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Of course they do, everyone gets a lunch break...but they dont close up shop during lunch. LOL, they just have other people working at that time.
I do understand about why a pharmacist has to be on duty, but if the meds are already filled it can certainly be given out by techs...(who do have training by the way).
Of the 1000s of times Ive picked up prescriptions, I dont think Ive ever seen anyone ask questions about the medicine when they are being rung up, normally this is done when its dropped off, or when the doctor writes the script...if the counseling could be done when the script is dropped off, they could keep the pharmacies open when the pharmacist goes to lunch.
Well, I just finished reading through the State of Florida pharmacy laws, just curious to see what was said about Pharmacist oversight of community pharmacies.
In fact they do address pharmacist lunch breaks in those laws. Overall, the laws do state that pharmacist oversight means he/she must be physically present on the premises, so being off the premises and available via phone, email or text doesn't qualify ( like it does for clinical laboratory directors). The laws also require that the pharmacist check and sign off on every prescription package before it is given to the customer. And of course if a pharmacist is not present the pharmacy must be closed. I guess we knew this.
The laws also say the pharmacist may take a 30 minute meal break, and the times must be posted for that break. But, they go on to state that the pharmacy need not close if the pharmacist is on the premises and available in the event of emergency. The laws also say that prescriptions that have already been checked and signed off by the pharmacist may be given to the customers during that break, and if there are questions the pharmacy tech may tell the customer the pharmacist will be back at the end of the time posted on the sign to answer questions. The law also goes on to state that prescriptions dispensed/filled by pharmacy techs during the time the pharmacist was on break can be checked by the pharmacist when he/she returns from lunch. All sounds like common sense to me. Laws in other states may vary, but these are the laws that apply in our neck of the woods.
Considering it's just a 30 minute break, I'd doubt too many pharmacists would have enough time to venture off the premises and eat lunch too, so I'd say they most likely stay close by and would be available in an emergency- maybe they bring their lunches with them.
I'd also say these laws stating that a pharmacist being on the premise and available even if he/ she isn't in the pharmacy for a
short time ( say for a bathroom break) qualifying as direct oversight belies the claim about pharmacists needing to wear depends because they can't leave the pharmacy. If that bathroom is within a few steps from the pharmacy ( as it is in the pharmacies I've been in), they are still on the premises, and probably wouldn't even be missed in the few minutes it took them to heed nature's call.
Last edited by Travelassie; 12-19-2021 at 06:10 PM..
Of course they do, everyone gets a lunch break...but they dont close up shop during lunch. LOL, they just have other people working at that time.
I do understand about why a pharmacist has to be on duty, but if the meds are already filled it can certainly be given out by techs...(who do have training by the way).
Of the 1000s of times Ive picked up prescriptions, I dont think Ive ever seen anyone ask questions about the medicine when they are being rung up, normally this is done when its dropped off, or when the doctor writes the script...if the counseling could be done when the script is dropped off, they could keep the pharmacies open when the pharmacist goes to lunch.
you have no idea how many times people ask for or want counseling by spending 15 minutes waiting in line to p/u.
it's not done at drop-off because things may change between then and p/u and most often techs do the drop-off piece.
short time ( say for a bathroom break) qualifying as direct oversight belies the claim about pharmacists needing to wear depends because they can't leave the pharmacy. If that bathroom is within a few steps from the pharmacy ( as it is in the pharmacies I've been in), they are still on the premises, and probably wouldn't even be missed in the few minutes it took them to heed nature's call.
If you're the only employee (pharmacist) in the pharmacy and you are typing, verifying and filling scripts, answering the phone, and you have a line at both drive thru and at the in window, and the retail side employees are tied up and unavailable to come to the RX, yeah, Depends, because it's not that easy to just close up run to the bathroom even if it is just a few short steps away. BTDT with a pharmacist I worked with.
I am totally against the idea that it's ok for stores to rely on the pharmacist on duty being available 'for emergencies' while at lunch. They need an actual break, a chance to step away from the stress and have a little time to decompress. You can't really do that if you know you can be called back to work at any point in your break, and for hourly pharmacist that's not even a possibility, can't be working off the clock.
I don't use Walgreens even though they are close because they always charge higher than any other pharmacy here.
However just today my husband and I talked about the fact that both of us got shorted pills from our grocery pharmacy.
Not expensive pills but I'm short 14 blood pressure pills and he got shorted 60 pills (don't remember what) on his recent pick-up of 90 day RX. Seriously, do I have to start counting pills every time? Ridiculous. Guess I'll have to skip my pills because they won't refill until due date. He got his pills after calling.
I had a customer who always counted he meds and said that my partner, or I, shorter her. Always!!!
One day I got pissed and had my tech triple count her meds, and another tech triple counted the same meds, and I counted them. We all made notes in the chart and all 3 of us put our initials on the label.
Sure enough, she came back in an hour later and said she was missing 12. I called the 2 techs over and called the woman a DAMN LIAR and told her we all counted her RXs. I then told her that if she ever came back and said she was shorted I would blacklist her.
I also send a message to my RM, DM and every store in the area (including competitors) saying what happened and what I did
Within minutes I received several messages from our stores and competitors saying that she always said that they shorted her!
She still got her Rxs filled at our store and never said a world about it.
Considering it's just a 30 minute break, I'd doubt too many pharmacists would have enough time to venture off the premises and eat lunch too, so I'd say they most likely stay close by and would be available in an emergency- maybe they bring their lunches with them.
I'd also say these laws stating that a pharmacist being on the premise and available even if he/ she isn't in the pharmacy for a short time ( say for a bathroom break) qualifying as direct oversight belies the claim about pharmacists needing to wear depends because they can't leave the pharmacy. If that bathroom is within a few steps from the pharmacy ( as it is in the pharmacies I've been in), they are still on the premises, and probably wouldn't even be missed in the few minutes it took them to heed nature's call.
None of the Krogers in our area have bathrooms in Phcy, same goes for CVS, Walgreens and many Walmarts.
Ohio state law says if pharmacist leaves the pharmacy all employees must leave the pharmacy, gates down and phcy locked!
I don't know about other state laws
As for 30 minute break, I either went to fast food places or brought lunch and ate in my car
I certainly didn't want to hear people b******g about them waiting.
In my 20 plus years of retail (rest was in National and International sales) I had ZERO true emergency Rxs. Don't say pain pills after tooth extractions is an emergency--Patient already has a mouthfull of novocaine and can wait a few minutes
Do I sound pissed off? Well, that's what people screaming at me did. And, that's all before COVID
If you're the only employee (pharmacist) in the pharmacy and you are typing, verifying and filling scripts, answering the phone, and you have a line at both drive thru and at the in window, and the retail side employees are tied up and unavailable to come to the RX, yeah, Depends, because it's not that easy to just close up run to the bathroom even if it is just a few short steps away. BTDT with a pharmacist I worked with.
I am totally against the idea that it's ok for stores to rely on the pharmacist on duty being available 'for emergencies' while at lunch. They need an actual break, a chance to step away from the stress and have a little time to decompress. You can't really do that if you know you can be called back to work at any point in your break, and for hourly pharmacist that's not even a possibility, can't be working off the clock.
I agree the pharmacist ought to get a real break, just to regroup a little from the madness occurring in the pharmacy workplace, and IMO if that means closing the pharmacy for an hour to allow a real break ( as in lunch away from the premises, in a relaxing settng), it's not too much to ask. I can see all the demands, expectations, and the stress this places on pharmacists from their duties placed on them from the state legislature, their professional organizations, employers and the public, and I greatly admire those who can operate and do a bangup job despite all this stress. Our local Walgreens pharmacists come to mind when I say this. I make it a point to express my appreciation at the yeoman's job they do every chance I get.
And I acknowledge ( heck, been there done that, in other health care settings, ie, clinical lab, doctor's offices) the difficulty of getting a bathroom break when the **** has hit the fan, you're the only game there and the throngs are clamoring at your feet, but depends to solve that issue, sorry, don't buy it, unless that's the specific choice a person has made to deal with a problem. I've resorted, as have others I know who've been in that situation, in a loud declaration that I'm going to explode, wet my drawers, open a floodgate, whatever comes to mind if I can't take the two minutes it will take to make that bathroom trip, and I WILL BE RIGHT BACK. And the world did not collapse while I was gone.
As I mention, this shorthandedness, ie, lack of staff making it difficult to leave the workplace for any kind of breaks, is certainly not limited to the pharmacy. It's commonplace in other areas of healthcare, especially around holidays and weekends, and occurs in other areas as well ( as I've seen in our local dollar stores with one employee working, expected to wait on customers, stock the shelves and take inventory.).
As I mention, this shorthandedness, ie, lack of staff making it difficult to leave the workplace for any kind of breaks, is certainly not limited to the pharmacy. It's commonplace in other areas of healthcare, especially around holidays and weekends, and occurs in other areas as well ( as I've seen in our local dollar stores with one employee working, expected to wait on customers, stock the shelves and take inventory.).
As a retired senior, I like to often get out of the house and have a sit-down lunch. I saw that the local Denny's was open so went there one day. There was only one person (and a cook) running the whole place. Greeting & seating, taking order , serving, busing, cashiering. . Not a lot of customers, but the poor girl was hopping the whole time.
And on middle of a weekday they were out of coffee
I agree the pharmacist ought to get a real break, just to regroup a little from the madness occurring in the pharmacy workplace, and IMO if that means closing the pharmacy for an hour to allow a real break ( as in lunch away from the premises, in a relaxing settng), it's not too much to ask. I can see all the demands, expectations, and the stress this places on pharmacists from their duties placed on them from the state legislature, their professional organizations, employers and the public, and I greatly admire those who can operate and do a bangup job despite all this stress. Our local Walgreens pharmacists come to mind when I say this. I make it a point to express my appreciation at the yeoman's job they do every chance I get.
And I acknowledge ( heck, been there done that, in other health care settings, ie, clinical lab, doctor's offices) the difficulty of getting a bathroom break when the **** has hit the fan, you're the only game there and the throngs are clamoring at your feet, but depends to solve that issue, sorry, don't buy it, unless that's the specific choice a person has made to deal with a problem. I've resorted, as have others I know who've been in that situation, in a loud declaration that I'm going to explode, wet my drawers, open a floodgate, whatever comes to mind if I can't take the two minutes it will take to make that bathroom trip, and I WILL BE RIGHT BACK. And the world did not collapse while I was gone.
As I mention, this shorthandedness, ie, lack of staff making it difficult to leave the workplace for any kind of breaks, is certainly not limited to the pharmacy. It's commonplace in other areas of healthcare, especially around holidays and weekends, and occurs in other areas as well ( as I've seen in our local dollar stores with one employee working, expected to wait on customers, stock the shelves and take inventory.).
While you, me and others here know what the pharmacist goes through doing their job, unfortunately, most others using a pharmacy are clueless.
A pharmacy should not have to close in order for the pharmacist to use the bathroom or go to lunch. There should be some sort of law that dictates that for whatever amount of prescriptions filled per day or per shift that so many pharmacists are required to be on duty.
That is the only way these big corporations will be forced to hire more pharmacists. The answer is not to just close for lunch, but to allow pharmacists the same rights as other employees who have to take a break or a lunch after working so many hours.
Until then, these corporations will continue to benefit, lining their pockets with profit, profit that should go to hiring more staff.
It's unfair to employees and customers the way it is now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mike1003
Well think it's BS that you think us getting a break us BS! We have (I had) the human right to eat and use the bathroom.
As for breaks, you will soon see every chain closing for lunches because pharmacists and tech are giving up because they are pushed to the limit. So, the available pool of workers is lower and there is noone to fill in
People are just going have to develop PATIENCE and wait
Gee, I wonder why Walgreens would "blacklist a patient"?????????
What do you mean us? You're not working any more, you've been retired for years now, plus you didn't work retail. I don't usually use smilies, but back at ya...
There are a lot of jobs where people deserve to use the bathroom and eat but also don't get the chance while working. It happens every day to my hub and probably millions of people every day, not just pharmacists because employers don't want to hire more help. Not only does my hub not take his breaks or lunch (dumb on his part) they're watching his over time now, if he stays late the night before, they tell him not to come in until that many hours the next day, so instead of going in at 3pm, he goes in 5 or 6 so far. Not only is it because they're short night help, the morning people are not doing their jobs, leaving it all for the night person to clean up then restock.
Pharmacists have been taking bathroom, break and lunch breaks for years without closing each time. Closing during lunch is a new thing.
As to Walgreens black listing me, I made a thread back then, I've also mentioned it many times in threads you were replying in, I'm pretty sure you and I even messaged about it. I'm not surprised to see you throwing it in my face now.
I normally used a Walgreens in the next town over. They were out of my med, I dropped it off at my local store. The pharmacist didn't want to fill one med because instead of taking 2 doses of a higher strength med, my doctor broke it up into 3 smaller doses because my body has issues processing medications. It was not the first time I've filled it there when my pharmacy was out of stock. I had also been using Walgreens for close to 10 years. They used to fill all of my meds, plus my families meds. We had employer provided health insurance, I used to spend over $10,000 a year there just on my medications because of my medication allergies. The pharmacist could have called me as a courtesy since I was a good customer to say he didn't want to fill it and to not bring the one prescription there but he did not, he straight up black listed me from using EVERY Walgreens, so they lost all of my business plus business from others.
That pharmacist who black listed me ended up getting fired. Walgreens has tried to get me to bring our prescriptions back there but I won't.
Quote:
Originally Posted by twinkletwinkle22
I don't use Walgreens even though they are close because they always charge higher than any other pharmacy here.
However just today my husband and I talked about the fact that both of us got shorted pills from our grocery pharmacy.
Not expensive pills but I'm short 14 blood pressure pills and he got shorted 60 pills (don't remember what) on his recent pick-up of 90 day RX. Seriously, do I have to start counting pills every time? Ridiculous. Guess I'll have to skip my pills because they won't refill until due date. He got his pills after calling.
I've had that happen too. Unfortunately, yes, you're going to have to count them at the pharmacy when you pick them up because once you leave the store with that bottle, they will accuse you of trying to steal pills from them.
Your hub sounds like they filled a 30 day script, not 90. He should call ASAP to let them know. I've had that happen. They made good on it because they were able to see how many were left in the manufacturers bottle.
I had gone to my usual Walgreens to fill my prescriptions. I came straight home, not only did I count them, I put them into 4 weekly containers like I always did so that I didn't have to wonder if I took my dose that day or not. As I was doing that, I found one pill that was sliced down the middle from end to end. It was the same shape as Motrin which would not be easy to cut in the middle from end to end.
I immediately called Walgreens, the usually nice woman pharmacist was hostile, accusing me of trying to steal meds from them. Even after going back, showing them the pill, she was jumping down my throat. I got a manager, they switched the pill out. I was told to look at my meds before leaving the store even though you could tell a machine cut the pill. It was not a smooth cut, it was like a machine cut it. I kicked myself for not getting a photo of the pill. I also called corporate.
Apparently nothing happened to the pharmacist for treating me that way. The next time I went back, she was treating me like nothing happened, so I let it slide. I'm a very easy going person. Figured she was having a bad day. It told me that she did not count the meds like she was supposed to, because had she, she would have caught it. I did start counting my meds at the counter when I picked them up to make sure it didn't happen again since I was treated like a thief over half of a pill!
I've been using a smaller pharmacy since those 2 happened with Walgreens. Usually it is the owner counting out my meds. They've always been right. I've had about 4 times when I was short 2 to 4 pills by this pharmacy on my really expensive medication that costs about $1,300 per month. It's been when the owner was not there. Unfortunately, it was a few times that I did not put my meds directly into the weekly containers because I was busy, I found out a few days later. I did speak to the owner about it.
I'm not sure if the pharmacist took them to consume or if they only counted them in the machine. Some days it does not take long for them to fill it, they pull the electronic script, I then hear the machine counting pills, then my name is called. It's a narcotic which is supposed to be counted a few times.
You really should call the store to tell them you were shorted, as I mentioned above, I think I was shorted because the counting machine was wrong, same could have happened to you and if it happened to you, you're not the only one.
You should google the pharmacy you used, plus reviews. You may see that others have left bad reviews about it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Travelassie
Well, I just finished reading through the State of Florida pharmacy laws, just curious to see what was said about Pharmacist oversight of community pharmacies.
In fact they do address pharmacist lunch breaks in those laws. Overall, the laws do state that pharmacist oversight means he/she must be physically present on the premises, so being off the premises and available via phone, email or text doesn't qualify ( like it does for clinical laboratory directors). The laws also require that the pharmacist check and sign off on every prescription package before it is given to the customer. And of course if a pharmacist is not present the pharmacy must be closed. I guess we knew this.
The laws also say the pharmacist may take a 30 minute meal break, and the times must be posted for that break. But, they go on to state that the pharmacy need not close if the pharmacist is on the premises and available in the event of emergency. The laws also say that prescriptions that have already been checked and signed off by the pharmacist may be given to the customers during that break, and if there are questions the pharmacy tech may tell the customer the pharmacist will be back at the end of the time posted on the sign to answer questions. The law also goes on to state that prescriptions dispensed/filled by pharmacy techs during the time the pharmacist was on break can be checked by the pharmacist when he/she returns from lunch. All sounds like common sense to me. Laws in other states may vary, but these are the laws that apply in our neck of the woods.
Considering it's just a 30 minute break, I'd doubt too many pharmacists would have enough time to venture off the premises and eat lunch too, so I'd say they most likely stay close by and would be available in an emergency- maybe they bring their lunches with them.
I'd also say these laws stating that a pharmacist being on the premise and available even if he/ she isn't in the pharmacy for a
short time ( say for a bathroom break) qualifying as direct oversight belies the claim about pharmacists needing to wear depends because they can't leave the pharmacy. If that bathroom is within a few steps from the pharmacy ( as it is in the pharmacies I've been in), they are still on the premises, and probably wouldn't even be missed in the few minutes it took them to heed nature's call.
Can't rep you again lol
Thanks for looking at the laws in Florida.
Walmart pharmacy closing for an hour for lunch is ridiculous, especially since there is usually at least two pharmacists on duty every day.
I looked at their website for both stores near me, I'm surprised it does not say that they're closed for lunch from 1 to 2 PM.
Quote:
Originally Posted by old fed
you have no idea how many times people ask for or want counseling by spending 15 minutes waiting in line to p/u.
it's not done at drop-off because things may change between then and p/u and most often techs do the drop-off piece.
I agree, things may change after the script is dropped off. Doing it after makes more sense.
It's been a long time since I've seen someone have questions.
I got my COVID vaccine at Walmart. They changed the way prescriptions were given to a customer. The customer pays the cashier, then the prescription was put at the next window, the pharmacist finished what she was doing, then she was the one who handed the prescription to the customer.
This had to be the worst decision made by Walmart, stupid to waste the pharmacists and customers time by having the pharmacist hand the customer the prescription. She then asked if they had any questions, she did not except for her comment about how displeased she was with their new system. I told her to complain on her receipt survey and to consider calling corporate.
It then took the pharmacist over 30 minutes to actually get to me to give me the vaccine.
As a retired senior, I like to often get out of the house and have a sit-down lunch. I saw that the local Denny's was open so went there one day. There was only one person (and a cook) running the whole place. Greeting & seating, taking order , serving, busing, cashiering. . Not a lot of customers, but the poor girl was hopping the whole time.
And on middle of a weekday they were out of coffee
I'm so over staffing shortages. It's not fair to the ones having to run the show, although that waitress was probably making some great tips. Happened to my friends daughter. Instead of bringing home a few hundred a day in tips, it was a few thousand. Not only that, some customers gave her a bonus for it happening during Thanksgiving week. With Christmas coming up, she's probably really bringing home some great tip and that bonus cash due to it. She's considered quitting but won't due to how much more she's making now.
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