Is it responsibility of the pharmacist or the technician to go outside and change the ice inside covid box?

[Aimee19]

I am asking because I couldn't find any madule explaining or address this issue. Actually at my store the PIC once found me reading madules of covid and had me do something else like 14 day calls, and said it's not important. The second question is why some technicians are abused by having to stay for 3 hours at drive through and do 10 to 20 covid tests one after another and other techs just help front. After

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[mentos]

Pharmacist is ultimately responsible for everything that happens in the pharmacy. If it doesn't get done then it's on him/her. But they are in charge of the techs so they can assign techs to do it.

 

[Aimee19]

Pharmacist is ultimately responsible for everything that happens in the pharmacy. If it doesn't get done then it's on him/her. But they are in charge of the techs so they can assign techs to do it.

Do you know what CVS policy is about that? Also as far as I know CVS policy says mixing or reconstitution has to be done by pharmacist, although board of pharmacy says certified tech can assist. I know many pharmacists at CVS violate that policy. After all any idea why only one tech is assigned to do all or most covids? Why work flow becomes nonsense when it comes to covid?

 

[mentos]

Do you know what CVS policy is about that? Also as far as I know CVS policy says mixing or reconstitution has to be done by pharmacist, although board of pharmacy says certified tech can assist. I know many pharmacists at CVS violate that policy. After all any idea why only one tech is assigned to do all or most covids? Why work flow becomes nonsense when it comes to covid?

No sorry, I left CVS a couple years ago. I would bring it up with PIC or DM, doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[BidingMyTime]

Ok, out of curiosity, what are you guys talking about?

What is a COVID box, and why do you have ice in it?

 

[Deja]

are you really pre-pharm

 

[PharmDBro2017]

Ok, out of curiosity, what are you guys talking about?

What is a COVID box, and why do you have ice in it?

Some of these covid vaccines are -70 or -90 temp storage requirements... dry ice must be added every so often from what I've read.

 

[ranger99rx]

Ok, out of curiosity, what are you guys talking about?

What is a COVID box, and why do you have ice in it?

It's the box that patient deposit their covid samples after they are done. It has an ice pack at the bottom to keep the samples cool till Quest Diagnostic rep comes by to pick up. We have one at Wal-Mart. The tech put in the ice pack in the morning before people show up for the test but only pharmacist provide instructions for patients to do the test since techs are not trained at Walmart.

 

[Deja]

Some of these covid vaccines are -70 or -90 temp storage requirements... dry ice must be added every so often from what I've read.

lol it wouldn't be the vaccines since they are not even out yet

 

[johnpharm01]

I am asking because I couldn't find any madule explaining or address this issue. Actually at my store the PIC once found me reading madules of covid and had me do something else like 14 day calls, and said it's not important. The second question is why some technicians are abused by having to stay for 3 hours at drive through and do 10 to 20 covid tests one after another and other techs just help front. After

It's the pharmacists responsibility to run the pharmacy including COVID testing if the pharmacy is offering it. If you are a pharmacy tech, it's your job to do what the pharmacist asks you to do unless management assigns otherwise or prohibited by law. If you can't do what's asked find a new job. It's called a job because we have to do things we don't like sometimes.

 

[Sine Cura]

I am asking because I couldn't find any madule explaining or address this issue. Actually at my store the PIC once found me reading madules of covid and had me do something else like 14 day calls, and said it's not important. The second question is why some technicians are abused by having to stay for 3 hours at drive through and do 10 to 20 covid tests one after another and other techs just help front.

Did you actually ask why like an adult?

Yeah people should ideally rotate but it's hard when people call out left and right. and that's assuming everyone has the same level of competence (not same level of ****tiness)

 

[RxPreceptor]

Clarity: poster is talking about the COVID-19 testing kits - specimens to be sent to lab are left in a box (fridge box) outside of drive through (picked up by lab after testing hours). Ice packs are to be placed in the box before/at the start of the testing hours to keep specimens at appropriate temperature. I work at a CVS that does COVID-19 testing

1 technician stationing at drive through specifically for COVID testing kind of makes sense since the whole testing process is a bit tedious (don't want to be multi-tasking like hell/potential for step skipping/not sanitizing areas properly between drive through orders). We do have technicians who are comfortable doing COVID-19 testing rotate spots at an appropriate amount of time for breaks/relief. Not practical to "play musical chairs" at drive through and interrupt mid-testing

I'm a bit confused on what you mean by change the ice....are you in some super warm climate? Are you guys even setting the box up right to begin with (putting ice packs in @ start of testing times)? I've never had to put more ice packs in...temperature is monitored on the specimen box with probe thermometer. Might have to change ice if this thing drags out into summer months; we've had no issues so far. Questioning/skeptical if yous guys are setting things up properly to begin with

 

[dblock05]

I am asking because I couldn't find any madule explaining or address this issue. Actually at my store the PIC once found me reading madules of covid and had me do something else like 14 day calls, and said it's not important. The second question is why some technicians are abused by having to stay for 3 hours at drive through and do 10 to 20 covid tests one after another and other techs just help front. After

You don't need to find the module to explain the issue. Its not your responsibility to know the guidelines. You need to listen to whatever the pharmacist tells you to do because they are your immediate boss. If they want you to do covid all day then you have to do it...or find a new job.

 

[owlegrad]

If you don't like the way your PIC is running the pharmacy, become a PIC and run your pharmacy however you want. In the meantime accept that they are your boss and do what they say.

Reading modules isn't going to do you any good. If the PIC wants something done a certain way just do it that way. Your life and job will be easier if everyone is on the same page and pulling in the same direction. Here is a crazy thought, try helping the PIC and doing what they say instead of trying to prove them wrong by reading a module written by someone in corporate who has never worked in the pharmacy.

Personally I am a fan rotating stations. Long term you are much better off having multiple people who can do every station. But if the PIC isn't on board for that just do it their way. This is coming from someone who regularly disagrees with their PIC. I am not going to make that person's job harder by trying to undermine them, however dumb their plan is.

 

[aqb]

Just being honest here... but doesn’t sound like you’re fun to work with.

I’m staff and don’t agree with what my PIC does a lot of the time. If there’s a big disagreement then we talk about it like professionals, not sift through modules to prove one or the other wrong. But when I’m the only pharmacist on duty I do try to rotate techs around so everyone has a sense of what to do at each station.

That said, if it’s busy and you plain suck at all other areas besides pick up or covid testing at drive thru, then yes I will you subject you to that “abuse,” if you wanna call it that.

 

[Farmgurl20]

I am asking because I couldn't find any madule explaining or address this issue. Actually at my store the PIC once found me reading madules of covid and had me do something else like 14 day calls, and said it's not important. The second question is why some technicians are abused by having to stay for 3 hours at drive through and do 10 to 20 covid tests one after another and other techs just help front. After

I have done it as grad intern when one of tech had to leave early but for most part Techs who were performing tests did it, sometime my pharmacy manager also did it.

 

[BC_89]

Clarity: poster is talking about the COVID-19 testing kits - specimens to be sent to lab are left in a box (fridge box) outside of drive through (picked up by lab after testing hours). Ice packs are to be placed in the box before/at the start of the testing hours to keep specimens at appropriate temperature. I work at a CVS that does COVID-19 testing

1 technician stationing at drive through specifically for COVID testing kind of makes sense since the whole testing process is a bit tedious (don't want to be multi-tasking like hell/potential for step skipping/not sanitizing areas properly between drive through orders). We do have technicians who are comfortable doing COVID-19 testing rotate spots at an appropriate amount of time for breaks/relief. Not practical to "play musical chairs" at drive through and interrupt mid-testing

I'm a bit confused on what you mean by change the ice....are you in some super warm climate? Are you guys even setting the box up right to begin with (putting ice packs in @ start of testing times)? I've never had to put more ice packs in...temperature is monitored on the specimen box with probe thermometer. Might have to change ice if this thing drags out into summer months; we've had no issues so far. Questioning/skeptical if yous guys are setting things up properly to begin with

Sounds similar to what is done at Rite Aid (at least selected stores) as far as preparing and shipping the COVID-19 kit specimens.

Changing the ice packs is not necessary since each collecting tube specimen is placed within a mini-fridge thermometer system (pre-packed) that an outside party comes and picks up at the end of the day (move packs to other shipping box). Of course the specific store I'm at is capped at 50 tests per day so not sure how scheduled tests are done at other places.

I am asking because I couldn't find any madule explaining or address this issue. Actually at my store the PIC once found me reading madules of covid and had me do something else like 14 day calls, and said it's not important. The second question is why some technicians are abused by having to stay for 3 hours at drive through and do 10 to 20 covid tests one after another and other techs just help front. After

Here is the gold standard: If your boss tells you to do something, you do it.

As far as staying at one station in the pharmacy or moving around: If the boss tells you to stay/rotate, you do it. When I show up and walk in the pharmacy, whatever I'm told to do, I do it. At school, whenever the professors tell me to do some activity / assignment / pre-recorded counseling case, I do it. Whenever I go home and the wife tells me to go get panda express, I do it (well, mostly because I want it as well).

Ignore the modules that are written by people you'll never meet. If something is out of protocol that is on the supervisor(s) not you.

 

[ranger99rx]

I would tell my tech to do something more useful too instead of trying to read module to figure out who responsible to do this or that. If you are not happy with your job then apply for something else, this is pharmacy. Sometimes certain techs stay longer at certain station because they can get the line moving and make the workload easier for everyone else. Ideally to get every tech become super tech so rotation can happen more often. Be a team member, show other how to do things so they can be a better tech and less stress on you for doing everything. Take initiative to be a leader, it's a great skill to have for other job down the road if you decide to leave pharmacy.

 

[rxkrafted]

Like everyone has already mentioned, the pharmacist is the one running the show so they have to assign people to do things to operate efficiently. If you ever become a pharmacist, you're gonna be in that position (granted you find a job) and you'll have a tech that will be complaining like you are. Someone is going to have to man the drive-thru even it's 3-hour rotations like you said. Do you think it would be more efficient to rotate someone through drive-thru every hour? If you think that's abuse, continue doing pharmacy and stay in retail because you're in for a rude awakening.