Tireless work with no reward

[marble]

Good evening, I am a pre-reg student working for an independent community pharmacy

I am being left with the dispenser in the dispensary who is not friendly and does not care about the reason that I am there. At first I made the effort to try to form a good work relationship with him. But I have realised now that he has been making me do all the work that he does not like and then when the manager comes up to inspect he deliberately takes all the work off of me leaving me standing around so that the manager thinks I do not do any work! I have been going through weeks of working as soon as I get in until the time I have to leave and even staying back for half an hour or more to make sure work is complete. I have been even been missing lunch break and not studying because he makes out like there is a lot of work to do when he is just pretending to work at the computer! AAAAAAAAA!

Now that I have realised that he is playing these silly games, I really do not feel like doing any work at all I am so tired mentally and physically and cannot be bothered to do anything when I come in because whatever I do start doing, he says don't do that, do this so I start the second and he takes the second off of me and tells me to a third which really tires me mentally and also leaves me with just a record of a day of work being done in a very chaotic and stressful manner. Then on top of this I am perceived as someone who is not doing any work!!!!!!!

The pharmacist has made me in charge of an aspect of the pharmacy and the dispenser stops me from doing them to do little things like putting used dispensed medication back on shelves, photocopying faxing etc. So that when it is time to ask about what I was responsible for, it is not ready and so I look like I am not doing my job properly.

He also revolves his orders around the time that the deliveries come so that he has taken any work that needs to be done off of me and orders me to check the medicines and stack the shelves. I do not get any time to advise patients or anything and any little time I get to dispense he suddenly appears out of nowhere and stands over me to make me move away from the computer. Every time the pharmacist comes in to talk to me he suddenly interrupts to distract the pharmacist. He is disrespectful to the pharmacist aswell telling the pharmacist to do work that he has already asked the dispenser to do and telling him to take empty teacups to the kitchen etc.

I am so stressed I don't know how I will do any learning in this environment

How do I deal with this in a professional manner ?!?

[shan]

First thing first, is he just a dispenser or is he also in a manager role ???

Next, have you brought this to the notice of your tutor ?? If not do it, you have nothing to lose. Have a word with him and request him to chalk out a decent set of responsibilities that you can complete un hindered. Then request him that you would like to concentrate more on the walk in scripts, as that would give you an opportunity to speak to the customer under the guidance of the pharmacist. Also, make him understand that you want to involve yourself more towards patient advice, and request him if he can call you or if you can shadow him whenever he is giving any advice.

Just remember, DO NOT MAKE A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE DISPENSER, always have word with the pharmacist in polite way stressing the point that you are inclined to take more responsible roles in the pharmacy. 99 out of 100 times this formula works, depending on how clever you are in executing this.

Hope things work for you, all the best.

Shan

[Tony Schofield]

Good advice Shan. Don't Pre-regs have a workbook? How are you progressing with that? That is why you are there and so long as everything is ticked off you only have 10 months to go!

I had a bastard of a pre-reg tutor and some of the dispensary staff resented the fact that as soon as I qualified, I'd earn more than them. I got through the year and registered. I was delighted to let the tutor see my first Mercedes but I was so disappointed he didn't live to see my Porsche!

[jzd4rma]

You just have to grin and bear it trust me I had a horrible bunch of people to work with from the pre-reg tutor, to the regular pharmacist who covered my tutors off day to the bitchy dispenser and shop staff now that i have finished my pre-reg i never have to see them or take any order from these cruel pricks so work hard and count the days until you can stick your middle finger at them my friend!

[MD178]

Hi!!

I am also in bit of a situation as my tutor is soo impatiance and also she cant remember any clinical stuff as she was qualified 15 years ago and also such a bad temper to. I am with chain pharmacy and i really want to complain bt then i feel im still new and things might change. My main problem is dispenser as he is soo lazy does 4 dossett box per day so im stuck with all the repeat and other work in dispensary and he makes mistake on purpose as he knows how to annoy my tutor and so she wnt give him any task and insted im stuck with doing it all. i feel im stuck between them two. My tutor makes out that i need to learn everything so she makes me do all the crap jobs and makes it like its "training". i feel im doing dispensing soo quick that not thinking clinical too much or doing anything. any dumb person can lable (if they know the computer system) and put label on the correct product. my tutor dnt like the dispenser as previous dispenser use to do everything but as this guy (current dispnser) started in march and he cant even handle nurshing home. my tutor keep saying to me i do all the repeate while he does nurshing home and then i help her in nurshing home to as he does not do that all by him self either and he is an ACT but makes some stupid mistake and then my tutor get frustrated and gives me more and more task so im actually nt been treated like pre reg but just at a dispenser. im really unhappy but i really dnt want to tell the pre reg manager at the head office as they might say its only start and i need to learn everything and all that crap!!

Please someone advise me on what i can do which will help me get settle in my place and also i dnt wana make this big issue??

Im just counting weeks!!

Thanks

MD

[Tony Schofield]

Dig in, work hard, keep your head down and see it through. It won't last for ever. Then when you are qualified remember what it feels like when you get to work with trainees of all types!

[Pharmanaut]

Hi!!

I am also in bit of a situation as my tutor is soo impatiance and also she cant remember any clinical stuff as she was qualified 15 years ago and also such a bad temper to. I am with chain pharmacy and i really want to complain bt then i feel im still new and things might change. My main problem is dispenser as he is soo lazy does 4 dossett box per day so im stuck with all the repeat and other work in dispensary and he makes mistake on purpose as he knows how to annoy my tutor and so she wnt give him any task and insted im stuck with doing it all. i feel im stuck between them two. My tutor makes out that i need to learn everything so she makes me do all the crap jobs and makes it like its "training". i feel im doing dispensing soo quick that not thinking clinical too much or doing anything. any dumb person can lable (if they know the computer system) and put label on the correct product. my tutor dnt like the dispenser as previous dispenser use to do everything but as this guy (current dispnser) started in march and he cant even handle nurshing home. my tutor keep saying to me i do all the repeate while he does nurshing home and then i help her in nurshing home to as he does not do that all by him self either and he is an ACT but makes some stupid mistake and then my tutor get frustrated and gives me more and more task so im actually nt been treated like pre reg but just at a dispenser. im really unhappy but i really dnt want to tell the pre reg manager at the head office as they might say its only start and i need to learn everything and all that crap!!

Please someone advise me on what i can do which will help me get settle in my place and also i dnt wana make this big issue??

Im just counting weeks!!

Thanks

MD

Turn it to your advantage - you are finding out how not to run a pharmacy and how established staff can walk over you if you are not experienced at handling and motivating people.

[MD178]

Thanks..

I went to meeting with my tutor and in the car she said to me that the dispenser so not doing his job so that we have to work hard and do his job to as she has already complain to area manager about him but they cant sack him. but in my opinion she just cant handle her staff and manage. When i asked her about audit that we need to do she got really angry at me and said i need to think about a topic she is not going to give it to me so im not sure what to do.. I have made my mind up now and complain to pre reg manager at head office and see if they can help me as i cant really work here as when it comes down to talk about my training or any pre reg stuff my tutor gets soo annoyed and ignores it so i feel all she wants to do is my doing donkeys work and get the day to day running and not worry about my training.

I have never come across this type of people or pharmacy in my last 8 years of pharmacy experience but feels so unlucky that i got this branch and have to suffer soo much.

If anyone has any ideas on audit topics please do let me know as it might help me.

Thanks

MD

[Tony Schofield]

How about effective use of skill mix ?

[MD178]

Thank you yeah that would be a really good audit but not sure if my tutor will allow me to do it. what about something that would help to improve the branch?