What ever happened to Baggywrinkle?

[pharmel]

Where's Baggy? Baaaggggyyyyy, where are you?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Samoa]

He's probably trapped under his Koda-Kimble. Someone call 911.

 

[LVPharm]

I was wondering the same thing, but he posted for the first time in something like a month in this thread last evening:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=108371

 

[baggywrinkle]

Help, I've fallen and can't reach my beer...

We are well. Thank you for wondering. After traveling 4500
miles we are now settled in rural Thurston county Washington.

The boxes are slowly going away.

After five weeks vacation I am grudgingly starting my new job with Rite Aid tomorrow. New computer, new insurance plans, new customers, new company. I hate first days.

The next time I talk about moving, sombody kick me.

 

[rxforlife2004]

I've been always thinking that babywrinkle is a chick ..

 

[GravyRPH]

Eeeeek! Rite Aid? You must have gotten a big fat bonus to work for the Evil Empire. I feel for you.

 

[baggywrinkle]

Originally posted by GravyRPH
Eeeeek! Rite Aid? You must have gotten a big fat bonus to work for the Evil Empire. I feel for you.

Rite Aid paid for the move including two cars and bought my home in Florida in return for two years. My store is twelve miles from the house versus the forty plus WAG would have had me driving into downtown Tacoma. Wally world didn't stand a chance against Rite Aid's package. The relocation alone was twelve grand.

All told it was close to a twenty thousand dollar package. I can live with their crappy computer for that. Instead of being in debt from the move, I have money in my pocket.

It was a clear day in Thurston county today. Mt Rainier was in your face loud and proud. It was so pretty it hurt. I think it is less than thirty miles from my home....

 

[GravyRPH]

Sounds good, as far as I'm concerned there is little difference in which Chain you work. But that said, they are still all Hell holes to me, I can't foresee ever going back to work for one. Possibly an independent if for some reason all the hospital jobs dry up.

What do you mean they bought your home in Florida?? Haven't heard that one before. I should have thought of that when I relocated last.

 

[baggywrinkle]

Prudential relocation bought my home and paid the realtors comission; worth seven grand to me right there.

Rite aid also bought my seniority at WAGS along with my three weeks vacation. Hard to beat when you consider that they pay slightly better at $43/hour....

 

[pharmel]

Glad to hear your move went well, Baggy. I've missed your stories and words of wisdom!

 

[Pilot]

Seems like about 5 years ago Rite-Aid was offering 1 million dollars for a six or eight year stint. First regular salary, then bonuses increases as the years passed to equal 1 million after that 6 or 8 years. Is this still going on?

 

[baggywrinkle]

Five years ago Rite Aid was still suffering from the damage done
by the Thrifty-Payless/Martin Grass fiasco. In 1997 I spoke with
pharmacists in California who had not been paid in three months after that merger. It was a total cluster ****.

Pharmacists left en masse all up and down the west coast causing stores to close. It took them years to recover and they still live with that stigma.

Today they seem to have cleaned up their act. Mind you, they are still the red haired step child compared to Walgreens, but it is doable.

My little store in Yelm is very nice. On a busy Monday they do 180 compared with 550 at my old Walgreens.The pharmacist works just as hard because they do not have any of the high tech toys, and that computer really sux. I think I can be very happy there.

The moral to the story kids, is pick your practice setting with care,
and do not hesitate to do what needs to be done to make it feel like home. I've ordered a shake & roll to help count large numbers of tablets. It is a quality assurance issue.

 

[Samoa]

I used to think it was the nature of the work that determined whether I was happy at a job. But really, the most important things are:

1) having a boss you like and respect
2) having coworkers you like and respect
3) working in a well-run organization

If none of those three things apply, it really doesn't matter how much you love what you do.

That said, Rite Aid seems pretty well-run these days--at least here in New Orleans.

 

[baggywrinkle]

Originally posted by Samoa
I used to think it was the nature of the work that determined whether I was happy at a job. But really, the most important things are:

1) having a boss you like and respect
2) having coworkers you like and respect
3) working in a well-run organization

If none of those three things apply, it really doesn't matter how much you love what you do.

That said, Rite Aid seems pretty well-run these days--at least here in New Orleans.

All true, very true.

Hell holes may be found in the best run organizations, just as it
is possible to be content in the evil empire - who ever that might be at the moment.

To Samoa's list I would add having a management team above you that is responsive to your needs. It shouldn't take four months to get a lock fixed or a tech replaced. You shouldn't have to find your own coverage for a vacation. Even in the best run organizations you may find tiny fifedoms where the attitude is let them eat cake and the open door policy is just lip service. My little corner of Rite Aid has a PDM who seems to like his job and care about his people. It can make all the difference in the world even if their computer really does suck.

When you look at the cute chain of command diagrams it is easy to forget that management supports and works for the guy in the trench. Sure they have hire - fire authority but the real guy in charge is the guy who makes the money. Without the money maker the CEO is out of a job along with the stock boy. Don't ever forget that the bench pharmacist in any practice setting is the profit center for the organization. That is where your power lies...