My first week as a pharmacist!

[jzd4rma]

Its been ok but one thing i find annoying is how lazy some staff are out of 3 branches I have worked in, staff from two branches dont wish to do any dispensing just have "bigger priorities" e.g. sticking price labels and do stock count! So I've had to do both dispensing and checking for some case! Anyone wishing for a more able staff to work alongside? Because I worked in a branch which did 900 items on a easy day but the staff were superb and it felt like a breeze whereas the last few days in the other branches i've felt like pulling my hairout!

[kl06229]

Yeah, I get that in certain branches too. I've had places where the dispensers and ACTs are very much on the ball and I end up feeling like I have nothing to do! In one or two branches, the staff just don't seem to care. One dispenser I had the "pleasure" of working with more or less ignored me when I asked for a hand finding this or that medicine, saying "I don't deal with stock." Sometimes it's down to morale though. A poorly run pharmacy and constantly stressed out staff won't function too well and in retrospect the pharmacy looked a bit of a tip. Going back there next week, hope things have lightened up.

[jzd4rma]

Yep im getting that feeling the big branch I worked in was awesome they do about 900-1300 items a day but it was fine, but my god the other staff were so lazy andbecause im a locum I can hardly start ordering them around, part of the problem is the fact that the regular pharmacist is not so good so staff become lazy and start taking advantage of the whole situation!

[anit123]

Even if you're a locum, you still need to be managerial to a certain degree. You're still accountable for the safety of the medication you check off. You don't need to boss anyone about but I think you'll find you still need to have some sort of authority over how the dispensing service is running. If you're still finding that absolutely no one is willing to help you, or you don't have a dispenser to begin with, then I would keep a strict minimum waiting time so you have your mental break between dispensing and checking as per SOPs.

It's a shame that some locums are made to feel on their own like that though. But unfortunately the truly lazy locums manage to ruin the reputation of the good ones!!!

[WalkeRx]

As RP, you're in charge of the pharmacy (as the notice kindly points out). If it came to it, you could nicely ask the pharmacy staff to read said notice However, remember that they have other jobs to do in the pharmacy; the business doesn't exist for that one day, staff have other things to do to keep it running in the long term (e.g. stock checks). Also remember that their boss probably cares deeply about OTC sales and therefore wants the retail side of things to be spot on.

[Tony Schofield]

He will not wish to return to a barrage of customer complaints and a couple of potential significant events. I would be very happy to learn of occasions when my staff have let a locum down. Whilst I don't expect a RP to change supplier accounts, re-write SOPs or re-merchandise the shop, they are responsible for professional services offered by me the contractor on the days they are engaged. Consequently they have the authority to seek assistance from those paid to provide that assistance. If my staff can't do stock checks etc in the time available to them then I need more or better staff.

Also always remember that while "the cat's away........." Any examples of that I would deal with firmly but I can't act if you don't provide the information.

[Tony Schofield]

Just realised. I'm over 1000 posts now!!!

[jzd4rma]

He will not wish to return to a barrage of customer complaints and a couple of potential significant events. I would be very happy to learn of occasions when my staff have let a locum down. Whilst I don't expect a RP to change supplier accounts, re-write SOPs or re-merchandise the shop, they are responsible for professional services offered by me the contractor on the days they are engaged. Consequently they have the authority to seek assistance from those paid to provide that assistance. If my staff can't do stock checks etc in the time available to them then I need more or better staff.

Also always remember that while "the cat's away........." Any examples of that I would deal with firmly but I can't act if you don't provide the information.

TONY put it this way I was trained by the same company for my pre-reg and I work as a internal locum so i told them that I know how to do the stuff they claim they have to do, so instead of letting me do that stuff and them do dispensing so i can check they continued in their lazy way so I was forced to dispense and check but i did not play along to their game for all scripts just acute ones I couldnt really ignore. Today I worked in a shop which did 900 items and they only had 2 extra staff compared to the last shop yet their was no need for me to dispense and check so me thinks Walkerx is wrong its more likely because staff last week were not competent or lazy!

[pharma-man]

Hi there, I'm newly qualifed as well and wanted to know to what extent we need to remember doses of the drugs. Should you know the maximum/minimum dose of every drug, or does it depend on how busy the pharmacy is? i.e. the busier the pharmacy the less time you have to check doses hence you need to know more of them by heart?

[jzd4rma]

Hey what I have done is check the doses for Rx that are new for the patient but some cases its a matter of common sense, e.g. if someone is on a low dose of ramipril then it may mean that its a new medication particularly for waiting patients so i have counselled patients in such cases. I always check the doses for children presocription because the risk of overdosing is very high in children and because im newly qualified i dont know everything. And with repeat rx I check with the staff if the patient had such dose previously. Hope that helps!