Retail Pharms: Why you work so hard?

[Me_Gusta_Drugs]

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Retail pharmacist sometimes skip their lunch...thats ridiculous to me. Sadism. Whats in it for them. Why dont they just volunteer. But they do things like things like this then complain which makes no sense.

Heres a serious question
If/when Im doing retail. Im going to work hard yes. But why do pharmacists bust their butt because corporate gives me these quotas and theyre not meeting the "goals". Sure the D/M will visit them and intimidate them. Just respond like you do when your getting a speeding ticket. Yes officer Im sorry I will bla bla. Bottom line is if your too busy...make the customers wait 30-40 mins or more. There is no finish line....the rat wheel keeps spinning so just chill and tell customers the realistic wait time...then add 15 minutes to that or more.

These pharmacist raise the standard for other retail pharmacist because theyre intimidated by upper management

Im trying to understand these "goals" and "numbers" and "reports" that pharmacists are constantly trying to meet and beat. Yes I know the pharm manager gets a little bit of a bonus...but doubt its worth it.

And I think you get "tech hours" based on your volume. So in this situation isnt the strategy to meet that minimum so you get more tech hours (ie help) and then you chill.

Thanks for the input

 

[RxWildcat]

So you haven't worked retail much huh?

 

[Me_Gusta_Drugs]

So you haven't worked retail much huh?

Thanks for the input...very insightful

 

[crazybob]

From what I hear, they could be short on the number of people they need to finish a certain number of scripts per day. If they had few more technicians or interns, or even pharmacists, it would make all of them a little less busy, and they could take their time to eat lunch. But they don't always have the money to hire extra people, so they just make themselves bust their butts to stay busy.

This is also true for hospital pharmacy where I have heard about interns not having time off for lunch, so they have to eat while they work.

 

[StallionRx]

Retail pharmacist sometimes skip their lunch...thats ridiculous to me. Sadism. Whats in it for them. Why dont they just volunteer. But they do things like things like this then complain which makes no sense.

Heres a serious question
If/when Im doing retail. Im going to work hard yes. But why do pharmacists bust their butt because corporate gives me these quotas and theyre not meeting the "goals". Sure the D/M will visit them and intimidate them. Just respond like you do when your getting a speeding ticket. Yes officer Im sorry I will bla bla. Bottom line is if your too busy...make the customers wait 30-40 mins or more. There is no finish line....the rat wheel keeps spinning so just chill and tell customers the realistic wait time...then add 15 minutes to that or more.

These pharmacist raise the standard for other retail pharmacist because theyre intimidated by upper management

Im trying to understand these "goals" and "numbers" and "reports" that pharmacists are constantly trying to meet and beat. Yes I know the pharm manager gets a little bit of a bonus...but doubt its worth it.

And I think you get "tech hours" based on your volume. So in this situation isnt the strategy to meet that minimum so you get more tech hours (ie help) and then you chill.

Thanks for the input

Not much input, i agree with what you say.

Im starting to come to the understanding that it is actually impossible to get everything done that corporate expects. I give my patients 100% of my attention. If i have time at the end of the day to make phone calls for CVS's PCI/GSR/CSI/call picks ups/first fill, etc. I do it. If I dont, well it just doesnt get done.

 

[museabuse]

The bonus is NOT the reason pharmacists care about the numbers or reports in my experience. First it is to keep corporate off your ass and second is to not lose your job. In the past when there wasn't a new grad begging for your position you could say screw it, I'm scheduling more techs, i don't care about this number or report but now that there is an eager new grad from diplomamillville waiting for you to slip up, you have to be a slave....

My store has always met the numbers and never an issue, and the biggest bonus I've recieved was 600 dollars for a year, definitely not worth any stress involved to obtain it. Sometimes corporate sets an unatainable goal that decreases your bonus. Like abnormally high increase in scripts or a generic sub rate that takes in account synthroid and coumarin, and when you have some drs in area who stamp "do not give generic or you will be reported to board" makes it impossible to meet.

 

[StallionRx]

"do not give generic or you will be reported to board" makes it impossible to meet.

lol.

Srs?

 

[johnconner]

.

 

[crazybob]

drs in area who stamp "do not give generic or you will be reported to board"

So was there ever a time you called the doc because the patient couldn't afford the brand? Do they still stick with the "do not give generics"?

 

[pharmwannebe2]

I wish retail was like this ideally but from what I get of retail, Pharmacists have to do this. For one, they are the boss and have to get everything done. Also, usually when a pharmacist comes in they have to finish filling/checking que before leaving for the night. If they don't, it is just more work for them tommorrow or more work the next day for the next pharmacist. Personally, I would want to skip lunch then stay extra early or later.

actually I was helping at this one store for a week or so and this pharmacist was so flipping slow about checking prescriptions...it was ridiculous but still I bet she never made a mistake. Anyways she would visual the prescription while the pharmacy techs just stood their chit chating because they couldn't fill anymore (all the totes were filled). Point is she would come into work at least an hour early every day and leave work at least two hours later (sometimes even longer). She did what she had to do to ensure she was checking rx correctly and that she wouldn't lose her job since she wasn't meeting the numbers. It is sad but it has to be done. There is always a pharmacist who can check quicker than you and you can be replaced.

 

[museabuse]

So was there ever a time you called the doc because the patient couldn't afford the brand? Do they still stick with the "do not give generics"?

Ok maybe the stamp says "do not substitute or you will be reported to the pharmacy board" which is the same thing. Its mostly stamped on synthroid, which is relatively cheaper drug so not a big deal to patients and the drs tell the pts that generic is no good. But still, those pts make us not meet our goal and it is out of our control.
Yes I am serious...

 

[museabuse]

So was there ever a time you called the doc because the patient couldn't afford the brand? Do they still stick with the "do not give generics"?

if the stamps says there gonna report me to the board I will not even attempt calling that dr to change to generic. Pt will have to go somewhere else or get a new rx from different dr.

 

[lorain]

Ok maybe the stamp says "do not substitute or you will be reported to the pharmacy board" which is the same thing. Its mostly stamped on synthroid, which is relatively cheaper drug so not a big deal to patients and the drs tell the pts that generic is no good. But still, those pts make us not meet our goal and it is out of our control.
Yes I am serious...

i see derm rx that have those stamps

 

[crazybob]

so what's the reasoning and logic behind trying to report pharmacists to the board if they substitute on those brands?

 

[Praziquantel86]

Like abnormally high increase in scripts or a generic sub rate that takes in account synthroid and coumarin, and when you have some drs in area who stamp "do not give generic or you will be reported to board" makes it impossible to meet.

That's obscene. I would refuse to fill that prescription on principle...

 

[confettiflyer]

This is also true for hospital pharmacy where I have heard about interns not having time off for lunch, so they have to eat while they work.

it's more task oriented, so as long as i get my ish done, i'll go take my lunch... if i'm slacking off, i'll just grab a bagel and take a quick one.

Either way, a really bad day at the hospital is still better than any day in retail. I've worked inpatient, retail (CVS), and an independent (<80 Rx's/day) and stand by that statement.

 

[deleted205891]

I agree, maybe not 30-40 minute lunch, but sitting down for 10-15 minutes is definitely feasible. I guess that some pharmacists do make a choice in working a little bit more quickly and taking lunch for a little bit or working a little more slowly and being extra cautious about the scripts. I think 10-15 minutes could definitely be found.

 

[Kumura]

There is an invisible whip that every pharmacist fear.

 

[aelephant]

At most of the stores I work at there is a gentleman's agreement that the pharmacist may come in 30 minutes late or leave 30 minutes early instead of taking a lunch break. When you get in the swing of things at a busy store, sometimes it doesn't make sense to stop -- you lose your momentum and things will pile up. Better to just work straight through. Also, it is not THAT hard to eat and work at the same time. Prepare something beforehand that is easy to snack on and bring it with you.

The people who complain are chronic complainers. If it wasn't lunch breaks it would be something else. They don't really want to find a solution to their problems, they just want to b!tch about them. Just learn to tune these people out and life will be much more enjoyable for you.

 

[type b pharmD]

At most of the stores I work at there is a gentleman's agreement that the pharmacist may come in 30 minutes late or leave 30 minutes early instead of taking a lunch break. When you get in the swing of things at a busy store, sometimes it doesn't make sense to stop -- you lose your momentum and things will pile up. Better to just work straight through. Also, it is not THAT hard to eat and work at the same time. Prepare something beforehand that is easy to snack on and bring it with you.

The people who complain are chronic complainers. If it wasn't lunch breaks it would be something else. They don't really want to find a solution to their problems, they just want to b!tch about them. Just learn to tune these people out and life will be much more enjoyable for you.

Yep. Perfect.

Also the boards here will be more enjoyable.

 

[clachan3]

Sometimes corporate sets an unatainable goal that decreases your bonus. Like abnormally high increase in scripts or a generic sub rate that takes in account synthroid and coumarin, and when you have some drs in area who stamp "do not give generic or you will be reported to board" makes it impossible to meet.

I saw one of those stamps few weeks ago, it sure caught my attention. How much trouble can the pharmacist get in if they miss filled generic? What if it's an honest mistake. Isn't it okay to fill generic if the patients are okay with it? What are we supposed to do when the PA or RN signed all the way across the prescription blank over both DAW and may substitute because they didn't have enough room to sign? Or like some doctors they don't pay attention where they signed...

 

[DAW2]

if i see that stamp...i will just put daw2 on it. since it doesn't say brand medically necessary on it, it doesnt count...but they still get the brand.

anyway, i rarely take a lunch break. its just not worth the pileup afterwards. but i will snack a lot of the time so it's not like im going hungry

 

[genesis09]

Illinois has the oddest DAW law. If the physician does not check the do not subsitute box, you can still subsitute. Even if he writes physically on the Rx, brand medically necessary or some sort thing, it does not count.

 

[weetzie00]

In Maryland, a patient's request trumps a doctor's order. So if it's ok to fill generic per the patient, even if it says 'DAW' on the script, we're allowed to substitute it. I've never seen that stamp... but it sounds intimidating lol.

 

[MountainPharmD]

Illinois has the oddest DAW law. If the physician does not check the do not subsitute box, you can still subsitute. Even if he writes physically on the Rx, brand medically necessary or some sort thing, it does not count.

It is the opposite in Texas. The prescriber has to hand write "Brand Medically Necessary" or "Brand Necessary" on the prescription for DAW 1. Check boxes and signature lines with brand only are not valid and we can substitute.

 

[npage148]

That's obscene. I would refuse to fill that prescription on principle...

I'd send it back if they made a mistake on any single part of the rx. Esp if here was no DAW in the box. For NY, DAW must be hand written in a special DAW box and that is the only way. Also, the pt has no say, only the prescriber

 

[FlRPh]

Only problem I have with eating while working is that I am in the public eye and think it presents an unprofessional appearance. I do what I have to as well, some days are so busy that I can't stop to eat lunch until 3PM so snacking is a must. I figure most of my patients have never seen a fruit so if they can't figure out what's going into my mouth, its not eating 😛

 

[clachan3]

you know what, I don't know why we work so hard. We are constantly being verbally & emotionally abused by unreasonable customers, terrorized by upper management, hunted down by schedulers, etc... Many of us posted many valid reasons, they probably applied to me too, but I don't feel like I know why, I almost feel like it's pointless sometimes to work as hard as we do. May be it's because our hard work is never being recognized and your manager does nothing about us being abused

 

[Apteka]

Um, at this point, i think it's to salvage their jobs and to make sure they have job security. It's no secret that many chain pharmacies are cleaning house and trimming the extra bacon fat...

mmm.. bacon.....

 

[Sparda29]

It is the opposite in Texas. The prescriber has to hand write "Brand Medically Necessary" or "Brand Necessary" on the prescription for DAW 1. Check boxes and signature lines with brand only are not valid and we can substitute.

I'd send it back if they made a mistake on any single part of the rx. Esp if here was no DAW in the box. For NY, DAW must be hand written in a special DAW box and that is the only way. Also, the pt has no say, only the prescriber

I don't know why we have all these stupid little rules that it has to be in the box. Honestly, it's not worth the trouble to have to call the prescriber or have the patient go back. We usually just write DAW into the box if we see that they had made the check boxes or stamped somewhere outside the box.