Locum pharmacy....

[Deano]

Hi,

I'm a locum pharmacist and have been qualified for around a year, having worked for a number of multiples and independants I find one pharmacy completely different to another, some are busy but well organised, others quiet and disorganised or the worst..busy and disorganised! I know this is part of being a locum but just thought I'd get your views on what you consider to be 'the norm'.

How many items do you consider to be a reasonable amount to do in one day?

How fast do you think is an acceptable time for a prescription to be dispensed and checked (an average 4 item day to day script with repeat medication and no issues)?

Do you dispense and check your own work? - I've found some stores insist you don't and others leave you with no choice!

How many dosette trays do you think is an acceptable amount to expect a locum to check?

I'm asking this because I find it varies considerably from store to store - I'll work in one store and love my job and after another never want to go back!

Your views are much appreciated

[Pharmanaut]

Hi,

I'm a locum pharmacist and have been qualified for around a year, having worked for a number of multiples and independants I find one pharmacy completely different to another, some are busy but well organised, others quiet and disorganised or the worst..busy and disorganised! I know this is part of being a locum but just thought I'd get your views on what you consider to be 'the norm'.

How many items do you consider to be a reasonable amount to do in one day?

How fast do you think is an acceptable time for a prescription to be dispensed and checked (an average 4 item day to day script with repeat medication and no issues)?

Do you dispense and check your own work? - I've found some stores insist you don't and others leave you with no choice!

How many dosette trays do you think is an acceptable amount to expect a locum to check?

I'm asking this because I find it varies considerably from store to store - I'll work in one store and love my job and after another never want to go back!

Your views are much appreciated

A lot depends on...
1. The support staff : how many and what experience.
2. If you know the computer system well.
3. How organised is the dispensary - everything needs to be found quickly.
(eg prescriptions to do, prescriptions done, deliveries etc etc).
4. Whether there are any handover notes.

It can also depend on how experienced you are.
I'm no longer fresh-faced <g>, so I don't worry about taking charge of the staff.
Two of my well known (worn) phrases are...
"Check please" when a completed script is waiting for second check and "Counter Please", when we have a customer waiting that no-one has bothered with yet.
Also am not scared of breaking up conversations about 'engagement rings', 'x-factor' etc etc when they are going on too long.
'Come on get on with something'.

I would put my personal limit at around 500 items per day for the pay that I get.

If you want 1100 per day then you pay more or find someone else!
Preferably, someone else.

[DavidS]

I would put my personal limit at around 500 items per day for the pay that I get.

Well, as I have long suspected, you must get a lot more money than I do.
I prefer smaller shops, and usually don't do more than 200 items a day, and hardly ever more than 300. Of course that means one or at the most two dispensing staff. But it brings with it more variety.

[Sinister]

My usual pharmacy environment which I consider satisfactory:
up to 400 items a day (70% PCS) with 2.5 dispensers with the right attitude.
No repeat scripts kept at the pharmacy (phone is quiet).
Competent shop staff.

4 item script takes me about 20sec to CHECK and bag it up (put it back in the basket so someone can file the script and put the bag on the shelf).
If it's a waiter - up to 5min in total. I think there's a guidance on 2min per item (Had an email in one of the multiplesa while ago).

[lamzee]

4 item script takes me about 20sec to CHECK and bag it up

Do you not open every packet of tablets and examine the contents?? If not you aren't checking properly -- you can't do that in 5 seconds per item. Don't forget to check the bag label too....

[Sinister]

Do you not open every packet of tablets and examine the contents?? If not you aren't checking properly -- you can't do that in 5 seconds per item. Don't forget to check the bag label too....

Of course not Unless it's not original box. How many of us do that in these days??? I don't check the expiry dates of fast movers either...

[crit care]

surely a quick shake of the box will tell you if its a full packet or not.......

[Sinister]

surely a quick shake of the box will tell you if its a full packet or not.......

that's how I do it as well At the end of the day is just a quantity, obviuosly that's not the right attitude but you have to compromise in these days if you want 1hr lunch break and get your bench cleared by the end of the day

[crit care]

saying that, there are some quantities i check...but mostly a quick shake is all it needs......bag labels...pah!

[SolomonQ]

what about tablets that go walkies e.g. perindopril 8mg into perindopril 4mg packs quite easy as all packs are 30 tabs while Rx is almost always for 28,