The Bad Side of Pharmacy

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laura_mideon

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Hello everyone! This question is kind of geered towards people who have alot of pharmacy experience or who are already pharmacists.

What do you think are the worst things about being a pharmacist?

I know that I want to become a pharmacist, and I've put alot of thought into this decision, and I'm constantly trying to weigh the pros and cons. But I honestly just haven't come across any major cons......obviously all of you have more pros than cons or else you wouldn't have chosen pharmacy. But with experience, what kinds of major difficulties or problems have you encountered along the way? No job is perfect, there has to be a downside! What is the bad side of pharmacy?? ;)

Just curious.

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This is kind of a hard question, becasue things that one person finds a con could go pro for someone else and vice versa. I'll stick to the clear cut stuff.

*Rotating shifts and not closing for holidays are a big downside to hospital pharmacy
*Some retail stores are open at night and during every holiday, which is just no fun
*Retail stores can be very volume oriented, depending on the company philosophy - This can really tear at our ability to provide quality patient care.
*Standing up alot is really hard on your legs and feet
*Addiction is an occupation hazard, due to easy access
*Usually no breaks except for lunch (which also sometimes doesn't happen)

I'll let someone else add more.
 
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From what I've seen, my biggest con about pharmacy is that no matter how many checks and balances are set up, mistakes will still be made before the drug goes out to the patient and that's seems scary as hell to me. But, it's also a motivating factor to always be on my toes whenever I do become a pharmacist.
 
Some retail patients yell and scream at you. The addition of drive-thru windows in pharmacy have lowered us to McDonalds standard in the public eye. They expect to be in and out within minutes. If they are told there is a wait, some patients scream at you.

They also scream when they come to pick up a medication that their doctor phoned in, but isn't ready yet. In reality, the doctor's office has not phoned it in, but they lie to the patients and then it becomes our problem.

They scream when I have to phone back the doctor's office because they wrote a prescription for a wrong dosage or some other medication error. The doctor's office doesn't phone me back for 3 hours, but I'm the one who gets yelled at.

Lots of screamers are on Medicaid and they find out that their drug isn't covered and they would have to *gasp* pay for their medication.

We have one lady who accuses us of opening brand name pill bottles and filling them with generic drugs. She only accepts sealed bottles and her doctor has to write the script for the correct quantity.

But, all of it is worth it when you have one patient tell you that you that you made a difference. Even if it was helping them pick out an OTC cream, or some eyedrops.
 
dgroulx said:
Some retail patients yell and scream at you. The addition of drive-thru windows in pharmacy have lowered us to McDonalds standard in the public eye. They expect to be in and out within minutes. If they are told there is a wait, some patients scream at you.

Wow, I've never heard of drive-through pharmacies, that definitely doesn't seem right. Do you work at one?

dgroulx said:
Lots of screamers are on Medicaid and they find out that their drug isn't covered and they would have to *gasp* pay for their medication.

We have one lady who accuses us of opening brand name pill bottles and filling them with generic drugs. She only accepts sealed bottles and her doctor has to write the script for the correct quantity.

That's insane. These people literally scream at you? Instead of calling Medicaid or whoever is actually behind the problem? That's really irrational.

bananaface said:
*Addiction is an occupation hazard, due to easy access

Is this common?


The one thing no one has mentioned that I'm curious about, is the amount of addicts/druggies whatever, that hassle you while your working. Is that only common in bad neighborhoods? Have many of you had experience with this? I'm asking because the pharmacy I'm volunteering in (I just started yesterday) is in a bad neighborhood, I've even been told not to wear my engagement ring there, and to be very careful about the sale of seringes, only give them to diabetic patients who are on the system.
 
Anyone with easy access is at increased risk for addiction.

I wore my wedding set when I worked in Hilltop in Tacoma and nobody ever hassled me about it. Did someone at the store tell you not to wear your ring? When you walk down the street do you see anyone else with a ring on?
 
laura_mideon said:
Wow, I've never heard of drive-through pharmacies, that definitely doesn't seem right. Do you work at one?



That's insane. These people literally scream at you? Instead of calling Medicaid or whoever is actually behind the problem? That's really irrational

Yes, I work at one and they are pretty standard in Florida. They were created so the handicapped people wouldn't have to get out of their car. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way. Most of the people driving through do it so they won't have to put out their cigarrette, since you can't smoke in any building in Florida. They have money for their smokes, but not for their medication. Oh, they also say, "I only want to pick up the Vicodin".

If something doesn't go through medicaid, we have to phone and find out why. If a medication requires prior authorization, then the doctor's office has to phone medicaid. Then, we have to try to fill it every day to see if it went through. Still, they are in our pharmacy and we have to bear the brunt of their anger. This summer, the pharmacist I was working with was threatened with physical violence from a patient whose medication was not going through his insurance. Then the guy went and reported the pharmacist to the district manager of Eckerds.
 
laura_mideon said:
Wow, I've never heard of drive-through pharmacies, that definitely doesn't seem right. Do you work at one?



That's insane. These people literally scream at you? Instead of calling Medicaid or whoever is actually behind the problem? That's really irrational.



Is this common?


.


I **LOVE** freshly minted pharmacists. They are so cute!

Yes, they really will scream at you if you allow it. I have said it before and I will say it again. Rule your pharmacy with a velvet covered iron fist. If they are so rude as to actually scream at you and it isn't something where you screwed up do not be afraid to run them off. Don't ever forget that you have the drugs and they want them. That places you in the drivers seat. Follow the law and your own moral compass and you will be okay.

Screaming is one of the reasons I love drive throughs. You have an off button and you can use it allowing them to jabber on while you smile and nod.
Drive throughs are also a good place for unruly children. Mom appreciates it and so do I. If they are restrained in their child transport unit they are not running up and down the aisles taking your store apart.

Pet peaves about retail pharmacy;
third party insurance that doesn't work
People that think it is okay to drive up at one minute before closing with a fistfull of prescriptions and a third party issue
Running out of drugs
Jammed printers
People who don't know their RX number and barely know their own name
****MISFILLS THAT GOT BY ME****
People that feel that I am there to be abused by them
People that feel like the world owes them a living
Medicaid patients driving BMWs
Getting behind to the point that you are filling on arrival
Technicians who call in sick


Hospital Pharmacy pet peeves
Stat ducolax suppositories
Physicians who won't respect a closed formulary
Nurses who hung your TPN on the wrong patient and won't admit it
Joint commission inspections
Physicians who won't return your calls or are rude when they do
Physicians who insist on exotic cocktails that aren't worth a damn (Sterile water 1000 ml with 100 grams ascorbic acid. 1.5 NORMAL normal saline)
Physicians who insist on exceeding the LD50 on whatever they order
Physicians who insist on ordering intravenous solutions which are incompatable (Dilantin IVPB, Valium IVPB, Calcium Chloride and ANYTHING else)
****misfills that got by me****
Technicians that call in sick
 
Profit-driven corporations have a stranglehold on the profession.

What other health profession is expected to get down on their knees for patients as much as retail pharmacists? To many it's an atrocity if you have to wait 4 minutes without service at the drive through, but 30 minutes at the physician's waiting room is standard practice.
 
Hospital Pharmacy pet peeves
Stat ducolax suppositories
Physicians who won't respect a closed formulary
Nurses who hung your TPN on the wrong patient and won't admit it
Joint commission inspections
Physicians who won't return your calls or are rude when they do
Physicians who insist on exotic cocktails that aren't worth a damn (Sterile water 1000 ml with 100 grams ascorbic acid. 1.5 NORMAL normal saline)
Physicians who insist on exceeding the LD50 on whatever they order
Physicians who insist on ordering intravenous solutions which are incompatable (Dilantin IVPB, Valium IVPB, Calcium Chloride and ANYTHING else)
****misfills that got by me****
Technicians that call in sick

Just be lucky that you don't have one of those bloody Pyxis Robots. When we tested it at our hospital, it got confused and wound up in a patient's room muttering "Something is obstructing my way, please remove the object." over and over in a loop in the middle of the doorway, rotating in circles, unable to move, scaring the crap out of the already confused elderly patient who was unfortunatly held captive by the oversized paperweight.

Then there was the time it 'accidently' ended up in the OR.....
 
LOL. That is a HILARIOUS mental picture. Does it have big wavy arms, and a big light on it's head? Sweet.
 
bananaface said:
I wore my wedding set when I worked in Hilltop in Tacoma and nobody ever hassled me about it. Did someone at the store tell you not to wear your ring? When you walk down the street do you see anyone else with a ring on?

Yah, the pharmacist told me it was too nice to wear there because the receptionist next door at the clinic was robbed of her jewelry recently. Obviously it's just a bad area, and No, I haven't walked down the street there at all. I know this type of problem is specific to bad areas, I was just wondering if pharmacies in particular have more problems with drug addicts coming in and maybe trying to rob the place or something, even in decent areas?
 
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Addiction can happen, but IMHO, it is rare.

Druggies, uncivilized people, and just plain rude jerks: What Gravy said.

Retail is what you make of it! You can have good patient care if you delegate, delegate, delegate all non-essential work to your techs.
 
loo said:
Retail is what you make of it! You can have good patient care if you delegate, delegate, delegate all non-essential work to your techs.

Yah, it seems as if alot of pharmacists are quite overworked. Probably doing the work they don't really have to do.
 
one thing thats gotten to me already, even though i've only just spent my first 3 months in retail ( i work in a pseudo retail/clinical the rest of the time).. is this

dshs patients coming in and getting all their damn painkillers filled.. the 30 something mother who's buying cigarettes as she picks up her oxy contin... and doesnt have to pay a dime

and then the 45 year old man who needs his interferon, or diabetes meds, and has to pay out of pocket b/c hes doing the "right thing" by actually trying to get a job, versus living off of state welfare..
 
WVUPharm2007 said:
Just be lucky that you don't have one of those bloody Pyxis Robots. When we tested it at our hospital, it got confused and wound up in a patient's room muttering "Something is obstructing my way, please remove the object." over and over in a loop in the middle of the doorway, rotating in circles, unable to move, scaring the crap out of the already confused elderly patient who was unfortunatly held captive by the oversized paperweight.

Then there was the time it 'accidently' ended up in the OR.....

So how well do one of those puppies negotiate stairwells ;)

Enquiring minds want to know
 
laura_mideon said:
I was just wondering if pharmacies in particular have more problems with drug addicts coming in and maybe trying to rob the place or something, even in decent areas?

Again, you will if you allow it. Local pharmacists tend to know the local druggies and that door swings both ways. Trust that the local druggies will test the new guy in town to see if he is a candyman. If he is they will tell all their friends and before you know it they are traveling from afar to visit YOU.

I cut my Sudafed sales in half by requiring photo ID and signing my log book.
Junkies don't like to sign their real name. Bona fide customers don't mind and even support the requirement when you tell them why. I have since relaxed the rule to those who specifically ask for two boxes of the 48's.

They busted a meth lab just down the road from me two weeks ago. Young children lived there. I watched them jumping on their trampoline as I drove by on the way to work....
 
baggywrinkle said:
I cut my Sudafed sales in half by requiring photo ID and signing my log book.

That's a really good idea, it's not against any sort of privacy laws though? It just seems like everything is nowadays.
 
baggywrinkle said:
So how well do one of those puppies negotiate stairwells ;)

Enquiring minds want to know

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It is supposed to have some sort of navigational system integrated into our hospital-wide WiFi system. It is supposed to get on and off of elevators by itself. Note the use of the word "supposed."

In practice, it's just this giant clunky thing that slowly creeps down the hallway, about 10% of the time managing NOT to run into a wall or 'get confused.' Watching it start up is quite humorous, it just rotates for about 5 minutes upon which it then point itself towards the lundia and runs into the lundia wall about a thousand times over and over again - back and forth, back and forth.

For now we just call it the "Pyxis Paperweight."
 
Would it be reasonable to say that pharmacists can't get sick, or rather, can't call in sick? I'm thinking that your employer would expect you to know what to do to make yourself feel good enough to survive a day of work (OTCs). What are everyone's experiences with this issue in hospital/clinical/retail pharmacy? What do you do when you wake up with a debilitating upset stomach or flu symptoms? :scared:
 
In retail that was always a fear of mine. It was always a major pain in the ass to get emergency time off being the manager. I had to for a baby birth that was a few weeks earlier than planned, and a massively painful ear infection. For both, I was able to work it, but it was not easy and required a few hours of stress for both.

Since I switched to hospital, the director will just cover you if you are sick. Normally he takes care of all the formulary, paperwork, mundane stuff but is still licensed and can funtion as a pharmacist when/if needed. Plus there's more per diem people that can pick up hours. I have had a stomach flu, and it was easy to get coverage.
 
Roxicet said:
Would it be reasonable to say that pharmacists can't get sick, or rather, can't call in sick? I'm thinking that your employer would expect you to know what to do to make yourself feel good enough to survive a day of work (OTCs). What are everyone's experiences with this issue in hospital/clinical/retail pharmacy? What do you do when you wake up with a debilitating upset stomach or flu symptoms? :scared:

I think it's easier in hospitals to do that versus retail and some mail order pharmacies. When I worked for Wal-Mart, we had 4 pharmacists total and only two working on any given day. When I worked in mail order, we had one pharmacist who was employed there and one or maybe two pharmacists from a temp company like Cardinal.

At the hospital where I work now, there are always 8 (out of 15) staff pharmacists scheduled, plus 4 clinicals, the resident, the director, and the assistant director. If one of the staff pharmacists call in, then either the clinicals cover or they'll call one of the pharmacists who are off to come in. Usually, the latter happens because it's a rare thing for one of them to turn down the OT. :)
 
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