My job is very chill and I have a lot of free time on the job, what should I do?

[Hedgehog32]

It's great as long as it's not a madhouse until midnight-1am which some pharmacies are.
-night differential
-no drama
-quieter
-down time
-time to eat + pee
-only work half the year
-taking one week off = 3 week vacation

Cons:
-it can still be crazy busy when you're alone
-lose every other weekend
-have to adjust sleep schedule. Sometimes it can be hard to sleep during the day
-higher risk of cancer
-your rotation may fall on Thanksgiving/Christmas 6 years in a row
-dayshift may think you do nothing and sleep all night

IMO, the pros you listed definitely outweigh the cons. Granted, I'm not that familiar with a lot of the non-traditional roles pharmacists can hold (e.g., industry), but I would say that in the realm of actual pharmacy practice, a 7-on/7-off position would be my ideal job. It seems like the overall workflow would be very similar to what I got used to when I was working as a hospital pharmacy intern on the weekends, since it was just one pharmacist and myself and would randomly vacillate between super chill and insanely busy (although I didn't really mind it either way). Just curious, does your facility have a specific policy on requiring that applicants have completed a residency to qualify for overnight positions?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[rxkrafted]

I'm usually trolling on Reddit or watching Youtube or Prime Video. Night shift at my place is like it'll be calm for 2 hours straight with nothing to do, and then it'll all turn to hell in a second when the nurses start calling all at the same time about different issues.

Do not talk about it. When day shift arrives and ask me how my night was, I tell them "brutal, nonstop admissions, phone wouldn't stop ringing, nurses demanding that I mix things that they can mix themselves".

Once you tell management that you're having a chill time, they start thinking about taking away technicians or if a technician calls out sick, it won't be a priority to find coverage. Then they start thinking about adding additional duties for you to do.

I do tell them that during downtime I'm working on a pet project about infectious disease drugs in the hope that we make things like Vanco/Gent dosing and trough/peak ordering up to the discretion of pharmacy. One of my biggest pet peeves is seeing the admitting doctors starting everybody on Vanco 1 gram daily regardless of CrCl, weight, BMI, age, etc.

Other day there was this 400 lb guy and the doctor ordered just 1 gram q12, I'm like dude, he needs 1.5 grams q8 at the least.

Why don't you guys have a policy for pharmacy to automatically dose vanco? I doubt you'll have any trouble getting it approved

 

[mentos]

IMO, the pros you listed definitely outweigh the cons. Granted, I'm not that familiar with a lot of the non-traditional roles pharmacists can hold (e.g., industry), but I would say that in the realm of actual pharmacy practice, a 7-on/7-off position would be my ideal job. It seems like the overall workflow would be very similar to what I got used to when I was working as a hospital pharmacy intern on the weekends, since it was just one pharmacist and myself and would randomly vacillate between super chill and insanely busy (although I didn't really mind it either way). Just curious, does your facility have a specific policy on requiring that applicants have completed a residency to qualify for overnight positions?

Nope I work in a LTC so residency isn't relevant.

 

[Sparda29]

Why don't you guys have a policy for pharmacy to automatically dose vanco? I doubt you'll have any trouble getting it approved

Bureaucracy

 

[gwarm01]

Maybe it's just me, but I recall our overnight pharmacists being a constant source of drama.

 

[zelman]

Why don't you guys have a policy for pharmacy to automatically dose vanco? I doubt you'll have any trouble getting it approved

That’s unrealistic in many facilities.

 

[owlegrad]

We had considered a 7 on 7 off scenario here. No one (0) responded to any of our ads. Despite the saturation, the snowflakes are very choosy around here. Every one cringes when you say "night shift", but I love working at night personally.....

Shocking. At my place we have two former overnight RPhs (me and my partner actually) that are always pestering the director to go back to 24 hours, lol

 

[RxPreceptor]

Maybe it's just me, but I recall our overnight pharmacists being a constant source of drama.

I don't know...many of us overnight RPh choose nights to avoid the BS daytime drama and constant bitching. Man if only people could put as much time and effort into work instead of bitching about things...actions>words

 

[deleted562805]

Ironically enough, a 7 on/7 off overnight position is my ideal pharmacist job (graduating in May). I know it sounds weird, but everything about third shift just appeals to me. I'm in the process of applying to residency programs, but if I don't match somewhere, I'll apply to third shift positions posted all over the country. Heck, I'll probably start doing that anyways.

I see night shift positions as a positive not a negative.

 

[Hedgehog32]

I see night shift positions as a positive not a negative.

Me too. On a related note, have you heard of any of your classmates being able to get hired for night shift positions without completing residency first?

 

[mentos]

Maybe it's just me, but I recall our overnight pharmacists being a constant source of drama.

Every place is obviously different but I find that most overnight Rphs like to work alone to avoid drama.

 

[owlegrad]

I am not sure how a night pharmacist even could generate drama. Isn’t something like 80% of their shift solo? Or even if they work with one tech how much drama could they possibly generate?

 

[deleted562805]

Me too. On a related note, have you heard of any of your classmates being able to get hired for night shift positions without completing residency first?

Yes. Only One was able to get night shift position in a hopsital, but he did three rotations at the same site. Rest of the people I know that got third shift positions were PGY-1 residents.

 

[Hedgehog32]

Yes. Only One was able to get night shift position in a hopsital, but he did three rotations at the same site. Rest of the people I know that got third shift positions were PGY-1 residents.

Hmmm, it sounds like the days of night shift positions being open to consideration for new grads are coming to an end, except with a few rare exceptions.

 

[Sparda29]

Maybe it's just me, but I recall our overnight pharmacists being a constant source of drama.

Lol what? Man, all the drama is on the day shift. Constant bitching on that shift. I hate it when it gets close to 6AM because that person reviews the ER holdovers from the evening before and starts bitching about the new pharmacists missing stupid little things or not adhering to dosing times or policies. Other day this morning shift person bitched for 30 minutes about evening shift and overnight shift being slobs.

Drug rep brings in around lunch time so that usually gets eaten by morning shift and evening shift and there are just scraps left over when I get there. So I passive-aggressively leave it there to stink up the place and let the morning shift deal with it. Tell me why I should clean up their mess when they leave me with just scraps.

 

[gwarm01]

Lol what? Man, all the drama is on the day shift. Constant bitching on that shift. I hate it when it gets close to 6AM because that person reviews the ER holdovers from the evening before and starts bitching about the new pharmacists missing stupid little things or not adhering to dosing times or policies. Other day this morning shift person bitched for 30 minutes about evening shift and overnight shift being slobs.

Drug rep brings in around lunch time so that usually gets eaten by morning shift and evening shift and there are just scraps left over when I get there. So I passive-aggressively leave it there to stink up the place and let the morning shift deal with it. Tell me why I should clean up their mess when they leave me with just scraps.

I think it was just the people. One pharmacist would play mind games with their techs and turned overnight into an adult Lord of the Flies, while the other one played mind games with the newer pharmacists on second shift and was also generally unstable and aggressive. They had an interesting dynamic.

I am not sure how a night pharmacist even could generate drama. Isn’t something like 80% of their shift solo? Or even if they work with one tech how much drama could they possibly generate?

Two techs and a pharmacist for overnights, and I think we had about two hours of overlap with 2nd be shift and maybe one half to a full hour of overlap with 1st shift. They found a way to constantly start fights with people.

 

[rxkrafted]

That’s unrealistic in many facilities.

From all the hospitals I've worked in, they all had a default "vanco pharmacy to dose" string attached to all new vanco orders unless they chose to uncheck it. From the physicians I interacted with, they were all under the impression pharmacy was to dose and order levels per a policy they didn't bother looking up lol

 

[zelman]

From all the hospitals I've worked in, they all had a default "vanco pharmacy to dose" string attached to all new vanco orders unless they chose to uncheck it. From the physicians I interacted with, they were all under the impression pharmacy was to dose and order levels per a policy they didn't bother looking up lol

i don’t doubt it. I also don’t think you’ve worked in every hospital in the country. There are places where what is dispensed must match the handwritten scribble in the patient chart exactly. Heck, I bet your hospitals give the doctors “pagers” so when they screw something up you can do something about it. Must be nice.

 

[deleted562805]

Hmmm, it sounds like the days of night shift positions being open to consideration for new grads are coming to an end, except with a few rare exceptions.

The best thing to do is apply broadly. Maybe the RPD and Manager in the hospital from where you interned during school knows about some openings in another hospital in the Southeast region. Pharmacy is a small world.

 

[mentos]

Hmmm, it sounds like the days of night shift positions being open to consideration for new grads are coming to an end, except with a few rare exceptions.

There are plenty of monster 24 hour chain stores where no one wants to work. They get 15+ pages of ready fill and are always in the red. I'd argue that night shift for retail is the worst shift due to the push for readyfills. That's why I got out. It was nice when there were less than 10 pages per night.

 

[Hedgehog32]

The best thing to do is apply broadly. Maybe the RPD and Manager in the hospital from where you interned during school knows about some openings in another hospital in the Southeast region. Pharmacy is a small world.

I asked them a couple months ago, but they didn't know of anything. I guess I could ask them again but they seem to be pretty out of the loop.

 

[Hedgehog32]

There are plenty of monster 24 hour chain stores where no one wants to work. They get 15+ pages of ready fill and are always in the red. I'd argue that night shift for retail is the worst shift due to the push for readyfills. That's why I got out. It was nice when there were less than 10 pages per night.

Actually, I was hoping to get a 7 on/7 off position in a hospital. I've been told by the DOPs at a handful of hospitals already that they're not considering anyone but residency-trained pharmacists for even those positions.

 

[mentos]

Actually, I was hoping to get a 7 on/7 off position in a hospital. I've been told by the DOPs at a handful of hospitals already that they're not considering anyone but residency-trained pharmacists for even those positions.

That makes sense. You have to know what you're doing when you're solo in a hospital. A new grad will probably panic if there is a code or something.

 

[RxPreceptor]

There are plenty of monster 24 hour chain stores where no one wants to work. They get 15+ pages of ready fill and are always in the red. I'd argue that night shift for retail is the worst shift due to the push for readyfills. That's why I got out. It was nice when there were less than 10 pages per night.

Clearing about 13 pages readyfills nightly, store is only in the red during rush hour until midnight on weekdays. #Efficiency/make **** happen
Currently trying to transfer to one of these so called "monster" 24 hour stores. They are not so intimidating if you understand how to make things efficient/use your resources wisely

 

[mentos]

Clearing about 13 pages readyfills nightly, store is only in the red during rush hour until midnight on weekdays. #Efficiency/make **** happen
Currently trying to transfer to one of these so called "monster" 24 hour stores. They are not so intimidating if you understand how to make things efficient/use your resources wisely

Good for you, you sound much more efficient than me. I prefer my cushy LTC job over retail.

 

[JustFillIt]

Nope I work in a LTC so residency isn't relevant.

The consulting division is moving toward residency. Most of the consultants that I know have had a residency.

 

[RxPreceptor]

I am not sure how a night pharmacist even could generate drama. Isn’t something like 80% of their shift solo? Or even if they work with one tech how much drama could they possibly generate?

Making techs cry is what Owles do best

 

[owlegrad]

Making techs cry is what Owles do best

Never did that when I worked overnight!

 

[RxPreceptor]

Ok, as long as we are not threatening to cut people for messing with supplies/set-up station/disrupting order/messing with OCD-level organization schemes

 

[Xenophylia]

I am not sure how a night pharmacist even could generate drama. Isn’t something like 80% of their shift solo? Or even if they work with one tech how much drama could they possibly generate?

Making techs cry is what Owles do best

That would be an interesting topic by itself. How many RPhs have made techs cry? What about other pharmacists? I'm proud to say I've done both....I have a low tolerance for blatant stupidity.

 

[Xenophylia]

My nursing home shift is most hectic around the time I get there as it's the time we're pushing late deliveries out of the door. Faxes/phone calls usually die down by midnight. Usually I check cycle fill till 2 or 3 am, which is simple but monotonous.. After that it's pretty much open. Just me and a tech. The lack of drama with only 2 people is amazing. My tech is also older so not one of these idiot 20 somethings I had to work with in retail. She is also on nights for the lack of politics/drama. Most of the nursing questions I get a two year old could answer. If they're software related I have a list of 800 numbers for that. They basically created this shift to keep the day people from being on call weeknights. I do not work any weekends. The less people you work with the better IMO. I told everyone that after all my years in retail if they needed a volunteer for the first one man mission to Mars, I'd take it just to be away from people.

 

[zelman]

My nursing home shift is most hectic around the time I get there as it's the time we're pushing late deliveries out of the door. Faxes/phone calls usually die down by midnight. Usually I check cycle fill till 2 or 3 am, which is simple but monotonous.. After that it's pretty much open. Just me and a tech. The lack of drama with only 2 people is amazing. My tech is also older so not one of these idiot 20 somethings I had to work with in retail. She is also on nights for the lack of politics/drama. Most of the nursing questions I get a two year old could answer. If they're software related I have a list of 800 numbers for that. They basically created this shift to keep the day people from being on call weeknights. I do not work any weekends. The less people you work with the better IMO. I told everyone that after all my years in retail if they needed a volunteer for the first one man mission to Mars, I'd take it just to be away from people.

I like how you’ve pegged nurses’ problem solving level somewhere below a 2 year old.

 

[Xenophylia]

I like how you’ve pegged nurses’ problem solving level somewhere below a 2 year old.

Based on some of the calls I've gotten, that's even quite generous....

 

[owlegrad]

That would be an interesting topic by itself. How many RPhs have made techs cry? What about other pharmacists? I'm proud to say I've done both....I have a low tolerance for blatant stupidity.

You are not helping my cause

 

[Amphetamine Salts]

i've never made anyone i've worked with cry. don't see the point of that tbh. if anyone here plays poker then making people you work with cry is -EV, dumb thing to do

 

[Dred Pirate]

That’s unrealistic in many facilities.

we can dose any antibiotic without consult. Heck we can renal dose just about any medication that requires it without getting permission - this includes both down and up when renal fxn improves. Including DOACs, allopurinol, colchcine, ALL abx, ultram, gabapentin, to just name a few - no way this should be unlrealistic

 

[Dred Pirate]

in regards to the third shift question - a new grad should never be put on third shift unless they have direct side by side work with another RPh - I work third shift (have 15 years experience). I was just mentioning this to my director - he agreed and stated that is how sentinel events occur. I don't care if you were the best student/resident - you simply don't know what you don't know - at my hospital I am the lone "clinical Rph" on overnights and deal with everything from NICU to NSICU to ECMO to Emergency Department, to knowing what non-formulary issues can wait and which ones cant, to codes, etc. I do an average of 15 consults, 3 codes, and the bulk of the order verification (~450 orders). It is simply unrealistic to put this onto someone who lacks real work experience.

 

[Hedgehog32]

in regards to the third shift question - a new grad should never be put on third shift unless they have direct side by side work with another RPh - I work third shift (have 15 years experience). I was just mentioning this to my director - he agreed and stated that is how sentinel events occur. I don't care if you were the best student/resident - you simply don't know what you don't know - at my hospital I am the lone "clinical Rph" on overnights and deal with everything from NICU to NSICU to ECMO to Emergency Department, to knowing what non-formulary issues can wait and which ones cant, to codes, etc. I do an average of 15 consults, 3 codes, and the bulk of the order verification (~450 orders). It is simply unrealistic to put this onto someone who lacks real work experience.

So not even a PGY-1 graduate would be qualified for the job?

 

[Dred Pirate]

So not even a PGY-1 graduate would be qualified for the job?

in my opinion and with my position = no, you simply don't have the real world experience to be able to handle the issues. PGY-1 is NOT real world experience regardless of what people tell you. Obviously there are differences between programs, but until you are truly 100^% independent- it is not real world - and many of the issues that come up simply are rare and require a different level of problem solving that only comes with time.

Now if you are only job is to sit in the basement and check product, then go for it - big difference - I did that as an intern - and now that you have barcode technology, it really shouldn't require a Rph degree, but I digress.

 

[Hedgehog32]

in my opinion and with my position = no, you simply don't have the real world experience to be able to handle the issues. PGY-1 is NOT real world experience regardless of what people tell you. Obviously there are differences between programs, but until you are truly 100^% independent- it is not real world - and many of the issues that come up simply are rare and require a different level of problem solving that only comes with time.

Now if you are only job is to sit in the basement and check product, then go for it - big difference - I did that as an intern - and now that you have barcode technology, it really shouldn't require a Rph degree, but I digress.

So based on what you said -- realistically speaking, a PGY-1 graduate will probably need to settle for a standard M-F dayshift position (if they can even find one considering the job market)?

 

[Dred Pirate]

So based on what you said -- realistically speaking, a PGY-1 graduate will probably need to settle for a standard M-F dayshift position (if they can even find one considering the job market)?

Like I said. This is just my opinion. Many hiring managers may Not agree with me. I know this because I know a pgy1 grad who just got a job that often would require a pgy2 at a large academic hospital if it was a day job. So you can get one. I

 

[mentos]

So based on what you said -- realistically speaking, a PGY-1 graduate will probably need to settle for a standard M-F dayshift position (if they can even find one considering the job market)?

Hospital positions vary widely. Some hospital pharmacists sit and verify the entire shift which any new grad can do. He is obviously talking about a more responsible role.

 

[zelman]

we can dose any antibiotic without consult. Heck we can renal dose just about any medication that requires it without getting permission - this includes both down and up when renal fxn improves. Including DOACs, allopurinol, colchcine, ALL abx, ultram, gabapentin, to just name a few - no way this should be unlrealistic

As I've already replied to someone else:

i don’t doubt it. I also don’t think you’ve worked in every hospital in the country. There are places where what is dispensed must match the handwritten scribble in the patient chart exactly. Heck, I bet your hospitals give the doctors “pagers” so when they screw something up you can do something about it. Must be nice.

 

[rxkrafted]

As I've already replied to someone else:

i don’t doubt it. I also don’t think you’ve worked in every hospital in the country. There are places where what is dispensed must match the handwritten scribble in the patient chart exactly. Heck, I bet your hospitals give the doctors “pagers” so when they screw something up you can do something about it. Must be nice.

Do you work in a hospital?

 

[deleted562805]

I asked them a couple months ago, but they didn't know of anything. I guess I could ask them again but they seem to be pretty out of the loop.

Dang. Well, I think the best thing to do is apply broadly.

 

[Dred Pirate]

As I've already replied to someone else:

i don’t doubt it. I also don’t think you’ve worked in every hospital in the country. There are places where what is dispensed must match the handwritten scribble in the patient chart exactly. Heck, I bet your hospitals give the doctors “pagers” so when they screw something up you can do something about it. Must be nice.

not quite sure where you are going with this - the comment was that it is unrealistic to implement these protocols - it shouldn't be unrealistic. Of course I haven't work in every hospital - my comment was that you should be able to convice your P&T that this is what is best for the patient. You simply do a PI project and show how many times items are prescribed inappropriately - and how much time you will save (both yours and the MD's) by not having to call each time there is an issue.

And seriously - how many hospitals have handwritten charts anymore???

Our doctors have these things called "Cell phones" that I can text or call them on if there is something I need to address that isn't addressed in a policy and protocol

 

[Amphetamine Salts]

not quite sure where you are going with this - the comment was that it is unrealistic to implement these protocols - it shouldn't be unrealistic. Of course I haven't work in every hospital - my comment was that you should be able to convice your P&T that this is what is best for the patient. You simply do a PI project and show how many times items are prescribed inappropriately - and how much time you will save (both yours and the MD's) by not having to call each time there is an issue.

And seriously - how many hospitals have handwritten charts anymore???

Our doctors have these things called "Cell phones" that I can text or call them on if there is something I need to address that isn't addressed in a policy and protocol

from what i understand, if you texted or called a doctor on their personal cell phone for work related things then you will get your ass chewed

 

[zelman]

And seriously - how many hospitals have handwritten charts anymore???

Too many (in other words, more than zero).

not quite sure where you are going with this - the comment was that it is unrealistic to implement these protocols - it shouldn't be unrealistic.

I agree with both of those statements. They are not mutually exclusive.

 

[zelman]

Do you work in a hospital?

Not at the moment, but I do work in retail in rural nowhere and have to constantly deal with the shortcomings of the local hospital.

 

[Xenophylia]

i've never made anyone i've worked with cry. don't see the point of that tbh. if anyone here plays poker then making people you work with cry is -EV, dumb thing to do

A true master does not set out to make anyone cry. Think of it as a sort of bonus...