struggling at work

[think]

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Hello All!
This is just me venting about my job. I just cant seem to get a handle on things or maybe its not me and its the other people.I just dont get it. So i have a long drive to work and I go in early and come home late staying extra to finish up the work. I have techs, but they are good for nothing because almost any thing that needs done they will direct to me. So I check, type, correct mistakes, do insurances, take all the calls ( they let the phone ring off the hook) etc..MY techs are awesome at backbiting each other lol.
I am getting tired of it. How are you jobs like? How u many of yo have a long drive? Is this normal for a young professional to go through...sometimes I really dont even know what to say or do even though I am the boss

I am looking for any kind of advice here. I kinda know what the problem is which is training the techs but in the mean time what can i do?

 

[YourMD]

Are they at least willing to learn? If so, be patient and teach them. After all you are the leader, lead by example and be willing to guide your techs. This will pay off in the long run. Whatever you do don't be like a certain pharmacist I know that just loves to point out other employee flaws behind their back and never seems to mention the issues at hand directly to the particular employee face to face. Be a good leader your staff will folllow. Stay calm and enjoy this career we call pharmacy. Goodluck! 🙂

 

[grumps]

Sadly, your situation is the norm. And there is nothing you can do about the techs. If you try to play butch boss they'll go over your head and cry about how mean you are. It is unlikely you'll be backed up. There are exceptions in more civil parts of the country, but I know exactly what you're up against.

Hang in there, but I won't blow smoke up your butt about how it will get better. Presevere. If there is an afterlife there will be a special place for you.

 

[zelman]

I'd recommend setting up some clear expectations. Let techs know which workstations need to answer phones, and tell them (by name) to pick it up if they haven't in 2 rings.

When I work with techs who ask me about every little thing ("Mr Johnson doesn't have any refills on 81mg ASA that he takes every day for the last 50 years and costs $0.00001 per tablet. What should we do?"), I try to get them to come to me with solutions instead of problems ("here's a bottle with two aspirin tablets for Mr Johnson, okay?"). This is assuming they aren't idiots. If they're idiots ignore and replace them. If they have value tell them you trust them to know what needs to get done.

And I've had garbage commutes and stayed late every night. Start downloading podcasts. It's slightly more bearable with compelling audio. Do you need some recommendations?

 

[crossurfingers]

Are you the pharmacy manager? If not, you should voice your concerns to your pharmacy manager and see if he/she agrees. Maybe they are just slacking off for you. If it's not just you, then the manager should hold a meeting to set clear expectations of changes that need to be made. For your sake I hope you have a pharmacy manager that will actually do something and not tolerate that behavior. If that doesn't work, transfer out to another store.

I've worked at slower stores that had lazy techs and it was so much harder than the busy 24 hour stores I've worked at with awesome techs. Don't get me wrong, busy 24 hour stores are stressful but for different reasons than constantly having to do tech work on top of your own. I've noticed that most 24 hour stores have really good techs that follow work flow and know their roles. It's kind of essential in those situations because with the amount of scripts and immunizations on a daily basis it's either sink or swim.

 

[PharmdA07]

Just my experience with this issue: The right thing to do is first to educate your techs to be efficient like other poster said; then, if that doesn't work out, consult with your supervisor. Now here is the kicker: be really professional and careful as you're only you (one body) and all those lazy techS are in number (many bodies). I used to voice my concerns with the supervisor and guess what : it backfired just becuase my bad luck: all these lazy techs were in good relationship with the supervisor (apparently, this supervisor used to be a tech and then intern with these old >40yo lazy techs) and it bit my behind quite a bit 🙁 but I was still a bit lucky as I got transferred to a new store the next coming month due to an opening. Good god heaven, now I already left that toxic environment.... But approach it careful and know your allies, you should have a feel by now if the supervisor is an impartial one.

 

[think]

Thank you all for the replies. I am not the pharmacy manager. I just started at this job like 8 months ago( 2012 graduate) and these techs I work with are just too much. There's a issue about everything everyday. They occupy themselves with other things so nothing pharmacy related gets done.
My manager is great, but also contributor to the problems because she doesn't say anything to the techs . The other problem is she has been at that store for ever since it opened shee knows the system soo00o well that she finds it easier to do everything herself rather than teach the techs. Everything I ask the techs to do they tell me she does it so they dont know how to . When I am there I try to help them learn things, but when she is there they forget everything all over again.
She must be a super woman because she types all e scripts, faxes, drop offs and does the checking.

I am gona try the podcast idea from now on when i am there late lol

Are these reasons enough/normal to get me transferred out to another store? I always fear that I will look bad saying to DM that I cant handle the store.

 

[zelman]

Don't tell them you can't do it. Say it's a bad fit.

Also, they are probably not checking the prescriptions because they're typing them. If you don't check anything, I'll bet you can keep up too.

 

[think]

Just my experience with this issue: The right thing to do is first to educate your techs to be efficient like other poster said; then, if that doesn't work out, consult with your supervisor. Now here is the kicker: be really professional and careful as you're only you (one body) and all those lazy techS are in number (many bodies). I used to voice my concerns with the supervisor and guess what : it backfired just becuase my bad luck: all these lazy techs were in good relationship with the supervisor (apparently, this supervisor used to be a tech and then intern with these old >40yo lazy techs) and it bit my behind quite a bit 🙁 but I was still a bit lucky as I got transferred to a new store the next coming month due to an opening. Good god heaven, now I already left that toxic environment.... But approach it careful and know your allies, you should have a feel by now if the supervisor is an impartial one.

the main problem is that i cant educate them alone and my manager does not wanna waste time on them
AND yes they are all buddy buddies from many years at different store and now this one.
The worst part about them all is they cant be trusted with anything. I have learned this lesson early on thank god so i know if someone looks like my ally today can be my enemy tomorrow
I know I have to be extremely careful with everything that why before saying anything to anyone at the store I am asking for advise here and actually thinking of best case scenarios in this situation
and not that I have anything against older people( they are like in their 40-50s) but they use that excuse all the time..calling out , not being efficient, complaining about walking back and forth from registers, standing all day
I actually worked with another lady older than all my techs and she was sooo awesome so I dont know whats the problem here

 

[Rx Pharm]

From my little experience, i would recommend having a conversation with the pharmacy manager. You need to set expectations for the techs and hold them accountable. We are all there to work and not socialize. No buddy buddies. You can't do all their work, mistakes will eventually happen. If the pharmacy manager does not support that, i would recommend transferring to another store. And another advise, do not gossip with techs about your colleagues(pharmacists). Trust me it will get back to them.

 

[StellargalS]

The following is my MO for 3 reasons:
we don't have time to train and teach and often attitude is in the way
the superior-subordinate relationship is tenuous at best so the less interaction the better
managers are usually manager because they won't manage and at best they turn it around on you

So what I do is make cheat sheets for the techs starting with the most irritating common thing that slows me down (i.e. days supply conversion factors for eye drops, nebs, insulin, inhalers.) If it uptakes I go from there. I have made check off slips w/c provide remediation tips for addressing the common billing errors and hardcopy invalidator which I toss in the tote and hand back. I make formulary flow charts that can be affixed to a fax or used as a script to facilitate office communication. Preprogram sig codes with cheat sheets for the common headache sigs, check off forms for communicating status of problem orders, claims processing diagrams....

I think a lot of the hassles may not apply because technology is moving at mock 5. The point is I recommend non-verbal, clear instructions that keep you from having to yet again fix a problem at the last minute or explain for the 90th time what bs processing error needs corrected and it removes any excuse for inaction because it is clearly documented and provided to them. I get resistance but I walk them through it a couple of times and try to keep it light. I make a fuss if they use it and I thank them for whatever..

Sometimes not a thing you can do will help you and other times it falls into place. What ever you do with them do it one at a time and solicit contributions/other solutions.

 

[think]

thank you guys i am gona implement some of these ideas at work over the next few weeks. I will let you know how things are... 🙂