I fucking hate it when I'm running around the pharmacy like crazy trying to do 10 things at once, meanwhile the people I work with are just standing around chatting about something of absolutely no importance to the pharmacy.
That was how the whole goddamn day went today. I understand that coworkers should talk, joke around, and genuinely be friendly with each other at work. However, if there is stuff to do, that takes priority over anything else.
Today, I worked with a certain particularly lazy pharmacist. I was on the phone trying to get the insurance information for a patient who did not have her ID card (which was INFURIATING by the way). While I was on hold for nearly 10 minutes, I was typing prescriptions for people waiting in the store. The other pharmacist, had just finished checking the the voice mail. She brings the 5 scripts from our voice mail over to me, and goes, "here are some gifts for you, hahaha." Then, she went over to the other side of the pharmacy, took out a photo album and started looking through it with 2 of our techs.
So, here I am, phone on one ear, typing scripts for waiters, trying to answer various customer questions (Where's the Advil????), and trying to make sure that the scripts for the waiters got done in less than 15 minutes. In contrast, that stupid pharmacist was laughing and looking at pictures. What the fuck is that about?
She could have been helping to fill those scripts I was typing. She could have helped customers who had questions. She could have typed the fucking voice mail scripts that she took. There were a million things to do, but she chose to do jack shit. Furthermore, she had 2 of our techs doing the same goddamn thing.
Then... she had the nerve to look over at me when I was just about to boil over with frustration from being jerked around by the stupid insurance company, and she said, "Am I needed over there?"
YES, YOU'RE FUCKING NEEDED!!!!! Stop talking, stop fucking around, and just do your fucking job.
Let me be fair though. I can't just single out one lazy coworker. The laziness runs rampant in our pharmacy. Earlier in that day, I had to listen to one of our techs relive a terrible grocery shopping experience. She must have told 3 people the same damn story. It took 10 minutes each time she told it during which she did absolutely NOTHING!!! We had a line 10 people long, the phone was ringing off the hook, drugs needed to be pulled, but she stood with her arms crossed and told a fucking story.
When you're at work, you fucking work. You're not there to socialize. You're not there to make friends. You're not there to tell stories or to show off pictures. If there's a little bit of down time, and you get a chance to do those things, then fine. However, if there's ANYTHING else that needs to be done, the job takes priority.
(exert edited out to maintain anonymity)
ugh... OK.. I'm done venting. Happy thoughts.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Wow, I couldn't have said it better. There are times in the pharmacy when I want to just scream "Everybody shut the HELL up, put your head down and get to WORK!!" These are the same people who would be thoroughly annoyed if they walked into any retail establishment and were ignored by the staff while they chatted amongst themselves. I really want to ask them why they bother showing up for work. This has always been a huge pet peeve of mine -- well said!
Dude, your previous post said you're lately more interested in the business aspect of pharmacy. If that's true, that includes management, and that includes managing your staff, which means you have to tell people to do stuff. There are a lot of people who are very happy to do just the bare minimum (or less) required to keep their job, and nothing more. It's up to you to decide whether or not to continue to pick up the slack, or let them fall behind so others can see where the problem truly is. Assign tasks to be done by each pharmacist and rotate them either every other shift, or multiple times during the shift so that the lazy employee has to do stuff whether they like it or not. You also need to make it clear that ALL work needs to be finished before they rotate out of their station. It's simple, you just need to implement it.
While I do agree with you and like your suggestion, I'm not the pharmacy manager. Moreover, I believe that a staff has to get along to get the most things accomplished. If I start laying down the law and cut out all the stupid shit that goes on, then I'll create tension among the staff (if you knew some of the people I work with, you'd understand).
I suppose my biggest problem is that I expect people to be self-motivated. I don't believe people should have to be told what to do. Retail pharmacy isn't rocket science. If there is a long line at the counter and only one person at the register, someone else should just go and help out. If there are scripts to type or drugs to pull (or put away), then someone should just do it. If the phone is ringing, pick the damn thing up.
That's how I am. No one has to tell me what to do. I just do what has to be done. I hate telling people what to do.
Yes, I know, that's my problem, and perhaps I shouldn't bitch about it if I'm not willing to do something. You're probably right... but that's just how I am.
I think if I was the pharmacy manager, I'd set ground rules from the very beginning, but since I'm just a staff member, I don't really feel it's my place to step in and say something or do something before the manager does.
Then tell the manager to start managing the staff, and if he/she won't do anything about what's happening go to your District Manager or Pharmacy Supervisor and discuss the problem with them. In any case, whoever is the pharmacist on duty is the one in charge that day if the manager is out. If there are 2 of you staff pharmacists and one is slacking off, it's up to the other one to set them straight. That's just the way it is Mike, whether you like it or not. Left alone, Betsy will continue this behavior. You can also threaten to quit over the issue if no one is listening to you. THAT will certainly get you some attention in getting what you need done taken care of. Sounds to me like you would be more of an asset than Betsy.
I suppose you'd have to know our situation to understand just how incredible of a job our pharmacy manager has done over the last 6 months. In June, the pharmacy manager who had been at my store for 23 years was transferred to another store (for a variety of reasons). This new manager was brought in, and he has completely changed the way the store operates... and all for the better! We used to have hour waits for prescriptions. Now, nobody waits more than 20 minutes. We were the most disorganized pharmacy you'd ever seen. Now, we're a freaking model of organization and efficiency.
Other pharmacists and employees are complaining about Betty (we're a 4 pharmacist store). I have my complaints, and I've voiced them, but I'm not going to threaten to quit over them. The manager knows there's a problem. He knows she doesn't pull as much weight as the rest of the staff. However, there's not much he can do about it because none of it is really worth firing her over. It's just frustrating, and when you add in just how annoying her personality is, all of us just want her out of here.
In any case, this blog is for me to vent my frustrations. I'll survive at work with or without Betty. I just need a place to vent, and this is it.
Besides, I talk about a lot of stuff I would never mention in person. I guess that's the point of a blog.
I understand what you're saying though. Thanks for the comments.
Post a Comment