" I'm picking up for two people. Let me start with my son."

I get the information on the patient's son and then I turn to her and say, "And?"

"And what?"

"And there's another person. "

"Yes there is. "

"So another person. "

"YES. ANOTHER PERSON. WHAT ARE YOU ASKING?"

" I need to know about the other person. You said you were picking up for somebody else."

"Yes. What don't you understand?"

"I need to know about the other person. "

"Yes, I'm picking up for someone else as well." At some point they started repeating the information on the first patient.

"Yes. I have the information on your son. But there's a second person. "

"That's what I said. What is the problem? " she looks genuinely confused.

"I don't know who you're talking about. "

"I'm picking up for another person. Why is this so hard?"

"Because you haven't said anything yet. "

"I told you it's for someone else."

"I get that but I don't know who that is?"

Looks confused... and frustrated... and starting to get upset. "I'm trying to pick up for a second person. Why is this a problem?"

"Ma'am, you haven't told me who this person is."

"It's for me. Do you want my date of birth or something?"

"Ma'am, I don't know who you are. "

"I'm his mother and I also have a script. "

I sigh loudly.

"What do you need?"Gives last name and offers birthdate.

I explain that I need first name as well and then I'll get her date of birth. She finally gives it to me. I look it up and confirm what she's getting.

"That wasn't so hard. I don't know why you had so much trouble. "

I grabbed the scripts and handed them to the pharmacist to avoid any further issues.

And I wish I was kidding.

There's a tech I am sometimes amazed at how we have to have a psychic ability two cents problems before anyone else.

A script came in for enoxaparin 30 mg pre-filled injections. My pharmacist was calling the patient about transferring the prescription elsewhere because we didn't have the enoxaparin in that strength. I felt like something was wrong so I appeared over his shoulder and told him to stop. The instruction said to inject 40 mg every 12 hours, which would be impossible if you're using a 30 mg prefilled syringe and the patient did need to start it tonight. We ended up calling the clinic and they gave us a two dose override and said they would check with the original prescriber in the morning.

I simply don't understand how this mistake got missed at the doctor's office, missed by the person prescribing it, missed by the person sending it to us, missed by whoever did the data entry, and missed by the pharmacist, only to be caught by a technician with a sixth sense for trouble.

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I worked the normal shift today and had the funniest interaction and NEEDED to share. I hope this will make y'all smile if not laugh a bit.

So this guy and his daughter came in and were really nice coming in. The daughter looked to be around 7 to 10 years old. The following interaction happened.

Me: Hi! who we picking up for?

Guy: *Insert name here* and we also need to get a flu shot

Me: *starts looking up the name* Alright, and vaccine appointments are down at the other end for check-in

Guy: OH! I'm sorry I didn't know!

Daughter: There was a sign down there that said vaccine check-ins!

Guy: I didn't see it! Give me a break I got drops in my eye at the eye doctor today!

Daughter: I did too, yet I still saw it!

Me internally: OH MY GOSH I LOVE THIS KID YOU TELL HIM LMAO

I couldn't keep it in anymore, and I just busted out laughing, and so did her dad.

Me: I'm sorry, but she essentially just said "skill issue" at you and called it a day.

Guy: yeaaaaaaahh pretty much

After all that, the transaction was finished; they got their vaccine a few minutes later and told them to have a good day. I hope you guys reading this have one too!

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I'm a CPhT and every time I see this it pisses me off. Drug companies should not be allowed to distribute drugs that look so similar. Think, look alike sound alike drugs. Very dangerous IMHO.

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Pharm tech here! Let me just tell you about my shift 🙂

1. Asshole #1 comes and yells at me about not receiving his insulin and personally BLAMES ME for it. Mind you, I’ve never seen him in my life this was the FIRST time I’ve ever dealt with him and his issue. Problem was his insulin needed a prior authorization. It recently got approved and he received a message saying that it was. He mistaken the message as a “ready for pick up” one and was fuming steam out of his ears when he found out it wasn’t ready. Problem is, when I tried filling it for him, his insurance said it was too soon for a refill and I encouraged him to reach out to them to have this resolved (since he claimed he’s all out of it). Instead of just listening to me, he told me straight to my face, “so you rather see me die?” 🫩 no bro, talking to you, I rather see me go first 🙄
2. Asshole #2 comes calling about his prescription. Problem is, it’s filled through central fill and it won’t be in until Monday. Instead of him understanding, he tells me “why wasn’t this already filled? I’ve been two weeks without my medication you guys don’t care about me or what?” If you’ve been two weeks without this medication why didnt you call us to let us know? Why do you expect us to be on top of your ass?? We have so many prescriptions to take care of! Youre not a special snowflake get your freakin head out of your ass!! Ofc instead of saying all that I had to put on my phony customer service act but it still wasn’t enough to keep his mouth shut 🙄
3. Asshole #3 is just a perv. He told me “my viagra must not be working because my junk isn’t erected by looking at you.” 🫩😐 yeah mine isn’t either buddy….

That’s all ☺️

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Um… I’ve never been outright bullied in my life but first time for everyone I guess…

Walgreens has been the most disgusting environment I’ve ever been in…. In my life… I had one recent grad pharmacist try to speculate on my sexuality for some unknown reason and cause a spectacle on the floor… about my “preferences”… That’s what they started calling it “my preferences”… and I would be trying to work and I would have to hear this…

I was polite but I also tried to confront them ok….they were like “oh don’t worry about it”….. um you’re talking about me and I’m long term married … but OK THEN…

I was prevented from learning about half the pharmacy (medications and storage) bc favoritism. I was stuck on mostly the drive through for full shifts… and I could do it… but no one cared.

Another girl was hired at the same time as me - she would loudly broadcast her new mental health diagnosis… over and over. And her “management skills” from her previous position… so early on I kept noticing she was trying to find ways to outshine and “manage”me… which I felt incredibly uncomfortable with as we were hired at the same time…

A new pharmacist there really enabled this girl and would promote her, allowed her to “give” me tasks, give her preferential training and say - we’re on the same medications, we are so similar etc… I just got so uncomfortable... I tried to join in and talk about a family member of mine with a similar diagnosis and they used that against me.

Before I knew it any hesitation (NOT mistake… lol I made very few mistakes….) but just me hesitating was a sign of my “stupidity”…. I quit because they started taking me out of the pharmacy and entertaining making me learn the front of the store and work the front of the store COMPLETELY BY MYSELF…. With basically no training… saying stuff like “Umm . You don’t have an earpiece…. Yeah just page me” … they said over the intercom…. And so very shortly I was like yeah I’m not using the intercom for that… this is bad

Then they said I was basically precious, also “stupid” and I had a “weird sexuality” …. And any time I had some hesitation about how to run a full ass western union capable register with 0 training at all… with like $1000 sketchy complicated transactions… RANDOMLY. But I was “stupid” right bc I couldn’t read the “cash only” text on the screen… honestly half the stuff on screens is problematic so I rely on advise and feedback… smh

I came into work today in cheap scrubs I bought myself after I got permission… bc I was hired to be a pharmacy technician… I’ve been here 4 weeks ok… and they basically are like “you think too good to work the front? nice scrubs…”

I had my lunch on the counter next to a computer bc I was clocking in and they said my lunch looked dirty… but I still played it off like “oh gosh, I recycle sorry”

This week they had a girl from the front who had an existing trainee license from the store front they were training on all the stuff they kept me away from for WEEKS…. bc of some compliance disaster they have with the board of pharmacy… I liked the girl a lot but it was awful bc they kept telling her “ugh you learn so fast” and training her on stuff I’ve been wanting basic access to for so long…

Like I remember wanting a basic explanation of screens… for 2 mins… didnt ever get it bc I was stuck on drive through chaos basically winging it which made me uncomfortable in the first place

I have a family.
I have animals.
I have so many things I take care of.

Yall I can work a full chaos drive though for 7 hours straight for days in a row without complaining… but the second I complain one time this pharmacist is trying to bury me I guess

I dunno what I should have done “unloaded trucks” until they said stupid little me could finally learn pharmacy… and wear scrubs with their approval… I mean… the head games with this place.

Honestly I’m about to pass the PTCB even though I walked out today… I’m disoriented … this is insane I’m really confused and disgusted.

I don’t want anyone I know to use a retail pharmacy at this point … unless it’s a necessity. I have serious concerns about “pharmacists” and their quality or maturity.

I didn’t see this field this way before this… I thought fair days work fair days pay. Show up be open to learn etc….

If they had of told me “so you will work the pharmacy and the store during training ” I would have been like ok. But that’s not what they said.

If they had of said “you will scrub the toilets everyday” I would have been like ok.

I agreed to be a pharmacy technician. Why is this a joke… to them…

Also my last day before I quit I took a pic of their planned schedule. The nasty pharmacist had their favorite technician who was hired at the same time as me working with assistance and aids and help all day and then the late shift I was totally ON MY OWN with drive and the counter…

It’s just so weird like ok I’m so stupid then why am I doing both… while you’re girl is getting all this support

Never again.

I have the picture. Oh yeah.

I quit my freaking job…

This is the most abusive workplace I’ve ever been around

I’m new…

what the hell just happened… ?

TL;DR help with a really insane retail pharmacy dynamic including vicious levels of bullying commonly seen in immature juveniles…

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I’m only a pharmacy tech, but I understand the importance of documenting. I document almost everything, ranging from what an insurance rep told me over the phone to why a RX is being stored (mostly because it’s OTC, patient ended up not wanting it, etc.)

But sometimes I feel like my coworkers just kinda… overlook them? I love my team but maybe I’m just doing too much for my own good. Like the day before yesterday, a patient requested delivery for their medications and I annotated that they wanted same-day delivery so after the pharmacist reviews the actual RX and the leaflet prints out, it shows up on the top in big words “DELIVERY” and a note that I put that I had already verified the patient’s address over the phone. I had to leave right after since my shift was over so I was hoping one of my coworkers saw that note.

Yesterday, when I was helping put the ready prescriptions in the bins, I found that same medication in the bin. Not processed, it was just still sitting there. Fortunately, the patient hadn’t called back to ask so I did it myself so it’d be delivered the same day but I’m just like dang…

Also to be fair, it’s been busy at our store for a while so I get if instances like that get overlooked. But at the same time I’m just like “alright, it gets to a point because it’s in huge letters…”

Maybe I’m just doing too much and I just need to hold off. Not sure but just needed to rant 😅

I 100% get the purpose of the drive thru.
It’s for patient’s convenience not for speed and I can’t stress that enough. I have told multiple patients this and my coworkers.

Majority of the time my coworkers get stressed and frustrated because the line is long or patients ask 1,000 questions but I let them know to just calm down. This is for their convenience not for speed.

Unknowingly patients are agreeing to the unknown amount of time someone takes at the window.

Because yet again we want everyone to have a great experience while visiting our pharmacy so we don’t get bad reviews but they have to realize that nobody ever said (at least to me) that drive thru is for speed.

Let’s chat about this. I’d love to hear from anyone.

I work in a retail and hospital setting.

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