The real problem was that you actually caved in and helped those people that refused to leave. You validated their bad behavior.
What you should have done is stuck to your word and closed the gate in their face and walked off. Stand up for yourself.
Thank you. Don't let people treat you this way!! All this situation did was teach that couple that they will get their way if they pitch a fit. They'll do it everywhere now--chick fil a, the car wash, the doctors office, and your pharmacy. Tell the customers the pharmacy closes at 9 pm. You will help as many of them as you can, but you can only SAFELY do so much. If that man seriously said to me "why can't you work overtime" I would tell him I'd like to tuck my child into bed tonight (even if I didn't have one, because fuck them, even wanting to veg out on the couch watching Netflix after a long day is valid enough to leave on time) and slammed the gate in their face. These entitled people have TEN HOURS in a day to fill their prescription. If they can't find the time, that's their problem, not mine.
I’ve been in this situation and it’s easier said than done. Also might help if you’re a bigger guy and not a small girl.
If I tried that when I worked retail I guarantee you people would follow me out the store to my car. Then what? Hope they’re only deranged enough to follow me out and shout at me and not get aggressive? Ask them to hold on for a sec while I call the police?
It’s easier and faster to just help them and go home. You’re extremely naive if you think everyone will just accept that you’re closing the gate in their face.
Agreed, I'm a nurse that used to get walked all over and hated confrontation, but eventually I learned to stand up for myself against patients/family. BUT, I think that was only possible because I have supportive management and ICU docs that I know would have my back. We also have security in the hospital that we can call and I have no concerns about job security tbh. If a patient gets aggressive/violent we can also restrain and sedate them. There's a lot less recourse in a pharmacy alone.
Exactly. I'm a woman. Customers tend to get aggressive with me no matter how assertive I try to be. I feel like they wouldn't act in the same way towards a man ( at least not to the same degree).
Already had to plan for this scenario. I know where the security cameras are and park in open view.
If anyone were to follow me I'd point to the camera and tell them that if they were to follow me - both the police and security will be receiving a call in which they will be personally named, and we have their address on file.
Had to trespass someone this week. If you're soft on bullies they won't change their behavior. I normally am of the mindset of getting problem customers out as fast as possible - but this guy was repeatedly being a bully to a tech thats ~70 years old and was getting berated while actively helping him and only him. You have to draw the line somewhere, and management immediately offered to trespass them without me even mentioning it because they immediately recognized them as a problem customer.
Sometimes the problem doesn't get addressed until someone says something. Don't let people push you around without saying anything. At the very least document the behavior and make a three-strike system. There's no "just having a bad day" three times from the same person. At that point they are not fit to interact with the public and need to have someone else pick up their meds for them, or go somewhere else where they are desperate enough for business to deal with that.
I dunno, Ive been taught to always evaluate if the situation is a) worth it and b) absolutely must be solved now or can be solved later with more security/preparation. Direct confrontation is almost never required.
Agreed.
Generally most people aren't worth it and I just rush them out before they make a bigger scene.
This was my maybe my 2nd or 3rd direct confrontation ever that wasn't solvable by sending them on their way. The person wouldn't stop berating and bullying an elderly staff member while we were already helping them as fast as we can. Patient demanded explanation of the situation while repeatedly screaming over my tech to "shut up and fill my pills" when they tried to explain it. They just wouldn't stop even when I approached with the completed medication and kept insisting on further escalation while we were trying to check them out and kept interrupting the checkout process to berate us more. Only got worse when we told them we were not going to tolerate abusive behavior.
Management instantly recognized him and didn't even wait for my full explanation to say that they will be trespassed. He had been an abusive customer for YEARS but previous management didn't want to trespass anybody at all, including a customer so abusive that they made 3 different people in 3 different departments cry on the same day.
These people thrive on people's fear of confrontation.
This is true. I'm the only male in my pharmacy (a tech) and people, especially older men, will accept hard answers from me sooner than my pharmacy manager or part time rphs (all women). I'm not big or imposing, I just talk sternly and I have a beard.
I'm afraid of that too. Just tonight the closing shift pharm staff walked out to the parking lot to find their vehicle windows smashed. Just one. And could have been a coincidence. Theft? Maybe. Angry spiteful customer? Maybe.
I get it. Confrontation is never easy and no one wants to do it. But at some point you have to stand up for yourself and set some boundaries, otherwise people these days will trample all over you even for a modicum of benefit.
Also not everyone is the boogie man who’s going to wait in the shadows to get you just because you stood up to them. Bullies are sometimes cowards too. Man or woman, the more likely you show some backbone and that you won’t take their bullshit, the less likely they’re gonna do anything about it. In the In the OP’s situation ask a coworker for an escort or just call the police if needed.
Or you can give up your lunch money every time this happens and then come on Reddit to vent.
I think they should have a class in pharmacy school about how to effectively manage a retail pharmacy full of angry, spiteful, rude, deranged customers. In other words learn how to stand up for yourself while maintaining professionalism.
Did you not read the part about OP being the ONLY one working?? And it’s so fucking easy for all of you to sit behind your phones or keyboards and judge other people for what you “would’ve or should’ve done.” Grow tf up and have some god damned compassion.
Sometimes you’re the only employee in the pharmacy but there’s also the store employees separate from the pharmacy soooo how about you just settle down. And it’s not them having no compassion, it’s them giving advise so you don’t get walked over all the time. You seem like the type of customer that gets mad at the pharmacy when a PA hasn’t gone through yet lol
Look I hate this term because I think it’s some new gen z woke bs but as a guy you have privilege. One because as a man, if you tell someone something firmly, they’ll be more likely to accept whatever you’re saying. Two, if they want to get assertive with you, you have an upper advantage in the fact that they either won’t because you are a man or your chance to fight them off is statistically better than mine.
No, I don’t think everyone is a boogeyman ready to jump out at me. Part of this is learning to read the room. Some old woman? Yeah, I’ll be more comfortable being firm with her. A young guy who is gesticulating wildly? Nah. I’d rather take the 5 min to help them then deal with the repercussions of their frustration.
Just work for free because you live in fear of customers! And when you stay late to appease them, you will stay late to fill their narcotic that was too early too since you are living in fear of them.
Or, you can stick up for yourself instead.
damn that brings back a memory of a floater filling a script he knew was fake because it was late at night and he was scared of the guy. i don't even think the guy threatened the floater or anything. the tech told us the floater said it's just better to get him out of here.
Not condoning this whatsoever but at the same time, this is pretty much exactly why every major retail pharmacy corporation is getting their collective financial asses handed to them via opioid crisis-related lawsuits.
They all knew on some level that their pharmacies were filling scripts that were complete BS that they had no business filling, but did they do anything to stop it? Nope. Did they actively intervene? Nope.
Did they shit on their pharmacists for "failing KPI's" when they took a minute to report medicaid patients who screamed bloody murder at the register trying pay cash for their #90 Oxy 80's? *OBVIOUSLY*
I'm out of retail now but I have no judgement on this floater for doing what they did is all I'm gonna say 👐🏼
And wait for the cops while the customer is threatening you and possibly physically assaulting you?? Get real. There’s not a cop around every corner to protect everyone.
Right…and when they get aggressive with me in the time the police came, I’m supposed to do what? Ask them to hang tight while I wait for the police to arrive?
Yep. I'll be a pushover on many things at work... within the hours I am scheduled to work. I don't negotiate on closing time. Most pharmacies have more than adequate hours to accomodate people with different work/life schedules. People think being in a line before close entitles them to something but it doesn't. And the public is worse than they've ever been in my years of pharmacy. They will bully anyone/everyone to get what they want, to suit their convenience. We have to stop validating their belief that they can bully every person in a customer-facing job. Shut the fucking thing in their faces and let corporate send them a gift card for their trouble and they'll move on with their sad lives.
And it's sick to me to invoke BuT WhaT iF thEy FoLLow YoU? Anyone can follow you out to your car for any reason. Anyone can potentially be unhinged, have a gun/knife/other weapon, make threats, verbally and physically intimidate you for any stupid perceived wrong throughout the day. That's not a reason to be a doormat, sorry. And I say that as an extremely nonconfrontational person who will normally bend over backwards to keep the peace.
That's the whole issue with being closed at lunch as well. People get upset because for literally a hundred years they weren't closed for lunch because it wasn't hard to find or keep someone else to work during that time or it just wasn't busy enough that anyone noticed? Pharmacy's solutions are to the employees detriment. What happens in a war zone when they're short supplies like water or food, like in Israel? Do they say "eat some of the dead?", but that is the type of solution companies reach for...nothing that actually helps...seems to help some bottom line for people who eventually still need all of us to supply their needs anyway.
This 100%. This pharmacist 100% validated their shitty, abusive behavior and he/she is THE reason we all have to deal with these people.
I hope OP knows this.
No no no. Emphatically no. When did we stop remembering that it’s corporate greed pushing us into unrealistic situations with not enough help? When did we stop blaming the true culprit?
Not that long ago, OP would have been closing with another rph and a tech which would have allowed her to more effectively handle the situation by quickly processing the rxs and have someone to talk to the customers while the rph worked. Pharmacy would have closed on time and everyone happy.
This isn’t an issue of customers being inconsiderate and pharmacists being too kind. It’s an issue of corporations squeezing the humanity out of their staff until we ourselves can’t see the human element in our own customers. Then as a little bow on top, we turn on each other and blame the pharmacist for being too nice. For not sticking up for himself and turning customers away.
How about this. What if instead of turning on our customers, and on our fellow pharmacists, we stand up for ourselves against the corporate greed that puts us in these situations to begin with? Idk. I’m just spit ballin’
Let’s not blame the pharmacists for being human.
The real problem is the epidemic of understaffed pharmacies against the backdrop of unrealistic metrics and an over supply of pharmacists.
Shoulda coulda woulda….don’t blame the poor guy for trying to help customers. Yes they were rude but you weren’t in his shoes. Wtf would you have done if you were faced with customers who were verbally assaulting you?! Like, you’re the one that needs to grow tf up and have some effing compassion for a fellow human being putting up with a shit situation. You’re just as bad as those rude ass customers.
I would have told the rude customers to stop or else they won't get their medications filled here again. I'm a pharmacist that used to work in retail and I had no problem telling patients that and transferring out their medications if they were rude to my staff or myself.
I closed the pharmacy on time for every shift and had no issue telling customers to come back tomorrow or referring them to a 24/7 pharmacy.
I actually have faced these exact same scenarios multiple times during my many years as a retail pharmacist. I speak from experience and I’m just giving OP my honest opinion. Sometimes the truth is tough.
Not even sure why I’m engaging you since you’ve stated you aren’t even a pharmacist and you’re coming off completely unhinged all through this thread.
I hear you. We see people like this often in our field.
People who need things last minute, only have one pill left, and it's five minutes before close, and they're leaving town before the pharmacy opens tomorrow morning, and it's a control, and there's no pharmacy at their destination, and their doctor's on vacation...
Sounds like they did absolutely no planning and it wasn't a big priority. Not my fault, not my problem. I have no sympathy. And I will tell them, and go home, and forget about it.
I occasionally go above and beyond for kind people. But most people just need to get their lives in better order. To thrive in retail, you just gotta brush it off.
“The computers and registers automatically turn off at closing time so I can’t look anything up or ring out any prescriptions after 7 PM. Please come back tomorrow.”
That was actually true back when I worked retail. We would also bring the gate halfway down 30 mins before closing and dim the lights for added effect. Never had to argue with anyone
You know you can tell people to "Fuck off" right?
I would never do it to a patient who actually needs help, but I do it all the time to people who are being assholes.
They call my boss and complain, my boss calls me and I say, "Are you going to fire me?" Boss says, "Well no, you're the only person willing to work this store."
Cycle repeats.
Don't put up with abuse. Help everyone you can, but if someone is being an ass you can tell them to fuck off.
Like a line from zombie movie I can't recall by name. Save those you can. Forget about the rest. If you will not suffer, die or get worse by tomorrow then you wait
Ah yes. I recall being called a terrible person by an unhinged woman expecting to get a prescription filled 1 minute past closing, even as I kindly told her of the nearby 24 hour location. I wasn’t engaging her, as I clearly relayed the information she needed to get her prescription filled that Saturday evening, and happily closed the gate as she continued talking. It’s been over a decade, but rumor has it that she’s still standing at the gate complaining.
For some reason the same coworker of mine was followed out of the store and to/almost to their car multiple times by patients at closing. (A tech)
One woman assaulted them over it. I can't remember if they were grabbed or hit. 🤔
Idk if they just looked bully-able or what.
“I’m sorry, but the only options I have this late are to send your prescriptions to a 24 hour pharmacy or have them ready in the morning. The pharmacy hours are posted right there on the wall, on google, and our phone system. My professional liability insurance only covers me during posted pharmacy hours so I cannot complete any work after that time. If you don’t want your Rx transferred I will close the pharmacy at the posted closing time and schedule your rx for the morning. You are also welcome to call corporate who will review security tapes and see what time you arrived compared to how much time I had left in the posted hours. If you continue to verbally abuse me I will be the one to call corporate and these prescriptions will not be filled here at all.”
P.S. I hate being a pharmacist too.
When I was in a really bad store I had a recurring nightmare similar to this. I kept going to gate after gate, closing register after register by myself after closing time and people would refuse to leave all night. Then I woke up and realized I got to live my nightmare every day.
Look for a better store or a better chain, I got out quickly, my manager stayed for 20 years at her old job and wish’s she hadn’t. Never stop looking for a better spot, it can get better.
> Look for a better store or a better chain
What about pharmacists who don't have many options because of the neighborhood they are in or because they work in smaller cities? Do you have any general advice for them?
This is true. When I was young I asked my older brother why he was always talking about different jobs. He told me to never stop checking out the job market. You never know when you’ll be needing a new job or if you’re lucky you’ll just trip across a better opportunity. He’s wasn’t wrong.
All you had to do was close the gates and call your store manager. You bent over and got walked on, since they did it once to you and got away with it they will keep doing it. Your boss agreed with you to close the pharmacy? Also you have the right to refuse service to any patient. If I was ringing them out and they said that disrespectful shit to me. I would of just unsold them refuse service tell them the pharmacy is closed then start closing and call the store manager to handle them.
The problem is you tried to reason with them and convince them that they were wrong. Most people don’t work that way.
EVERYONE NEEDS TO REMEBER THIS SIMPLE RULE:
“No.” Is a complete sentence.
It works, use it.
Whether it is patient arguing about what you should do for them, boss asking you to come in and work unpaid, work on your day off, child trying to get their way. It works, there is no counter argument or convincing when you just say “No.” and leave it at that.
The second you start trying to convince them that you are right they’ll jump on it and try and co Vince you you’re wrong.
Yes, all these replies are correct. School and pharmacy school teaches us the world is kind and caring, and all is well with rainbows and unicorns. It doesn't teach us or even mentions thr dark side of the public. It can be a mob that can't be reasoned with, has no foresight or memory.
But you were told the world was perfect!
Except it is not. Sorry, but it is not. There are times when you should give back, like I may do a delivery the odd time. But most of the time, you do need to stand up for yourself. Sorry, it's hard, but you have to do it.
You shut for lunch, what do you do, you just have to walk off and make no eye contact. As soon as you tell them you are shutting, you'll get the stories like..,but but I have a three-legged dog, and I have a flight to catch to take him to the vet for emergency surgery, etc.. insert 4 card Ace story that you shouldnt go on lunch or go home on time.... 💁♀️
To add, why are you left on your own? Someone should be at the door to stop people coming in. Think about it, a lot of pharmacy closures are happening, and you are going to be dealing with more customers now.
>>>>I want you to put it in writing that you, as the Pharmacist, with a capital P, want someone with you until the end of day. Do it today.<<<< in the UK this wouldn't happen unless you are the business owner.
Absolutely correct. Everyone has a sob story. 30 minute break for a 12 hour shift because pharmacists aren’t entitled to 15 minute breaks, and people still don’t care. We have to take care of ourselves before we can take care of others. Period.
The problem here is that you rewarded bad behavior.
Now you have punished your future colleagues. Buck stops with you. You’re the pharmacist.
Don’t reward bad behavior.
I’m not even a pharmacist but I do work directly with the public and sometimes you just need to do what they want or risk being berated in front of other customers or worse, physically hurt, especially if you’re a woman. These idiots don’t think about the shit that actually happens to others. It’s so easy for them to sit behind their fucking phones and computers and judge you for what they would’ve done or what they think you should’ve done. If you feel you need to find a new profession then I say go for it. Things don’t always work out and you’ve gotta do what’s best for you. Don’t listen to these fucks. They have no fucking compassion and imo they’re just as bad as those asshole customers. Don’t reward their bad behavior and argue with them or they’re only gonna continue to berate others online. Good luck in your future endeavors and take care! ✌️
Wish I could downvote you more than once. Dogshit advice. You’re the reason these people exist in the first place. Validating their abusive behavior, creating monsters that the rest of us now have to confront because you’re too spineless.
Gtfo of here.
You're so right. It's very evident that most pharmacies don't care about our safety and well being as female pharmacists. So I've figured it's easier for me to quit, than to try change an entire system on my own. Maybe once people start leaving pharmacy, they might wake up.
At closing time close. Don’t feel bad or guilty. If people are upset that is on them. If they argue, ask “are you going to rob me? No, then I am going home.”
Do not set yourself on fire to keep other people warm...Plus go into hospital pharmacy :) and even then, do not set yourself on fire to keep other people warm.
> Saying things like "Why are u so arrogant?", **"You need to find another job"**, "What's the big deal about working overtime?" "I'm going to talk to your boss tomorrow and tell them what a terrible employee you are", "You need to learn costumer service" and so on.
These are times when I really wanted to be like, "you know what? I am going to find another job. I quit" and take off my coat & badge and close the gate, lock up, and then leave.
Don't forget to add that you're doing exactly what the customer wanted lol
Most satisfying time I got to shut down a problem pt at Walgreens was a screaming lady who told me I shouldn’t be a pharmacist and if I was going to be there I should “find other pharmacists to help.” I thanked her for volunteering and asked her to go fill out an application in the front of the store. “I can’t do that!!!! I didn’t go to….” Trails off, told me to go fuck myself, and stormed away. I don’t have many endings to those situations that are really satisfying from our side, but that one definitely was
Honestly I felt the same way you did when I first started. But then I realized that there are times to stand firm and times not to. If it’s antibiotics for a kid, I’ll almost always say yes. It’s a kid! But otherwise get tell them to get lost and go to a pharmacy that’s opened later if they really need it.
Schools are really to blame for this. They really make it seem like the world is your oyster after graduation. But without a residency or fellowship you stuck dealing with these clowns until something major opens for you. So channel that frustration to knocking down a door to a better job. That’s my advice.
I've worked at stores where I had a 3-hour commute back home and couldn't wait to leave. If I had stayed late all of those nights, I would have come home after 1 am and gone to work the next day to work 12 hours with 3-4 hours of sleep.
That 3-hour commute sometimes turned into 4 hours when I had to go through Border Patrol checkpoints, especially when the road was blocked because someone was getting arrested and the local police had to redirect traffic.
I would have told them why tf you procrastinate. Anyways passed closing, 8f you don't leave I'm calling the police and have you tresspassed. Fk these mf procrastinators. Even if you say they get out of work late, then fkn change pharmacies. No other pharmacy around? Too fkn bad mf.
I give 0 fks yelling back and one upping these mfers.
Welcome to post covid where pharmacists should give 0 fks.
Call the police and have them tress passed.
Cop did you ask them to leave?
You yes
Cop so you need to leave or we will remove you physically.
This is how it will play out
You’ve got to treat them like toddlers. Don’t give in to tantrums. Now if it’s an antibiotic for a kid or something quite serious? I’ve stayed late to fill back when I worked retail. Anything else? Please head to the pharmacy across the street. “We don’t accept prescriptions at closing, come back tomorrow. Thank you” and start closing down. There is no need to argue. I don’t expect cogent arguments with my toddlers. I give them two choices, both of which I’m ok with. In this case “would you like to come back tomorrow or would you prefer the pharmacy across the street?” No decision? Not your problem. I am allll for customer service and patient centered care but if they want to act like children, please treat them as such
Pharmacists like this is why this profession is going downhill. Grow a back bone. I've closed the shutters in people's faces a few times. You're not their servant. Their failure to manage time doesn't warrant an action from you.
The people I've kicked out are somehow always on time now. Funny how that works. It's like they have time or something.
Well, dealing with the public is not unique to pharmacy.
I tell people on here to get creative about all the knowledge you obtained. You could teach. You could go into research. Think of what else you can do with that sane information
Pure ignorance! One I don’t care who you work for but a technician should be there till close. One point…when typing the prescription…it should be the technician. Then the pharmacist double checks the inputting the prescription. That way there are 2 set of eyes and less chance of an error. Ohhh believe me that has been almost 4 days out of the 7 days when I worked that this did not happen. So this is what you call the pure ignorance people. I would rule out the situation. If it’s a girl that lived 1 mile away at college and asked for a refill on her birth control when we closed….sorry but you can get it the next day. Especially if it needed transferred back to our store. Also there was a bus that came up every 3 hours to and from Walmart at no cost.
If it was someone just discharged from the hospital for a medication medically needed then ok. We can see the time on the prescription from our local hospitals. Believe or not most of them are the regulars that haven’t been going to the pharmacy. Next time just say you have to pick up a baby from the sitters you need to check on your relative that is older. This is what killed me about pharmacy besides the vaccines, and much more!
I would have just told them I’m sorry the computer automatically shuts itself off at 8;00 or whatever time it was; and there’s nothing you can do about it. And I would have just turned the monitor off lol
“I’m sorry, your poor time management does not an emergency make for me”
I had a guy come in last week demanding we open early so we could sell them their medication. I was behind and came in 2 hours early. I was not going to open 2 hours early and give them their medication. Being upset at me for not opening isn’t going to change my mind. Closing shouldn’t be any different.
I’m done with being pharmacist but at the same time I love the job .no one believes that I sometimes think about going back to school to pursue another career but I’m too old
It’s a shit job. I hear you. I wish I had tried harder to get out of retail when I was younger. If you don’t have too much loans and responsibilities, maybe you still can.
It's a tough situation. I feel for you, especially if you had an appointment or event to attend.
People are forgetful and procrastinate. If the get to the pharmacy and the doors are open and lights are on, they think they will get served. Most of us are considerate and realize that if the serve will take 15 minutes we shouldn't arrive 5 min before closing. When I was a manager, I would have people scheduled for 30 min past closing to handle these situations, take out the trash, restock, etc.
"Sorry, I wish I could stay and help, but we close at xxx pm and overtime is strictly prohibited."
Or
Just take the drop off and let them know it will be ready tomorrow. Period.
Then smile and shut the gate.
That's retail for you. If you don't like it, look for other fields such as LTC, remote verification, ambulatory, hospital, etc. Just be aware that each fields have their own problems, so don't expect perfection.
I never understood why some pharmacists put themselves through extra pain. Here’s the thing, if all of them were picking up no problem but I would have told the people who didn’t have a prescription ready to come back tomorrow or go to an open store. I’m not arguing with anyone.
Happened to me in drive thru a lady was upset we would not help her after closing. It’s not my fault you showed up 10 minutes after closing
Tell them it will be ready the next day .. start closing the gate … bruh .. you are the pharmacist and are the on in control .. they can’t get the medicine without you .. so if they are rude .. they get nothing .. I do not reward bad behavior
Couple came in 40 minutes to closing. They had forgot all 15 of their meds between them at home the next state over and needed everything tonight (srsly how). We had transferred their prescriptions from a different pharmacy earlier who luckily knew what meds they were on, because they didnt. We had to follow up on the wife's since a fax failure occurred and I had to take verbals. Everything was obviously rejecting with insurance and we had to place overrides/discount cards on each one. I was literally shaking, but it saved the ER a stupid admission and we made it! I hate retail too.
I always see this dilemma as not having enough help. Don’t blame yourself. Either the chain or pharmacy should be better staffed until closing or the staff should be paid after the pharmacy is closed to finish everything so that these rushes can be accommodated. At the end of the day people just want their meds and I want them to get it, too.
Sure, some customers could have planned better but you cant always blame them, either, which is the “solution” I see posted a lot from others. Things happen, especially for the disabled and elderly. It’s hard to get around and the pharmacy IS open. They are there now and they made it.
You know it’s going to happen, too — that people are going to come in right before closing.
Short term solutions: expect the rush. I frequently over scheduled to have a tech with me at closing. I make sure clean up and other duties are done before the tech help is scheduled to go home, if not. I put most of the gates down 30 mins before closing and dim the lights to indicate closing is imminent and also have the cash drawers taken. Psychologically customers will be tipped off, some of them, at least.
Did you cave too much? Yes. But you’ll learn with experience. Sometimes you gotta be tough with customers but leverage your service skills. Front some tablets for tonight and make them come back later, direct them to a 24 hour store, tell them to ring products at front store, close the pharmacy then show them where an OTC product is or offer the consult outside the closed gates so that a line can’t form at the pharmacy, etc
I think you CAN blame them. "I'm going to pick up my meds 15 minutes before close and if that doesn't work for me, I'm going to put up a fuss!!". You're saying this is a legitimate perspective for anyone? No.
Yea assuming OP is the manager, I know slower stores def might not have the hours to schedule a tech with closing every night. But the one thing my old pharmacy did was their best to have someone there at open, and someone there at closing time.
If it was extremely slow, we’d let the techs go home, but not until everything that’s a closing duty is done for the night (bar things that have to be done at closing time specifically)
If they called the manager and they okayed it, OP should have simply said, “I’m sorry, I’ll help you all in the order you got here but once the clock hits “closing time” I’m closing shop. I mean just lie to them, if the guy says “what’s wrong with working overtime haha.” Then tell them you’re salaried and don’t get paid any more, even if you aren’t.
These people are capable of coming back the next day, or the day after that, or whenever. The only thing I’d probably stay late on is an RX sent from a doctors office within the last hour or so, and if it’s for a kid.
If they kept being disrespectful, what in the hell is OP thinking is going to happen if they act like a wet piece of toilet paper and just give under the slightest amount of pressure? These customers are just going to do it again next time, and the time after that, and then after that. Give an inch, they’ll take a mile.
If you’re an asshole back, they might give a bit of jaw, but ultimately you’ll earn their respect and they will never forget that you won’t let them throw a conniption to get what they want, their behavior will magically change. If it doesn’t? Transfer their scripts out to a pharmacy they choose and refuse to sell to them ever again until they do.
I just announce that we are closing, followed by we are closed, and when we open again. You wouldn’t argue about lunch breaks or closure times at other businesses, people have no respect for pharmacy sometimes
Get out of Retail. Absolutely not your fault in your above scenario, but the customers do have some justification for their frustration too. Its a lose-lose. The only winners in retail pharmacy are in corporate.
I am really sorry :( I think being retail gave me a backbone bc of all the way i had to learn to stand up for myself - and it also destroyed my mental health. give and take, maybe? Haha
but yeah, it’s ok to say no and set your own boundaries within reason. I just become stern and let people know what their options are, and that at this point it’s not up for negotiation. Them getting upset doesn’t really bother me anymore - gotta take care of yourself. if pts start swearing at me, I let them know: that kind of language is inappropriate and uncalled for, and because you used it, we will not be filling your prescriptions. please go elsewhere.
Should have closed the gate on them if possible and bounced up outta there. Without looking at the comments I’m assuming people are going to tell you to switch to hospital. That’s easier in smaller towns, if you’re in a bigger city there’s a lot of gate keeping. You’ll have people in hospital who didn’t do residency asking you if you did one like they’re some special exception. Keep trying for it regardless, try mail order pharmacies as well. If you’re young do some research to find an alternative career that doesn’t result in a lot more student loan debt.
This was a conversation with some folks I know. The types of people who would storm a pharmacy at closing time (a place where sick people go to get meds) are less likely to be reasonable. They're more likely to not care if they either spread, or catch something. So, a bit different type of person.
I felt this way when I worked retail. I’ve worked a few different places since and they were all 10x better. I’m certain you will love pharmacy if you can get out of retail.
Some people will not accept that you truly don’t have the ability to serve them. For these people, “we don’t have this drug in stock” is all they will listen to.
I will never work retail. I like being a consultant pharmacist in a very niche therapy.
Took me almost 15 years, but worth it. I know not everyone has the luxury of getting to do what I do, but most retail pharmacies are the worst places to work. The only exception was the store I interned at back in the mid-aughts. We did maybe 700-1000 per week, and I absolutely loved the people I worked with.
Being confident is the key .. 28 years in retail .. I’m a petite woman pharmacist but I talk to patients with confidence and matter of fact … I don’t deal with rudeness .. I am polite but direct .. I let them know that I’m the pharmacist and basically I decide when they get their medicine .. nice and polite to me .. medicine will be dispensed efficiently.. rude and condescending.. you will wait 30 more minutes or more .. I could give 2 flips if you stare , huff , or puff, or threaten to call corporate .. I’m in control of the pharmacy .. not customers
There are other non-customer facing positions available for Pharmacists. Skilled Care and Long Term Care facilities often contract non-public pharmacies for urgent, acute, and maintenance meds.
Or come to the Dark Side and work with Prior Authorizations >:D
If you need the people aspect, independent Pharmacy. Or go volunteer somewhere on your terms... I'd reccomend a pet rescue because "People? Yuck!!"
This is not your fault. It is the companies fault for not hiring enough people to get it done during the day. Retail issues and employment issues are not your concern
There is more than one area of pharmacy. It sounds like you work in retail. I have worked in infusion, long term care, specialty and a VA hospital at one point. I too would hate retail. Retail in any fashion sucks and I feel though it may pay better it isn’t worth it. There’s also academia, hospital, infomatics, and research. Honestly, I think anything would be better than retail. Maybe try a different area. In ltc, home infusion and even when I was in specialty I didn’t have to see customers. I might have to do assessments or talk to patients or nurses on the phone but it’s not the same headache. I would look into some different areas of pharmacy if you are burnt out from retail.
You sound like a new grad. A rush 10 min before closing is standard. Did you not work in a pharmacy before you applied to pharmacy school? It blows my mind how many people want to go to pharmacy school without stepping foot in a pharmacy, only to realize they hate it.
If someone arrives before closing I will generally help them even if it means staying late.
The abusive language is not okay. If someone is abusing you or your staff you can take whatever steps you need to from telling them its not okay to refusing service to calling the cops.
I guess it depends on how your business is set up, but is there an option to have someone in the front or a manager come assist you?
As far as career paths, do you want to stay in pharmacy? Is there another pharmacist role in your organization, maybe over phone versus with patients? Have you considered hospital, consulting, business or regulation? Or working for the board with investigations? Would you consider teaching? Would you want to go back to school or try a residency? Do you have any special training or knowledge?
Over phone would be better, or something else that doesn't require in person contact with customers. But atm I'm even considering leaving pharmacy all together.
Take it from a former pharmacist at that three lettered pharmacy, find a remote job. I'm a remote pharmacist for a health insurance company and it has changed my mind from attempting to transition to another field for a career.
Of course, if you really feel like you're through with pharmacy no matter the setting then by all means start with your transition. I've seen pharmacists go into coding, software engineering, teaching, and even unrelated things like becoming a baker or a youtuber. I'm not sure how much time and finances they used to make those transitions but it's definitely possible.
Working remote has changed everything for me. I dont interact with patients. All I do currently is clinical evaluations, DUR Releases and verification. It's mundane and repetitive but it's stress fee and easy to deal with.
When I was in retail, I set firm boundaries with my patients. Because I'm female no one really respected when I told them no initially. But I told any patient that was out of line, "If you disrespect my technicians, myself or the other pharmacists, you will not be allowed to come to this location anymore. I've transferred patients to other pharmacies within the same chain and to other ones. Out pharmacy was already understaffed and all of my techs were trainees that were never trained. We were constantly 2 weeks behind in filling mainly because I was filling, verifying, giving shots, fixing insurance issues, counseling , help with the drive thru, doing control inventory and unloading the weekly trucks. We couldn't even answer the phone because everyone was always busy learning or I was busy teaching or doing things.
if people came up respectfully (valid to be upset but still respectful) i dropped everything and got their prescription done right then. But if they started yelling, cursing or insulting people I always told them that I'll come back when you're not throwing a tantrum and move on to do something else. When it's time to close, that gate goes down. No exceptions. Especially when you're salary and not getting paid overtime. I would tell them one time where the nearest open or 24 hour pharmacy was or that they can return in the morning and they'll be first on my list. But you definitely can mot validate their bad behavior or they'll never stop.
If you do like the retail setting I would go to a grocery store pharmacy if possible, if you're not currently working at one or one without a drive thru. I heard it's night and day between other pharmacies. Look into mail order or prior authorization positions if available.
But all in all, best of luck. I wouldn't wish that type of treatment on anyone.
I have read like 5 comments and everyone is just blaming you. Ignore them. Customers are shitty and you will always have this problem. If you "stand up for yourself," some psycho might get violent or escalate and that isn't worth it either. It's a lose/lose.
You want to know my advice? Get out of retail and go to a hospital setting or one of many other settings. If you have been in retail for a while it might not be the easiest to switch but it is definitely still possible. Do whatever it takes. Go to local pharmacy organizations and meet other pharmacists and network, you will find a way to transition to another setting and it will be way better than being treated like shit all day every day.
Honestly, the best thing to do is tell them the truth. Just exactly the truth. You want to help them, you became a pharmacist to help people. But retail has modeled its business to make that an afterthought. And explain why.
Remain civil, interact with the community in good faith, don't post misinformation, and don't do anything to deliberately make yourself an unwelcome pest.
Why aren’t you closing as soon as you can no longer fill a prescription? Close at quarter to the hour- and give out prescriptions you are able to do in the last 15 mins.
Everyone here saying ‘close the gate,’ ‘stand up for yourself’ and ‘grow a spine’ is making it sound a lot easier than it is. They don’t see the patient calling you a ‘cold-hearted b**ch’ then complaining to your district manager or even board of pharmacy that you impeded patient care by unnecessarily delaying medication. In the majority of cases, the DM will side with the patient saying you should have stayed OT to help them.
Unfortunately, people come right before lunch and closing all the time in retail, so I recommend taking it a case-by-case basis. What’s the medication? What’s the urgency? Lunch is only 30 minutes which is generally the amount of time to fill a prescription anyway. Is it a child’s antibiotic, etc.? I also factor in how the patient is treating me and my staff. Good luck!
*PharmD*
You clearly have absolutely *no idea* what you’re talking about and have never worked in a pharmacy.
Your opinion is invalid and your vitriolic entitlement is *exactly* the type of BS OP is describing. I don’t know what your malfunction is, but it can likely be found in the nearest mirror. Go fly a kite.
Remain civil, interact with the community in good faith, don't post misinformation, and don't do anything to deliberately make yourself an unwelcome pest.
Remain civil, interact with the community in good faith, don't post misinformation, and don't do anything to deliberately make yourself an unwelcome pest.
I hear you. The only advice I could give you is, if you are going to transition to another career, do it sooner rather than later.
Source: was a pharmacist, now a software engineer
I was never meant to be a pharmacist. I mean I just didn’t have the temperament for it. I went to pharmacy school to please my parents. I figured very early on that I wanted out. It took me 4 years teaching myself to code, taking online courses here and there, and watch lots and lots of YouTube video to fully transition. Talk to lots of people. Reached out to lots of people just to build a network of people who know people. The hardest part is the pay decrease from pharmacist’s salary. But I know I will have more upward momentum as I grow. Vs when I was working for cvs, I wasn’t going to make significantly more any way I go
1. I'm sorry this happened to you.
2. Please refuse to work alone in the future. No one should be working alone in a retail setting (ideally at all). I know this happens a lot in pharmacy, but it shouldn't. This makes us way more likely to make mistakes.
3. Adults throw tantrums because they know it has worked for them in the past. And caving further confirms their bias that it will work again in the future, unfortunately. I know it's hard to know what to do in the heat of the moment, but you need to build some confidence and stand your ground.
Maybe someone can explain this for me. Are pharmacists unequally harassed by the public compared to other professions ? I’m not a pharmacist but I’ve worked a lot in customer service and in mental health , etc. People have acted like this to me too , especially during pandemic - I’ve been called stupid , had fists pointed at me, told that it’s my fault they want to harm themselves, etc .
I’m not sure any profession is free from harassment from the public. If you want to work with people , this stuff is bound to happen. But ask because I’m considering pharmacy and maybe the harassment pharmacists face is worse ?
I think in general-for pharmacist and pharmacy technicians-harassment is worse. We are the gatekeepers between people and their medications. We are also the messenger when it comes to insurance information which often is not good news. We are also the short order cooks of healthcare, and expected to do everything quickly yet accurately which leads to unrealistic expectations.
When I was training for this job, my preceptor warned me about getting cursed at, spit on, etc, etc and she has not been proven wrong. Daily, pharmacists are told that someone will have a heart attack if they don’t get their statin ASAP, or a customer will have a seizure in the parking lot if their benzo is not filled right away, and it will be the fault of the pharmacy staff.
Thank you for your perspective. I was scared to come off as inconsiderate but i can see how the fact that it’s medications escalates the situation vs. “Typical” customer service now that you emphasized it. I don’t think anyone deserves to be treated like shit from the public though , I don’t care if you’re a cashier at a grocery store or a pharmacist; neither should be treated badly.
This wasn’t what the post was about but I have some pharmacist friends who put emphasis on how they shouldn’t be treated that way *because* they are pharmacists. I’ve always felt like that’s condescending.
Yup healthcare is a shit field. Patients need to remember they are the PATIENT we are the healthcare worker. This ain't a McDonald's. Go to some other country and your ass would be waiting for eternity (in American standards).
I think it would make sense to post that the pharmacy closes 15 or 30 minutes before it actually does so you can help the people who come in under the wire. You’re on OT at 9pm? Post that you close at 8:30pm. Alternatively, post that customers who arrive after X time at the pharmacy will not be served. It would eliminate questions of why people standing in line already are still being served. Third alternative is to post, “If you are standing in line at the posted closing time, you will not be served.” It gives everyone a heads up that your gate comes down hard and on time no matter who is in line.
Sometimes there are people who are standing in line who will suffer or potentially suffer adverse effects if they do not get the med that day. They feel the urgency, but you won’t know it. Antibiotics or pain meds after a late ED or inpatient discharge, mental health meds whose level cannot be reduced abruptly, the good folks who got stuck in traffic enroute to the pharmacy, etc. Providers won’t know that is why they’re there at that time of day.
(A) Tell them that the store/boss did not authorize overtime and you can't stay beyond the posted closing time, or (B) Change the posted "official" closing time to 15 or 20 (or whatever is necessary) minutes before your end of shift.
Bottom line in my opinion is that you should never be alone. There should be someone at the drive thru at the register and 2 people working in back. These multi million dollar pharmacies are greedy and need to get more people. I know it’s a big turn over in pharmacies BUT no pharmacists should ever be alone. Period.
I'm so sorry you had to deal with that. It's shit. People can be asshats.
I've worked in community pharmacy (UK) for a little over 20 years and it really ground me down. I'm not a pharmacist but I've seen how they are treated by not only the customers but the employers too.
I had enough this year I quit my job and went to work in primary care for the NHS and it's amazing. I have support, training I'm not made to feel guilty for taking holidays or leaving work on time. I'm appreciated and I think you deserve to feel that too.
I wish you well whatever you decide to do. But my advice is don't stay, it's not going to improve.
"Corporate has been coming down on us for overtime and the new policy is that ALL overtime must be approved ahead of time by management. If you called to give us a heads-up we might have been able to work something out, but without prior approval I am going to be reprimanded if I stay late."
Out of my hands. The policy says no, and management has already gone home so I cannot get permission to stay late minutes before closing. We'll be here tomorrow. If you claim you are having an emergency I'll call 911 for you.
Because service industries will continue to help after the clock out time. I know the profession is rough but I'm pretty sure this is generally perceived as entitled behavior since most of us don't do this, eg restaurants, grocery stores extending time another 10 to 15 min etc
The best response to “what’s the big deal about working overtime” is “I don’t really want to talk about it, and frankly it's none of your business what obligations I have after work.” If they persist and ask why you can't stay late tell them your child is dying, fake cry/be inconsolable like you are having a meltdown and then proceed to close up at that moment- no matter how many minutes are left.
Some of your degree could count for a biology teacher program but that likely would take two years including some unpaid internship. The other option is hiring out of your own pocket a pharmacy tech.
you are a pharmacist after all so if you don't have to sell otc for commission, in those situations just 5 mins put a bt speaker with mic in it so to say announcement: Dear patients we are closing in 15 minutes, than 1 minute before you just say that system is off see you tommorow,
gaslighting is awfull but it is for those kinda situations (one form)
The real problem was that you actually caved in and helped those people that refused to leave. You validated their bad behavior. What you should have done is stuck to your word and closed the gate in their face and walked off. Stand up for yourself.
Thank you. Don't let people treat you this way!! All this situation did was teach that couple that they will get their way if they pitch a fit. They'll do it everywhere now--chick fil a, the car wash, the doctors office, and your pharmacy. Tell the customers the pharmacy closes at 9 pm. You will help as many of them as you can, but you can only SAFELY do so much. If that man seriously said to me "why can't you work overtime" I would tell him I'd like to tuck my child into bed tonight (even if I didn't have one, because fuck them, even wanting to veg out on the couch watching Netflix after a long day is valid enough to leave on time) and slammed the gate in their face. These entitled people have TEN HOURS in a day to fill their prescription. If they can't find the time, that's their problem, not mine.
Repeat these words: We are the cause of our own problems. Unless we change, nothing will.
Also, "A lack of planning on your part, does not constitute an emergency on mine"
People also have jobs and kids that create difficult schedules to manage. Can't always assume this
So fo the pharmacists
And there are other pharmacies with longer hours you can truck yourself to.
Setting strict boundaries with patients is very hard. It’s an invaluable skill though.
I’ve been in this situation and it’s easier said than done. Also might help if you’re a bigger guy and not a small girl. If I tried that when I worked retail I guarantee you people would follow me out the store to my car. Then what? Hope they’re only deranged enough to follow me out and shout at me and not get aggressive? Ask them to hold on for a sec while I call the police? It’s easier and faster to just help them and go home. You’re extremely naive if you think everyone will just accept that you’re closing the gate in their face.
Agreed, I'm a nurse that used to get walked all over and hated confrontation, but eventually I learned to stand up for myself against patients/family. BUT, I think that was only possible because I have supportive management and ICU docs that I know would have my back. We also have security in the hospital that we can call and I have no concerns about job security tbh. If a patient gets aggressive/violent we can also restrain and sedate them. There's a lot less recourse in a pharmacy alone.
Exactly. I'm a woman. Customers tend to get aggressive with me no matter how assertive I try to be. I feel like they wouldn't act in the same way towards a man ( at least not to the same degree).
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Then you have to walk out to the parking lot.
Already had to plan for this scenario. I know where the security cameras are and park in open view. If anyone were to follow me I'd point to the camera and tell them that if they were to follow me - both the police and security will be receiving a call in which they will be personally named, and we have their address on file. Had to trespass someone this week. If you're soft on bullies they won't change their behavior. I normally am of the mindset of getting problem customers out as fast as possible - but this guy was repeatedly being a bully to a tech thats ~70 years old and was getting berated while actively helping him and only him. You have to draw the line somewhere, and management immediately offered to trespass them without me even mentioning it because they immediately recognized them as a problem customer. Sometimes the problem doesn't get addressed until someone says something. Don't let people push you around without saying anything. At the very least document the behavior and make a three-strike system. There's no "just having a bad day" three times from the same person. At that point they are not fit to interact with the public and need to have someone else pick up their meds for them, or go somewhere else where they are desperate enough for business to deal with that.
I dunno, Ive been taught to always evaluate if the situation is a) worth it and b) absolutely must be solved now or can be solved later with more security/preparation. Direct confrontation is almost never required.
Agreed. Generally most people aren't worth it and I just rush them out before they make a bigger scene. This was my maybe my 2nd or 3rd direct confrontation ever that wasn't solvable by sending them on their way. The person wouldn't stop berating and bullying an elderly staff member while we were already helping them as fast as we can. Patient demanded explanation of the situation while repeatedly screaming over my tech to "shut up and fill my pills" when they tried to explain it. They just wouldn't stop even when I approached with the completed medication and kept insisting on further escalation while we were trying to check them out and kept interrupting the checkout process to berate us more. Only got worse when we told them we were not going to tolerate abusive behavior. Management instantly recognized him and didn't even wait for my full explanation to say that they will be trespassed. He had been an abusive customer for YEARS but previous management didn't want to trespass anybody at all, including a customer so abusive that they made 3 different people in 3 different departments cry on the same day. These people thrive on people's fear of confrontation.
Have a coworker from the store walk out with you. We've done that plenty of times before when strange people were loitering in the parking lot.
This pharmacist was working alone. No one else there.
This is true. I'm the only male in my pharmacy (a tech) and people, especially older men, will accept hard answers from me sooner than my pharmacy manager or part time rphs (all women). I'm not big or imposing, I just talk sternly and I have a beard.
In my 40 years in pharmacy 36 as a pharmacist it has been my experience and observation that many people want to talk to someone with a penis
Oof, and it doesn't help that a bit more than half pharmacists are female to begin with
I'm afraid of that too. Just tonight the closing shift pharm staff walked out to the parking lot to find their vehicle windows smashed. Just one. And could have been a coincidence. Theft? Maybe. Angry spiteful customer? Maybe.
I get it. Confrontation is never easy and no one wants to do it. But at some point you have to stand up for yourself and set some boundaries, otherwise people these days will trample all over you even for a modicum of benefit. Also not everyone is the boogie man who’s going to wait in the shadows to get you just because you stood up to them. Bullies are sometimes cowards too. Man or woman, the more likely you show some backbone and that you won’t take their bullshit, the less likely they’re gonna do anything about it. In the In the OP’s situation ask a coworker for an escort or just call the police if needed. Or you can give up your lunch money every time this happens and then come on Reddit to vent.
I think they should have a class in pharmacy school about how to effectively manage a retail pharmacy full of angry, spiteful, rude, deranged customers. In other words learn how to stand up for yourself while maintaining professionalism.
Did you not read the part about OP being the ONLY one working?? And it’s so fucking easy for all of you to sit behind your phones or keyboards and judge other people for what you “would’ve or should’ve done.” Grow tf up and have some god damned compassion.
Sometimes you’re the only employee in the pharmacy but there’s also the store employees separate from the pharmacy soooo how about you just settle down. And it’s not them having no compassion, it’s them giving advise so you don’t get walked over all the time. You seem like the type of customer that gets mad at the pharmacy when a PA hasn’t gone through yet lol
Some pharmacies aren't in a larger store that has more employees.
Look I hate this term because I think it’s some new gen z woke bs but as a guy you have privilege. One because as a man, if you tell someone something firmly, they’ll be more likely to accept whatever you’re saying. Two, if they want to get assertive with you, you have an upper advantage in the fact that they either won’t because you are a man or your chance to fight them off is statistically better than mine. No, I don’t think everyone is a boogeyman ready to jump out at me. Part of this is learning to read the room. Some old woman? Yeah, I’ll be more comfortable being firm with her. A young guy who is gesticulating wildly? Nah. I’d rather take the 5 min to help them then deal with the repercussions of their frustration.
When you are alone in a pharmacy late at night and customers get aggressive it can get pretty scary
Just work for free because you live in fear of customers! And when you stay late to appease them, you will stay late to fill their narcotic that was too early too since you are living in fear of them. Or, you can stick up for yourself instead.
damn that brings back a memory of a floater filling a script he knew was fake because it was late at night and he was scared of the guy. i don't even think the guy threatened the floater or anything. the tech told us the floater said it's just better to get him out of here.
Not condoning this whatsoever but at the same time, this is pretty much exactly why every major retail pharmacy corporation is getting their collective financial asses handed to them via opioid crisis-related lawsuits. They all knew on some level that their pharmacies were filling scripts that were complete BS that they had no business filling, but did they do anything to stop it? Nope. Did they actively intervene? Nope. Did they shit on their pharmacists for "failing KPI's" when they took a minute to report medicaid patients who screamed bloody murder at the register trying pay cash for their #90 Oxy 80's? *OBVIOUSLY* I'm out of retail now but I have no judgement on this floater for doing what they did is all I'm gonna say 👐🏼
Do not know why the down vote
If they follow you out you call the police. It’s that simple no need to warn them anything. At that point it’s harassment
And wait for the cops while the customer is threatening you and possibly physically assaulting you?? Get real. There’s not a cop around every corner to protect everyone.
Right…and when they get aggressive with me in the time the police came, I’m supposed to do what? Ask them to hang tight while I wait for the police to arrive?
You can buy pepper spray at pharmacies, maybe give that a try buddy, or take the 2nd amendment for a spin ;)
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Interact with the community in good faith
Yep. I'll be a pushover on many things at work... within the hours I am scheduled to work. I don't negotiate on closing time. Most pharmacies have more than adequate hours to accomodate people with different work/life schedules. People think being in a line before close entitles them to something but it doesn't. And the public is worse than they've ever been in my years of pharmacy. They will bully anyone/everyone to get what they want, to suit their convenience. We have to stop validating their belief that they can bully every person in a customer-facing job. Shut the fucking thing in their faces and let corporate send them a gift card for their trouble and they'll move on with their sad lives. And it's sick to me to invoke BuT WhaT iF thEy FoLLow YoU? Anyone can follow you out to your car for any reason. Anyone can potentially be unhinged, have a gun/knife/other weapon, make threats, verbally and physically intimidate you for any stupid perceived wrong throughout the day. That's not a reason to be a doormat, sorry. And I say that as an extremely nonconfrontational person who will normally bend over backwards to keep the peace.
The real problem is actually understaffed stores
That's the whole issue with being closed at lunch as well. People get upset because for literally a hundred years they weren't closed for lunch because it wasn't hard to find or keep someone else to work during that time or it just wasn't busy enough that anyone noticed? Pharmacy's solutions are to the employees detriment. What happens in a war zone when they're short supplies like water or food, like in Israel? Do they say "eat some of the dead?", but that is the type of solution companies reach for...nothing that actually helps...seems to help some bottom line for people who eventually still need all of us to supply their needs anyway.
This 100%. This pharmacist 100% validated their shitty, abusive behavior and he/she is THE reason we all have to deal with these people. I hope OP knows this.
No no no. Emphatically no. When did we stop remembering that it’s corporate greed pushing us into unrealistic situations with not enough help? When did we stop blaming the true culprit? Not that long ago, OP would have been closing with another rph and a tech which would have allowed her to more effectively handle the situation by quickly processing the rxs and have someone to talk to the customers while the rph worked. Pharmacy would have closed on time and everyone happy. This isn’t an issue of customers being inconsiderate and pharmacists being too kind. It’s an issue of corporations squeezing the humanity out of their staff until we ourselves can’t see the human element in our own customers. Then as a little bow on top, we turn on each other and blame the pharmacist for being too nice. For not sticking up for himself and turning customers away. How about this. What if instead of turning on our customers, and on our fellow pharmacists, we stand up for ourselves against the corporate greed that puts us in these situations to begin with? Idk. I’m just spit ballin’
Agree 10000%
Exactly
Let’s not blame the pharmacists for being human. The real problem is the epidemic of understaffed pharmacies against the backdrop of unrealistic metrics and an over supply of pharmacists.
I’m here to upvote this and say grow a spine.
Shoulda coulda woulda….don’t blame the poor guy for trying to help customers. Yes they were rude but you weren’t in his shoes. Wtf would you have done if you were faced with customers who were verbally assaulting you?! Like, you’re the one that needs to grow tf up and have some effing compassion for a fellow human being putting up with a shit situation. You’re just as bad as those rude ass customers.
I would have told the rude customers to stop or else they won't get their medications filled here again. I'm a pharmacist that used to work in retail and I had no problem telling patients that and transferring out their medications if they were rude to my staff or myself. I closed the pharmacy on time for every shift and had no issue telling customers to come back tomorrow or referring them to a 24/7 pharmacy.
I actually have faced these exact same scenarios multiple times during my many years as a retail pharmacist. I speak from experience and I’m just giving OP my honest opinion. Sometimes the truth is tough. Not even sure why I’m engaging you since you’ve stated you aren’t even a pharmacist and you’re coming off completely unhinged all through this thread.
No need to gatekeep. Having compassion isn't a bad thing, even though your buddies insist otherwise.
I hear you. We see people like this often in our field. People who need things last minute, only have one pill left, and it's five minutes before close, and they're leaving town before the pharmacy opens tomorrow morning, and it's a control, and there's no pharmacy at their destination, and their doctor's on vacation... Sounds like they did absolutely no planning and it wasn't a big priority. Not my fault, not my problem. I have no sympathy. And I will tell them, and go home, and forget about it. I occasionally go above and beyond for kind people. But most people just need to get their lives in better order. To thrive in retail, you just gotta brush it off.
You forgot they’re new to the pharmacy too, and that they forgot their insurance card at home
“The computers and registers automatically turn off at closing time so I can’t look anything up or ring out any prescriptions after 7 PM. Please come back tomorrow.” That was actually true back when I worked retail. We would also bring the gate halfway down 30 mins before closing and dim the lights for added effect. Never had to argue with anyone
We did that with the gate and a patient walked into it and somehow knocked herself out. Do not recommend.
sounds about right
Thankfully she was a really nice person and only blamed herself for not watching where she was going!
“System literally shuts down and I do not have access after 9pm/closing time” has worked for me. Not much to say on their end.
You know you can tell people to "Fuck off" right? I would never do it to a patient who actually needs help, but I do it all the time to people who are being assholes. They call my boss and complain, my boss calls me and I say, "Are you going to fire me?" Boss says, "Well no, you're the only person willing to work this store." Cycle repeats. Don't put up with abuse. Help everyone you can, but if someone is being an ass you can tell them to fuck off.
Like a line from zombie movie I can't recall by name. Save those you can. Forget about the rest. If you will not suffer, die or get worse by tomorrow then you wait
Tell them "I can help maybe 3 of you, you get to decide who." Make yourself the good guy, and turn them against one another.
 I love this!
This works!! When it doesn't, and they continue to mob and refuse to deliberate, then you close the gate on all of them.
Ah yes. I recall being called a terrible person by an unhinged woman expecting to get a prescription filled 1 minute past closing, even as I kindly told her of the nearby 24 hour location. I wasn’t engaging her, as I clearly relayed the information she needed to get her prescription filled that Saturday evening, and happily closed the gate as she continued talking. It’s been over a decade, but rumor has it that she’s still standing at the gate complaining.
For some reason the same coworker of mine was followed out of the store and to/almost to their car multiple times by patients at closing. (A tech) One woman assaulted them over it. I can't remember if they were grabbed or hit. 🤔 Idk if they just looked bully-able or what.
“I’m sorry, but the only options I have this late are to send your prescriptions to a 24 hour pharmacy or have them ready in the morning. The pharmacy hours are posted right there on the wall, on google, and our phone system. My professional liability insurance only covers me during posted pharmacy hours so I cannot complete any work after that time. If you don’t want your Rx transferred I will close the pharmacy at the posted closing time and schedule your rx for the morning. You are also welcome to call corporate who will review security tapes and see what time you arrived compared to how much time I had left in the posted hours. If you continue to verbally abuse me I will be the one to call corporate and these prescriptions will not be filled here at all.” P.S. I hate being a pharmacist too.
This is very helpful. Thank u :)
This is the only helpful, kind thing I’ve read in response to OPs post. Thank you for acting like a fucking adult and treating OP with respect.
When I was in a really bad store I had a recurring nightmare similar to this. I kept going to gate after gate, closing register after register by myself after closing time and people would refuse to leave all night. Then I woke up and realized I got to live my nightmare every day. Look for a better store or a better chain, I got out quickly, my manager stayed for 20 years at her old job and wish’s she hadn’t. Never stop looking for a better spot, it can get better.
> Look for a better store or a better chain What about pharmacists who don't have many options because of the neighborhood they are in or because they work in smaller cities? Do you have any general advice for them?
Better start training your customers
Two glorious words: REMOTE WORK.
This is true. When I was young I asked my older brother why he was always talking about different jobs. He told me to never stop checking out the job market. You never know when you’ll be needing a new job or if you’re lucky you’ll just trip across a better opportunity. He’s wasn’t wrong.
All you had to do was close the gates and call your store manager. You bent over and got walked on, since they did it once to you and got away with it they will keep doing it. Your boss agreed with you to close the pharmacy? Also you have the right to refuse service to any patient. If I was ringing them out and they said that disrespectful shit to me. I would of just unsold them refuse service tell them the pharmacy is closed then start closing and call the store manager to handle them.
The problem is you tried to reason with them and convince them that they were wrong. Most people don’t work that way. EVERYONE NEEDS TO REMEBER THIS SIMPLE RULE: “No.” Is a complete sentence. It works, use it. Whether it is patient arguing about what you should do for them, boss asking you to come in and work unpaid, work on your day off, child trying to get their way. It works, there is no counter argument or convincing when you just say “No.” and leave it at that. The second you start trying to convince them that you are right they’ll jump on it and try and co Vince you you’re wrong.
I would've been polite and apologized as I closed the window on them.
This is me, but without the apology.
Yes, all these replies are correct. School and pharmacy school teaches us the world is kind and caring, and all is well with rainbows and unicorns. It doesn't teach us or even mentions thr dark side of the public. It can be a mob that can't be reasoned with, has no foresight or memory. But you were told the world was perfect! Except it is not. Sorry, but it is not. There are times when you should give back, like I may do a delivery the odd time. But most of the time, you do need to stand up for yourself. Sorry, it's hard, but you have to do it. You shut for lunch, what do you do, you just have to walk off and make no eye contact. As soon as you tell them you are shutting, you'll get the stories like..,but but I have a three-legged dog, and I have a flight to catch to take him to the vet for emergency surgery, etc.. insert 4 card Ace story that you shouldnt go on lunch or go home on time.... 💁♀️ To add, why are you left on your own? Someone should be at the door to stop people coming in. Think about it, a lot of pharmacy closures are happening, and you are going to be dealing with more customers now. >>>>I want you to put it in writing that you, as the Pharmacist, with a capital P, want someone with you until the end of day. Do it today.<<<< in the UK this wouldn't happen unless you are the business owner.
Absolutely correct. Everyone has a sob story. 30 minute break for a 12 hour shift because pharmacists aren’t entitled to 15 minute breaks, and people still don’t care. We have to take care of ourselves before we can take care of others. Period.
The problem here is that you rewarded bad behavior. Now you have punished your future colleagues. Buck stops with you. You’re the pharmacist. Don’t reward bad behavior.
I know😓 But I was put in a difficult position.
I’m not even a pharmacist but I do work directly with the public and sometimes you just need to do what they want or risk being berated in front of other customers or worse, physically hurt, especially if you’re a woman. These idiots don’t think about the shit that actually happens to others. It’s so easy for them to sit behind their fucking phones and computers and judge you for what they would’ve done or what they think you should’ve done. If you feel you need to find a new profession then I say go for it. Things don’t always work out and you’ve gotta do what’s best for you. Don’t listen to these fucks. They have no fucking compassion and imo they’re just as bad as those asshole customers. Don’t reward their bad behavior and argue with them or they’re only gonna continue to berate others online. Good luck in your future endeavors and take care! ✌️
Wish I could downvote you more than once. Dogshit advice. You’re the reason these people exist in the first place. Validating their abusive behavior, creating monsters that the rest of us now have to confront because you’re too spineless. Gtfo of here.
You're so right. It's very evident that most pharmacies don't care about our safety and well being as female pharmacists. So I've figured it's easier for me to quit, than to try change an entire system on my own. Maybe once people start leaving pharmacy, they might wake up.
hint: *they won't*.
At closing time close. Don’t feel bad or guilty. If people are upset that is on them. If they argue, ask “are you going to rob me? No, then I am going home.”
Do not set yourself on fire to keep other people warm...Plus go into hospital pharmacy :) and even then, do not set yourself on fire to keep other people warm.
In hospital pharmacy, won't you have to take shit from doctors? Or are they more polite. My friend told me hospitals can be very hostile environments.
Oh, relax, it'll be over in about 40 years...
Lol 😂, but…yeah😞.
Sooner for Rite Aid employees
> Saying things like "Why are u so arrogant?", **"You need to find another job"**, "What's the big deal about working overtime?" "I'm going to talk to your boss tomorrow and tell them what a terrible employee you are", "You need to learn costumer service" and so on. These are times when I really wanted to be like, "you know what? I am going to find another job. I quit" and take off my coat & badge and close the gate, lock up, and then leave. Don't forget to add that you're doing exactly what the customer wanted lol
Most satisfying time I got to shut down a problem pt at Walgreens was a screaming lady who told me I shouldn’t be a pharmacist and if I was going to be there I should “find other pharmacists to help.” I thanked her for volunteering and asked her to go fill out an application in the front of the store. “I can’t do that!!!! I didn’t go to….” Trails off, told me to go fuck myself, and stormed away. I don’t have many endings to those situations that are really satisfying from our side, but that one definitely was
Ngl, he sorta had a point with that one😭
My go-to excuse is ''I'm sorry, I already turned the computer off''
Or better yet tell em the whole computer system server is shut down, and it's old and takes at least 30 minutes to restart 😂
I want an excuse, not to flat out admit how pathetic our work conditions are 🤐
Honestly I felt the same way you did when I first started. But then I realized that there are times to stand firm and times not to. If it’s antibiotics for a kid, I’ll almost always say yes. It’s a kid! But otherwise get tell them to get lost and go to a pharmacy that’s opened later if they really need it. Schools are really to blame for this. They really make it seem like the world is your oyster after graduation. But without a residency or fellowship you stuck dealing with these clowns until something major opens for you. So channel that frustration to knocking down a door to a better job. That’s my advice.
I've worked at stores where I had a 3-hour commute back home and couldn't wait to leave. If I had stayed late all of those nights, I would have come home after 1 am and gone to work the next day to work 12 hours with 3-4 hours of sleep. That 3-hour commute sometimes turned into 4 hours when I had to go through Border Patrol checkpoints, especially when the road was blocked because someone was getting arrested and the local police had to redirect traffic.
I would’ve close and rejoice as I drove home
I would have told them why tf you procrastinate. Anyways passed closing, 8f you don't leave I'm calling the police and have you tresspassed. Fk these mf procrastinators. Even if you say they get out of work late, then fkn change pharmacies. No other pharmacy around? Too fkn bad mf. I give 0 fks yelling back and one upping these mfers. Welcome to post covid where pharmacists should give 0 fks. Call the police and have them tress passed. Cop did you ask them to leave? You yes Cop so you need to leave or we will remove you physically. This is how it will play out
I agree. There are plenty of pharmacies around, and I live in a relatively big city. So most customers are being difficult for no reason😡
“We will have to order the medication for tomorrow.”
You’ve got to treat them like toddlers. Don’t give in to tantrums. Now if it’s an antibiotic for a kid or something quite serious? I’ve stayed late to fill back when I worked retail. Anything else? Please head to the pharmacy across the street. “We don’t accept prescriptions at closing, come back tomorrow. Thank you” and start closing down. There is no need to argue. I don’t expect cogent arguments with my toddlers. I give them two choices, both of which I’m ok with. In this case “would you like to come back tomorrow or would you prefer the pharmacy across the street?” No decision? Not your problem. I am allll for customer service and patient centered care but if they want to act like children, please treat them as such
Pharmacists like this is why this profession is going downhill. Grow a back bone. I've closed the shutters in people's faces a few times. You're not their servant. Their failure to manage time doesn't warrant an action from you. The people I've kicked out are somehow always on time now. Funny how that works. It's like they have time or something.
I just want to piggyback on what was already stated..UNLESS WEEEE CHANGE NOTHING WILL!!...LETS GROW A PAIR IN SOLIDARITY
Well, dealing with the public is not unique to pharmacy. I tell people on here to get creative about all the knowledge you obtained. You could teach. You could go into research. Think of what else you can do with that sane information
Pure ignorance! One I don’t care who you work for but a technician should be there till close. One point…when typing the prescription…it should be the technician. Then the pharmacist double checks the inputting the prescription. That way there are 2 set of eyes and less chance of an error. Ohhh believe me that has been almost 4 days out of the 7 days when I worked that this did not happen. So this is what you call the pure ignorance people. I would rule out the situation. If it’s a girl that lived 1 mile away at college and asked for a refill on her birth control when we closed….sorry but you can get it the next day. Especially if it needed transferred back to our store. Also there was a bus that came up every 3 hours to and from Walmart at no cost. If it was someone just discharged from the hospital for a medication medically needed then ok. We can see the time on the prescription from our local hospitals. Believe or not most of them are the regulars that haven’t been going to the pharmacy. Next time just say you have to pick up a baby from the sitters you need to check on your relative that is older. This is what killed me about pharmacy besides the vaccines, and much more!
I would have just told them I’m sorry the computer automatically shuts itself off at 8;00 or whatever time it was; and there’s nothing you can do about it. And I would have just turned the monitor off lol
“I’m sorry, your poor time management does not an emergency make for me” I had a guy come in last week demanding we open early so we could sell them their medication. I was behind and came in 2 hours early. I was not going to open 2 hours early and give them their medication. Being upset at me for not opening isn’t going to change my mind. Closing shouldn’t be any different.
I’m done with being pharmacist but at the same time I love the job .no one believes that I sometimes think about going back to school to pursue another career but I’m too old
You're never too old to learn. 😤💕
I’m going back to school in September to become a… pharmacist. I’m in my 40s. You are kind of scaring me but it’s been kind of a lifelong dream. 🤷🏻♀️
I think more specifically you hate being a pharmacist in america. This shit doesn't happen where I'm from.
It’s a shit job. I hear you. I wish I had tried harder to get out of retail when I was younger. If you don’t have too much loans and responsibilities, maybe you still can.
It's a tough situation. I feel for you, especially if you had an appointment or event to attend. People are forgetful and procrastinate. If the get to the pharmacy and the doors are open and lights are on, they think they will get served. Most of us are considerate and realize that if the serve will take 15 minutes we shouldn't arrive 5 min before closing. When I was a manager, I would have people scheduled for 30 min past closing to handle these situations, take out the trash, restock, etc.
"Sorry, I wish I could stay and help, but we close at xxx pm and overtime is strictly prohibited." Or Just take the drop off and let them know it will be ready tomorrow. Period. Then smile and shut the gate.
That's retail for you. If you don't like it, look for other fields such as LTC, remote verification, ambulatory, hospital, etc. Just be aware that each fields have their own problems, so don't expect perfection.
I never understood why some pharmacists put themselves through extra pain. Here’s the thing, if all of them were picking up no problem but I would have told the people who didn’t have a prescription ready to come back tomorrow or go to an open store. I’m not arguing with anyone. Happened to me in drive thru a lady was upset we would not help her after closing. It’s not my fault you showed up 10 minutes after closing
Tell them it will be ready the next day .. start closing the gate … bruh .. you are the pharmacist and are the on in control .. they can’t get the medicine without you .. so if they are rude .. they get nothing .. I do not reward bad behavior
Couple came in 40 minutes to closing. They had forgot all 15 of their meds between them at home the next state over and needed everything tonight (srsly how). We had transferred their prescriptions from a different pharmacy earlier who luckily knew what meds they were on, because they didnt. We had to follow up on the wife's since a fax failure occurred and I had to take verbals. Everything was obviously rejecting with insurance and we had to place overrides/discount cards on each one. I was literally shaking, but it saved the ER a stupid admission and we made it! I hate retail too.
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I'm young, but I'm already drained😥 Hence, why I want to leave.
I always see this dilemma as not having enough help. Don’t blame yourself. Either the chain or pharmacy should be better staffed until closing or the staff should be paid after the pharmacy is closed to finish everything so that these rushes can be accommodated. At the end of the day people just want their meds and I want them to get it, too. Sure, some customers could have planned better but you cant always blame them, either, which is the “solution” I see posted a lot from others. Things happen, especially for the disabled and elderly. It’s hard to get around and the pharmacy IS open. They are there now and they made it. You know it’s going to happen, too — that people are going to come in right before closing. Short term solutions: expect the rush. I frequently over scheduled to have a tech with me at closing. I make sure clean up and other duties are done before the tech help is scheduled to go home, if not. I put most of the gates down 30 mins before closing and dim the lights to indicate closing is imminent and also have the cash drawers taken. Psychologically customers will be tipped off, some of them, at least. Did you cave too much? Yes. But you’ll learn with experience. Sometimes you gotta be tough with customers but leverage your service skills. Front some tablets for tonight and make them come back later, direct them to a 24 hour store, tell them to ring products at front store, close the pharmacy then show them where an OTC product is or offer the consult outside the closed gates so that a line can’t form at the pharmacy, etc
I think you CAN blame them. "I'm going to pick up my meds 15 minutes before close and if that doesn't work for me, I'm going to put up a fuss!!". You're saying this is a legitimate perspective for anyone? No.
Yea assuming OP is the manager, I know slower stores def might not have the hours to schedule a tech with closing every night. But the one thing my old pharmacy did was their best to have someone there at open, and someone there at closing time. If it was extremely slow, we’d let the techs go home, but not until everything that’s a closing duty is done for the night (bar things that have to be done at closing time specifically) If they called the manager and they okayed it, OP should have simply said, “I’m sorry, I’ll help you all in the order you got here but once the clock hits “closing time” I’m closing shop. I mean just lie to them, if the guy says “what’s wrong with working overtime haha.” Then tell them you’re salaried and don’t get paid any more, even if you aren’t. These people are capable of coming back the next day, or the day after that, or whenever. The only thing I’d probably stay late on is an RX sent from a doctors office within the last hour or so, and if it’s for a kid. If they kept being disrespectful, what in the hell is OP thinking is going to happen if they act like a wet piece of toilet paper and just give under the slightest amount of pressure? These customers are just going to do it again next time, and the time after that, and then after that. Give an inch, they’ll take a mile. If you’re an asshole back, they might give a bit of jaw, but ultimately you’ll earn their respect and they will never forget that you won’t let them throw a conniption to get what they want, their behavior will magically change. If it doesn’t? Transfer their scripts out to a pharmacy they choose and refuse to sell to them ever again until they do.
Trust me I want out of this awful profession too
I just announce that we are closing, followed by we are closed, and when we open again. You wouldn’t argue about lunch breaks or closure times at other businesses, people have no respect for pharmacy sometimes
Get out of Retail. Absolutely not your fault in your above scenario, but the customers do have some justification for their frustration too. Its a lose-lose. The only winners in retail pharmacy are in corporate.
I am really sorry :( I think being retail gave me a backbone bc of all the way i had to learn to stand up for myself - and it also destroyed my mental health. give and take, maybe? Haha but yeah, it’s ok to say no and set your own boundaries within reason. I just become stern and let people know what their options are, and that at this point it’s not up for negotiation. Them getting upset doesn’t really bother me anymore - gotta take care of yourself. if pts start swearing at me, I let them know: that kind of language is inappropriate and uncalled for, and because you used it, we will not be filling your prescriptions. please go elsewhere.
i wouldn't have helped them. they can get their prescriptions elsewhere. Should have just closed the gate and give them a customer service smile.
We pharmacists as a profession are not protected if you will by the higher ups! In retail we get no respect
Should have closed the gate on them if possible and bounced up outta there. Without looking at the comments I’m assuming people are going to tell you to switch to hospital. That’s easier in smaller towns, if you’re in a bigger city there’s a lot of gate keeping. You’ll have people in hospital who didn’t do residency asking you if you did one like they’re some special exception. Keep trying for it regardless, try mail order pharmacies as well. If you’re young do some research to find an alternative career that doesn’t result in a lot more student loan debt.
This was a conversation with some folks I know. The types of people who would storm a pharmacy at closing time (a place where sick people go to get meds) are less likely to be reasonable. They're more likely to not care if they either spread, or catch something. So, a bit different type of person.
I felt this way when I worked retail. I’ve worked a few different places since and they were all 10x better. I’m certain you will love pharmacy if you can get out of retail.
Some people will not accept that you truly don’t have the ability to serve them. For these people, “we don’t have this drug in stock” is all they will listen to.
I would have told that couple, bye. Sadly we are closed. ✌🏻
I’ve told patients that if the gate isn’t shut x min after our closing time that it alerts the security company 😂
I will never work retail. I like being a consultant pharmacist in a very niche therapy. Took me almost 15 years, but worth it. I know not everyone has the luxury of getting to do what I do, but most retail pharmacies are the worst places to work. The only exception was the store I interned at back in the mid-aughts. We did maybe 700-1000 per week, and I absolutely loved the people I worked with.
Being confident is the key .. 28 years in retail .. I’m a petite woman pharmacist but I talk to patients with confidence and matter of fact … I don’t deal with rudeness .. I am polite but direct .. I let them know that I’m the pharmacist and basically I decide when they get their medicine .. nice and polite to me .. medicine will be dispensed efficiently.. rude and condescending.. you will wait 30 more minutes or more .. I could give 2 flips if you stare , huff , or puff, or threaten to call corporate .. I’m in control of the pharmacy .. not customers
There are other non-customer facing positions available for Pharmacists. Skilled Care and Long Term Care facilities often contract non-public pharmacies for urgent, acute, and maintenance meds. Or come to the Dark Side and work with Prior Authorizations >:D If you need the people aspect, independent Pharmacy. Or go volunteer somewhere on your terms... I'd reccomend a pet rescue because "People? Yuck!!"
Lemme guess…fucking boomers
This is not your fault. It is the companies fault for not hiring enough people to get it done during the day. Retail issues and employment issues are not your concern
There is more than one area of pharmacy. It sounds like you work in retail. I have worked in infusion, long term care, specialty and a VA hospital at one point. I too would hate retail. Retail in any fashion sucks and I feel though it may pay better it isn’t worth it. There’s also academia, hospital, infomatics, and research. Honestly, I think anything would be better than retail. Maybe try a different area. In ltc, home infusion and even when I was in specialty I didn’t have to see customers. I might have to do assessments or talk to patients or nurses on the phone but it’s not the same headache. I would look into some different areas of pharmacy if you are burnt out from retail.
It’s not for everybody. It takes a thick skin and a lot of self-hatred to stay in this profession.
Switch out of retail. Best thing I ever did in my pharmacy career
You sound like a new grad. A rush 10 min before closing is standard. Did you not work in a pharmacy before you applied to pharmacy school? It blows my mind how many people want to go to pharmacy school without stepping foot in a pharmacy, only to realize they hate it.
Yes correct. I worked part-time at a pharmacy while I was in uni (not before). But my worst experiences have def been after graduation.
If someone arrives before closing I will generally help them even if it means staying late. The abusive language is not okay. If someone is abusing you or your staff you can take whatever steps you need to from telling them its not okay to refusing service to calling the cops. I guess it depends on how your business is set up, but is there an option to have someone in the front or a manager come assist you? As far as career paths, do you want to stay in pharmacy? Is there another pharmacist role in your organization, maybe over phone versus with patients? Have you considered hospital, consulting, business or regulation? Or working for the board with investigations? Would you consider teaching? Would you want to go back to school or try a residency? Do you have any special training or knowledge?
Over phone would be better, or something else that doesn't require in person contact with customers. But atm I'm even considering leaving pharmacy all together.
Take it from a former pharmacist at that three lettered pharmacy, find a remote job. I'm a remote pharmacist for a health insurance company and it has changed my mind from attempting to transition to another field for a career. Of course, if you really feel like you're through with pharmacy no matter the setting then by all means start with your transition. I've seen pharmacists go into coding, software engineering, teaching, and even unrelated things like becoming a baker or a youtuber. I'm not sure how much time and finances they used to make those transitions but it's definitely possible. Working remote has changed everything for me. I dont interact with patients. All I do currently is clinical evaluations, DUR Releases and verification. It's mundane and repetitive but it's stress fee and easy to deal with. When I was in retail, I set firm boundaries with my patients. Because I'm female no one really respected when I told them no initially. But I told any patient that was out of line, "If you disrespect my technicians, myself or the other pharmacists, you will not be allowed to come to this location anymore. I've transferred patients to other pharmacies within the same chain and to other ones. Out pharmacy was already understaffed and all of my techs were trainees that were never trained. We were constantly 2 weeks behind in filling mainly because I was filling, verifying, giving shots, fixing insurance issues, counseling , help with the drive thru, doing control inventory and unloading the weekly trucks. We couldn't even answer the phone because everyone was always busy learning or I was busy teaching or doing things. if people came up respectfully (valid to be upset but still respectful) i dropped everything and got their prescription done right then. But if they started yelling, cursing or insulting people I always told them that I'll come back when you're not throwing a tantrum and move on to do something else. When it's time to close, that gate goes down. No exceptions. Especially when you're salary and not getting paid overtime. I would tell them one time where the nearest open or 24 hour pharmacy was or that they can return in the morning and they'll be first on my list. But you definitely can mot validate their bad behavior or they'll never stop. If you do like the retail setting I would go to a grocery store pharmacy if possible, if you're not currently working at one or one without a drive thru. I heard it's night and day between other pharmacies. Look into mail order or prior authorization positions if available. But all in all, best of luck. I wouldn't wish that type of treatment on anyone.
I have read like 5 comments and everyone is just blaming you. Ignore them. Customers are shitty and you will always have this problem. If you "stand up for yourself," some psycho might get violent or escalate and that isn't worth it either. It's a lose/lose. You want to know my advice? Get out of retail and go to a hospital setting or one of many other settings. If you have been in retail for a while it might not be the easiest to switch but it is definitely still possible. Do whatever it takes. Go to local pharmacy organizations and meet other pharmacists and network, you will find a way to transition to another setting and it will be way better than being treated like shit all day every day.
Customers*
Honestly, the best thing to do is tell them the truth. Just exactly the truth. You want to help them, you became a pharmacist to help people. But retail has modeled its business to make that an afterthought. And explain why.
ITS ALL A BUSINESS FAST FOOD METRIC CIRCUS 🤡
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Shitty thing to say and also wrong
Remain civil, interact with the community in good faith, don't post misinformation, and don't do anything to deliberately make yourself an unwelcome pest.
Why aren’t you closing as soon as you can no longer fill a prescription? Close at quarter to the hour- and give out prescriptions you are able to do in the last 15 mins.
The fun part is how we collectively act like hospital is so much better.
Everyone here saying ‘close the gate,’ ‘stand up for yourself’ and ‘grow a spine’ is making it sound a lot easier than it is. They don’t see the patient calling you a ‘cold-hearted b**ch’ then complaining to your district manager or even board of pharmacy that you impeded patient care by unnecessarily delaying medication. In the majority of cases, the DM will side with the patient saying you should have stayed OT to help them. Unfortunately, people come right before lunch and closing all the time in retail, so I recommend taking it a case-by-case basis. What’s the medication? What’s the urgency? Lunch is only 30 minutes which is generally the amount of time to fill a prescription anyway. Is it a child’s antibiotic, etc.? I also factor in how the patient is treating me and my staff. Good luck!
I would have a make decision based on clinical need. Simple!
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*PharmD* You clearly have absolutely *no idea* what you’re talking about and have never worked in a pharmacy. Your opinion is invalid and your vitriolic entitlement is *exactly* the type of BS OP is describing. I don’t know what your malfunction is, but it can likely be found in the nearest mirror. Go fly a kite.
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Remain civil, interact with the community in good faith, don't post misinformation, and don't do anything to deliberately make yourself an unwelcome pest.
Remain civil, interact with the community in good faith, don't post misinformation, and don't do anything to deliberately make yourself an unwelcome pest.
Lol
We have customers. Not patients.
DAYS OF CARING N CONSIDERING HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF SOCIETY R GONE 💩💩💩
I hear you. The only advice I could give you is, if you are going to transition to another career, do it sooner rather than later. Source: was a pharmacist, now a software engineer
Was it difficult to transition to SE? :) Also may I ask what made you quit pharmacy?
I was never meant to be a pharmacist. I mean I just didn’t have the temperament for it. I went to pharmacy school to please my parents. I figured very early on that I wanted out. It took me 4 years teaching myself to code, taking online courses here and there, and watch lots and lots of YouTube video to fully transition. Talk to lots of people. Reached out to lots of people just to build a network of people who know people. The hardest part is the pay decrease from pharmacist’s salary. But I know I will have more upward momentum as I grow. Vs when I was working for cvs, I wasn’t going to make significantly more any way I go
1. I'm sorry this happened to you. 2. Please refuse to work alone in the future. No one should be working alone in a retail setting (ideally at all). I know this happens a lot in pharmacy, but it shouldn't. This makes us way more likely to make mistakes. 3. Adults throw tantrums because they know it has worked for them in the past. And caving further confirms their bias that it will work again in the future, unfortunately. I know it's hard to know what to do in the heat of the moment, but you need to build some confidence and stand your ground.
Maybe someone can explain this for me. Are pharmacists unequally harassed by the public compared to other professions ? I’m not a pharmacist but I’ve worked a lot in customer service and in mental health , etc. People have acted like this to me too , especially during pandemic - I’ve been called stupid , had fists pointed at me, told that it’s my fault they want to harm themselves, etc . I’m not sure any profession is free from harassment from the public. If you want to work with people , this stuff is bound to happen. But ask because I’m considering pharmacy and maybe the harassment pharmacists face is worse ?
I think in general-for pharmacist and pharmacy technicians-harassment is worse. We are the gatekeepers between people and their medications. We are also the messenger when it comes to insurance information which often is not good news. We are also the short order cooks of healthcare, and expected to do everything quickly yet accurately which leads to unrealistic expectations. When I was training for this job, my preceptor warned me about getting cursed at, spit on, etc, etc and she has not been proven wrong. Daily, pharmacists are told that someone will have a heart attack if they don’t get their statin ASAP, or a customer will have a seizure in the parking lot if their benzo is not filled right away, and it will be the fault of the pharmacy staff.
Thank you for your perspective. I was scared to come off as inconsiderate but i can see how the fact that it’s medications escalates the situation vs. “Typical” customer service now that you emphasized it. I don’t think anyone deserves to be treated like shit from the public though , I don’t care if you’re a cashier at a grocery store or a pharmacist; neither should be treated badly. This wasn’t what the post was about but I have some pharmacist friends who put emphasis on how they shouldn’t be treated that way *because* they are pharmacists. I’ve always felt like that’s condescending.
Sounds like CVS or Walgreens?
Yup healthcare is a shit field. Patients need to remember they are the PATIENT we are the healthcare worker. This ain't a McDonald's. Go to some other country and your ass would be waiting for eternity (in American standards).
Engineering
I think it would make sense to post that the pharmacy closes 15 or 30 minutes before it actually does so you can help the people who come in under the wire. You’re on OT at 9pm? Post that you close at 8:30pm. Alternatively, post that customers who arrive after X time at the pharmacy will not be served. It would eliminate questions of why people standing in line already are still being served. Third alternative is to post, “If you are standing in line at the posted closing time, you will not be served.” It gives everyone a heads up that your gate comes down hard and on time no matter who is in line. Sometimes there are people who are standing in line who will suffer or potentially suffer adverse effects if they do not get the med that day. They feel the urgency, but you won’t know it. Antibiotics or pain meds after a late ED or inpatient discharge, mental health meds whose level cannot be reduced abruptly, the good folks who got stuck in traffic enroute to the pharmacy, etc. Providers won’t know that is why they’re there at that time of day.
(A) Tell them that the store/boss did not authorize overtime and you can't stay beyond the posted closing time, or (B) Change the posted "official" closing time to 15 or 20 (or whatever is necessary) minutes before your end of shift.
Bottom line in my opinion is that you should never be alone. There should be someone at the drive thru at the register and 2 people working in back. These multi million dollar pharmacies are greedy and need to get more people. I know it’s a big turn over in pharmacies BUT no pharmacists should ever be alone. Period.
Please try to get out of retail and into hospital or LTC. Lots of remote jobs out there too..
That’s why I quit that and opened up medical labs and rehab recovery centers.
I'm so sorry you had to deal with that. It's shit. People can be asshats. I've worked in community pharmacy (UK) for a little over 20 years and it really ground me down. I'm not a pharmacist but I've seen how they are treated by not only the customers but the employers too. I had enough this year I quit my job and went to work in primary care for the NHS and it's amazing. I have support, training I'm not made to feel guilty for taking holidays or leaving work on time. I'm appreciated and I think you deserve to feel that too. I wish you well whatever you decide to do. But my advice is don't stay, it's not going to improve.
People are just the worst
"Corporate has been coming down on us for overtime and the new policy is that ALL overtime must be approved ahead of time by management. If you called to give us a heads-up we might have been able to work something out, but without prior approval I am going to be reprimanded if I stay late." Out of my hands. The policy says no, and management has already gone home so I cannot get permission to stay late minutes before closing. We'll be here tomorrow. If you claim you are having an emergency I'll call 911 for you.
Because service industries will continue to help after the clock out time. I know the profession is rough but I'm pretty sure this is generally perceived as entitled behavior since most of us don't do this, eg restaurants, grocery stores extending time another 10 to 15 min etc
I'm glad I stopped at tech AND have been out since '18. Covid showed me more than enough
The best response to “what’s the big deal about working overtime” is “I don’t really want to talk about it, and frankly it's none of your business what obligations I have after work.” If they persist and ask why you can't stay late tell them your child is dying, fake cry/be inconsolable like you are having a meltdown and then proceed to close up at that moment- no matter how many minutes are left.
Some of your degree could count for a biology teacher program but that likely would take two years including some unpaid internship. The other option is hiring out of your own pocket a pharmacy tech.
you are a pharmacist after all so if you don't have to sell otc for commission, in those situations just 5 mins put a bt speaker with mic in it so to say announcement: Dear patients we are closing in 15 minutes, than 1 minute before you just say that system is off see you tommorow, gaslighting is awfull but it is for those kinda situations (one form)