Unhealthy Health Professionals?

Started by dumbguy
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

Browse articles Compare schools My application plan Read Interview Feedback
Practice for interviews Ask an Advisor
dumbguy

dumbguy

Full Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Do you think it is the responsibility for a pharmacist or any health professional to lead a good example and live a healthy lifestyle? I've worked with some pharmacists who smoke cigarettes, drink a lot, eat fatty foods, and/or are out of shape(don't exercise). Sometimes I wonder to myself why they would treat their body that way if their job is to provide care to make everyone else healthy.
 
I'm not so sure about pharmacists.

But when I was younger, I found it quite hard to take advice about losing weight from my fat doctor. The doctor I have now is pretty fit, and I have found that I have lost more weight, built more muscle under the care of this guy.

Personally, I smoke a lot of hookah nowadays, it is a staple of my study habits (I study at a hookah bar, studying there has been really effective, I don't see myself stopping anytime soon.)
 
I work in a mail order pharmacy where you sit in a cubicle all day long with a computer in front of you. Most of the pharmacists I work with are fat and out of shape, who frequently like to indulge in sweets. Sometimes I wish the corporate people would give you a free membership at a fitness club. I think as a health professional, the popular excuse is you don't have much time. But I guess working in a mail order pharmacy, the only patient contact you have is through the phone. I guess it's ok then because the patient can't see how fat and out of shape you are. :laugh:
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Sparda29 said:
The only time that the pharmacists get to go workout is probably real early in the morning or real late at night, or on their days off.

Pharmacy students, umm yeah, I really don't have the time to go exercising, it's either exercise or lose 2 hours of sleep every night.
Click to expand...

You can find time to workout if you really tried, trust me. Working out doesn't have to consist of going to the gym, there are plenty of things that you can on your own at your house.
 
why two hours? go for a 30 min run or something. Do situp's while you're listening to a lecture. Dont get me wrong i'm no gym buff either but just because we're in pharmacy school is no excuse to not exercise and eat unhealthy. If we are making excuses for our busy day how can we expect our patients to listen to us? We see pictures and weeks of lectures of what all of this can do to you, yet we continue to do it. All these patients hear is 5 minutes worth of words, so why do we think that would be enough to get them to stop?

Personally I would never be able to take advice about losing weight from someone overweight. I would never listen to quit smoking from a smoker. ect...It's like we dont believe in the product we're selling. Would anyone buy a car from a salesman who says "well, personally I think the car is crappily made but you should definitely buy it"
 
And the flood gates of excuses are unleashed.

Fact of the matter is, if you wanted to do it you can do it.

You simply choose not to do it. End of story.

Back to OP: I don't know if its their responsibility to look good for anyone else; but it certainly shows a general apathy when a health professional, knowing the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle, chooses to do nothing about it.
 
All this talk about no time to exercise as a student or pharmacist is a bunch of crap. The lifestyle you live is your choice and your choice only. My gym workouts consist of 20-30 minute biceps and chest one day etc...or i go for a 20 min run. As a student, i made time, and i didnt lose 2 hours of sleep. Diet is 70% of staying in shape. Eat the right foods and you can be healthy. So dont tell me "i dont have time" or "im tired". As pharmacists we should promote good health and we should start off by taking care of ourselves. I use to be FAT, really FAT. Lost 75 pounds and patients respond to me much more than when i was a FAT slob. I made lifestyle changes, exercised, i eat right. But the most important part of it all is that I am content with my results...i feel energetic and perhaps i tacked on a few years to my lifespan...so dont make excuses...

end rant
 
Doctor M said:
All this talk about no time to exercise as a student or pharmacist is a bunch of crap. The lifestyle you live is your choice and your choice only. My gym workouts consist of 20-30 minute biceps and chest one day etc...or i go for a 20 min run. As a student, i made time, and i didnt lose 2 hours of sleep. Diet is 70% of staying in shape. Eat the right foods and you can be healthy. So dont tell me "i dont have time" or "im tired". As pharmacists we should promote good health and we should start off by taking care of ourselves. I use to be FAT, really FAT. Lost 75 pounds and patients respond to me much more than when i was a FAT slob. I made lifestyle changes, exercised, i eat right. But the most important part of it all is that I am content with my results...i feel energetic and perhaps i tacked on a few years to my lifespan...so dont make excuses...

end rant
Click to expand...

I give you 👍👍
 
If you have time to eat, then you have time to exercise. Exercise should be like brushing teeth. Something you do because you're suppose to.
 
VCU2011 said:
why two hours? go for a 30 min run or something. Do situp's while you're listening to a lecture. Dont get me wrong i'm no gym buff either but just because we're in pharmacy school is no excuse to not exercise and eat unhealthy. If we are making excuses for our busy day how can we expect our patients to listen to us? We see pictures and weeks of lectures of what all of this can do to you, yet we continue to do it. All these patients hear is 5 minutes worth of words, so why do we think that would be enough to get them to stop?
Click to expand...

Exactly. I make it to my gym 2-4 times per week depending on my school schedule. When I can't, I do pushups, pullups, and crunches at home. If you are efficient with your workout you can accomplish quite a bit in a short amount of time. Doing interval training on a treadmill instead of a long cardio run is a great example of this. Combine working out w/ a reasonable diet and, over time, you will see results.

Nike nailed it when they said, "Just Do It."
 
bah...healthy living is overrated! It takes you too long to die when you're healthy!!! You want to live, drink, smoke, and be merry..and when it's your time to go...go quick!!! :meanie:





eh..j/k
 
Get your exercises in. This goes true especially for pharmacy school because the stress, poor schedules, and lack of time preparing/or missing homecook meals means a decrease in quality of life and puts you at risk for gaining a lot of weight.

Plus, working out is part of the pharmacy experience. As a professional student, there are other requirements besides school. For example, it is almost expected that you get a pharmacy job while in school. You are also expected to do a lot of other things such as keeping up with recent guidelines, keeping up with FDA alerts, volunteering (I understand that this is a low priority for a lot of people out there), etc. Working out is definitely one of them as your impression matters just like how you have to dress up professionally for work.
 
Sitting in the basement in the same chair looking at the computer is not a good way to stay in shape, you have to find the time or the job will take its toll. It is the most sedentary job at the hospital.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Unless you live under a rock I think most people know:
salad is better than hamburger
fruit is better than chips
not fried is better than fried
exercise is good

I don't think this scenario happens:
Pharmacist: Hi Mr X, you know along with this BP med you should really exercise 30 minutes a day and eat healthy and avoid foods high in sodium.
Mr X: Thank you Mr pharmacist I had no idea I should exercise and eat healthy, you are so smart and such a role model I want a body like yours. I am going to go home and run on treadmill right now...


I do believe this scenario happens:
Pharmacist: Hi Mr X, you know along with this BP med you should really exercise 30 minutes a day and eat healthy and avoid foods high in sodium.
Mr X: Thank you. Thought in head(Wow thanks for the advise, tell me something I don't know... I am going to go home and eat a a tub of ice cream while watching The Biggest Loser)

So to answer your question, no I don't think we have to be role models because I don't think it makes a difference, the only way people will be healthy is if they REALLY want to be.


I know in Pharmacy school you learn that you should always counsel people about a healthy lifestyle, and your teacher explain that you are gonna be there to support them and everything is going to be great and your gonna save lives left and right. Your gonna be measuring their weight every week, taking their blood pressure, testing their glucose, blah blah blah blah

The truth is, if your in retail your basically a slave, you barely have 15 seconds to counsel a pt and if you do have time and your all excited because your gonna tell someone something great and important, they usually grab their rx's and walk away while your talking or say my dr told me about it or stare at you with a blank look but you can really tell they are thinking shut the f*** up I just want my antibiotic for my cold or flu cause I am a wimp and could not wait a day or two for it to clear up on its own.

Then people say oh its not that way at an independent... everything is great and roses and awesome. Your sitting down and spending a half an hour with them and holding their hand. Thats not true, maybe in 1 store in everystate but not majority of independents. In pharmacy school you learn about the one or two pharmacies that do actually MTM and you sit there thinking wow this is great but the reality is most independents are just like chains but with shorter hours, and sometimes nicer customers.

I was reading the pharmacy board minutes this month in AZ and all the Walgreens reps were there getting approval for Techs to work from home, to type in rxs at home and at central location. The walgreens reps told the board that Power is here to help decrease the workload on stores so the pharmacist can have more time to counsel and provide patient care. Unless someone proves me wrong, bottom line Power is about increasing profits by cutting pharmacy staff.
 
museabuse said:
Unless you live under a rock I think most people know:
salad is better than hamburger
fruit is better than chips
not fried is better than fried
exercise is good

I don't think this scenario happens:
Pharmacist: Hi Mr X, you know along with this BP med you should really exercise 30 minutes a day and eat healthy and avoid foods high in sodium.
Mr X: Thank you Mr pharmacist I had no idea I should exercise and eat healthy, you are so smart and such a role model I want a body like yours. I am going to go home and run on treadmill right now...


I do believe this scenario happens:
Pharmacist: Hi Mr X, you know along with this BP med you should really exercise 30 minutes a day and eat healthy and avoid foods high in sodium.
Mr X: Thank you. Thought in head(Wow thanks for the advise, tell me something I don't know... I am going to go home and eat a a tub of ice cream while watching The Biggest Loser)

So to answer your question, no I don't think we have to be role models because I don't think it makes a difference, the only way people will be healthy is if they REALLY want to be.


I know in Pharmacy school you learn that you should always counsel people about a healthy lifestyle, and your teacher explain that you are gonna be there to support them and everything is going to be great and your gonna save lives left and right. Your gonna be measuring their weight every week, taking their blood pressure, testing their glucose, blah blah blah blah

The truth is, if your in retail your basically a slave, you barely have 15 seconds to counsel a pt and if you do have time and your all excited because your gonna tell someone something great and important, they usually grab their rx's and walk away while your talking or say my dr told me about it or stare at you with a blank look but you can really tell they are thinking shut the f*** up I just want my antibiotic for my cold or flu cause I am a wimp and could not wait a day or two for it to clear up on its own.

Then people say oh its not that way at an independent... everything is great and roses and awesome. Your sitting down and spending a half an hour with them and holding their hand. Thats not true, maybe in 1 store in everystate but not majority of independents. In pharmacy school you learn about the one or two pharmacies that do actually MTM and you sit there thinking wow this is great but the reality is most independents are just like chains but with shorter hours, and sometimes nicer customers.

I was reading the pharmacy board minutes this month in AZ and all the Walgreens reps were there getting approval for Techs to work from home, to type in rxs at home and at central location. The walgreens reps told the board that Power is here to help decrease the workload on stores so the pharmacist can have more time to counsel and provide patient care. Unless someone proves me wrong, bottom line Power is about increasing profits by cutting pharmacy staff.
Click to expand...

All I took away from the above was that you must be a fatty.....
 
museabuse said:
Unless you live under a rock I think most people know:
salad is better than hamburger
fruit is better than chips
not fried is better than fried
exercise is good

I don't think this scenario happens:
Pharmacist: Hi Mr X, you know along with this BP med you should really exercise 30 minutes a day and eat healthy and avoid foods high in sodium.
Mr X: Thank you Mr pharmacist I had no idea I should exercise and eat healthy, you are so smart and such a role model I want a body like yours. I am going to go home and run on treadmill right now...


I do believe this scenario happens:
Pharmacist: Hi Mr X, you know along with this BP med you should really exercise 30 minutes a day and eat healthy and avoid foods high in sodium.
Mr X: Thank you. Thought in head(Wow thanks for the advise, tell me something I don't know... I am going to go home and eat a a tub of ice cream while watching The Biggest Loser)

So to answer your question, no I don't think we have to be role models because I don't think it makes a difference, the only way people will be healthy is if they REALLY want to be.


I know in Pharmacy school you learn that you should always counsel people about a healthy lifestyle, and your teacher explain that you are gonna be there to support them and everything is going to be great and your gonna save lives left and right. Your gonna be measuring their weight every week, taking their blood pressure, testing their glucose, blah blah blah blah

The truth is, if your in retail your basically a slave, you barely have 15 seconds to counsel a pt and if you do have time and your all excited because your gonna tell someone something great and important, they usually grab their rx's and walk away while your talking or say my dr told me about it or stare at you with a blank look but you can really tell they are thinking shut the f*** up I just want my antibiotic for my cold or flu cause I am a wimp and could not wait a day or two for it to clear up on its own.

Then people say oh its not that way at an independent... everything is great and roses and awesome. Your sitting down and spending a half an hour with them and holding their hand. Thats not true, maybe in 1 store in everystate but not majority of independents. In pharmacy school you learn about the one or two pharmacies that do actually MTM and you sit there thinking wow this is great but the reality is most independents are just like chains but with shorter hours, and sometimes nicer customers.

I was reading the pharmacy board minutes this month in AZ and all the Walgreens reps were there getting approval for Techs to work from home, to type in rxs at home and at central location. The walgreens reps told the board that Power is here to help decrease the workload on stores so the pharmacist can have more time to counsel and provide patient care. Unless someone proves me wrong, bottom line Power is about increasing profits by cutting pharmacy staff.
Click to expand...

be healthy and exercise for yourself...
 
BMI is a pretty much useless and obsolete tool, it doesn't take bone density or muscle mass into account at all. According to BMI, Shaquille O'Neal would be morbidly obese.

Body Fat % is a much better tool to use.

I was planning on spending the summer in PA working as a paintball referee, and the exercise associated with that job would have been great (~5 miles of hiking daily). Then I found out about those damned IPPE.
 
Seeing wheezing, unhealthy people desperately filling rxs they wouldn't need if they were in better shape all day has prompted me to bring my yoga mat to the pharmacy and do yoga during my breaks. The techs think I'm nuts, I don't care. Course, I'll probably get hit and killed by a bus that I didn't see out of the corner of my eye cause the damn yoga mat carrying case was blocking a clear view of the street.
 
Megas said:
Seeing wheezing, unhealthy people desperately filling rxs they wouldn't need if they were in better shape all day has prompted me to bring my yoga mat to the pharmacy and do yoga during my breaks. The techs think I'm nuts, I don't care. Course, I'll probably get hit and killed by a bus that I didn't see out of the corner of my eye cause the damn yoga mat carrying case was blocking a clear view of the street.
Click to expand...

good for you! 👍👍
 
I mean, I'm a champion for health and being good examples, but c'mon...we're all human. In fact, I would go ahead and say by having HC professionals of all sizes (skinny, fat, bulging, etc...) makes them that much more approachable and would allow patients to relate.

I do a much better job consulting pt's on things I've taken myself.

I wonder how many obese pt's sit in their fit/skinny MD's offices listening to the "better diet" speech and let it go in one ear and out the other. Or, heck, even having that speech met with indifference/hostility.
 
confettiflyer said:
I wonder how many obese pt's sit in their fit/skinny MD's offices listening to the "better diet" speech and let it go in one ear and out the other. Or, heck, even having that speech met with indifference/hostility.
Click to expand...

If the patient is letting it go in one ear and out the other, the patient is going to do that regardless of the weight of the physician. I also think you will meet much fewer patients will meet the skinny health care provider with hostility than the amount of patients that will meet the fat health care provider with hypocrisy.

I understand that maybe if you were big at one point and lost weight, you could be a better coach or inspiration. Other than that you're going to be hard pressed to find any patients who will listen to you more simply because you are overweight like them- much less about dieting.
 
how the hell do you guys get from his post that he's overweight?
I didnt see anything wrong with the post at all, and you guys gotta go around knocking on people for no reason. Thats just his opinion, and you have every right to agree or disagree but not to knock so personally. what good does it do?
 
Last edited:
avuong said:
how the hell do you guys get from his post that he's overweight?
I didnt see anything wrong with the post at all, and you guys gotta go around knocking on people for no reason. Thats just his opinion, and you have every right to agree or disagree but not to knock so personally. what good does it do?
Click to expand...

It's upsetting when someone in pre-optometry can't see the joke.
 
ItsOverZyvox said:
bah...healthy living is overrated! It takes you too long to die when you're healthy!!! You want to live, drink, smoke, and be merry..and when it's your time to go...go quick!!! :meanie:





eh..j/k
Click to expand...

those things are more fun. I'm better at drinking/smoking/being merry than running! Stick with what you're good at!
 
man...i already created a thread about this titled "Hypocrisy of Health-care providers"


anyways...

Practice What You Preach!
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
I just started pharm school this year, and actually am in better shape than I have been in a long time. Mostly its because I have a 20 minute bike ride each way every day, and I usually go on a good long hike on the weekends. I like trying to incorporate exercise into activities I have to do anyway, ie get to school. And I usually hike with my boyfriend, so it is a fun bonding experience, and not just for exercise.

We also make a habit of cooking at home as much as possible. We only eat out once, maybe twice a week. Its much easier to cook healthy, tasty food than to agonize over what to order and how to change it at a restaurant.

Its absolutely worth it being in good health. You feel better, you you can do so much more, and, its true, people respect you more.
 
I find it odd that we're putting ourselves as a profession up on a pedestal like this. Instead of being so quick to call our colleagues and classmates apathetic/lazy/hypocrites for struggling with the same issues that a lot of our patients struggle with, maybe we should think about this from the other perspective. After all, the majority of people (health care professional or otherwise) smoke because they're addicted, not because they don't care about their body.

When I first started pharmacy school I weighed 325 lbs and had been smoking for a few years. My skinny doctors, family, and friends had been preaching to me incessantly for years about the dangers of my habits. The one person who was finally able to motivate me enough to change my lifestyle was a nurse practitioner who was a former smoker and currently struggling with weight loss herself. Now, before you lash out in an uncontrollable rage at my story, please note that I'm by no means saying that you need to light up a few packs of Marlboro's before your patients will be influenced by motivational counseling. Yet, for some reason, getting advice from someone that could personally relate to my situation made all the difference here. It should also be pointed out that I was well aware of the health risks associated with obesity and smoking long before pharmacy school and I'm pretty sure most of our patients are too.

Anyways, the point that I'm desperately trying to make is that we probably shouldn't be so judgmental.
 
p-rog said:
I find it odd that we're putting ourselves as a profession up on a pedestal like this. Instead of being so quick to call our colleagues and classmates apathetic/lazy/hypocrites for struggling with the same issues that a lot of our patients struggle with, maybe we should think about this from the other perspective. After all, the majority of people (health care professional or otherwise) smoke because they're addicted, not because they don't care about their body.

When I first started pharmacy school I weighed 325 lbs and had been smoking for a few years. My skinny doctors, family, and friends had been preaching to me incessantly for years about the dangers of my habits. The one person who was finally able to motivate me enough to change my lifestyle was a nurse practitioner who was a former smoker and currently struggling with weight loss herself. Now, before you lash out in an uncontrollable rage at my story, please note that I'm by no means saying that you need to light up a few packs of Marlboro's before your patients will be influenced by motivational counseling. Yet, for some reason, getting advice from someone that could personally relate to my situation made all the difference here. It should also be pointed out that I was well aware of the health risks associated with obesity and smoking long before pharmacy school and I'm pretty sure most of our patients are too.

Anyways, the point that I'm desperately trying to make is that we probably shouldn't be so judgmental.
Click to expand...

I dont believe that one needs a "motivational" someone to help one lose weight and stop smoking. People lose weight when they are ready. People get depressed, people come up with excuses...for some, their obesity or disease is their identity...its how they get people to feel sorry for them..."oh, i have to come through the drive thru cause i cant walk that far" or "I almost died in the hospital from all the drugs they gave me"...I want to tell them "um...you almost died cause your 400 lbs and 60% body fat"...look, yeah, im being judgmental cause I use to be FAT too...Not 325 lbs, but i was 5' 8 " and 252 lbs, 44 inch waist. I lost weight cause I was tired of being tired...It wasnt my identity to be FAT. I was ready to lose the weight, mentally. Obesity has such a powerful impact on the mind that people become hopeless; it's a way of life for them; be healthy for yourself and for your personal image... Think of the future and the impact obesity will have on you. It will eventually kill you, that is 100% certain and that my friends aint no natural death...

Now go exercise!
 
p-rog said:
I find it odd that we're putting ourselves as a profession up on a pedestal like this. Instead of being so quick to call our colleagues and classmates apathetic/lazy/hypocrites for struggling with the same issues that a lot of our patients struggle with, maybe we should think about this from the other perspective. After all, the majority of people (health care professional or otherwise) smoke because they're addicted, not because they don't care about their body.

When I first started pharmacy school I weighed 325 lbs and had been smoking for a few years. My skinny doctors, family, and friends had been preaching to me incessantly for years about the dangers of my habits. The one person who was finally able to motivate me enough to change my lifestyle was a nurse practitioner who was a former smoker and currently struggling with weight loss herself. Now, before you lash out in an uncontrollable rage at my story, please note that I'm by no means saying that you need to light up a few packs of Marlboro's before your patients will be influenced by motivational counseling. Yet, for some reason, getting advice from someone that could personally relate to my situation made all the difference here. It should also be pointed out that I was well aware of the health risks associated with obesity and smoking long before pharmacy school and I'm pretty sure most of our patients are too.

Anyways, the point that I'm desperately trying to make is that we probably shouldn't be so judgmental.
Click to expand...

Bro,most people get fat from what is highlighted above...How did you get FAT? I got FAT from eating and being lazy...That's the truth...The problem with people is that they blame some outside force for their problems...Oh the economy...oh my divorce...Oh poor me...Bro, I got FAT from my own damn fault. Was I depressed, yeah, but that ain't no outside forces fault...and smoking? Why even start? so you mean to tell me that some outside force or someone stuck a cigarette in your mouth and said smoke it now...and all of a sudden your addicted? I really could give a --ck about the choices people make and the consequences that result...Oh i'll sell you the drugs you need to keep you alive...but i dont care to hear how you got to where your at...cause obviously you didnt really care about yourself or love yourself enough to prevent for --cking up your bodies...so i just dont care. Harsh? Yep, but i see it everyday...and there is no change in sight

Now dont get me wrong here student... I service my customers 100%...I fill meds and consult with them, i make their lives easier cause it makes my day easier...but i just dont give a rats ass about their problems and issues...I cant, i just help them through their miserable lives (and trust me these people are misereable) and then I go home...Sounds harsh doesnt it, but its the truth...and sometimes the truth hurts...Ive learned that its better to just be honest and truthful than lie and tell people what they want to hear...

Dr. M
 
Oh, Im not done...You wanna know also why i dont give a rats ass...Cause these are the same people I see eating a god damn double whopper and lg fries in the god fore saken drive thru while they are yelling at me as to why their Januvia or Nexium or Actoplusmet ain't covered and What am I gonna do about it...and i better loan them some pills...brother, please, get the ---- out of my drive thru...yeah, it bothers me...but it will never end, so i just dont give a crap about their issues...i just offer to call their doctor and tell them to call us tomorrow to see if its resolved...and No, I dont loan out pills...ever.

End of rant...
 
Doctor M said:
Oh, Im not done...You wanna know also why i dont give a rats ass...Cause these are the same people I see eating a god damn double whopper and lg fries in the god fore saken drive thru while they are yelling at me as to why their Januvia or Nexium or Actoplusmet ain't covered and What am I gonna do about it...and i better loan them some pills...brother, please, get the ---- out of my drive thru...yeah, it bothers me...but it will never end, so i just dont give a crap about their issues...i just offer to call their doctor and tell them to call us tomorrow to see if its resolved...and No, I dont loan out pills...ever.

End of rant...
Click to expand...

I understand how you feel. I don't get customers who think it is our fault that their insurance doesn't cover their medications. It's usually the Oxycontin patients that really drive me nuts. I work in a mail order pharmacy. Today, I spent over 30 minutes talking to this oxycontin patient about her order. I wanted to hang up on her but she kept talking and talking and talking about why her meds aren't being covered and how her insurance is screwing her. She's talking about her excruciating pain and how the government or the insurance company don't give a rats about her. Please. Just tell me if you want to pay for your meds or not, and hang up. I don't need to hear your long pitiful stories. Usually these oxycontin patients will go in auto mode and blame you from the beginning. They always ask what your name is and that they want to talk to your supervisor when all you tell them they can't get their medications for whatever reasons.
 
Doctor M said:
Oh, Im not done...You wanna know also why i dont give a rats ass...Cause these are the same people I see eating a god damn double whopper and lg fries in the god fore saken drive thru while they are yelling at me as to why their Januvia or Nexium or Actoplusmet ain't covered and What am I gonna do about it...and i better loan them some pills...brother, please, get the ---- out of my drive thru...yeah, it bothers me...but it will never end, so i just dont give a crap about their issues...i just offer to call their doctor and tell them to call us tomorrow to see if its resolved...and No, I dont loan out pills...ever.

End of rant...
Click to expand...

Do you say anything if they are smoking with children in the car? I am just curious, because I am pretty sure I would be fuming.
 
Last edited:
rxliteguy said:
I understand how you feel. I don't get customers who think it is our fault that their insurance doesn't cover their medications. It's usually the Oxycontin patients that really drive me nuts. I work in a mail order pharmacy. Today, I spent over 30 minutes talking to this oxycontin patient about her order. I wanted to hang up on her but she kept talking and talking and talking about why her meds aren't being covered and how her insurance is screwing her. She's talking about her excruciating pain and how the government or the insurance company don't give a rats about her. Please. Just tell me if you want to pay for your meds or not, and hang up. I don't need to hear your long pitiful stories. Usually these oxycontin patients will go in auto mode and blame you from the beginning. They always ask what your name is and that they want to talk to your supervisor when all you tell them they can't get their medications for whatever reasons.
Click to expand...

Thats sucks, and from what i hear, mail order pharmacy supervisors listen in on the calls to make sure you are curteous and professional...i would have hung up...again, i dont care to listen to all that crap, oxycontin or if its janumet...
 
PumpkinSmasher said:
Do you say anything if they are smoking with children in the car? I am just curious, because I am pretty sure I would be fuming.
Click to expand...

But why? why do you care? You see, what ive learned is that these people dont give a --ck about you, themselves or for that reason their kids. The choices these people make will directly impact their lives and their kids lives...i;ll be damned if its gonna impact me by making me "fume" inside. I let them smoke and just think to myself by how many years have they cut their life short and by how many dollars they will cost the taxpayer in the dying stages...awful? yeah, buts thats the truth...u wanna smoke, i just dont give a --ck what happens to you or your kids...cause thats the choice you are making...nothing i can do or say about it...yeah, i know awful...now if they ask me, "hey, is smoking in the car with my kids bad?" then the thunderous roar will come...but come on...be realistic
 
Doctor M said:
But why? why do you care? You see, what ive learned is that these people dont give a --ck about you, themselves or for that reason their kids. The choices these people make will directly impact their lives and their kids lives...i;ll be damned if its gonna impact me by making me "fume" inside. I let them smoke and just think to myself by how many years have they cut their life short and by how many dollars they will cost the taxpayer in the dying stages...awful? yeah, buts thats the truth...u wanna smoke, i just dont give a --ck what happens to you or your kids...cause thats the choice you are making...nothing i can do or say about it...yeah, i know awful...now if they ask me, "hey, is smoking in the car with my kids bad?" then the thunderous roar will come...but come on...be realistic
Click to expand...

I need to learn to let things go.
 
i completely agree with Doctor M

but those of the opposite gender will beg to differ

think about it like this...the more they kill their bodies...the more
money spent on drugs [/devil's advocate]

lose sleep over it?...nope...i sleep like a baby
modern darwinism at work
 
nnguyenc said:
i completely agree with Doctor M

but those of the opposite gender will beg to differ

think about it like this...the more they kill their bodies...the more
money spent on drugs [/devil's advocate]

lose sleep over it?...nope...i sleep like a baby
modern darwinism at work
Click to expand...

ahh, yeah...But I said I will sell them the drugs they need to keep them alive...and that i dont give a flying --ck about their issues...i never said i wanted to sell less drugs...im an opportunist...a capitalist...oh believe me, i want to dispense and make money on the rx's...I work for a corporation...we are greedy, as one DM put it...I want every script...cause 1 script and good service brings in 10 other scripts...This is my foundation...my thinking...i will never change...
 
Man, you're one bitter dude, Dr. M. Anyways, I was trying to make a point for all the pharmacists who still cared about their patients. I'll concede to the notion that I'm inherently naive because I'm still a pharmacy student, but I also know that I'd probably shoot myself in the face before I ended up hating my job as much as you. 🙂
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
p-rog said:
Man, you're one bitter dude, Dr. M. Anyways, I was trying to make a point for all the pharmacists who still cared about their patients. I'll concede to the notion that I'm inherently naive because I'm still a pharmacy student, but I also know that I'd probably shoot myself in the face before I ended up hating my job as much as you. 🙂
Click to expand...

Never said I hated my job, did I. All I said was I dont give a flying ---- about peoples problems...and i wont care about your problems either...or john smiths or whoever...I'll fix your problem, but i just dont care how you got into the problem...Like I said, I will help you, but i dont have to care...so as long as you walk away happy...And shooting myself...please...
 
Doctor M said:
Never said I hated my job, did I. All I said was I dont give a flying ---- about peoples problems...and i wont care about your problems either...or john smiths or whoever...I'll fix your problem, but i just dont care how you got into the problem...Like I said, I will help you, but i dont have to care...so as long as you walk away happy...And shooting myself...please...
Click to expand...
do you care about my problems?🙂

Is it the end that justifies the means? Who cares about what got you here so long as you are have a good treatment outcome that requires me? If machiavelli were into medicine it would sound like your view; who cares if you had an awful experience to get to this pharmacy, to get this treatment, you are here, thats all that matters. I will help you. This is based solely on outcomes, which makes sense. lI just thought I would inject some philosophical undertones into the discussion.
 
I'm healthier as a pharmacy student than I've been in my adult life. I couldn't continue to smoke while I'm being told continually that smoking is a risk factor for virtually every disease state. When I got my lipid numbers, I realized that my diet and activity level were wrong. When I nearly ended up with diabetes, I realized that my diet and activity level were wrong.

I think it's hard to take advice from a healthcare professional who doesn't take their own health seriously. I got scared straight. I lost 40 lbs, changed my diet (while still managing to eat fast food occasionally), and quit smoking. Now I'm healthy. My Framingham risk is less than 10% ( I realize that Framingham risk doesn't go backwards, but it was 30% two years ago).

I would view a healthcare professional who didn't take what he or she learned seriously as uncredible. That's my opinion and it's based completely on personal experience.
 
Quiksilver said:
do you care about my problems?🙂

Is it the end that justifies the means? Who cares about what got you here so long as you are have a good treatment outcome that requires me? If machiavelli were into medicine it would sound like your view; who cares if you had an awful experience to get to this pharmacy, to get this treatment, you are here, thats all that matters. I will help you. This is based solely on outcomes, which makes sense. lI just thought I would inject some philosophical undertones into the discussion.
Click to expand...

I will after you experience Dr. Brazeau's Genetics class...is he still teaching that at UB? Tests sucked...But it was a good class...Yep, the final outcome of your visit is all that matters too me...You walk away with your medicine, paid for it and I was able to increase your likelyhood of getting better...do you get it? Why do we stare into people eyes and pretend to care? I cut someone off today because she was rambling on about this and that...I fixed her problem and she was appreciative...I wasnt rude...I want hastly, i just cut her off, cause honestly i didnt care about why she having the issue...Yeah, she lloked surprise when i cut her off, but when i offered the solution, she accepted, thanked me, and we both moved on...the final outcome is all that matters...and you know what, people come to me from miles away because I fix their problems...

And if any of you tell me that you truly truly care as to why your patients are there, i will think you are lying...Cause if you did care, many of you wouldnt be on here bitching all day and starting threads about "whats the most annoying thing a customer has asked you" threads...😀
 
twester said:
I'm healthier as a pharmacy student than I've been in my adult life. I couldn't continue to smoke while I'm being told continually that smoking is a risk factor for virtually every disease state. When I got my lipid numbers, I realized that my diet and activity level were wrong. When I nearly ended up with diabetes, I realized that my diet and activity level were wrong.

I think it's hard to take advice from a healthcare professional who doesn't take their own health seriously. I got scared straight. I lost 40 lbs, changed my diet (while still managing to eat fast food occasionally), and quit smoking. Now I'm healthy. My Framingham risk is less than 10% ( I realize that Framingham risk doesn't go backwards, but it was 30% two years ago).

I would view a healthcare professional who didn't take what he or she learned seriously as uncredible. That's my opinion and it's based completely on personal experience.
Click to expand...

You did it for yourself...now go buy yourself a nice shirt and tie!🙂
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
What do you consider a fair wage for a pharmacist compared to other health care professionals?
Replies
43
Views
21K
wazoodog
W
Mr.Smile12
HPSA/SDN GenAI survey in health professions programs
Replies
5
Views
3K
lord999
lord999
WildWing
[Announcement] CVS Health / AACP Community Pharmacy Health Equity Award for Student Pharmacists
Replies
1
Views
2K
Dred Pirate
Dred Pirate
WildWing
[Announcement] Walmart Health Equity Scholarship for Pharmacy Students
Replies
0
Views
3K
WildWing
WildWing
C
Cardinal Health
Replies
13
Views
5K
RXDOC1986
R