Well it's official. Spring has sprung. It's getting warm finally, and finals are fast approaching. My finals don't seem too difficult this semester, which is always good. Of course, they could bite me on the ass, but let's just hope that doesn't happen.
Anywho, with the seasonal change it's getting a tad bit stuffy in the PharmD Student Pharmacy, and so far the owner has yet to turn the AC on. This can become uncomfortable when I have to wear nice pants and a collared shirt (which usually means I'm wearing an undershirt also) along with my coat. I don't necessarily have to wear the coat, most of the techs and even some of the pharmacists don't wear theirs, but to me it symbolizes that I am not just a cashier or some high school student. I have seen people completely ignore me when I don't wear the coat, but no one ever ignores me when I wear it. The coat stays.
What I would really like is to not have the swamp ass feeling during the hours I work in the pharmacy. No need to further elaborate, it's just an uncomfortable feeling. I asked Steve if I was alright to wear nice khaki shorts to work, and was given an immediate "No" from both him, the other pharmacist, and both the techs that were working. They all answered in unison; I was impressed. Next time I ask a question I'm hoping to get an A Capella answer, that would be cool.
It's really not that big of a deal. I can see how wearing shorts can seem unprofessional in a weird way. However, the next day I worked I noticed that a tech was wearing a skirt, and not just any skirt, a denim skirt. My first instinct is to give her shit for it. "What? I can't wear khaki shorts but you can wear a jean skirt? That's real logical." I did not say this, I would have said it jokingly of course, but she's my favorite tech. I believe the term is "Keystone Tech." My apologies to the creator of that phrase, but it seems widely used and accepted in the blogosphere.
I thought about making a case that I should be able to wear shorts, and I could make a damn good one on why shorts should be allowed. I could make the argument that it's a sexist double standard. We all need to be equals you know. Maybe I should be a lawyer instead... But what if she's not supposed to be wearing this skirt? What if this is her little way of sticking it to "The Man?" I think she deserves to have that, and I sure don't want to take that away from her. So I'm going to keep my mouth shut for now. If anyone else comes in wearing a skirt or shorts, then I'll make myself heard.
Showing posts with label Pharmacy Staff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pharmacy Staff. Show all posts
Friday, May 8, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
A Little Common Sense Goes A Long Way
As a science nerd, like I imagine most pharmacists and Pharm D students are, I have to admit, sometimes it's difficult for me to see the woods because the damn trees are in the way. I enjoy breaking things down into the smallest parts possible to see how they work, which is probably why I enjoy learning about drugs so much. However, like most intelligent people, I possess enough common sense to get me through the day, much like the pharmacist I'm about to introduce you to.
We'll call her Shayna. Shayna got her Pharm. D. a few years back, so she's pretty new to the profession, but a great pharmacist none-the-less (easy on the eyes too). She's a lot like me, she wants to know exactly how everything works in minute detail. When I have a question, I always ask her, because I know she'll give me a 5 minute speech on exactly why a certain drug does a certain thing, and why it's used instead of this other drug. I love it; I learn more from her about drugs than anyone else. But, she too can miss the woods because of those damn trees. An example:
Patient comes up to the counter to ask why one form of contact lens cleaner costs more than another. Both are from the same company, both look relatively alike with slightely different designs. I see the obvious answer right away, but Shayna is in Pharmacist Mode (I think I'll trademark that phrase) and I feel like getting a laugh later, so I let her take care of it. As a pharmacist, the first thing she looked at was the active ingredients. After pouring over the two boxes for around 3 minutes, comparing the ingredients in each cleanser and their strengths. She eventually gives up and explains that both are idenitical products and that the new box design must be the reason the price went up. At this point, I had to intervene, because the patient was about to get ripped off by buying the cheaper cleaner. Can any of you guess why one was more expensive?
The cheaper box had a 12 oz bottle, the more expensive one had a 16 oz bottle. The sizes of the bottles were clearly printed on the top part of each box. I admit, the company made it a little more difficult to determine what the problem was when they decided to use the same size box for two different sized bottles, but a quick glance at the top half of the box would solve it easily.
So I lean over and say, "I think it's because this bottle has 4 more ounces in it." I wanted to say "Perhaps it's because this bottle has 4 more ounces, I think companies tend to charge more money when you buy more of their product," but that would've been unnecessarily mean, dickish, actually.
Shayna replies "Oh, yeah, I didn't even notice that."
Sometimes those trees can be a bitch...
We'll call her Shayna. Shayna got her Pharm. D. a few years back, so she's pretty new to the profession, but a great pharmacist none-the-less (easy on the eyes too). She's a lot like me, she wants to know exactly how everything works in minute detail. When I have a question, I always ask her, because I know she'll give me a 5 minute speech on exactly why a certain drug does a certain thing, and why it's used instead of this other drug. I love it; I learn more from her about drugs than anyone else. But, she too can miss the woods because of those damn trees. An example:
Patient comes up to the counter to ask why one form of contact lens cleaner costs more than another. Both are from the same company, both look relatively alike with slightely different designs. I see the obvious answer right away, but Shayna is in Pharmacist Mode (I think I'll trademark that phrase) and I feel like getting a laugh later, so I let her take care of it. As a pharmacist, the first thing she looked at was the active ingredients. After pouring over the two boxes for around 3 minutes, comparing the ingredients in each cleanser and their strengths. She eventually gives up and explains that both are idenitical products and that the new box design must be the reason the price went up. At this point, I had to intervene, because the patient was about to get ripped off by buying the cheaper cleaner. Can any of you guess why one was more expensive?
The cheaper box had a 12 oz bottle, the more expensive one had a 16 oz bottle. The sizes of the bottles were clearly printed on the top part of each box. I admit, the company made it a little more difficult to determine what the problem was when they decided to use the same size box for two different sized bottles, but a quick glance at the top half of the box would solve it easily.
So I lean over and say, "I think it's because this bottle has 4 more ounces in it." I wanted to say "Perhaps it's because this bottle has 4 more ounces, I think companies tend to charge more money when you buy more of their product," but that would've been unnecessarily mean, dickish, actually.
Shayna replies "Oh, yeah, I didn't even notice that."
Sometimes those trees can be a bitch...
Friday, April 10, 2009
An Introduction To A Co-worker
Apparently I have a strange sense of humor. Either that, or one of the techs I work with, Gingersnaps (quite obviously not her real name, just thought I'd point that out), has no sense of humor. One of the two.
Students are, of course, in charge of putting the drugs we get delivered every day on the shelves and in the robot. Today, we got in a large amount of hydrocodone/APAP 5/500, because it's always good to have extra on hand. I'm sure everyone that reads this blog knows at least a little about pharmacy, since I got my first comments after the Drugmonkey gave me a shoutout. Thanks for that, by the way. Anywho, you all know that the docs prescribe that shit like it's candy, magical pain-relieving candy.
After filling the robot as full as possible with the magic candy, I went to put the rest of it on the shelf we reserve for robot drugs. However, there was no room on the shelf for it, so I threw it on top, thinking anyone would look up there, considering that's where we keep all the shit that comes in bottles too big to fit in the shelf.
In the next hour or so, we went through a shit-ton of magic candy. Yes, "shit-ton" is an actual measurement; it's between "crap-load" and "fuck-load," but I digress. So Gingersnaps comes up to me as I'm doing a refill for someone who wanted That One Pharmacist, and asks where the Vicodin is, because she wants to put more into the robot.
"I ate it," I say, then I try my best to glaze my eyes over. I then turned to her, and said "All of it."
She just stared at me, so I laughed and said it's on the top of the shelf. She replies "Oh," and walks away. No smile, no "Oh, that was a joke!" just "Oh."
I bombed. Took a swing and missed, but now I can make fun of her for not having a sense of humor, unless that wasn't as funny as I thought it was... hmm...
Students are, of course, in charge of putting the drugs we get delivered every day on the shelves and in the robot. Today, we got in a large amount of hydrocodone/APAP 5/500, because it's always good to have extra on hand. I'm sure everyone that reads this blog knows at least a little about pharmacy, since I got my first comments after the Drugmonkey gave me a shoutout. Thanks for that, by the way. Anywho, you all know that the docs prescribe that shit like it's candy, magical pain-relieving candy.
After filling the robot as full as possible with the magic candy, I went to put the rest of it on the shelf we reserve for robot drugs. However, there was no room on the shelf for it, so I threw it on top, thinking anyone would look up there, considering that's where we keep all the shit that comes in bottles too big to fit in the shelf.
In the next hour or so, we went through a shit-ton of magic candy. Yes, "shit-ton" is an actual measurement; it's between "crap-load" and "fuck-load," but I digress. So Gingersnaps comes up to me as I'm doing a refill for someone who wanted That One Pharmacist, and asks where the Vicodin is, because she wants to put more into the robot.
"I ate it," I say, then I try my best to glaze my eyes over. I then turned to her, and said "All of it."
She just stared at me, so I laughed and said it's on the top of the shelf. She replies "Oh," and walks away. No smile, no "Oh, that was a joke!" just "Oh."
I bombed. Took a swing and missed, but now I can make fun of her for not having a sense of humor, unless that wasn't as funny as I thought it was... hmm...
Friday, April 3, 2009
That One Pharmacist
Does every pharmacy have that one pharmacist? You know, the one that every single patient wants to talk to, no matter what they need? My one pharmacist is Steve (not really, I'm trying to keep this relatively anonymous). This guy has obviously always been a people person. He astonishes me with his ability to talk to every single fucking patient that walks through the door. He can have a conversation with a slightly mentally handicapped, extremely loud and annoying individual, and enjoy it. I don't know if he's missing a gene, or has an extra one or what, but this guy is special.
Over 50% of the calls I answer go like this.
"PharmD Student Pharmacy, this is Student."
"Yeah is Steve there?"
Now, during my first couple months of working at my pharmacy I would say "Yes, one moment please," and thank my lucky stars I didn't have to, you know... work. Now I have learned that most of these people don't need to talk to a pharmacist. Now, I respond with "Yes, but he's on the phone right now (regardless of what he's actually doing), is there anything I can help you with?"
90% of the time it's something I am perfectly capable of doing. Like "Oh, well I just need a refill." Or, "Oh, well I don't have insurance, can you look up a price for me?" Sometimes I just bang my head on the counter when these calls come in. Of course I can do that, what do you think I'm here for? To twiddle my thumbs? Come on.
Does every pharmacy have that one pharmacist?
Over 50% of the calls I answer go like this.
"PharmD Student Pharmacy, this is Student."
"Yeah is Steve there?"
Now, during my first couple months of working at my pharmacy I would say "Yes, one moment please," and thank my lucky stars I didn't have to, you know... work. Now I have learned that most of these people don't need to talk to a pharmacist. Now, I respond with "Yes, but he's on the phone right now (regardless of what he's actually doing), is there anything I can help you with?"
90% of the time it's something I am perfectly capable of doing. Like "Oh, well I just need a refill." Or, "Oh, well I don't have insurance, can you look up a price for me?" Sometimes I just bang my head on the counter when these calls come in. Of course I can do that, what do you think I'm here for? To twiddle my thumbs? Come on.
Does every pharmacy have that one pharmacist?
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