How much standing up is involved?

[herbie]

I am interested in working in a hospital pharmacy, however after seeing some other online posts I am concerned about the amount of time spent on your feet. Whilst not neccesarily a big factor, I am not that keen on spending a 10 hour day standing without a break. Just wondering if this correct or not, and how long hospital pharmacists spend standing up in an average day? Thanks!

[Nik]

You don't spend all day on your feet - we're not on the wards for all 7.5 hrs of the working day, and of course you get morning breaks and lunchtime breaks. Typically 2/3 of the day can be spent covering the ward(s) depending on what you've been allocated, and there's no reason why you can't actually sit down on a ward for a little bit anyway ! The remainder of the time can be spent helping out in the dispensary or pharmacists on other wards.

[crit care]

majority of your day as a junior will be spent on your feet walking up and down wards and covering different wards..you do get chance to sit down, just don't sit on the patients bed! and i wouldn't base your potential future careeer on how long you will be standing for, and i doubt you will be working for 10hours a day

nik- a morning break?!?! can you explain what one of them is please...

[Nik]

I assumed this was the norm for hospital pharmacists ?! We get a mid-morning 20 minute break and our 1 hr lunch break in an 8.5hr day. This alone may tempt the original poster ! As a band 6 pharmacist, I do spend most of my time covering wards, with perhaps the last 30mins - 1hr of the day sitting in the dispensary accuracy checking off items.

[Fleegle]

We get a mid-morning 20 minute break and our 1 hr lunch break in an 8.5hr day.

Ladies and Gentlemen of community pharmacy, the floor is well and truly yours......

[Nik]

I guess we have to have some perks if we're going to get paid less !