I've had enough

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
nafcillin

nafcillin

Full Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2008
Messages
285
Reaction score
57
M
Members don't see this ad.
 
Last edited:
nafcillin said:
I am miserable. stressed. my hours are awful and I am not with a consistent crowd of people (I have social anxiety). I am really to throw in the towel right now as I can't stare down 30 more years of doing this God-awful job. It's killing me. Does anyone else relate? I just don't know how people can stand being a pharmacist.
Click to expand...

Is there a chance to switch to a different store?

I know positions aren't very open right now, but if you can find a pharmacist who would be willing to switch with you, then the new crowd who would work with you might be better.

I don't always work with a consistent crowd either and I have to adjust, and I'm still learning to get used to it. But I just try to focus on taking care of patients and getting scripts filled.

How long have you worked as a pharmacist at your current job?
 
nafcillin said:
I am miserable. stressed. my hours are awful and I am not with a consistent crowd of people (I have social anxiety). I am really to throw in the towel right now as I can't stare down 30 more years of doing this God-awful job. It's killing me. Does anyone else relate? I just don't know how people can stand being a pharmacist.
Click to expand...

Another one cracks....
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Try to find a home infusion position, or a hospital staff position - then you will be with the same small group of people all the time, and have very limited interaction with anybody else.

And don't let things you can't do anything about get under your skin. World will always try to trip you over, but how you react to it is entirely up to you. Customers complaining about the wait times and insurance problems are definitely not something to waste your nerve cells on.
 
nafcillin man I know how you feel even though I'm just a new grad intern. i'm looking into some positions that dont have any direct patient care. what company do you work for if you dont mind me asking?
 
nafcillin said:
I am miserable. stressed. my hours are awful and I am not with a consistent crowd of people (I have social anxiety). I am really to throw in the towel right now as I can't stare down 30 more years of doing this God-awful job. It's killing me. Does anyone else relate? I just don't know how people can stand being a pharmacist.
Click to expand...


I can guess which chain you work for. You spend your day filling rx's that people don't want or they come in constantly for rx's that aren't due to be filled for 3 days because the recording on their phone tells them their rxs are ready. Get the drive thru in 15 sec and the doctor line in 20 sec. Now comes the metrics. Ah, the metrics, outdates and overstock pulled and sent back every month etc or you lose points. Metrics for everything except catching interactions, med errors from md's, allergies, helping people and saving lives. Its okay to kill people but do it quickly.

If your are the pharmacy manager drop down to the assistant. Try to find some other job other than a chain. The stress levels are terrible there. Minimal tech hours, so much work that you would have to be there 7 days a week to get everything done. Ask if you can be a floater depending where you are at. Go to different stores, fill rx's, do the best you can then go home. You won't have to worry about alot of the other factors that way.

I really feel sorry for the new grads getting out of school with 100K+ in debt. The chains will own your souls. I filled in at an independent recently. Spent time sitting down, looking on the internet and enjoyed the people and the day. A whole different world. Zero stress other than what to order for lunch.

Good luck in finding something else.
 
I'm totally in love with Costco right now after leaving that dump called CVS. Only thing CVS has an advantage with is a more advanced computer system, but w/e, who needs a more advanced computer system when you have an extra pharmacist and 3 extra techs sitting around.

I don't have to worry about getting scripts out before they turn red. There is no queue. You just do the scripts at your own pace and if customers ask if they are ready, you just smile and say nope. :D

Oh yeah, since my Costco is open on Sundays, we get paid time and a half. :love::love::love::love:

751animated-obama-money.gif
 
Last edited:
Sparda29 said:
I'm totally in love with Costco right now after leaving that dump called CVS. Only thing CVS has an advantage with is a more advanced computer system, but w/e, who needs a more advanced computer system when you have an extra pharmacist and 3 extra techs sitting around.

I don't have to worry about getting scripts out before they turn red. There is no queue. You just do the scripts at your own pace and if customers ask if they are ready, you just smile and say nope. :D

Oh yeah, since my Costco is open on Sundays, we get paid time and a half. :love::love::love::love:

751animated-obama-money.gif
Click to expand...

agreed....CVS/walgreens/walmart/rite-aid sucks
 
Sparda29 said:
I'm totally in love with Costco right now after leaving that dump called CVS. Only thing CVS has an advantage with is a more advanced computer system, but w/e, who needs a more advanced computer system when you have an extra pharmacist and 3 extra techs sitting around.

I don't have to worry about getting scripts out before they turn red. There is no queue. You just do the scripts at your own pace and if customers ask if they are ready, you just smile and say nope. :D
Click to expand...

I was about to apply to Costco, with you speaking so highly of it, but googlemaps ruined it for me by showing me that there isn't one in Philly. If Rite Aid keeps going down the drain and I don't get more hours after I'm done my other internship, I'll probably look into Target.
 
IndustryPharmD said:
Try to find a home infusion position, or a hospital staff position - then you will be with the same small group of people all the time, and have very limited interaction with anybody else.

And don't let things you can't do anything about get under your skin. World will always try to trip you over, but how you react to it is entirely up to you. Customers complaining about the wait times and insurance problems are definitely not something to waste your nerve cells on.
Click to expand...

Its really easy say that the above problems are not something to waste your nerve cells on but in real life its difficult. As the pharm in a retail setting you are the authority figure and the customers look to your for answers. The techs can only shield you so much. After 10 customers in the first few hours of a 12 or 13 hour day bitching about the above it really grinds on you no matter what your outlook is on life. If they call corporate then you have to answer to that stupidity with your DM or Pharm sup. There is always the threat from them that it could cost you your job. Its not easy to ignore. The only pharms that seem to deal with it well that I have seen are alcoholics that come in hung over or those that are highly medicated.
 
bacillus1 said:
I was about to apply to Costco, with you speaking so highly of it, but googlemaps ruined it for me by showing me that there isn't one in Philly. If Rite Aid keeps going down the drain and I don't get more hours after I'm done my other internship, I'll probably look into Target.
Click to expand...

I'll save you the time. There ain't **** in Philly except high level hospital and a safeway floater position over in joisey.
 
Old said:
Its really easy say that the above problems are not something to waste your nerve cells on but in real life its difficult. As the pharm in a retail setting you are the authority figure and the customers look to your for answers. The techs can only shield you so much. After 10 customers in the first few hours of a 12 or 13 hour day bitching about the above it really grinds on you no matter what your outlook is on life. If they call corporate then you have to answer to that stupidity with your DM or Pharm sup. There is always the threat from them that it could cost you your job. Its not easy to ignore. The only pharms that seem to deal with it well that I have seen are alcoholics that come in hung over or those that are highly medicated.
Click to expand...

So when the "angry pharmacist" or the "angriest pharmacist" wrote about taking a drink after a bad day, he does it to deal with it relatively well?

I'd post a link, but...

TheAngriestPharmacist.com has been taken offline to repair the virus/spam-laden crapfest that has manifested itself throughout the site.

I'm starting over from scratch, and I will probably have a new theme. Check back periodically. I hope to have everything operational soon.


Thanks,

TheAngriestPharmacist
Click to expand...
 
Old said:
Its really easy say that the above problems are not something to waste your nerve cells on but in real life its difficult. As the pharm in a retail setting you are the authority figure and the customers look to your for answers. The techs can only shield you so much. After 10 customers in the first few hours of a 12 or 13 hour day bitching about the above it really grinds on you no matter what your outlook is on life. If they call corporate then you have to answer to that stupidity with your DM or Pharm sup. There is always the threat from them that it could cost you your job. Its not easy to ignore. The only pharms that seem to deal with it well that I have seen are alcoholics that come in hung over or those that are highly medicated.
Click to expand...

Ain't that the truth! Retail is a soul sucking experience. You get beat down a daily basis. Being a Pharmacy Manager is the worst. You have absolutly no say in how the pharmacy operates. There is no glory in it at all. You have all the responsibility, you get all the blame and catch all the ****. Makes one wonder why anyone would do it.

The only solution is to get out. Very few us us will since the majority of pharmacists work retail. I am looking for something everyday. Hope is a bitch but its all I have to keep me sane. I hope that I can break out of the reatil hell hole before it ruins me.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
nafcillin said:
I am miserable. stressed. my hours are awful and I am not with a consistent crowd of people (I have social anxiety). I am really to throw in the towel right now as I can't stare down 30 more years of doing this God-awful job. It's killing me. Does anyone else relate? I just don't know how people can stand being a pharmacist.
Click to expand...

i use to feel this way...did a complete 180!
 
Why is it so hard to just ignore the crap and not get stressed? I work at a very busy store with minimal tech help. I get yelled at by customers non-stop for garbage I had nothing to do with.

I've personally seen three different floaters break down into tears after working at my pharmacy and many vow never to return after working a single shift.

Other pharmacists are always asking me how I do it everyday. It's pretty simple - just smile and nod your head and then move on. What's so hard about that?
 
crazybob said:
So when the "angry pharmacist" or the "angriest pharmacist" wrote about taking a drink after a bad day, he does it to deal with it relatively well?

He does it to deal with it the best he can. I had a customer a couple of weeks ago chew my ear for 10 minutes in a very unpleasant way, to say the least. Her copay went up from last year, same insurance etc, a total of 9 cents. Not kidding. She wanted me to explain to her why it went up. She even threatened to call corporate----for 9 cents. Since you can't tell them to never come back, you can't tell them they are an idiot or smack them on the side of the head maybe the angry pharmacists stops to have a drink on the way home to unwind. I personally don't but some pharms do. But , after 30+ years on the bench I completely understand how they feel and why they do it.
Click to expand...
 
nafcillin said:
I am miserable. stressed. my hours are awful and I am not with a consistent crowd of people (I have social anxiety). I am really to throw in the towel right now as I can't stare down 30 more years of doing this God-awful job. It's killing me. Does anyone else relate? I just don't know how people can stand being a pharmacist.
Click to expand...


Deal with it. And get over it. Either that or quit and move on. There will be 100 others who'd trade places with you.


You have no choice but to cope with it. Successful people deal with adversity and adapt. You have the gift of free will. You're where you want to be in life. If not..I'll say it again. Move on.
 
nafcillin said:
I am miserable. stressed. my hours are awful and I am not with a consistent crowd of people (I have social anxiety). I am really to throw in the towel right now as I can't stare down 30 more years of doing this God-awful job. It's killing me. Does anyone else relate? I just don't know how people can stand being a pharmacist.
Click to expand...

That's retail! Even though I only worked as an intern one day a week, it changed me. I snapped at people not only at my workplace but also my friends and family. That is not me. I have never returned (well, except to come back and say hi and see how is everyone doing hehe).
 
I'm not in retail, I"m in hospital.
 
khydroxide said:
nafcillin man I know how you feel even though I'm just a new grad intern. i'm looking into some positions that dont have any direct patient care. what company do you work for if you dont mind me asking?
Click to expand...

Do nuclear pharmacy. I had a rotation in GE and it was great. Its easy, no stress and you don't see patients. Just compound a little and check the techs. Nuclear was my second choice just behind the air force. After doing that rotation, I almost said forget the air force and go nuclear.
 
at least you have a job...
but yeah, so go apply for other jobs and hang on and see what happens. you get a much better outlook after youve applied elsewhere and theres a little ray of hope you wont be stuck there much longer
 
rielazegui said:
Do nuclear pharmacy. I had a rotation in GE and it was great. Its easy, no stress and you don't see patients. Just compound a little and check the techs. Nuclear was my second choice just behind the air force. After doing that rotation, I almost said forget the air force and go nuclear.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the morning chuckle!
 
nafcillin said:
You should be a therapist for the depressed. Just get over it, move on, it's your fault for being like this after all.

The fact is I have tons of loans, no idea what I'd do for a second career, and I'm REALLY depressed. I want to off myself depressed. This isn't just something a pep talk will fix.

I wish I could be like the person who posted who said it was not a big deal if customers yelled at him, he just moved on. I don't get yelled at by anyone it's just that I am constantly stressed and overworked. There are some other things too. All in all, I surprisingly make a decent pharmacist.

Sorry, I know I"ll get flamed. I deserve it for writing this drivel. The good thing about being a pharmacist is knowing what works and what doesn't.
Click to expand...

If I'm an introverted loner like you sound, I'd go work for the IHS.
 
nafcillin said:
You should be a therapist for the depressed. Just get over it, move on, it's your fault for being like this after all.
Click to expand...

It sure isn't my fault is it? And no thanks on being a therapist.

The fact is I have tons of loans, no idea what I'd do for a second career, and I'm REALLY depressed. I want to off myself depressed. This isn't just something a pep talk will fix.

I wish I could be like the person who posted who said it was not a big deal if customers yelled at him, he just moved on. I don't get yelled at by anyone it's just that I am constantly stressed and overworked. There are some other things too. All in all, I surprisingly make a decent pharmacist.
Click to expand...

Man..get real.

Sorry, I know I"ll get flamed. I deserve it for writing this drivel. The good thing about being a pharmacist is knowing what works and what doesn't.
Click to expand...

It's not about the profession. This is about you. Be it the illness you have or your inability to cope. This is something you have to work out with your therapist.

I recall this forum doesn't allow medical advice for personal issues. And this isn't the first time you've posted about this.

Go get some help man.
 
Its Z said:
What's with the pareo on your avatar? Are you on your honeymoon to Bora Bora?
Click to expand...

Heading in to finish performance appraisals, Tc-99m outlook calculations, formulate plan for the next couple weeks, and send memo out to customers on my day off. Then time to pack for 12 day trip to Oahu, Kilauea and Kauai! :thumbup:

Be on the lookout for "guess where I am" pics in the Caver thread in the next couple days. ;)
 
SpirivaSunrise said:
Shockingly, I use brains, smarts (and an innocent smile) to win'em over. I leave the bending over tactics to you my dear. ;)

Posted via Mobile BlackBerry Device
Click to expand...

Only Mrs. Z should enjoy the view that guy bending over...

We will be moving up late December early January... I hear its nice and warm that time of year :(

We can do dinner, assuming the cost of rent doesn't force us onto a ramen noodle diet.
 
nafcillin said:
The fact is I have tons of loans, no idea what I'd do for a second career, and I'm REALLY depressed. I want to off myself depressed. This isn't just something a pep talk will fix.
Click to expand...

Naf- if you've reached this point, you need to seek professional help immediately. Talk to a mental health counselor.

If you have a plan, call Samaritans right away.

I hope you get the help you need.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

WVUPharm2007
The dumbest clinical trial I've ever seen.
Replies
11
Views
2K
KidPharmD
KidPharmD
M
  • Locked
I've been a member since 2007 and came to give back as a Rph.
2
Replies
58
Views
4K
Marzapan
M
F
  • Question
Is one week enough for studying MPJE?
Replies
0
Views
2K
Flavia28
F
B
If you had the opportunity to become a doctor would you take it over pharmacy?
Replies
31
Views
6K
phamlife
P
R
If you had a kid preparing for college what would you push them into?
2
Replies
57
Views
3K
deleted898085
D
Top