what it's like working for cvs

[sosoo]

i was reading comments on this news channel and people there are just trash talking about the company. but it isn't enough. can we have more people go on there and comment how terrible your work conditions are at cvs? i hope they would make it newsworthy to report how dangerous the work condition is for customers and for staffs. this year, like every year, stores are getting hours cut. pharmacist hours are also slashed.

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[WVUPharm2007]

 

[PharmtoCS]

Take the lead. Go to the media and tell them that you dispense expired meds to patients. I am sure that will grab some attention.

 

[Sine Cura]

FastStats

Up to 40% of adults aged 20 and older have a BMI > 30 (probably even more now)

You need to revolutionize people's attitudes toward their personal health first

 

[sosoo]

Take the lead. Go to the media and tell them that you dispense expired meds to patients. I am sure that will grab some attention.

how do you suppose a floater pharmacist go to cvs pharmacy and dispense expired meds? can you explain? i doubt you have a clue what you're saying.... but yes i did took the case to a whistleblower attorney several years ago.

 

[tommyg313]

how do you suppose a floater pharmacist go to cvs pharmacy and dispense expired meds? can you explain? i doubt you have a clue what you're saying.... but yes i did took the case to a whistleblower attorney several years ago.

I was curious to see what he is talking about regarding expired meds. Then you posted extending an expiration date by a year via this old thread

Medication expiration

"in retail setting, lets say a drug expires in 2 months. However when u fill it for a patient, u remove the pills from original bottle, the expiration (discard after date) is extended to 1 year... the patient can take it far beyond the original 2 month expiration."

 

[JustFillIt]

I was curious to see what he is talking about regarding expired meds. Then you posted extending an expiration date by a year via this old thread

Medication expiration

"in retail setting, lets say a drug expires in 2 months. However when u fill it for a patient, u remove the pills from original bottle, the expiration (discard after date) is extended to 1 year... the patient can take it far beyond the original 2 month expiration."

Whew! Thanks for the link there... that was very entertaining. Now I can get some sleep in the knowledge that there are much more confused people out there than me...

 

[projektreverb]

I was curious to see what he is talking about regarding expired meds. Then you posted extending an expiration date by a year via this old thread

Medication expiration

"in retail setting, lets say a drug expires in 2 months. However when u fill it for a patient, u remove the pills from original bottle, the expiration (discard after date) is extended to 1 year... the patient can take it far beyond the original 2 month expiration."

Yeah the system doesn’t know what the expiration date of the bottle you used is. So when you RTS it, it will default to a year later. So hypothetically, they are right. You could potentially be dispensing an expired med in a situation like that.

 

[HandsomeVampire]

I was curious to see what he is talking about regarding expired meds. Then you posted extending an expiration date by a year via this old thread

Medication expiration

"in retail setting, lets say a drug expires in 2 months. However when u fill it for a patient, u remove the pills from original bottle, the expiration (discard after date) is extended to 1 year... the patient can take it far beyond the original 2 month expiration."

Should you not put the expiration date on the vial, whichever expiration date comes first?

 

[maria1oh]

Also when adding drugs to script pro we are suppose to document the lot and exp date but this did not happen.

 

[RxPreceptor]

If I recall, sosoo was under the impression the script pro outdated cell labels were the actual expiration dates (the new cell label is suppose to be printed and applied everytime a new lot # is used). Vs the actual updated cell data that is typed in and updated, the credentialed by RPh (in my state at least) with every cell addition

 

[JustFillIt]

Haha the old thread is Hilarious and the fact that this thread is going down the same road is even more hilarious.

The bottom line is - if the stock bottle says it expires on a certain date..... this means that the medication expires on that date regardless of any circumstance.

With the knowledge of when a medication expires - it is then our responsibility to make the printed label state the true expiration date - which, once again for anyone how has already forgot, is the stated expiration date on the stock bottle.

The auto print of 1 year means absolutely nothing - the important date is what is in the stock bottle.

Did it say it in enough ways to make sense?

 

[BC_89]

Also when adding drugs to script pro we are suppose to document the lot and exp date but this did not happen.

I remember working at a Troop Medical Clinic when a joint committee team rep checked our script pro cell #’s verifying the exp. dates matched up to whatever NDC # that correlated with our drugs on the screen. I told him that’s how our memo under that DOD area mandated us to “document” the meds.

Didn’t help that a big ol’ red rifampin pill was laying at the bottom of our script pro that led him to discover NO label on the rifampin cell...told us to discard the whole cell of them then told one patient at the window he best check with us what is/is not expired on his meds (loud enough so the whole waiting room could hear).

 

[ancienbon]

To answer the op' s question,working for Cvs is like riding a roller coaster in the dark -one like space mountain in disney with ups and downs.

 

[sosoo]

Medication expiration
"in retail setting, lets say a drug expires in 2 months. However when u fill it for a patient, u remove the pills from original bottle, the expiration (discard after date) is extended to 1 year... the patient can take it far beyond the original 2 month expiration."

Yes. that is part 1 of the story. now imagine your readyfill pickup meets target and lets say you only need to return to stock only 70% of them... the discard after date on the label is then "converted" to become an "expiration" date on the new RTS label.. the RTS label and amber vial gets put on the shelf for that 1 year time! and when doing 1x1 pull, you leave it on the shelf for that entire time period. // however, the original bottle that expired "in 2 months" was already expired and pulled. the new RTS vial gets a new date and remain long after expiration..... and will get dispensed long after it expired!

 

[The Doom & Gloom]

There isn’t anything you can do to have cvs treat their employees better. The only option is to leave and never look back.

 

[rxkrafted]

Yes. that is part 1 of the story. now imagine your readyfill pickup meets target and lets say you only need to return to stock only 70% of them... the discard after date on the label is then "converted" to become an "expiration" date on the new RTS label.. the RTS label and amber vial gets put on the shelf for that 1 year time! and when doing 1x1 pull, you leave it on the shelf for that entire time period. // however, the original bottle that expired "in 2 months" was already expired and pulled. the new RTS vial gets a new date and remain long after expiration..... and will get dispensed long after it expired!

Part 1 or not, this is what you told us:
"in retail setting, lets say a drug expires in 2 months. However when u fill it for a patient, u remove the pills from original bottle, the expiration (discard after date) is extended to 1 year... the patient can take it far beyond the original 2 month expiration."

It's your responsibility as the pharmacist to either correct it on the label or let the patient know. You don't just let it slide and have the patient take it far beyond the expiration date wtf... You're checking and verifying these expired meds and prepared to defend yourself by saying "the computer did it.. I knew about it.. but the computer did it"

 

[CetiAlphaFive]

Part 1 or not, this is what you told us:
"in retail setting, lets say a drug expires in 2 months. However when u fill it for a patient, u remove the pills from original bottle, the expiration (discard after date) is extended to 1 year... the patient can take it far beyond the original 2 month expiration."

It's your responsibility as the pharmacist to either correct it on the label or let the patient know. You don't just let it slide and have the patient take it far beyond the expiration date wtf... You're checking and verifying these expired meds and prepared to defend yourself by saying "the computer did it.. I knew about it.. but the computer did it"

Welcome to the rollercoaster

 

[sosoo]

Part 1 or not, this is what you told us:
"in retail setting, lets say a drug expires in 2 months. However when u fill it for a patient, u remove the pills from original bottle, the expiration (discard after date) is extended to 1 year... the patient can take it far beyond the original 2 month expiration."

It's your responsibility as the pharmacist to either correct it on the label or let the patient know. You don't just let it slide and have the patient take it far beyond the expiration date wtf... You're checking and verifying these expired meds and prepared to defend yourself by saying "the computer did it.. I knew about it.. but the computer did it"

you don't even work for CVS do you? you don't seem to understand the workflow very well to say something like that. how do you suppose a pharmacist correct the expiration date on the label if the original bottle isn't included in the basket to verify? i have yet to come across a CVS where the basket to verify includes the original bottle so i can check expiration dates. do you even know what you're saying? and no i will never blame the computer because there's already a lawsuit in precedence such that you cannot blame the software. // what garbage are you spewing?

 

[rxkrafted]

you don't even work for CVS do you? you don't seem to understand the workflow very well to say something like that. how do you suppose a pharmacist correct the expiration date on the label if the original bottle isn't included in the basket to verify? i have yet to come across a CVS where the basket to verify includes the original bottle so i can check expiration dates. do you even know what you're saying? and no i will never blame the computer because there's already a lawsuit in precedence such that you cannot blame the software. // what garbage are you spewing?

Actually I used to work for CVS for several years before moving into hospital pharmacy. I don't care what the workflow is... You clearly informed everyone that you dispense expired medication to patients. So if you knew about this and just ignored it without taking any measures because you feel like its a CVS computer problem, then that's just wrong. You are just straight garbage. Straight garbage.

 

[beautifulrobot]

Actually I used to work for CVS for several years before moving into hospital pharmacy. I don't care what the workflow is... You clearly informed everyone that you dispense expired medication to patients. So if you knew about this and just ignored it without taking any measures because you feel like its a CVS computer problem, then that's just wrong. You are just straight garbage. Straight garbage.

That's a bit harsh. I get what sosoo is saying. Apparently, current procedures make it impossible or near impossible for the verifying pharmacist to verify that the exp date printed on the label is within the exp date on the manufacturer stock bottle. So sosoo either has to trust that the technicians are verifying the exp dates, or they have to change procedures so that the technicians include the stock bottle with every script they verify. Sosoo seems to argue that neither solution is realistic with the way things are set up at CVS, especially when it comes to meds that are RTSed. Sosoo understands how exp dates work, and knows that it's wrong and illegal, but seemingly is not able to see a solution to how to verify exp dates or ensure technicians are checking exp dates, while still staying in line with what CVS tells them to do. Sosoo is arguing that CVS procedures are set up in a way that makes it nearly impossible to verify exp dates while performing all of their other duties as a pharmacist.

If sosoo's assessment is accurate, how do other pharmacists in CVS handle this issue efficiently while still meeting all of the other expectations put on them by management? Do all CVS pharmacists simply cut corners when it comes to exp dates? Do they just blindly trust that their technicians are checking exp dates? CVS pharmacists who refuse to do so - what happens to them?

If sosoo's assessment is inaccurate - how so? what are they missing and how do they correct course?

 

[ValeRx]

Actually I used to work for CVS for several years before moving into hospital pharmacy. I don't care what the workflow is... You clearly informed everyone that you dispense expired medication to patients. So if you knew about this and just ignored it without taking any measures because you feel like its a CVS computer problem, then that's just wrong. You are just straight garbage. Straight garbage.

So you manually changed every single script you ever checked?

 

[rxkrafted]

I get what sosoo is saying but if you read from the beginning of this thread, its almost like he accepted that :

in retail setting, lets say a drug expires in 2 months. However when u fill it for a patient, u remove the pills from original bottle, the expiration (discard after date) is extended to 1 year... the patient can take it far beyond the original 2 month expiration.

and then had to create points along the way to justify what he said. I just don't like how he knows its wrong yet still

under certain conditions (in military), the drug is still good long after expiration. however in retail, if a med isn't working b/c its expired, the customer won't know the expiration. the labeling is automatic for 1 year expiration, even if the original bottle expires in 2 months. we will not be in trouble b/c the cvs labeling is automatic.

 

[rxkrafted]

I'm under the impression that he knew there was a particular medication that was being dispensed and was handed off to that patient which would expire earlier than was printed and he didn't care to inform the patient.

 

[beautifulrobot]

I'm under the impression that he knew there was a particular medication that was being dispensed and was handed off to that patient which would expire earlier than was printed and he didn't care to inform the patient.

If that's the case, then yes, that's definitely screwed up and there is no excuse. I was assuming that Sosoo was pointing out that this could and probably does happen because of the way the current workflow is set up, not that they are knowingly dispensing exp meds, per se.

 

[CetiAlphaFive]

That's a bit harsh. I get what sosoo is saying. Apparently, current procedures make it impossible or near impossible for the verifying pharmacist to verify that the exp date printed on the label is within the exp date on the manufacturer stock bottle. So sosoo either has to trust that the technicians are verifying the exp dates, or they have to change procedures so that the technicians include the stock bottle with every script they verify. Sosoo seems to argue that neither solution is realistic with the way things are set up at CVS, especially when it comes to meds that are RTSed. Sosoo understands how exp dates work, and knows that it's wrong and illegal, but seemingly is not able to see a solution to how to verify exp dates or ensure technicians are checking exp dates, while still staying in line with what CVS tells them to do. Sosoo is arguing that CVS procedures are set up in a way that makes it nearly impossible to verify exp dates while performing all of their other duties as a pharmacist.

If sosoo's assessment is accurate, how do other pharmacists in CVS handle this issue efficiently while still meeting all of the other expectations put on them by management? Do all CVS pharmacists simply cut corners when it comes to exp dates? Do they just blindly trust that their technicians are checking exp dates? CVS pharmacists who refuse to do so - what happens to them?

If sosoo's assessment is inaccurate - how so? what are they missing and how do they correct course?

They are "walking the shelves" and identifying all bottles within 3 months of expiration.

Those special bottles are then identified by the tech counting pills and the expiration changed when the patient's script is filled.

 

[owlegrad]

They are "walking the shelves" and identifying all bottles within 3 months of expiration.

Those special bottles are then identified by the tech counting pills and the expiration changed when the patient's script is filled.

Strictly speaking, there is still the matter of the months 4-11, plus the fact no one ever catches 'every bottle' that expires within 3 months.

Honestly though, it's not that hard to train techs how to change the expiration date printed on the label (both at production as well as RTS) and then yes at that point you simply have to trust that they are doing it. Does it happen every time? Of course not.


sosoo's problem, IMO, is that he does not know how to express his points in a way that does not make him sound like he actually believes this is acceptable/legal. From his posts it is easy to get the impression that he is defending this practice.

 

[beautifulrobot]

They are "walking the shelves" and identifying all bottles within 3 months of expiration.

Those special bottles are then identified by the tech counting pills and the expiration changed when the patient's script is filled.

Technically a med that expires between 4-11 months would fall between the cracks, but for the sake of argument lets say you specially mark bottles that expire within 12 months. If you are a floater / not regularly in the same pharmacy, you likely will not have the opportunity to complete shelf checks by yourself for the entire inventory prior to starting to verify. You would also have to closely supervise techs to ensure they are changing the expiration dates appropriately. How does one practically observe that their techs are checking and changing expiration dates each time they count out pills? In my experience, the only way to make sure you arent dispensing expired meds is by referencing the actual stock container yourself. Otherwise, you have to trust that the regular pharmacy staff are diligent about checking out dates for inventory on the shelf and trust that your techs are consistently checking and changing expiration dates. Maybe do some spot checks every now and then, but i dont see how you could get any other work done if you have to observe your techs all the time to make sure they look at the exp date each time they count out pills.

I feel comfortable trusting the techs i work with that they both do shelf checks routinely and that they check exp dates with each fill. I have yet to come across an expired med when counting out a med myself. But theoretically, i could miss an expired med that somehow fell between the cracks during shelf checks, because i dont have access to the stock bottle for each med i verify, and i dont watch my techs closely enough to make sure they checked the exp date each time. I dont think that makes me a bad pharmacist, but again, i work with highly trained techs that i trust. I dont think thats the case for Sosoo over at CVS.

Strictly speaking, there is still the matter of the months 4-11, plus the fact no one ever catches 'every bottle' that expires within 3 months.

Honestly though, it's not that hard to train techs how to change the expiration date printed on the label (both at production as well as RTS) and then yes at that point you simply have to trust that they are doing it. Does it happen every time? Of course not.


sosoo's problem, IMO, is that he does not know how to express his points in a way that does not make him sound like he actually believes this is acceptable/legal. From his posts it is easy to get the impression that he is defending this practice.

Pretty much what i was trying to say but much more succinctly

 

[CetiAlphaFive]

Yeah fair enough.

A much more practical thing for retail Pharmacists is recognizing which meds are year scarcely enough to actually expire.

Furthermore, their statements are circular on logic.

She's saying that she knows it's happening because she doesn't know it *is* happening

 

[Sparda29]

Maybe I'm not catching something. At the independent where I work, when we receive items we place them into the system inventory and also enter the expiration date/lot# into the system. So when you pull the NDC, it automatically selects the one with the nearest expiration and puts that actual expiration date on the bottle or 1 year if it is more than one year.

 

[ES300h]

i was reading comments on this news channel and people there are just trash talking about the company. but it isn't enough. can we have more people go on there and comment how terrible your work conditions are at cvs? i hope they would make it newsworthy to report how dangerous the work condition is for customers and for staffs. this year, like every year, stores are getting hours cut. pharmacist hours are also slashed.

Tell me about it! It's borderline slavery working there

 

[sosoo]

At the independent where I work, when we receive items we place them into the system inventory and also enter the expiration date/lot# into the system

this would solve all the problems i mentioned. However CVS does not do that. not the way the inventory system works nor do they have adequate staffing to do so....

 

[sosoo]

They are "walking the shelves" and identifying all bottles within 3 months of expiration.

Those special bottles are then identified by the tech counting pills and the expiration changed when the patient's script is filled.

this tells me you never heard of 2x2 or 1x1. essentially you never understood a thing i said. Lol. where did you get the 3 months from? and no those bottles are not special bottles as theres nothing special about them.

 

[sosoo]

I get what sosoo is saying but if you read from the beginning of this thread, its almost like he accepted that :



and then had to create points along the way to justify what he said. I just don't like how he knows its wrong yet still

there were a number of threads where i said i brought this issue to a whistleblower attorney. how does that make me accepting this unacceptable workflow? then again, do you even comprehend the workflow being discussed?

 

[RxPreceptor]

He got the 3 months out because that's typically the largest quantity that can be dispensed in a community setting...hence prone to falling in the expired window when dispensing a medication...ex) MFR stock bottle with exp 3/31/2019 for a 90 day Rx is unacceptable given today's date 1/10/19