Things I Learn from My Patients.

[Farmercyst]

I work for the IRS. Just because his parents provide more than 50% of support (one of the four "tests" of being a dependent) doesn't mean they MUST claim him as a dependent. There is no tax law that states a parent MUST claim their child as a dependent if they provide support. If he works and has federal withholding from his paycheck, he should file his own tax return and get his withholding back if he doesn't owe. The minimum income requirement to file taxes is pretty darn low - and if anyone works and has federal tax withholding, and doesn't owe any taxes because of low income, then they should file taxes to get it back - otherwise you're just letting the government keep your money.

A bigger abuse of the system are the people who claim kids they shouldn't, or better yet, random people they shouldn't, as dependents.

I agree there's nothing saying they MUST claim him. I know that the discounted utility rates for CA ask the question "CAN" someone else claim you as a dependent. In this case, the answer would be yes, even if they don't claim him. Hence, he wouldn't qualify for reduced utility rates. I'm not aware of what other programs make this a condition of receipt. I'm just aware of this specific example because I dealt with it for 8 years in my old job.

As far as getting the tax witholding back, I do that every year myself, but I'm living on less than I earn currently and can only survive with student loans.

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[charfdorn]

I'm not an expert on this but I know you're not supposed to give babies cows milk for awhile (a year maybe? It's been awhile since my nieces and nephews were that small). So if you can't use breast milk exclusively for a year or however long until babies can tolerate cows milk, you have to use formula.

Yeah, no cow's milk and no honey in the first year. I think strawberries, too.

 

[exsomnis]

Patient "What's a (reads my name tag) certified pharmacy technician? Does that mean you're the pharmacist?"

Me "No... that means I'm a pharmacy tech."

Patient "So... What's a (reads my name out loud it's a common name like Sarah or Jane!)"

Me ".... my name."

Patient "Oh. So does that mean you're the pharmacist?"

 

[crazybob]

Patient "What's a (reads my name tag) certified pharmacy technician? Does that mean you're the pharmacist?"

Me "No... that means I'm a pharmacy tech."

Patient "So... What's a (reads my name out loud it's a common name like Sarah or Jane!)"

Me ".... my name."

Patient "Oh. So does that mean you're the pharmacist?"

They probably remember the times when technicians weren't that common.

 

[Sparda29]

Patient "What's a (reads my name tag) certified pharmacy technician? Does that mean you're the pharmacist?"

Me "No... that means I'm a pharmacy tech."

Patient "So... What's a (reads my name out loud it's a common name like Sarah or Jane!)"

Me ".... my name."

Patient "Oh. So does that mean you're the pharmacist?"

LOL! This is why I hate wearing name tags. Half of my patient interactions, I catch the patient looking at my name tag. Personally, I'd go without a nametag, that way if they have a complaint or something against me, they wouldn't have a name to go with the complaint.

 

[joetrisman]

LOL! This is why I hate wearing name tags. Half of my patient interactions, I catch the patient looking at my name tag. Personally, I'd go without a nametag, that way if they have a complaint or something against me, they wouldn't have a name to go with the complaint.

I think the problem isn't the name tag, its that corporate can't differentiate legitimate feedback from self-entitled *******s. I bend over backwards for people when I have the time, but when I don't, I'll quickly inform you that your insurance issue is your problem to work out and in the mean time, we'd be glad to offer it to you at cash price. This in turn gets us regional emails from corporate about how non-empathetic our pharmacy staff is and how we need to shape up or ship out.

Incidentally, this reminds me of one weekend when I was working with our pharmacy manager. I was getting ripped on the phone by someone over some small mistake that had occurred (refill too soon that was misinformed by another tech as to the correct date). So after 20 minutes of getting ripped, she gives up, asks my name, and proceeds to tell me that she was going to complain on me (kill the messenger...yay). After I get off the phone, the pharm manager laughs and says, "You make a new friend today?"

 

[suviphi]

Last week, there was a customer that was giving me a really difficult time because she was one of those people that would show her insurance after I was done ringing her up for her purchase and then she couldn't figure out which insurance card was the most updated one. She went out of her way to tell me she worked for Comcast customer service, mentioned that 3 times, and told me how much she appreciated that I was being so patient and managed to save her so much money on her purchases. It made me really happy she said all those things so I thanked her, told her that it's good we both can relate like this, and she left in a seemingly good mood and kept thanking me for what I did.

The next day, my boss tells me that some woman who worked for Comcast complained that I was rolling my eyes, being extremely rude and disrespectful to her. She said she normally wouldn't complain to the management about it but she was "so disturbed and distraught by this that she had to let someone know about my rude behavior" and that someone "ought to teach me common courtesy and manners".

If you're going to complain about me behind my back, don't thank me for my patience and courtesy and tell me how much you appreciate that I saved you over $100 in copayments, then come BACK to the store after my shift and complain how I was being disrespectful. I could've just lied and said none of the medication was covered under her insurance.

Patients like these make me so mad.

 

[crazybob]

Last week, there was a customer that was giving me a really difficult time because she was one of those people that would show her insurance after I was done ringing her up for her purchase and then she couldn't figure out which insurance card was the most updated one. She went out of her way to tell me she worked for Comcast customer service, mentioned that 3 times, and told me how much she appreciated that I was being so patient and managed to save her so much money on her purchases. It made me really happy she said all those things so I thanked her, told her that it's good we both can relate like this, and she left in a seemingly good mood and kept thanking me for what I did.

The next day, my boss tells me that some woman who worked for Comcast complained that I was rolling my eyes, being extremely rude and disrespectful to her. She said she normally wouldn't complain to the management about it but she was "so disturbed and distraught by this that she had to let someone know about my rude behavior" and that someone "ought to teach me common courtesy and manners".

If you're going to complain about me behind my back, don't thank me for my patience and courtesy and tell me how much you appreciate that I saved you over $100 in copayments, then come BACK to the store after my shift and complain how I was being disrespectful. I could've just lied and said none of the medication was covered under her insurance.

Patients like these make me so mad.

1. We all need to get into a habit of asking for insurance cards first. If you had 5 cards with you, could you instantly figure out which one was your most recent one? It would probably take you a minute or two.

2. Those nonverbal cues can say a lot about what you won't say out loud in front of someone. Your tone can also say a lot too.

3. After 5 months in retail, I just said 'whatever' when customers were rude. Even on the phone. You just have to find a way to deal with it like we all do eventually. If you don't, it just makes your job a lot more difficult.

 

[Sparda29]

I'm just starting at Costco Pharmacy. I just saw one of the orientation videos, and the guy is like, if customers are rude to our employees, we don't want them as customers.

 

[PharmGrl]

One day last week, I had a lady call in and raise a big fuss about our automated reminder calls to have the customers come and pick up their filled prescriptions. This is a company wide message service that was started without any of our staff's knowledge, but we all figured it out pretty quickly...anyway...this customer is angry about her reminder call, and informs me that she has been a customer of ours for several years and she doesn't need to have these reminder calls. She demanded that I turn them off. I informed her that we were unable to terminate those reminder calls, but she could try to request the cessation of those calls by contacting the corporate office and giving her verbal request. She repeated herself, escalating, and again asked me "Well, how can I make them stop?"

I said...."Pick up your prescriptions and the messages will stop."

 

[crazybob]

One day last week, I had a lady call in and raise a big fuss about our automated reminder calls to have the customers come and pick up their filled prescriptions. This is a company wide message service that was started without any of our staff's knowledge, but we all figured it out pretty quickly...anyway...this customer is angry about her reminder call, and informs me that she has been a customer of ours for several years and she doesn't need to have these reminder calls. She demanded that I turn them off. I informed her that we were unable to terminate those reminder calls, but she could try to request the cessation of those calls by contacting the corporate office and giving her verbal request. She repeated herself, escalating, and again asked me "Well, how can I make them stop?"

I said...."Pick up your prescriptions and the messages will stop."

Is this going to be going in cycles the next time she needs to pick up a prescription?

 

[PharmGrl]

The reminder calls happen on the 5th day after the rx is filled and sitting on the shelf, and again on day 10. We return them to stock on the 14th day. If this patient fails to pick up her rx next time and it sits for 5 days, she is going to get a call (unless someone at the corporate office can actually terminate that process).

It's a very generic message....doesn't say a name, or drug or any other information. Just basically a reminder to get your hiney into the pharmacy and pick up the stuff you asked for!

 

[crazybob]

The reminder calls happen on the 5th day after the rx is filled and sitting on the shelf, and again on day 10. We return them to stock on the 14th day. If this patient fails to pick up her rx next time and it sits for 5 days, she is going to get a call (unless someone at the corporate office can actually terminate that process).

It's a very generic message....doesn't say a name, or drug or any other information. Just basically a reminder to get your hiney into the pharmacy and pick up the stuff you asked for!

If she's having to deal with telemarketers and sales calls, a call like that could be very annoying.

She might also be busy enough with her family or whatever to remember to stop by the pharmacy. Just like some people can forget to take their medications, they can also forget to pick up their medications from pharmacies.

 

[PharmGrl]

I can totally see how the reminder calls can be annoying, and how they can actually be a benefit.

They have reminded me to get stuff that I put in to refill and then forgot about!

One of the pharmacists was in earshot though when I said "If you pick up your prescription, the calls will stop" and she started laughing!

This lady was annoyed because the reminder calls are relatively new, within the last month, and I think it took her by surprise more than anything. She also was trying to wait until her pay day to pick up the rx, but she'd already asked us to hold it until her last pay day, which was 2 weeks prior. The cashier she spoke to at that time had written a big note on the paperwork stating as much.

I know we can't make everyone happy all of the time, but I think this lady was trying to find stuff to gripe about.

 

[crazybob]

I know we can't make everyone happy all of the time, but I think this lady was trying to find stuff to gripe about.

Everyone likes to do that.

Especially people who want controls and ones who don't want to pay cash and hope their insurance covers everything.

 

[FormerRT]

Can I post something....this is more of a "Thing's I've learned from BEING a patient"....

my hubby was hospitalized a few days (MS) and he was newly diagnosed so I was quite new to all the meds and treatment and such for his condition. anyways, I had to leave the night before because of visiting hours and didn't get a chance to sit in with the Dr. as they were going over his new meds....so when I arrived in the AM the nurse walked in with a cup of pills....I politely asked her what meds he was taking. She told me she couldn't tell me because of confidentiality (although I was and am his wife)....so I woke my poor husband who was sleeping, and told him to repeat after me "Tell my wife everything she wants to know"....he promptly fell back asleep and I said "soo...what meds are you giving him?" she told me she'd have to step out and look at his chart....a few minutes later, she walks back in, strides over to the pill cup that's on his shelf...takes a pill out and puts it in her pocket, and then goes over all the medications she left inside !! to this day i have no clue what the other pill was!!

 

[crazybob]

She might have been correcting a mistake.

 

[PharmGrl]

Can I post something....this is more of a "Thing's I've learned from BEING a patient"....

my hubby was hospitalized a few days (MS) and he was newly diagnosed so I was quite new to all the meds and treatment and such for his condition. anyways, I had to leave the night before because of visiting hours and didn't get a chance to sit in with the Dr. as they were going over his new meds....so when I arrived in the AM the nurse walked in with a cup of pills....I politely asked her what meds he was taking. She told me she couldn't tell me because of confidentiality (although I was and am his wife)....so I woke my poor husband who was sleeping, and told him to repeat after me "Tell my wife everything she wants to know"....he promptly fell back asleep and I said "soo...what meds are you giving him?" she told me she'd have to step out and look at his chart....a few minutes later, she walks back in, strides over to the pill cup that's on his shelf...takes a pill out and puts it in her pocket, and then goes over all the medications she left inside !! to this day i have no clue what the other pill was!!

I think I would be alarmed, as well!

She may have been correcting a mistake, but she should have found a way to do that without you seeing it so you wouldn't be alarmed about it. There are discreet ways to make corrections. She also could have just been up-front with you.

 

[FormerRT]

I think I would be alarmed, as well!

She may have been correcting a mistake, but she should have found a way to do that without you seeing it so you wouldn't be alarmed about it. There are discreet ways to make corrections. She also could have just been up-front with you.

yeah, the thing that bothered me about it was that she was telling my husband to take the meds before i asked her what was in there....had i not stopped her and asked her what pills they were, prompting her to look back at the chart, she would have administered the pill to him on accident. i'm not terribly concerned that it would have been a fatal error, but what irritated me most was the snobby tone of voice she gave me when i was simply asking her questions....and then to top it all off she had made a mistake with the meds

 

[crazybob]

I think I would be alarmed, as well!

She may have been correcting a mistake, but she should have found a way to do that without you seeing it so you wouldn't be alarmed about it. There are discreet ways to make corrections. She also could have just been up-front with you.

If you were to see any labels on tablets or capsules, you could easily look them up and see what it was.

 

[FormerRT]

If you were to see any labels on tablets or capsules, you could easily look them up and see what it was.

for future reference when nurses are being crabby!! LOL!!

 

[rxlea]

It might have just been a PRN drug that wasn't needed for whatever reason.

 

[By3Times1Minus1]

Grrrr...I typed all this and when I hit submit, SDN went into maintenance, and I lost it all. here goes again.

From when I used to work at a 24 hour Walgreens in what some might call "the ghetto:"

Your Nasonex bottle is actually filled up by the pharmacy staff who then glues the box shut. If you think your bottle was "only filled halfway," it's perfectly acceptable for you, an elderly African-American lady, to call the African-American pharmacist (who is calmly trying to explain that all the Nasonex bottles are filled with an equal amount by the MANUFACTURER) racist.

If you look like/are a homeless bum and come in at 3am to steal flip flops by hiding them under your tshirt, the best way to get the security guard, who is punching you in the head trying to subdue you till the police arrive because you pushed him into a shelf when he confronted you for stealing, off of you is to bite him and yell as loud as you can that you have HIV as everyone in the store is spectating.

If you are a vagrant who spends most of his time hanging out/spanging right next to our front door or in our parking lot, you are automatically entitled to sneak into our customers' unlocked cars and take a nap on their backseat then soil yourself and their seat while the customer is inside waiting on a script. (Why the patient left his car door unlocked in that neighborhood is just as baffling to me)

When you ask the pharmacist for something OTC to treat a UTI and she goes to show you where the AZO is, it is necessary to inform her that you probably got a UTI because your husband likes to have anal sex, and he usually wipes his penis off before you engage in vaginal sex, except this time he didn't.

When you have sores all around your mouth, scabs on your arms, track marks all over your arms, can't stop shaking, and the pharmacist says she won't sell you syringes because you can't produce proof of any prescription needing a syringe, "Please, I just want a clean needle. I don't want to die of AIDS," will completely change her decision....because, you know, she's the one forcing you to go shoot up after someone with AIDS.

 

[By3Times1Minus1]

This is a story one of my former PIC's told me from when he was a regional pharmacy manager at Costco:

If you get arrested because you tried to fill your long deceased husband's Percocet, it is acceptable to complain to the store manager the day you get out of prison months-years later that you deserve a refund because you never received the medication since you got arrested. The store manager will ignore any input from the pharmacists and pharmacy supervisor regarding pharmacy law and the fact that you were convicted of breaking it and will issue you a refund for your fraudulent script as well as a gift card for your troubles.

Not pharmacy related, but the same PIC told me he had to quit eating at Ryan's after he witnessed a family of obese people dining there. After they all got their first plates of food, the obese son poured ketchup into his plate then licked the rim of the glass Heinz bottle to get the excess ketchup off before screwing the cap back on.

more to come after I get some sleep...

 

[Goat808]

Please don't wave your cane at me because you have a 22 cent co-pay.

 

[crazybob]

Please don't wave your cane at me because you have a 22 cent co-pay.

 

[MiataMike]

After 5 months in retail, I just said 'whatever' when customers were rude. Even on the phone.

Seriously? That's your way of dealing with customers?

 

[rxlea]

Eh...saying "whatever" is not a good idea.

 

[MiataMike]

For real. That's the kind of thing you say when you're not interested in keeping your job for much longer.

 

[crazybob]

Seriously? That's your way of dealing with customers?

Eh...saying "whatever" is not a good idea.

I didn't say it out loud

I tried not to get pissed off like some people do.

Oh and those 5 months were at Wal-Mart, and I wasn't working in the pharmacy at the time.

 

[By3Times1Minus1]

Call I got today:

me: thank you for calling xxx pharmacy, this is xxx, may i help you?
pt: yes, i was trying to call the refill line but it won't work? is it down or maybe it's just me. i can't read the phone number on this bottle anymore because it got rubbed off. (me thinking, how the hell are you calling it if you can't read the number, lady???)
me: the number's 1-877-xxx-xxxx, but i can just put the refill in for you if you tell me the number while i have you on the phone.
pt: ok, it's rx# xxxxx. one more question. why is your refill line long distance?

 

[rxlea]

Call I got today:

me: thank you for calling xxx pharmacy, this is xxx, may i help you?
pt: yes, i was trying to call the refill line but it won't work? is it down or maybe it's just me. i can't read the phone number on this bottle anymore because it got rubbed off. (me thinking, how the hell are you calling it if you can't read the number, lady???)
me: the number's 1-877-xxx-xxxx, but i can just put the refill in for you if you tell me the number while i have you on the phone.
pt: ok, it's rx# xxxxx. one more question. why is your refill line long distance?

 

[delano2000]

Call I got today:

me: thank you for calling xxx pharmacy, this is xxx, may i help you?
pt: yes, i was trying to call the refill line but it won't work? is it down or maybe it's just me. i can't read the phone number on this bottle anymore because it got rubbed off. (me thinking, how the hell are you calling it if you can't read the number, lady???)
me: the number's 1-877-xxx-xxxx, but i can just put the refill in for you if you tell me the number while i have you on the phone.
pt: ok, it's rx# xxxxx. one more question. why is your refill line long distance?

Good one.

 

[crazybob]

Call I got today:

me: thank you for calling xxx pharmacy, this is xxx, may i help you?
pt: yes, i was trying to call the refill line but it won't work? is it down or maybe it's just me. i can't read the phone number on this bottle anymore because it got rubbed off. (me thinking, how the hell are you calling it if you can't read the number, lady???)
me: the number's 1-877-xxx-xxxx, but i can just put the refill in for you if you tell me the number while i have you on the phone.
pt: ok, it's rx# xxxxx. one more question. why is your refill line long distance?

That's not such a big deal. I mean, if you didn't know the company's system, you would have done the same.

I once had someone call early in the morning and I forgot to put him on hold and I still had the phone on my ear, so he asked 'are you still awake'?

 

[FormerRT]

That's not such a big deal. I mean, if you didn't know the company's system, you would have done the same.

I once had someone call early in the morning and I forgot to put him on hold and I still had the phone on my ear, so he asked 'are you still awake'?

hahaha!! that's cute!!

 

[By3Times1Minus1]

That's not such a big deal. I mean, if you didn't know the company's system, you would have done the same.

I once had someone call early in the morning and I forgot to put him on hold and I still had the phone on my ear, so he asked 'are you still awake'?

Well she's been a patient of ours for several years. My point was that she was asking me why our 877 refill line number (that is TOLL FREE) was long distance. Don't see what being familiar with the company's system has to do with that? Also she was telling me that our refill line was down, when she was obviously dialing the wrong number because she admitted she couldn't read it off her old label.

 

[crazybob]

Well she's been a patient of ours for several years. My point was that she was asking me why our 877 refill line number (that is TOLL FREE) was long distance. Don't see what being familiar with the company's system has to do with that? Also she was telling me that our refill line was down, when she was obviously dialing the wrong number because she admitted she couldn't read it off her old label.

She might be only familiar with 1-800 numbers and not know that many places use 1-877 numbers. So she would assume it's a long-distance call since she does not recognize the "area code."

I would have asked her what number she tried to call. Then explain to her (if she had dialed the wrong number) what the refill number actually is.

I know it's frustrating sometimes, but you have to remember to think about what she doesn't know. It may seem like she didn't think to look for the correct information, but if she doesn't know where to look, she's not going to look for it.

 

[charfdorn]

The reminder calls happen on the 5th day after the rx is filled and sitting on the shelf, and again on day 10. We return them to stock on the 14th day. If this patient fails to pick up her rx next time and it sits for 5 days, she is going to get a call (unless someone at the corporate office can actually terminate that process).

It's a very generic message....doesn't say a name, or drug or any other information. Just basically a reminder to get your hiney into the pharmacy and pick up the stuff you asked for!

Do you work at Target by any chance? I stopped filling there in January and I got reminder calls for like four months. I don't know why they kept filling it after I didn't come back for the first one...

 

[Farmercyst]

She might be only familiar with 1-800 numbers and not know that many places use 1-877 numbers. So she would assume it's a long-distance call since she does not recognize the "area code."

I would have asked her what number she tried to call. Then explain to her (if she had dialed the wrong number) what the refill number actually is.

I know it's frustrating sometimes, but you have to remember to think about what she doesn't know. It may seem like she didn't think to look for the correct information, but if she doesn't know where to look, she's not going to look for it.

Understanding of course that the geriatric population may be out of the loop on a lot of this, but seriously 888,877, and 866 have been toll free numbers for quite some time now.

 

[crazybob]

Do you work at Target by any chance? I stopped filling there in January and I got reminder calls for like four months. I don't know why they kept filling it after I didn't come back for the first one...

I think she works at one of the supermarket chains.

 

[delano2000]

She might be only familiar with 1-800 numbers and not know that many places use 1-877 numbers. So she would assume it's a long-distance call since she does not recognize the "area code."

I would have asked her what number she tried to call. Then explain to her (if she had dialed the wrong number) what the refill number actually is.

I know it's frustrating sometimes, but you have to remember to think about what she doesn't know. It may seem like she didn't think to look for the correct information, but if she doesn't know where to look, she's not going to look for it.

That's exactly what my mom said when I told her about the original post. I just assumed that the customer would know since 877 #s have been toll free #s for years.

 

[By3Times1Minus1]

Understanding of course that the geriatric population may be out of the loop on a lot of this, but seriously 888,877, and 866 have been toll free numbers for quite some time now.

^ This. I wouldn't consider her a geriatric either. She was in her early 50's, so I would think she still had her wits about her, at least enough to know about different toll free prefixes, but I guess I gave her too much credit in that regard.

Anyway, moving on.

When a male tech (myself) greets you with,"Hi, how are you doing today? Can I help you," it is appropriate to tell him as you hand him a script for Nexium, that you have ulcers in your stomach that were found by your OB/Gyn and not your GE (so far, so good right?) It is also appropriate to continue telling him that not only do you have ulcers in your stomach, but you also have a large hole in your posterior vaginal wall through which your rectum is spilling into and prolapsing out of your vagina, in front of several other patients.

All I could do to keep a straight face was say "Wow....that sounds like it must be...painful." I often wonder what about me makes people comfortable enough to divulge information like that.

 

[crazybob]

^ This. I wouldn't consider her a geriatric either. She was in her early 50's, so I would think she still had her wits about her, at least enough to know about different toll free prefixes, but I guess I gave her too much credit in that regard.

Anyway, moving on.

When a male tech (myself) greets you with,"Hi, how are you doing today? Can I help you," it is appropriate to tell him as you hand him a script for Nexium, that you have ulcers in your stomach that were found by your OB/Gyn and not your GE (so far, so good right?) It is also appropriate to continue telling him that not only do you have ulcers in your stomach, but you also have a large hole in your posterior vaginal wall through which your rectum is spilling into and prolapsing out of your vagina, in front of several other patients.

All I could do to keep a straight face was say "Wow....that sounds like it must be...painful." I often wonder what about me makes people comfortable enough to divulge information like that.

You are working with other healthcare professionals, so they'll tell you all kinds of stuff they won't say to anyone else, and hope that you can help them.

You wouldn't believe the stories about how patients will admit things to their pharmacists but never say them to their doctors.

 

[rxlea]

They tell you these things because they don't have anyone else to tell them to and they just want someone to commiserate with them.

 

[By3Times1Minus1]

I understand that working in healthcare means you'll get exposed to details about people's personal lives you normally wouldn't, but I meant I don't know why I get so many patients that tell stories like that to me specifically as opposed to my coworkers. I'll get like 9 out of every 10.

Here's one my female pharmacist got the other day:
pharm: your insurance doesn't cover this medication [cialis], did you still want to pay for all 10 or just a couple?
pt: yea, i'll get all 10. it's my 20th anniversary, and i have to make it seem like it's my first.

 

[crazybob]

I understand that working in healthcare means you'll get exposed to details about people's personal lives you normally wouldn't, but I meant I don't know why I get so many patients that tell stories like that to me specifically as opposed to my coworkers. I'll get like 9 out of every 10.

Here's one my female pharmacist got the other day:
pharm: your insurance doesn't cover this medication [cialis], did you still want to pay for all 10 or just a couple?
pt: yea, i'll get all 10. it's my 20th anniversary, and i have to make it seem like it's my first.

Sometimes people just like to talk to the staff in the pharmacy they visit.

I'm sure we've all had times when we just wanted to talk to someone about anything. It helps to avoid awkward silences

 

[The Poet Sings]

Sometimes people just like to talk to the staff in the pharmacy they visit.

I'm sure we've all had times when we just wanted to talk to someone about anything. It helps to avoid awkward silences

in some cases i'm sure an awkward silence is better than an awkward story! lol. why don't these people revert to "so, the weather has been ___ lately!" i wouldn't mind hearing peoples stories, but i'd prefer it to be in the right setting. maybe some are just oblivious...
(i'm not pharm and i don't have patients, but i just thought i'd throw in my 2 cents. keep the stories coming! i guess i prefer that they don't talk about the weather with you all .)

 

[rxlea]

I liked when the patients in the pharmacy talked to me about anything and everything. I knew some by name and knew their family and stuff. I mean, it IS a healthcare setting. They should be able to talk about that stuff. I sorta think that community pharmacy has that advantage- because the pharmacist gets to know the patients, the patients might tell them stuff that they didn't tell their doctor (that they should have) and the pharmacists can catch stuff. They can see the progression of an illness over time as long as the patient is consistent with picking up scripts (and goes to the same pharmacy which DOESN'T happen with these stupid ass coupon things). It is an opportunity for the pharmacist to be directly involved in that patient's care. But, maybe I am just a weirdo for thinking that

 

[b1234]

I liked when the patients in the pharmacy talked to me about anything and everything. I knew some by name and knew their family and stuff. I mean, it IS a healthcare setting. They should be able to talk about that stuff. I sorta think that community pharmacy has that advantage- because the pharmacist gets to know the patients, the patients might tell them stuff that they didn't tell their doctor (that they should have) and the pharmacists can catch stuff. They can see the progression of an illness over time as long as the patient is consistent with picking up scripts (and goes to the same pharmacy which DOESN'T happen with these stupid ass coupon things). It is an opportunity for the pharmacist to be directly involved in that patient's care. But, maybe I am just a weirdo for thinking that

Sounds like you'd like rural Lea. Everyone knows everything about everyone in a small town...

 

[rxlea]

Sounds like you'd like rural Lea. Everyone knows everything about everyone in a small town...

Actually, I would like rural very much. It was one of the things that drew me to UMN's program. It was hard to turn it down but Arizona has some rural "critical need" areas too so I am going to try to get into a rotation with IHS or something.