Soul Sucking Pharmacy

Little surpise in a prescription

2009-09-15T00:56:00.002-07:00

Today, I was handed a birth control pak by my tech to transfer from another pharmacy. The patient had dropped it off in the drive thru. When I opened up the pak to take down the pharmacy's info and I got a little surprise. Inside was a tiny baggie filled with white powder. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......are we keeping salt or Equal in tiny baggies in our b/c paks now? I think not.

I promptly called the police who showed up 2 hours later to confiscate the baggie. The officer immediately knew the name since they've been out at the house so often arresting everyone. Half of the family is in jail.

Unfortunately, the police cannot prosecute since they did not catch it themselves, but they did get the drugs out of the pharmacy.

I called up the 'patient' to inform her we would not be able to fill her prescriptions. When I told her I found a baggie inside the pak, she said 'I figured that's what you were calling for. Never mind just throw the rx away."

Can you imagine the conversation in the car after they left the drive thru????

Fucking druggies...........get out of my store!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prank Calls Can be Funny, but not this one

2009-09-07T02:32:00.003-07:00

Saturday I answered the phone after the tech tried to talk to this girl. A teenage girl by the sound of her voice.

'Pharmacist, what can I do for you?'

"Yeah, what kind of lube do you recommend?"

'Well, they're pretty much the same. It's really a personal preference issue.'

'You have to recommend one. I hear some are better than others.'

'KY products are all good.'

'Is this from personal experience?'

now, I pretty much know this is a crank call, but just in case, I stay professional.

'No, this is from sales data. It's what we sell the most of.'

'What are the largest size condoms you carry?'

I go out to the aisle and look.....

'Trojan Magnum XL'

'Are you sure that's the biggest ones you have?'

"yes"

mumbling in background....guy's voice

'You're sure you don't have any bigger condoms."

'Yes'

It gets better .......................

'Do you carry sex toys?'

still trying to maintain my professionalism but I'm getting irritated....................

'No, this is a pharmacy. You'd have to go to a specialty shop for that.'

'So you have them at the pharmacy?'

'NO!!!!!!!!!! I said we ARE a pharmacy and you need to go to a specialty shop for those products'

'Well, can you recommend one?'

'I have to go now. I have another call holding.'

Then the teenage douchebag says.................................

'Bitch, don't hang up on me.'

WTF??????????????

I say, 'I am hanging up now.' Click.

This would have been an amusing little story if not for the very last part. Made me really really really angry for the whole rest of the morning. Crank call if you will, just don't get nasty when people who have a real job to do need to cut your ass off.

Dumbest question of the year.....so far

2009-08-30T22:26:00.001-07:00

On this lovely Sunday morning, my tech told me there was a question for the pharmacist on the phone. A gentleman gives me his wife's name and asks me to explain what "Take one tablet four times a day means." WHAT???? How can I explain simple English? So, I hesitantly say......it means take 1 tablet 4 times a day. Now wait for it....here it comes......

"Does that mean in the SAME day?"

What the fuck? No....it means in the same week you dumb ass.

So, I tell him yes in the same day. "Oh, we haven't been doing that." Now wait, there's another one coming................

"So, is that every hour or so?"

Is this guy smoking crack? In my store's neighborhood, he just might be.

But laughed all day just thinking about it.

The saga continues on Monday.......9:15am. My tech and I are doing our stuff in the pharmacy. gentleman approaches the pick up counter and asks if we are open. My tech and I just look at each other and say yeeessss...........Same man from the phone yesterday. He asks what time we open. I reply 8am. He says oh I th0ught you didn't open until 9.....but still it was 15 full minutes after 9am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2pm...my 'lunch' time which consists of me sitting on a stool on a back counter and reading a magazine while getting interrupted 10 billion times. I hear my tech on the phone.....no 4 times a day means about every 6 hours. No, you space it out. I mouthed to her if it was the same patient as the day before. She nodded.

I got on the phone, irritated at having to reexplain basic English again and now my lunch has been interrupted for this shit.
"Hi this is the RPh. Is this Mr Dumbass?'
'Yes"
"Didn't I speak to you yesterday on this issue of 4 times a day?"
"Well, yes but we still need some clarification."

On what? Who has the brain today? My God this is ridiculous.

Me"She need to take her medicine every 6 hours since the day is 24 hours. And 24 divided by 4 equals 6."

"So, she takes it both day AND night?"

Blood is now dripping out of my mouth from gritting my teeth so hard

"Yes...day refers to a 24 hour time period. Take it every 6 hours.'
"You sound like you're getting upset with me. I'm just trying to understand this."
"I'm sorry I sound upset, I just don't understand what is the big problem with these instructions"

I know, I know it's my job to make sure they understand, but this is basic language skills. Give me a break. If you don't understand 4 times a day means in the same day and it means day and night, I cannot help you. You are too stupid.

Idiot Nurse Practitioner

2009-08-19T00:02:00.000-07:00

Rx came in today.......zithromax 200/5 4.7ml today and 2.3ml qd for 4 more days. What the fuck? How in the world will a parent measure this? I called the NP to change it to a more reasonable 5ml and 2.5ml which has actual markins on the syringe (1tsp 1/2 tsp). She absolutely refused even when I said it would be very hard for the parents to measure. She insisted on the EXACT dose calculated by the kid's weight. What a moron. Like an extra 0.2 or 0.3ml will be toxic to the kid!! This is not lasix or furosemide for crying out loud.

I kept it as is, but told the parents a synopsis of my conversation with the NP. They didn't like her either. I told the parents it would hurt if they couldn't get that precise with the dose (although they did get a 5ml and1ml syringe from me).

I hate NP who think they are so smart. Book smart, but no common sense.

The Answer is STILL no

2009-06-19T23:02:00.000-07:00

Last Friday.... my tech called me over to talk to Mr Druggie about his request for early benzo rx. He had filled @#90 of said rx 2 days prior. Reason for early fill???? He lost it. Uh-huh. He goes on and on about how stupid he was to have it in his pocket and it fell out while he was working. As usual, I say not until I clear it with the MD and it is 5:20 on Friday. He insists I call the MD anyway since he thinks they are still there. They aren't. What a surprise.

Last Saturday.......I answer phone and the guy on the line is asking if he can fill his med early since he is going on a cruise Sun. I ask for his name. It is Mr Druggie and what do you know? It's for the same med as Friday. Now, I'm really ticked. I say the answer is no as it was yesterday when he asked for early fill. I also inform him that YESTERDAY the story was that he had lost the meds at work. He denies ever saying this and he needs the med because he is going on a cruise. I repeat Friday's conversation back to him and he says that it doesn't matter b/c he needs it now for his vacation. Answer: no.

Today......tech asks me to get phone for early benzo refil request. Can everyone guess who it is?? NOW he is leaving for Michigan on Monday. I have to bite my tongue not to start yelling at him to never come back to my pharmacy. THE ANSWER IS STILL NO. He asks when he can have it.....I tell him the day before the refil is due which is July 2nd. Not early enough for him as he will be out of town then.

Is there a cruise line on the Great Lakes now?????

Oh, and the best....he is a Medicaid patient. A cruise and a trip to Michigan while on the state's dime.

you've got to be kidding me

2009-06-08T19:14:00.000-07:00

I have a problem tech as most of us probably do. She is one step away from getting canned for repeated sick calls and being late. But, to her credit, she has not missed a day since March.

She goes out quite often for me to get me various food to clog my arteries. I do not have her punch out for this as it is my request and not her lunch. This weekend she asks if I need her to go get me lunch. I had actually brought lunch for once and asked her if she needed to go get herself something. She said, "No but I was hoping you wanted something so I could go by Blockbuster."

WHAT? !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I do not eat at Blockbuster. Getting me food is not time for her to do other errands. I am still pissed off. I asked her why she thought going to get me food included her stopping by Blockbuster and she just said "I just needed to look for something real quick."

I will have to be seriously starving to ever send her for food again.

When the pharmacy is closed..it is closed

2009-05-26T23:33:00.000-07:00

On the weekends, my pharmacy closes at 6pm. Signs are posted. This has been the closing time for the past 5 years since the store has been open. All other pharmacies in the area also close at 6pm except the few 24 hour stores.

Every damn weekend people want me to stay after 6 to get their damn stuff. I have been open 10hrs (Sat) or 8hrs (Sun). Get here when I am open. I am not staying. Last week, idiot #1 came up right as my cash registers were being taken by the front store supervisor. So, I had to ring her out. Which leaves me open for the next idiot to come up. My drop off window is closed and the gate is down. Idiot #2 waves several new rxs at the supervisor and asks if she can still have them filled. I said no...we close at 6. Now, before everyone gets all upset, I would probably stay for a regular customer with a true emergency. Anyway, she snaps back "Well, what time is it?", still not looking at me, but the store supervisor. I say, 6:05. She says, "So for a lousy 5 minutes you won't fill my rx?" I say, yes but there is a 24 hour big box rx less than 5 miles from here. That's too far for her to drive. Not my fucking problem. Then she has to pull the "Well, I thought I would give your pharmacy a try, but I guess you don't want my business" crap. Hell no, I don't want one more person in this pharmacy to give me attitude. GO AWAY.

I put the pick-up window gate down. Now I cannot see from the electronic switch on the wall if someone is near the gate. I hear a voice....oh you're closed? I holler over the noise of the gate...YES! I set the alarm and leave to see the woman standing there. I inform her we close at 6pm and it is now 6:10....we open at 10am tomorrow. She is at least polite and says that she will come back in the morning.

I am a person....I have a life....and I don't get paid OT to stay after my shift and help your sorry ass. Get to the pharmacy when we are open.

Here I am again

2009-04-28T00:22:00.001-07:00

Ok after an 18 month abscense, I have returned. Looooonnnngggg story.

Anyway, I am still in the retail craziness and hating every day. Why do I torture myself? I am seriously considering switching to another field, but the economy is not the best now to go job hunting. I will wait impatiently for the economy to improve.

Pet peeve of the day.........I got off work at 5pm. I had a few items to pick up before I left the store. There I was at the front of the store at the register with crap in my hands, purse on my shoulder, no white coat anywhere near me, and with my husband when a woman comes up to me and says "Oh you're the pharmacist...I have a question..............."

I just wanted to scream.....THERE IS ANOTHER PHARMACIST ..............GO ASK HIM.

But I didn't, I answered her question, but not to my full capacity. I was not going to go all the way back to the first aid isle to help her pick out crap for her son's poison ivy.

Don't bother me when I am obviously on MY TIME. I have a life too.

Before I go....

2007-10-16T21:15:00.001-07:00

I just had to tell a story a fellow pharmacist told me today. A few years back she was working in a predominantly poor neighboorhood that happened to also be predominantly black. Nothing against any African Americans here. It's just that she had a hard time understading the language nuances. One lady called several times very upset over something. After many people listening to her woes, my friend finally determined she had a "tater vine" growing out of her "cat." Now tater vine means what it says potato vine and cat meant vagina. OK...now we get a picture. Why did she have a potato vine growing out of her vagina? Well, apparantly she had a prolapsed uterus/bladder combo so in her book of old wives tales, it was suggested she insert a potato into the vagina to hold it in place. She did not use the whole potato, just a wedge (not that it would have mattered much). Anyway, my friend convinced her to go to the free clinic to get a look-see. Aparantly, the potato really likes to grow in a warm, moist, dark environment. The lady had to have a hysterectomy.

I have so many whys to this story, I cannot list them all. #1 being Why are you calling the pharmacist? We have no pills for growing vaginal potato vines. Maybe you should call Home Depot and they can assist you with a weed-wacker purchase.

Worst story I've ever heard. I've got some doozies, but this wins the prize.

On Hiatus

2007-10-16T20:33:00.000-07:00

I'll be gone for a while. My store is getting a new computer system in 3 weeks and with all of the training and prep I am exhausted.

Will post when I get calmed down.

Thanks to the couple of you who have been reading.

Dear "Pharmacy Slave"

2007-10-04T22:44:00.000-07:00

I would have emailed you personally, but you had no contact info or way to comment on your blog.

Your quote "I have seen all these blogs from pharmacists who are incessantly complaining about their days...and I figured that I should go on ahead and give myself a shot. As much as I love my pharmacists (at least 2 of them...one I hate more than I hate my job), they have all told us lowly technicians that we field more problems than they do an deal with much more since we're in the front lines of customer service. For the most part, our pharmacists kick back and do crossword puzzles and occasionally check the rare prescription while we do everything else...so I shall begin this lovely little blog tomorrow when I return home from work. "

I am was a tech for 15 years before I went to pharmacy school. I know what it's like to be a tech. I used to think just like you. Then I got my license. Now, I want to call my old boss of 13 years and apologize for all the bullshit complaining I did. You don't know what kind of pressure there is for a pharmacist. Yes, you are the front line for us, but we have to deal with the customers also while trying not to kill anyone. "Occasionally check the rare prescription????"" Who else can do it? The pharmaicst checks ALL of the prescriptions. I don't have time to do a crossword puzzle. It must be nice that your pharmacists can. I can barely pee. Sometimes I think about wearing depends, but then there would be the smell. I call doctors, I call insurance companies, I save my techs from being chewed out by an idiot, I handle all of the complaints, I type prescriptions, I check medication usage-interactions-dosages-medical conditions-allergies, I make hundreds of recommendations, I LISTEN to old ladies cry when they've been diagnosed with cancer.

I also value every last one of my techs and thank them regularly for a job well done. I could not do my job without them. I don't forget this. EVER. I am sorry you feel that you are a "lowly" tech. I always correct mine when they say "I'm just a tech" if a patient asks their position. I say, "You are a technician...not just a tech. Do not belittle your position in this pharmacy."

I know your job is difficult, but so is ours.

How dare you....

2007-10-01T17:10:00.000-07:00

This weekend, an elderly man came in to get a B vitamin his doctor had recommended for his chills. I don't know of any B vitamin to help with chills. Maybe he's anemic? Mind you, this was a VERY elderly frail looking man. Are his kidneys still working? I don't know. I told him to ask his doctor to be more specific in which B vitamin he intended the man to have. I know, I know.... a cop-out but I had only had 2 hrs of sleep and he didn't seem real with-it to answer my more probing questions.

Well, a couple of minutes later the guy is back with a lady from the non-foods department asking the same question. My tech overheard and I went out front again. I re-iterated my stance on calling the doctor. The non-foods person had the cojones to say "Well, a B-complex vitamin should be OK" and start to hand it to him. Now I was pissed. Not at the man, but the non-foods associate. I said that I didn't know what other medical conditions the man might have and I didn't know of a B vitamin to treat chills. THEN SHE CONTINUED TO CONTRADICT ME BY SAYING "WELL, B VITAMINS CAN'T REALLY HURT. THEY ALL GET FLUSHED OUT ANYWAY." I had to play the "I'm the pharmaicst and this is what I said" card.

Do not argue with me in front of a patient. You do not have that right. And yes B vitamins can cause nerve damage in high doses, you moron. Where the hell does she get off thinking she can do this? Did she go to school for 9 damn years (ok not all pharmacy)?

And then there's the whole legality of this. The only thing a non-pharmacist can do is show a person where the product is. Otherwise, all questions must go to the pharmacist.

Stupid Questions 1

2007-09-27T20:30:00.000-07:00

Do you sell contact lenses?

Are these little round yellow ducolax things called tablets? [This required a 5 minute reassurance that they were tablets]

Do you carry this battery for my phone?

Why can't I have 20 more oxycodone caps even though I just got 150 of them 5 days ago? These are for a car accident.

Me, on the phone after the tech has been asked to speak to a pharmacist: Hello, this is the pharmacist, how may I help you? Idiot: What is your name? Me: name. Idiot: Is this the pharmacist? [no dumbass, I just said that I was. April Fools]

That's all I can think of for now, but it is late and I am tired. More to come later.

Let me show you where to put that cake.

2007-09-10T21:53:00.000-07:00

Scenerio: Man shows up to pick up both his and his wife's Rxs. Paying for each person with a different credit card. No big deal to me. Asked which one he would like first...no big deal for him. I rang his up first - totals nearly $400. Man forgot his card in the car. Asks to do wife's first. Fine....cancel out transaction and ring wife's. No problem. Has a shopping cart with a single lonely cake inside. Asks me how much said cake is. [irritation starts]. Have to carefully tilt cake so as to not damage it as our scanner is mounted to the wall next to the register. Inform man of price. He says he will call his daughter to see if she wants it. He returns cake to the cart. [My hands are now sticky] Asks me how big the damn cake is. [I don't know. I don't care. Look at the fucking package that is now 10 feet away from me in your cart!!!] Man leaves cart to go to car to get his credit card. Comes back. Pays for his Rxs [again total was mentioned]. NOW HE ASKS WHAT HE PAID FOR!!!!!! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! I go over the rxs. There are 2 separate strengths of Crestor [which I mentioned the 1st time]. He said he only wanted the lower strength and didn't know why both were there. I don't know either since I didn't take your order. Most likely, you called in both, you dumb-ass. [I know the RPh who filled it should have questioned, but maybe the MD wanted a 15mg dose?] OK...no problem. I can write up a refund that man can take to the front of the store to the courtesy counter [I can give out medicines all day, all by myself if needed, but Lord knows I am too dumb to handle refunds]. Man not happy about having to go all the way up front. Nothing I can do. Then it comes....are you ready......man asks me if I rang up the flippin cake!!!!! NO NO NO. You didn't ask me to, it is still in your cart. You were going to call your daughter and were back in 30 seconds. [My tech is listening to all of this and shaking her head]. I told man he could take the cake with him to the courtesy counter and they could ring up the cake when they handled the refund [I know passing the buck but I was beoynd irritated]

He is now known as the cake man in my eyes forever.

1st day back at work

2007-09-07T16:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, my 1st day back at work was Tuesday..yes the day after Labor Day. I was working 1-9. My partner RPh who works 9-5 decided she had a migraine and needed to leave when I arrived. So I ended up working as the sole pharmacist on the busiest day since I have arrived at this pharmacy. We did 312. I know, not earth shattering, but when you are the only RPh with only 2 techs, and not back in the work "groove" yet, it is.

Welcome back to hell.

I'm back

2007-09-07T16:39:00.000-07:00

Just got back from vacation a couple of days ago. Had a great time in Hawaii. I'm sure I will get sick of the job again soon. Keep your eyes peeled.

Know Your Meds

2007-08-12T21:29:00.000-07:00

People....when you come into the pharmacy, know how many prescriptions you should be picking up. When something is missing, have the brain power to know what it is. Write it down if you must. And if you are a person's PAID caregiver then you really should know what the hell it is. When you know there is one missing, but can't remember the name, don't expect me to get my crystal ball out. It is still in the shop. You kindly said you would go home and figure out which one was missing. Then when you called you had to ream my tech about your $100/hr salary we are waisting because you had to come back. WE ASKED YOU WHILE YOU WERE HERE, DUMBASS. Then ream us again when you get here. NO INSURANCE COMPANY LETS YOU ORDER MEDS WHEN IT IS CONVENIENT FOR YOU AND YOUR PILL BOX. They all have limits. The most lenient I've seen in Medicare D is about 7 days. Don't tell me every other pharmacy for all of your other patients lets you order meds whenever you want. I'll fill the prescriptions when you want too, if your client want to pay out-of-pocket for them. Or we have to wait until the insurance lets us bill it, as do you, Miss High-and-Mighty. And don't pull the old well, maybe I'll have to switch pharmacies, crap. I hear it all day long. You're always back. We never get to have our party.

Dumb question of the day

2007-08-07T22:37:00.000-07:00

A "nurse" from a local nursing home called this evening. She had 2 prescriptions for Norco for the same patient, same doctor. They were written on different dates. The first was written almost a month ago, the 2nd was written about one week ago. Pt was scared to take the pain killers which is why neither rx had been filled. 1st rx Norco 5mg, 2nd rx Norco 7.5mg

Are you ready?......Here it comes........

"So, is the 5 stronger than the 7.5?" Jaw dropped open. I think a first or second grader could answer this. Get your number line out lady.

And to think she is dispensing these old people's meds.

intro

2007-08-07T22:28:00.000-07:00

Yes, another blog about community pharmacy land. We all need to vent somewhere or our eyeballs will just pop out. Posting responses on other sites is no longer satisfying.

I work for a relatively small grocery chain pharmacy. It is local to my area and has about 20 stores in the chain. I like being in this smaller environment after being in big corpro pharmacy for 15 years.