[Trav]

Originally Posted by pharmasorry

Dear Stressed Out Pharmacist,

We are in a common boat. I was a long term employee for a retail independent store. I felt that I had experienced more that enough of what retail pharmacy had to offer. I retired. Within a few days, I received an offer from a "low volume" retail chain. It seemed "too good" to refuse. I mistakenly accepted the offer. As a "floater", I saw some pretty unbelievable things. The "low volume" is a load of crap. The pharmacist was responsible for EVERYTHING, register included. If a store in the chain was high enough volume to have unlicensed help, the pharmacist was lucky if the help had a heartbeat and spoke coherent sentences. Thankfully, I never had any but the best help. I was trained for 40 hours (which I understand is pretty standard) but could under no circumstances perform well enough on the over-complicated computer system to crank out more that about 15 rx's per hour (pitiful). In addition, I was made to understand that if you did not complete the work during your given shift you were expected to stay as long as it takes to not leave a mess for the "regular" pharmacist. I DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES PERFORM ANY PHARMACY RELATED TASK FOR FREE!! EVER!!! I was accused (correctly) of "leaving a mess". I was also made to understand that showing up 15 minutes before your shift was unacceptable and 30 minutes would be "more like it". In the end, I agreed with the district manager that the job was not for me and I was indeed failing to learn the basics (although most of the other pharmacist learned the basics at a 35-50 percent lower volume). At any rate, you should know that you are not required to accept any abuse from employers in any state and the law is on your side, unless you have a negligent and fatal dispensing error. THERE IS NO WAY TO MANAGE WORK FLOW IF THERE IS NOT COMPETENT HELP. Get out!! Before you are unalterably damaged by a negligent employer. There are many jobs and not many good ones. Thank God I don't need a steady one. I will point out that Wal-Mart lost a tremendous lawsuit to pharmacists who worked without being paid. I am sure that you can see that each store in the chain is relatively independent with respect to the talent of the unlicensed help. In a hospital, you will always have enough help and enough time. In a mail order house, you will need to be on drugs in order not to be bored or lose your mind. In an insurance company, you will need to be prepared to play the part of the devil and deny "necessary" drugs (but we all know that there are so many ways around catastrophically expensive drugs). In an independent establishment, you will have enough help but maybe not enough flexibility of schedule. AVOID THE CHAINS!! There are NO PERKS!!! Chains are for people who don't want to think for themselves and are comfortable with cookie cutter corporate policy (and good luck getting paid correctly). I am not sure this was helpful to you, but it sure felt good to write. UNLESS YOU OWN THE ESTABLISHMENT, NEVER OPERATE THEIR REGISTER!!!! It makes you focus on too many things at once. If you own the place, then you better damn well know how to work the register or your people will rob you blind. Good luck!!! p.s.-everybody is offering benefits in order to compete. If the indy's by you low-ball you and don't offer benefits, call them on it!!! Everybody needs to bring her or his "A" game to the table, and you are not exempt. I just talked to a guy who wanted to underpay me and as I said "NO", the number kept going up. People will get whatever you let them take from you. Focus on the job that you want and you will find it. It just might take a little while.

Great advise Pharmasorry!!!!!