yeah, I read an article in one of the pharmacy magazines a year ago where there was a pharmacist who owned his own store who said he always wear jeans because it makes the patients more relaxed around you and not as afraid.

When I did my IPPE at the independent pharmacy, I walked in with a white coat + shirt + tie + slacks, and I was told to take off the white coat since they think white coats belong in the mental institutions. But I still had to dress up business, and I had to make sure everything was ironed and whatnot because the preceptor ripped us when our shirts or pants were wrinkled. (I never care about wrinkles and whatnot because the white coat hides it.)

Nice. Yeah that's a big benefit of nuclear pharmacy for sure. We wear long white coats. I love being able to throw on a wrinkled shirt and pants - as long as the collar and the cuffs of the pants look good, i'm good to go!! Also: thank god for casual fridays and weekends. I bet you'll be able to wear scrubs to the hospital for sure, thats how it was at my hospital. I suppose it might be different on the east coast though.

I cant believe your preceptor gave you a hard time about a wrinkled shirt. wow!

 

[BMadjuster]

Nice. Yeah that's a big benefit of nuclear pharmacy for sure. We wear long white coats. I love being able to throw on a wrinkled shirt and pants - as long as the collar and the cuffs of the pants look good, i'm good to go!! Also: thank god for casual fridays and weekends. I bet you'll be able to wear scrubs to the hospital for sure, thats how it was at my hospital. I suppose it might be different on the east coast though.

I cant believe your preceptor gave you a hard time about a wrinkled shirt. wow!

I never even thought about wearing scrubs to my hospital rotations but if I can that would be awesome! The hospitals I have interned at, all the pharmacists were dressed professionally +/- white coat.

 

[confettiflyer]

I never even thought about wearing scrubs to my hospital rotations but if I can that would be awesome! The hospitals I have interned at, all the pharmacists were dressed professionally +/- white coat.

yeah same...the decentralized pharmacists would be in professional dress, main pharmacy staff were in scrubs. it was kind of self-motivating because the nurses & assistants wore scrubs and the physicians were in professional dress...who did you want to be associated with?

 

[BMadjuster]

yeah same...the decentralized pharmacists would be in professional dress, main pharmacy staff were in scrubs. it was kind of self-motivating because the nurses & assistants wore scrubs and the physicians were in professional dress...who did you want to be associated with?

Good point. This conversation just reminded me, I need a tie clip so my tie stays out of my way at work!

 

[Sparda29]

Nice. Yeah that's a big benefit of nuclear pharmacy for sure. We wear long white coats. I love being able to throw on a wrinkled shirt and pants - as long as the collar and the cuffs of the pants look good, i'm good to go!! Also: thank god for casual fridays and weekends. I bet you'll be able to wear scrubs to the hospital for sure, thats how it was at my hospital. I suppose it might be different on the east coast though.

I cant believe your preceptor gave you a hard time about a wrinkled shirt. wow!

See, I never buy dress shirts from places like Men's Wearhouse and whatnot, all of my shirts are usually from like American Eagle, Aeropostle, etc. So I basically just pick one of those and try to find a tie that goes with it.

The preceptor gave me a whole lecture about how people in the real world don't care if you're smart, they just care how you look.

 

[Doctor M]

I wear the whole shirt + tie + white coat now, doesn't bother me as much anymore since it's only for 8 hours/week that I gotta dress up (I like wearing the white coat). However, it's gonna piss me off if I can't wear scrubs to my hospital rotations.

But yeah, I read an article in one of the pharmacy magazines a year ago where there was a pharmacist who owned his own store who said he always wear jeans because it makes the patients more relaxed around you and not as afraid.

When I did my IPPE at the independent pharmacy, I walked in with a white coat + shirt + tie + slacks, and I was told to take off the white coat since they think white coats belong in the mental institutions. But I still had to dress up business, and I had to make sure everything was ironed and whatnot because the preceptor ripped us when our shirts or pants were wrinkled. (I never care about wrinkles and whatnot because the white coat hides it.)

We do not wear white lab coats either...Shirt and tie, dress pants...sometimes we will wear a suit...extremely professional dress...we over do it sometimes, but patients love it...Its sometimes uncomfortable when they start hitting on us...🙂

 

[confettiflyer]

The preceptor gave me a whole lecture about how people in the real world don't care if you're smart, they just care how you look.

makes me miss the west coast...millionaires in scruffy clothing, the only hint of their net worth = their rolex, only if you look closely.

i feel like people dress up too much on the east coast...wtf is the point? i guess that's why, per your preceptor.

 

[Short Round]

CEOs of CVS & WAG should be on CBS' "Undercover Boss" hahaha

 

[Tinkerbell22]

CVS is notorius. I had to do 60 hours of experiential with them, and I just hated the last minute of it (and this is coming from a guy who interns in a ghetto walgreens).

Retail chains are EVIL! They talk patient care, but cut hours and demand higher script counts. The only retail place I might consider working is Target and Kroger (the ones without a drive-thru).

I like Publix... but they're only in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina.

makes me miss the west coast...millionaires in scruffy clothing, the only hint of their net worth = their rolex, only if you look closely.

i feel like people dress up too much on the east coast...wtf is the point? i guess that's why, per your preceptor.

In Florida there's a lot of wealthy people who don't dress up, but it's hotter than Hades here so maybe that's why. I don't like dressing up every day either... I could never live in a big NE city like NYC.

 

[HaleyRX]

Oh well, at least the dress code somewhat reminds the pts. that we are health professionals behind the counter (sometimes)..

Nope. Not really. As long as we are working drive-thru windows and ringing up Cheetos and Easter candy, we will not be treated as health professionals. I wore dress slacks, dress shoes, business shirt today, had my white coat on..still ringing up press on nails, getting yelled at about copays, and being asked to go grab a Hershey's and Milky Way for a drive-thru person..
While the clothes look nicer than jeans, it doesn't change the way people treat you. Not in a pharmacy, in my opinion. I've worked at the "jeans store" and wore jeans and worked and not worn jeans and the treatment is the same..could just be in my area, I don't know..there are always people who will rant and rave no matter what you are wearing.
Now this always made me laugh: I started out at an independent where scrubs weren't allowed because they were unprofessional..but flip-flops were okay. 😕
P.S. The white coat is worn by the photo lab people too...?? I never understood that.

 

[PharmDstudent]

We do not wear white lab coats either...Shirt and tie, dress pants...sometimes we will wear a suit...extremely professional dress...we over do it sometimes, but patients love it

I'm sure they do. 😛

 

[Doctor M]

I'm sure they do. 😛

funny thing is, the lady patients always come in and say "come over here and give me a hug"...i oblige...every time...

 

[J ROD]

funny thing is, the lady patients always come in and say "come over here and give me a hug"...i oblige...every time...

set you up for the lawsuit.....

touching is not allowed.....

 

[Doctor M]

set you up for the lawsuit.....

touching is not allowed.....

I am human resources... Besides, they instigated the "touching"...and we have cameras all over...so the court would see the evidence...

 

[MyTalon4U2NV]

I am human resources... Besides, they instigated the "touching"...and we have cameras all over...so the court would see the evidence...

lol thats funny

anyways, for me... our school requires dresscode of shirt and tie for guys everyday for class it suuuuuucked big time and now that im on rotations im just used to it... and im in florida if anyone was wondering geographics

 

[PharmDstudent]

I am human resources... Besides, they instigated the "touching"...and we have cameras all over...so the court would see the evidence...

Stop. You're making me jealous. 😳

 

[Doctor M]

Stop. You're making me jealous. 😳

I know...🙂

 

[Doctor M]

lol thats funny

anyways, for me... our school requires dresscode of shirt and tie for guys everyday for class it suuuuuucked big time and now that im on rotations im just used to it... and im in florida if anyone was wondering geographics

That sucks...way too hot here in Fl...but you gotta do what you gotta do...

 

[confettiflyer]

lol thats funny

anyways, for me... our school requires dresscode of shirt and tie for guys everyday for class it suuuuuucked big time and now that im on rotations im just used to it... and im in florida if anyone was wondering geographics

man that's so pointless👎

 

[eddie269]

surprised no one mentioned Costco...first day I wore my usual shirt, tie, slacks. Next day (and from there on out, I wore exactly what my male preceptor wore: jeans, tennis shoes, and a white t shirt. It was awesome since Costco sold those Kirkland white t's 6 for $15 or so. 😎

 

[type b pharmD]

surprised no one mentioned Costco...first day I wore my usual shirt, tie, slacks. Next day (and from there on out, I wore exactly what my male preceptor wore: jeans, tennis shoes, and a white t shirt. It was awesome since Costco sold those Kirkland white t's 6 for $15 or so. 😎

Haha, i love lax dress codes. When one of my pharmacists (long time veteran) came back from a four week vacation, he showed up in a mesh wifebeater (like something from jersey shore), track pants and basketball shoes ROFL!!!! 😎 Although by the end of the day he admitted he had found it difficult to get back into the professionalism 'groove' after such a long vacation and I think he may have regretted it after the manager gave him some funny looks.

Personally, some days I just wear whatever and hope I can get a labcoat on before anyone sees me. I keep a long white coat at home just in case some situation like that happens and I dont have any dress clothes or cant do last minute ironing. Unfortunately gotta save that for emergencies cause once the coat is been in the lab, i'm not bringin it home until it any contamination has been washed off.

 

[Sparda29]

Haha, i love lax dress codes. When one of my pharmacists (long time veteran) came back from a four week vacation, he showed up in a mesh wifebeater (like something from jersey shore), track pants and basketball shoes ROFL!!!! 😎 Although by the end of the day he admitted he had found it difficult to get back into the professionalism 'groove' after such a long vacation and I think he may have regretted it after the manager gave him some funny looks.

Personally, some days I just wear whatever and hope I can get a labcoat on before anyone sees me. I keep a long white coat at home just in case some situation like that happens and I dont have any dress clothes or cant do last minute ironing. Unfortunately gotta save that for emergencies cause once the coat is been in the lab, i'm not bringin it home until it any contamination has been washed off.

LOL, one of the pharmacists I work with always tells me and points out stains on my lab coat. Honestly, I only clean the lab coat like once or twice a month. Coffee stains, pizza stains, chemical stains, bleh, I don't care.

 

[type b pharmD]

LOL, one of the pharmacists I work with always tells me and points out stains on my lab coat. Honestly, I only clean the lab coat like once or twice a month. Coffee stains, pizza stains, chemical stains, bleh, I don't care.

hah, yeah some of our delivery drivers have dirt and grease stains ALL over their lab coats. Mine gets really black with dirt sometimes but we have to keep a separate one for sterile compounding. Cant exactly do sterile compounding with dirt and dust flying off your lab coat with every movement