Semi-perminent floating with bad techs

[Lisochka]

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I started floating in August. I was floating one-two days at a time at different stores.
Then they put me in a store with lazy techs.
It is considered a slow store so I get one tech per day.
One tech, is a last year nursing student, she is very obnoxious. Another one is just lazy. The third is a guy who is new and ridiculously slow...
I would not care at all, but it starts to affect my performance. I started to make more mistakes, because people are coming non stop, so I get only 5-10 minutes to check 20-30 typed up rx's.
When I ask them to help, they will help one or two customers and then they go back to doing something else.
When the pharmacy manager is in store, they help pretty much with half customers. when pharmacy manager is not in the store, they do not help much...
I told pharmacy manager that I would like to get more help, she supports me. But, I do not see it changing.
My options:

1) Tell the district manager that I want to go back to floating. It is harder and physically exhausting, but I was happier when I was doing it. at this tore, I feel like I dont want to go to work. at other stores it was not an issue.
The district manager wanted me to stay there for few months. I dont want it, But I dont want to look like a quitter and dictate where I want to go and where I dont want to stay. I guess I dont want my district manager to think I am obnoxious.

2) Just hang in there and stay in there... But I will have to stay there for few months... Its nice to have a set schedule and know when I get off work and what day off to expect...If I stay, I am not gonna win the war with techs. They will start complaining that I am new, dont know the system well, blah-blah...

I am just not happy there. And do not want to make mistakes. Its hard not to make when you have only 5-10 minutes to verify 20-30rxs, especially when you are a new pharmacist...
What would you do?

 

[npage148]

How many scripts does the store do a week? And what do they do when they are not entering scripts? If its that slow just enter scripts or count yourself. Honestly, unless you have an amazing relationship with your DM, complaining about it will get you nowhere?

 

[bacillus1]

How many scripts does the store do a week? And what do they do when they are not entering scripts? If its that slow just enter scripts or count yourself. Honestly, unless you have an amazing relationship with your DM, complaining about it will get you nowhere?

I know in some chains your score goes down if the pharmacist is entering the scripts. That may be the issue here. Have you tried talking to the techs about it?

 

[Lisochka]

How many scripts does the store do a week? And what do they do when they are not entering scripts? If its that slow just enter scripts or count yourself. Honestly, unless you have an amazing relationship with your DM, complaining about it will get you nowhere?

I sell about 150 scripts per day. That much also get typed up and need to be verified by me. If I start typing 150 scripts I will go crazy. I barely have time to verify them because I have 150 pts coming in daily to pick up their rxs and I work as a cashier, pretty much....

I have tried to talk to the techs. They dont care

 

[bob1234]

Job market is flooded with people willing to work for less money. Fire their asses and get someone who gives a hoot. You could also sit them down and tell them performance has to improve immediately or they will find themselves with no hours in the near future.

 

[Dr Wario]

Instead of "whining" to your sup, how about asking him/her for advice on how to manage people better or information on the proper channels to conduct disciplinary action? They will be much more apt to give assistance if you take this approach than one where you are simply complaining.

 

[Pharmgrlnxdor]

If your techs have gotten the idea that they can do what they want with no repercussions from you then it should come as no surprise that they are doing just that. Start the day off with your expectations, "Today, when people come to the counter to pick up or drop off scripts, I expect you to stop filling and take care of them. I expect you to do this on your own without me having to remind you. However, if you do not stop what you are doing and start helping when people arrive, I will remind you every single time. If I have to tell you more than 10 times today to do this however, I will write you up." That should get the point across. You need to function as a manager/supervisor in your position in order for things to function smoothly...you shouldn't just expect people to do a good job...it would be nice if that was the case, but often it is not. You need to state your expectations clearly and call them on it if they don't perform.

 

[smercer]

Email the pharmacy sup. and ask for a copy of the job description/duties that each tech should have been asked to sign upon employement. Point out in the email that you believe the techs are not performing all the duties that they should and you want to be sure of what they are expected to do before continuing.

Once you have this, then sit down with them as a group and explain the situation. Tell them that these are the duties they are expected to perform. If they cannot perform said duties, then you will report them to the pharm. sup and DM for disciplinary action. Also point out that you like working with them, but, due to expectations placed on you to perform your tasks, you cannot cover for their slacking.

From there if they do not improve, then you can pursue replacing them knowing you gave them a chance to redeem themselves.

 

[Lisochka]

so, you guys think its ok to do, even though I am a new pharmacist, a new floater, and barely have a job myself?

 

[Estrace]

Being a new pharmacist is very difficult. I am a floater myself and I hate going to some stores. I hated the store I worked at today. The techs are so lazy when I'm there because things change once the pharmacy manager works in. It's a very busy store and they have help (sometimes 4 techs at a time) and I still have scripts not typed and rx not filed. Then they start complaining that I'm not doing everything like their pharmacy manager. Why are you here if I have to do everything ? I had to talk to their pharmacy manager today and he promised to speak to them but the problem is he himself barely says anything to me when he comes in. I hate the store and wish I can request to never be sent there again. I have never worked at a store where the pharmacy manager is so snubbish.
I love retail but some techs can make the job really frustrating.
You might trying threatening to write them up and see if it helps. Good luck

 

[Lisochka]

Being a new pharmacist is very difficult. I am a floater myself and I hate going to some stores. I hated the store I worked at today. The techs are so lazy when I'm there because things change once the pharmacy manager works in. It's a very busy store and they have help (sometimes 4 techs at a time) and I still have scripts not typed and rx not filed. Then they start complaining that I'm not doing everything like their pharmacy manager. Why are you here if I have to do everything ? I had to talk to their pharmacy manager today and he promised to speak to them but the problem is he himself barely says anything to me when he comes in. I hate the store and wish I can request to never be sent there again. I have never worked at a store where the pharmacy manager is so snubbish.
I love retail but some techs can make the job really frustrating.
You might trying threatening to write them up and see if it helps. Good luck

I feel the same way. I feel like they are so lazy! I have never been in a store where techs were so lazy.
And, I guess they complained to pharmacy manager and the pharmacy manager complained to the district manager about me, and now the district manager took me out of that store. I feel pretty bad, actually. Because I feel like I was doing all the work, all the customers were on me. I had only 1 tech and that tech would always fill rxs...
Anyway, I am just mad...
I feel like whoever goes and compains first, that is who wins.
I feel like I should of gone and complained, instead of just quietly doing all the work

 

[Lisochka]

The funny thing is, I think it depends on a pharmacy manager. i have been to stores where pharmacy manager is stricts, techs do most of the work, those techs love me!
Then in the stores where techs are lazy because pharmacy manager is not as strict, I try to make the techs work, then I am a bad pharmacist and they complain...
I wanted to switch from that store, I should of done it, instead of staying there...Now I am bad in my district manager's eyes 🙁

 

[bob1234]

For $10 an hour, its generally more difficult to find good help. How many successful or intelligent adults are willing to work for that type of wage? Not many. It's a high turnover job because a lot of tech's find better money elsewhere, they move on to their actual career, or get fed up dealing with customers

 

[Lisochka]

true... Today I was working in a different store, with great techs! I think it depends on a pharmacy manager as well...

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

For $10 an hour, its generally more difficult to find good help. How many successful or intelligent adults are willing to work for that type of wage? Not many. It's a high turnover job because a lot of tech's find better money elsewhere, they move on to their actual career, or get fed up dealing with customers

Nobody is holding a gun to their head. 10 dollars is competitive for a lot of people out there. If they can do better, they will. In the meantime, they are working for us because they have to.

 

[owlegrad]

Nobody is holding a gun to their head. 10 dollars is competitive for a lot of people out there. If they can do better, they will. In the meantime, they are working for us because they have to.

Isn't that the point? 😕

 

[SHC1984]

Being a new pharmacist is very difficult. I am a floater myself and I hate going to some stores. I hated the store I worked at today. The techs are so lazy when I'm there because things change once the pharmacy manager works in. It's a very busy store and they have help (sometimes 4 techs at a time) and I still have scripts not typed and rx not filed. Then they start complaining that I'm not doing everything like their pharmacy manager. Why are you here if I have to do everything ? I had to talk to their pharmacy manager today and he promised to speak to them but the problem is he himself barely says anything to me when he comes in. I hate the store and wish I can request to never be sent there again. I have never worked at a store where the pharmacy manager is so snubbish.
I love retail but some techs can make the job really frustrating.
You might trying threatening to write them up and see if it helps. Good luck

I feel the same way. I feel like they are so lazy! I have never been in a store where techs were so lazy.
And, I guess they complained to pharmacy manager and the pharmacy manager complained to the district manager about me, and now the district manager took me out of that store. I feel pretty bad, actually. Because I feel like I was doing all the work, all the customers were on me. I had only 1 tech and that tech would always fill rxs...
Anyway, I am just mad...
I feel like whoever goes and compains first, that is who wins.
I feel like I should of gone and complained, instead of just quietly doing all the work

You guys work at CVS or Walgreens?

 

[amox]

I deal with the same thing almost every day I work. The pharmacists don't know how to manage a person which is HORRIBLE. I usually take charge and say...

"X don't stop counting"
"Y you’re in charge of pickups"
"Z" you scan all prescriptions in and trouble shoot"
I perform transfers/physician calls

Pharmacist loves me 🙂

It is important to delegate tasks and explain your expectations.

Yes sometimes it gets bad. I've told techs before that it's called WORK not talk. If they get mad OH WELL, it's not let make friends day. It's like Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle." If the people won’t work, hire "scabs" Or someone who will work for cheaper and do a better job.

 

[Lisochka]

I agree with you guys...Its just so hard to train a tech, to teach a tech all the insurances, all the trouble shooting,... Its probably easier to discipline the old techs...But, you have to have the power to do so...I feel like being a floater you have even less power than a pharmacy intern or senior tech...

 

[xiphoid2010]

document, document and document. Going up the chain of command is one option, but if you don't feel like they are giving you the support, then you rely on the company's policy.

Technician standing around BS'ing, take a picture or record it. Them surfing the facebook or craig's list? Get IT to give you that proof. Always calling in sick on days that stretch their days off, print out the time sheet. Document and play by the rules. Some technicians will only do their job when they know their job is on the line, and that may be what you need to do.

 

[owlegrad]

I deal with the same thing almost every day I work. The pharmacists don't know how to manage a person which is HORRIBLE. I usually take charge and say...

"X don't stop counting"
"Y you’re in charge of pickups"
"Z" you scan all prescriptions in and trouble shoot"
I perform transfers/physician calls

Pharmacist loves me 🙂

It is important to delegate tasks and explain your expectations.

Yes sometimes it gets bad. I've told techs before that it's called WORK not talk. If they get mad OH WELL, it's not let make friends day. It's like Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle." If the people won’t work, hire "scabs" Or someone who will work for cheaper and do a better job.

This sounds pretty terrible. I didn't realize it was so easy find people willing to worked harder for less money.