Overnight Retail... BORING!

[jackbauer1]

Hey, guys...
I just recently graduated and working for a major chain (W). I'm still floating but getting alot of overnight shifts because that's what I wanted to do for a couple years. Working the day shifts are okay, although busy and stressful, time goes by very quickly. I've done a few weeks of overnight and I'm dying of boredom! It's not as bad if you are going to different stores because there's always stuff to do (filling cells, finishing queue, deleting old Rx's, compounds, housekeeping). I can pretty much keep myself occupied for about 6-8 hours. When I'm working a whole week of overnight at one store, I usually can keep myself occupied until 3-4 am. Then I start to go crazy of boredom. Time does not go by and its torture.

I was wondering what others do to make this time go by. I've heard stores where you can get in trouble for bringing a book to read. I've heard other stories where people are practicing golf or bringing laptops. I'm sure its okay to bring an Ipod to work. Company policy isn't really clear on what I can and cannot do. One thing I know is that you can't sleep...

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[RxWildcat]

I feel for you, I could never work retail overnight. If it was me, I would bring a laptop regardless of the company policy.

 

[JerryPharmD]

In my previous life as a tech where I used to work, the overnight rph was 30ish that had a wife 10 years older that worked for the same chain on the same schedule. They would start arguing on the phone promptly at 11pm and it would continue all night. Another overnighter would fall asleep or go outside and smoke a cigarette(s) for 20-30 minutes. Good times.

 

[PharmDstudent]

the overnight rph was 30ish that had a wife 10 years older that worked for the same chain on the same schedule. They would start arguing on the phone promptly at 11pm and it would continue all night.

She robbed the cradle too early. It only takes a few months or years to be superior- 10 years is overkill.

 

[KUMoose]

I'd get a Blockbuster online subscription, a dvd capable laptop and a set of decent and small speakers and watch movies or read. You can only straighten the shelves so many times before you want to take one of the shelves off and beat yourself over the head with it repeatedly.

 

[jackbauer1]

oh man, i just did an overnight tonight and it was okay, except around 5 am i had nothing to do. i literally did everything i could have done. then the pharmacy manager walks in around 6 am to do the order review on his day off and it was so damn awkward because all i was doing was standing there with nothing to do and nothing to say. i was going to die!

i go back again for 3 more nights. filling cells took about 2 hours last night so now im going to have all this extra time. i dont know what im going to do tonight!

 

[npage148]

When I do overnights I bring stuff to keep me busy. Including books/magazines to read adn hand held video games. You could do CE's if you wanted. Bring a stack of pharm mags and do all the ce's in the back.

Not sure of the setting but you could offer the front end some help stocking and whatnot

 

[Pharmavixen]

You could do CE's if you wanted. Bring a stack of pharm mags and do all the ce's in the back.

I used to do ce's when I worked nights.

We had a Tim Hortons in the store, and the boss decreed free coffee and donuts for the graveyard shift. The stock boys started to go wiggy at about 3-4 am from caffeine/sugar intoxication and make profane announcements over the PA (whether there were customers or not).

And how about the phone calls at 4 am from people complaining that their medications make them sleepy?

 

[jackbauer1]

When I do overnights I bring stuff to keep me busy. Including books/magazines to read adn hand held video games. You could do CE's if you wanted. Bring a stack of pharm mags and do all the ce's in the back.

Not sure of the setting but you could offer the front end some help stocking and whatnot

im sure id get fired for bringing my ds and playing it at work

I used to do ce's when I worked nights.

We had a Tim Hortons in the store, and the boss decreed free coffee and donuts for the graveyard shift. The stock boys started to go wiggy at about 3-4 am from caffeine/sugar intoxication and make profane announcements over the PA (whether there were customers or not).

And how about the phone calls at 4 am from people complaining that their medications make them sleepy?

i got a phone call last night because their electricity apparently went out and they couldnt see when they were in the bathroom. they apparently were brushing their teeth with preparation H for a minute or so. i mean, how could you not tell its not toothpaste? does preparation H have a mint flavor?

 

[Pharmavixen]

I got a phone call last night because their electricity apparently went out and they couldnt see when they were in the bathroom. they apparently were brushing their teeth with preparation H for a minute or so. i mean, how could you not tell its not toothpaste? does preparation H have a mint flavor?

Maybe it'd help if you had swollen gums...

You get the calls because you're the only place that's open. Like the woman who phoned because her air conditioner was leaking water all over the floor.

Or the guy whose apartment was too hot and wanted to know if there was a pill he could take that would make him feel cooler.

Or the woman whose dr told her to use calamine lotion for her child's chicken pox, so she gave it PO. (Though she was pleased to say that she remembered to shake the bottle first.)

 

[PharmDstudent]

Maybe it'd help if you had swollen gums...

You get the calls because you're the only place that's open. Like the woman who phoned because her air conditioner was leaking water all over the floor.

Or the guy whose apartment was too hot and wanted to know if there was a pill he could take that would make him feel cooler.

Or the woman whose dr told her to use calamine lotion for her child's chicken pox, so she gave it PO. (Though she was pleased to say that she remembered to shake the bottle first.)

I love it! The calamine lotion thing was the funniest.

I have a good story. One of our patients hid his medication in the oven. Out of sight, out of mind - he must of thought. He did this because he thought that one of his family member's friend who was visiting their house was a little shady, and he didn't want that visitor to snoop through his drugs. So... The only reason we found out about this oven business was because he brought his bag of melted bottles to the pharmacy. (He forgot that his meds were in the oven and preheated it by accident!)

*Counseling tip- tell your patients not to store their medications in the oven.

 

[Epik]

Can't you just browse the web? Is there wireless internet in most pharmacies? Bring your notebook and you'll never be bored.

 

[SCCpharm]

Or the guy whose apartment was too hot and wanted to know if there was a pill he could take that would make him feel cooler.

Did you offer him a "chill pill"? lol



I knew a pharmacist who use to play online poker when there was nothing to do...

 

[Markovnikov]

Can't you just browse the web? Is there wireless internet in most pharmacies? Bring your notebook and you'll never be bored.

here in the city I work at, I have two friends working as techs at CVS and Rite Aid and they both don't have internet access. You are limited to the CVS network only. I have friends at Giant Eagle, Kroger's and Wal-greens and they DO have the internet. I don't know how it is at wal-mart or target, or anywhere else.

The night shifts in Las Vegas are actually sometimes just as busy as the day shifts. lol, the wal-greens manager I interviewed with used to work there.

I used to work overnight in the front end of CVS and recall one of the night pharmacists reading a lot. Another one would walk around the store with his ipod on and drink caffeine-free diet coke lol and read magazines. There are soo many magazines to read at CVS I rarely got bored. Also engaging with customers in nice long conversations can be entertaining.

 

[Milk Man]

Walgreens most definitely DOES NOT have open internet access.


Work would be better if we did.

 

[vardenafil]

Walgreens most definitely DOES NOT have open internet access.


Work would be better if we did.

i did lol... its called laptop and wirless card. i played diablo 2 when i got bored.

 

[TonyRx]

I have done my fair share of overnight shifts for WAGS, as a manager that is. It is not an easy shift to pull off, without going a little bit nuts.

After I get through Pharmacy School, I would rather not work that shift again...but that's probably wishful thinking.

I feel your pain third shifters.

 

[Sparda29]

I'd bring my laptop and XBox 360 and play video games through the night.