Tech wrote me up. What!?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

trustdaprocess

New Member
5+ Year Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2017
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Hi, I'm a new pharmacist working retail for a big chain and they send me to some of the most problematic stores. I'm fine with driving 2 hours at a time to work these stores but a lot of these stores have horrible techs. One store in particular has some of the laziest techs ive encountered with attitude problems. They can type fast but just talk most of the time while i work to verify and answer patient questions.

So a couple instances where the phone rings and they literally tell me "hey pick up the phone" while i was in the middle of verifying an interaction. I ignored them and then one of them yelled it louder. It got me pissed off so i told her why dont you pick it up and dont tell me what to do. Lo and behold the next day i found out I was written up by this tech. Unfreaking believable. I was so outraged I talked to the pharmacist manager at that store and that dude pretty much backed up the tech and said I shouldve helped out. I fear this will probably be a black mark on my reviews. How does one deal with difficult techs? I mean i spent so much sweat and tears only to be reduced to taking orders from a technician? I hate pharmacy!

Members don't see this ad.
 
I'd already be on the phone with the district supervisor. If a tech tried to tell me what to do in an inappropriate way like that...and the store's PIC Rph didn't see the problem...no.

I have a feeling there may be more to the story.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 10 users
regardless who was writing u up, and regardless of the reason.... you should never ever sign any write up. even if the DM wrote u up, tell them that u refuse to sign. that way when u get fire, u can sue the company for wrongful termination. it should be plus or minus a million dollar... But if u sign the write up, u admit faults, and u cannot sue the company. // when you're on duty, you're in charge. send them home if they disobey your order. document what happen. email the district sup. // join the union.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Hi, I'm a new pharmacist working retail for a big chain and they send me to some of the most problematic stores. I'm fine with driving 2 hours at a time to work these stores but a lot of these stores have horrible techs. One store in particular has some of the laziest techs ive encountered with attitude problems. They can type fast but just talk most of the time while i work to verify and answer patient questions.

So a couple instances where the phone rings and they literally tell me "hey pick up the phone" while i was in the middle of verifying an interaction. I ignored them and then one of them yelled it louder. It got me pissed off so i told her why dont you pick it up and dont tell me what to do. Lo and behold the next day i found out I was written up by this tech. Unfreaking believable. I was so outraged I talked to the pharmacist manager at that store and that dude pretty much backed up the tech and said I shouldve helped out. I fear this will probably be a black mark on my reviews. How does one deal with difficult techs? I mean i spent so much sweat and tears only to be reduced to taking orders from a technician? I hate pharmacy!
Thats a spunky tech. If they were "busy" I would just put the phone on hold if you were busy as well but hey, thats part of being a floater and staff pharmacists that most of you desire. When you have your own store and you're the manager roles are a little different. I'm basically in charge of there livelihood. Perform poor hours go away and good luck paying bills. You perform well and you get the full 40 and maybe even a little OT. So you don't have to worry about the techs trying to run you, but you run them. This also comes with the stigma of a floater. Unless you got a reputation, when you walk in it's already "crap it's a floater they suck" already with you.

Stick it out, it's retail and this is probably good that you're working through this. I've trained my staff to be pretty self sufficient so honestly even though my store is a 3k store where as pharmacists work 13's I make sure all floaters have to do is just verify and nothing else so they can clear the ques at the end of the night. So was it disrespectful for the techs to treat you like that? Yes, but thats more indicative on the pharmacy manager at that store that hasn't trained that staff. It seems like he's ok with them talking a lot and doing work. As a floater you got to deal with it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
This may not be what was happening, but I noticed that your post only listed you completing pharmacist specific activities. When I was an intern, I worked with some pharmacists that would not take a prescription at drop off, help at the register, or answer a phone call regardless of how busy it got. Sometimes pickup would be 3 people deep, there would be 3+ people at drop off, and the phone would be ringing. I'm sure that the pharmacist was doing something, but I was doing all the inputting and fills. Since I was pretty busy with other tasks, I was sending fills and scripts through at a very slow rate.

If you are a new grad and you need extra time to verify, talk to your techs about that. If you can help out, even a little, it can go a long way.

Regardless, your tech shouldn't have been rude to you. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Retail? I know one big retail chain recently started a write up process which all floaters going to a particular store would be reviewed by the techs and other coworkers at the end of the day and bad reviews prevented certain floaters from being allowed to go to particular stores again. It's quit sad since some pharmacist or techs are taking advantage of it to pretty much ban certain floaters from coming to their store.
 
Last edited:
I hope there is more to the story that what we've been told.

If not: F that crap. But if this is truly the situation you are in, it's time you put on your big boy/girl pants and go on offense. Just be sure to be consistent (treat everyone the same) so you aren't opening yourself up to charges of retaliation against the tech who reported you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Hi, I'm a new pharmacist working retail for a big chain and they send me to some of the most problematic stores. I'm fine with driving 2 hours at a time to work these stores but a lot of these stores have horrible techs. One store in particular has some of the laziest techs ive encountered with attitude problems. They can type fast but just talk most of the time while i work to verify and answer patient questions.

So a couple instances where the phone rings and they literally tell me "hey pick up the phone" while i was in the middle of verifying an interaction. I ignored them and then one of them yelled it louder. It got me pissed off so i told her why dont you pick it up and dont tell me what to do. Lo and behold the next day i found out I was written up by this tech. Unfreaking believable. I was so outraged I talked to the pharmacist manager at that store and that dude pretty much backed up the tech and said I shouldve helped out. I fear this will probably be a black mark on my reviews. How does one deal with difficult techs? I mean i spent so much sweat and tears only to be reduced to taking orders from a technician? I hate pharmacy!

Have you ever worked a job before?! Do you realize these techs live in abject poverty most of the time,with us easily earning 6-7x more?! I hope you did not sign anything or admit to any wrong doing because you didn't do anything wrong. Kiss ass of scheduler so you get closer stores and don't deal with trash techs.

I realized I was over the line when I caught myself rambling to a tech that "CVS is so great that we have a decent 401K, HSA, 3 weeks vac and high wages." I was given a dirty look and told that she lives paycheck to paycheck and has no retirement or college savings for her kids...

Keep your mouth shut around techs and customers, they are the most dangerous people to your license followed closely by other rphs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 6 users
Just do what they say. You make at least 3-4 times more than them. Let them get their little power trip while you rake in the dough. Srs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
"I know I hear it too, but Im working on something really important at the moment. Ill get it in a sec. If you get done before me and can grab it Id appreciate it."
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Techs acting like little kids is fairly common. Part of it is the fact that they have no prospects in life. 9 out of 10 techs in pharmacy won't ever do anything outside of retail because that is beyond their competency. Part of it is resentment about the differential between what they make and what you make. Talking about money and politics at work is bad, bad, bad. Part of it is they wanted to be patted on the head like obedient dogs. A lot of single mom techs have daddy issues. Part of it is they want to try pull one over on a floater when the boss isn't around. Ultimately that is the RXM's problem. Assuming you actually want to work hard ("hard" depending on the company), if the RXM is not supportive of you there is little you can do other than put in your 8-13 hours and leave.

Also consider very carefully that if this is a type of business where a tech can "write you up" ("that happened") as opposed to ratting you out verbally to a DM or RXM, is this a place you even want to work for?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Members don't see this ad :)
How does a tech even write someone up? The chain I work at only gives that authority to a manager. This is done online and the techs' account access truly does not allow them to write up someone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 users
Hi, I'm a new pharmacist working retail for a big chain and they send me to some of the most problematic stores. I'm fine with driving 2 hours at a time to work these stores but a lot of these stores have horrible techs. One store in particular has some of the laziest techs ive encountered with attitude problems. They can type fast but just talk most of the time while i work to verify and answer patient questions.

So a couple instances where the phone rings and they literally tell me "hey pick up the phone" while i was in the middle of verifying an interaction. I ignored them and then one of them yelled it louder. It got me pissed off so i told her why dont you pick it up and dont tell me what to do. Lo and behold the next day i found out I was written up by this tech. Unfreaking believable. I was so outraged I talked to the pharmacist manager at that store and that dude pretty much backed up the tech and said I shouldve helped out. I fear this will probably be a black mark on my reviews. How does one deal with difficult techs? I mean i spent so much sweat and tears only to be reduced to taking orders from a technician? I hate pharmacy!

I doubt it was the message, but it was probably the delivery. I can see how a tech can have the power to report you so long as the other techs vouched for her, which they probably did.
 
I'd already be on the phone with the district supervisor. If a tech tried to tell me what to do in an inappropriate way like that...and the store's PIC Rph didn't see the problem...no.

I have a feeling there may be more to the story.

Well the store is in a not so great or safe area so what i heard is techs have been running the show since most new techs and pharmacists dont want to go here. The PIC would rather just roll with these techs and their attitude since they can do the job than to just have no techs or train a new one every month. Also, i admit im slower since i just started and they may not have liked that.
 
Know first, that no matter what profession you are in, you will deal with sh*** people.

Now, have you worked retail or any other job before going to school? If not, then this is a huge reason why this situation went left. It's is NOT your fault in any way, but as a current tech, I can tell you that SOME will look for any weakness you have. I get trying to be nice and have a good day but some people, and not just techs, will sense that and run with it. I've seen the pettiness. For example, when I was new, the senior techs got together and decided not to answer phones in order to get the floater RPH to answer them. Their complaint was that she never answered calls. I never got why would they annoy customers just to try and teach a pharmacist a lesson. But there are some floaters they wouldn't DARE do that too. You all have a tough job and I think SOME techs feel like they could do your job because they've worked for years and years and wave off new RPHs. It also didn't help that the PICs didn't like that floater either.
 
Not sure if you interned before becoming a pharmacist. But working at the front is much more stressful than standing by a computer checking interactions. The techs get yelled at when they quote patients a long wait time, or when the medications aren't ready by the quoted time or simply when there is a long line. You being slow probably incrased their stress level causing them to snap at you. Of course this is not your fault as you're trying your best. But almost every new grad has to go through this period.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
This is crazy, how can any employee write up someone who supervises them? I would have called my boss immediately to have that situation remedied right then and there. That's nuts.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
Well the store is in a not so great or safe area so what i heard is techs have been running the show since most new techs and pharmacists dont want to go here. The PIC would rather just roll with these techs and their attitude since they can do the job than to just have no techs or train a new one every month. Also, i admit im slower since i just started and they may not have liked that.

thats one way to look at it, the techs know how to do everything, just follow them... another way to look at it is the store is not so great b/c techs are not following orders. now imagine techs running the pharmacy, how can it not be chaos? i bet 100% if u fire all the problem people, the store will be fixed! this is actually step 1 to fixing problem stores. get rid of problem people!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Have you ever worked a job before?! Do you realize these techs live in abject poverty most of the time,with us easily earning 6-7x more?! I hope you did not sign anything or admit to any wrong doing because you didn't do anything wrong. Kiss ass of scheduler so you get closer stores and don't deal with trash techs.

I realized I was over the line when I caught myself rambling to a tech that "CVS is so great that we have a decent 401K, HSA, 3 weeks vac and high wages." I was given a dirty look and told that she lives paycheck to paycheck and has no retirement or college savings for her kids...

Keep your mouth shut around techs and customers, they are the most dangerous people to your license followed closely by other rphs.

So you believe that despite your sound career decisions, you have no right to discuss your achievements/perks because someone else, for any number of career reasons, feels inadequate and inferior? Maybe if they put as much work into improving their lives as they do being petty and giving people dirty looks their lives would be much better.
 
This is crazy, how can any employee write up someone who supervises them? I would have called my boss immediately to have that situation remedied right then and there. That's nuts.

I also want to know how they found out that they had the ability to do so. I know 0% about admin crap and 100% about doing my job. Maybe that's very naive of me I don't have time for that
 
This thread seems a little out of control with a lot of generalizations. This is not addressed at the original poster. It is addressed at some of the commenters.
1) Technicians are not psychopaths they are actual humans. Additionally, when you say classist things, we see the classism.

2) If you want to talk about how much money you make, you can. Technicians also have the right to share their life circumstances. If the pay discrepancy makes you uncomfortable, maybe keep your salary to yourself.

3) It's kind of your fault if you can't get along with people. If you have a ready example when asked to talk about a work conflict, you may need to look at how you approach people.

4) If you would quit a job in which the people working for you could report misconduct, you should be fired.

Edit: Sorry, I got a little angry after reading these comments. I recognize that this isn't really directed at the technicians I know. It just feels really personal to me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 users
Hi, I'm a new pharmacist working retail for a big chain and they send me to some of the most problematic stores. I'm fine with driving 2 hours at a time to work these stores but a lot of these stores have horrible techs. One store in particular has some of the laziest techs ive encountered with attitude problems. They can type fast but just talk most of the time while i work to verify and answer patient questions.

So a couple instances where the phone rings and they literally tell me "hey pick up the phone" while i was in the middle of verifying an interaction. I ignored them and then one of them yelled it louder. It got me pissed off so i told her why dont you pick it up and dont tell me what to do. Lo and behold the next day i found out I was written up by this tech. Unfreaking believable. I was so outraged I talked to the pharmacist manager at that store and that dude pretty much backed up the tech and said I shouldve helped out. I fear this will probably be a black mark on my reviews. How does one deal with difficult techs? I mean i spent so much sweat and tears only to be reduced to taking orders from a technician? I hate pharmacy!
Bahahahhahahahahah, oh my.

These are truly the end times.


Here's what you do:
Next time you work at that store:

Keep that tech under a freaking magnifying glass.
Hammer then on every single thing that comes up, and call the store manager over to help you write them up.
Cell phone comes out? Write up.
They mis-Type a script? Write up.

They try to give you attitude?

Send them home.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Bahahahhahahahahah, oh my.

These are truly the end times.


Here's what you do:
Next time you work at that store:

Keep that tech under a freaking magnifying glass.
Hammer then on every single thing that comes up, and call the store manager over to help you write them up.
Cell phone comes out? Write up.
They mis-Type a script? Write up.

They try to give you attitude?

Send them home.

Honestly I hope to never come back there and will request to not come back. I just dont think I can win this battle since the other techs I feel would gang up on me. It's no wonder no one wants to come here. Thanks for all the advice. I'll just have to be more cognizant of my surroundings while working from now on.
 
This is crazy, how can any employee write up someone who supervises them? I would have called my boss immediately to have that situation remedied right then and there. That's nuts.

In this scenario you should immediately write up your boss for attempting to discipline you. Continue up the corporate ladder writing up your superiors until you are the CEO.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
  • Like
Reactions: 7 users
Sounds like the tech did not do the write up but the manager did the write up based off the techs complaint. Not the first time at cvs a techs complaint has resulted in rph getting in trouble or even terminated. It's far easier for cvs now to hire a floater rph than find a good tech.
 
4) If you would quit a job in which the people working for you could report misconduct, you should be fired.

Edit: Sorry, I got a little angry after reading these comments. I recognize that this isn't really directed at the technicians I know. It just feels really personal to me.

Honestly I understand your frustration, but you are off base here. Reporting misconduct isn't the same as writing up.

Now did it really happen the way OP claims? Who knows, but if we don't take it at face value what's the point of the thread? ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Honestly I understand your frustration, but you are off base here. Reporting misconduct isn't the same as writing up.

Now did it really happen the way OP claims? Who knows, but if we don't take it at face value what's the point of the thread? ;)
That's fair, but I wasn't really angry about the original poster. I was upset about comments appearing lower down in the thread. I don't want to call specific people out, but the word dogs is used to describe techs in one post. :(

Addendum: Maybe technicians need the ability to write up that type of person.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Truth hurts
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Honestly I hope to never come back there and will request to not come back. I just dont think I can win this battle since the other techs I feel would gang up on me. It's no wonder no one wants to come here. Thanks for all the advice. I'll just have to be more cognizant of my surroundings while working from now on.
I've dealt with stores like that.

There's a CVS in a medium sized Texas town with a HUGE teaching hospital next door.
It's crazy busy and the techs were trash.

The relief pharmacist called in, do I was waaaaaay behind.

One tech tried to give me attitude and kept telling me to give him my credentials ago he could do RPh verification.

I basically told him I would both kick him out of the pharmacy and report him to the board.
That's fair, but I wasn't really angry about the original poster. I was upset about comments appearing lower down in the thread. I don't want to call specific people out, but the word dogs is used to describe techs in one post. :(
Addendum: Maybe technicians need the ability to write up that type of person.

Boo hoo.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
A tech with a high school degree wrote up a pharmacist with a doctorate degree. That is something your pharmacy school won't tell you.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Oh reminds me of the days when they used to always send me to the hoods to work. I still remember vividly a tech at one store got into a verbal altercation with a customer. They were cussing each other back and forth and she slammed the pickup window shut and flipped him off as they continued to scream at each other who will kick whose ass. The pic was just standing there muttering "please stop, enough please stop". The customer stormed off and threatened to come back with his boys to eff us up. I was scared as heck and was like how the hell does she still have a job? Suffice to say I found out this was normal at this store and she's "well connected" so that's why she's still there. My advice, just come and do your work, ignore the BS, go home, get paid.
 
I guess someone forgot the technician is there to assist the pharmacist not the other way around. It does help if everyone works together. Working corporate retail means you will be chronically understaffed. You better get used to multi-tasking.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
seems like a common problem. New grad vs experienced tech. You can see who wins every time. I learned the hard way as well. I got yelled at and talked down to by a ton of techs when I first started. After a couple years, you build experience and no tech will dare to do that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Truth hurts
It really does. Pharmacists can be the pits.

On the other hand, all the jerks talking about their technicians' "daddy issues" are making room for us new grads when they get fired for inappropriate behavior and harassment. :/
 
Theres got to be more to this story. Like some of you have stated, I have no idea how a tech writes up a pharmacists. They might have filled out a floater evaluation form and wrote you were trash on it. Thats not the same as a write up.

If everyone is busy pick up the phone and put it on hold or answer it. 90% of drugs are refill and maintenance drugs. No need to do calculus like calculations to verify the thing. If the techs talk a lot and can be more efficient let them know. At least at CVS (only work flow I know) what get pharmacists in trouble is that you only verify. I know some pharmacists who just let Voicemails expire and don't even pick up the Dr line and let the techs do it. You have people who make far less than you that barely graduated highschool working 3-4 stations while you verify and let the phone go so yeah I can see how it gets frustrating for them.

I had a floater work a 13 hr shift at my store and all he did was verify and watch the news on his phone. Had my intern do every single consult, Dr line and didn't touch the phone once. Literally stood at one spot and did verification. My staff regardless of who the pharmacist is is trained to be respectful and they do there work and finish there tasks. So you wouldn't have that problem of disrespect at my store but I don't blame a store for calling you out if all you did was verify and cash out. Not saying you did that but if you did that I can't really blame anyone.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Have you ever worked a job before?! Do you realize these techs live in abject poverty most of the time,with us easily earning 6-7x more?! I hope you did not sign anything or admit to any wrong doing because you didn't do anything wrong. Kiss ass of scheduler so you get closer stores and don't deal with trash techs.

I realized I was over the line when I caught myself rambling to a tech that "CVS is so great that we have a decent 401K, HSA, 3 weeks vac and high wages." I was given a dirty look and told that she lives paycheck to paycheck and has no retirement or college savings for her kids...

Keep your mouth shut around techs and customers, they are the most dangerous people to your license followed closely by other rphs.

Honestly. Because most them are either too tied up to go to Pharm school, or they didn't make the cut, after multiple attempts. This is so sad, but its true. Welcome to capitalism.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Oh reminds me of the days when they used to always send me to the hoods to work. I still remember vividly a tech at one store got into a verbal altercation with a customer. They were cussing each other back and forth and she slammed the pickup window shut and flipped him off as they continued to scream at each other who will kick whose ass. The pic was just standing there muttering "please stop, enough please stop". The customer stormed off and threatened to come back with his boys to eff us up. I was scared as heck and was like how the hell does she still have a job? Suffice to say I found out this was normal at this store and she's "well connected" so that's why she's still there. My advice, just come and do your work, ignore the BS, go home, get paid.

Lord have mercy. lol
 
Oh reminds me of the days when they used to always send me to the hoods to work. I still remember vividly a tech at one store got into a verbal altercation with a customer. They were cussing each other back and forth and she slammed the pickup window shut and flipped him off as they continued to scream at each other who will kick whose ass. The pic was just standing there muttering "please stop, enough please stop". The customer stormed off and threatened to come back with his boys to eff us up. I was scared as heck and was like how the hell does she still have a job? Suffice to say I found out this was normal at this store and she's "well connected" so that's why she's still there. My advice, just come and do your work, ignore the BS, go home, get paid.
See, you need to learn how to handle these types of situations. Should have grabbed your phone, opened up snapchat and yelled out Worldstar!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
tech didn't write you up...she told the manager what happened and the manager wrote you up. I am almost certain there is more to the story than that you are telling us.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
tech didn't write you up...she told the manager what happened and the manager wrote you up. I am almost certain there is more to the story than that you are telling us.

I don't know the formality of an actual write up. I just started working, so you might be correct but that's what I was told. The pdm called me to discuss this matter and said I was written up and something something tech wrote and said so and so. I was just shocked and furious and started to explain it. I didn't ask further if she wrote it and then manager signed it off or what not. But to me it's the same thing. You don't see lvns writing complaints on attending doctors for non issues.
 
I don't know the formality of an actual write up. I just started working, so you might be correct but that's what I was told. The pdm called me to discuss this matter and said I was written up and something something tech wrote and said so and so. I was just shocked and furious and started to explain it. I didn't ask further if she wrote it and then manager signed it off or what not. But to me it's the same thing. You don't see lvns writing complaints on attending doctors for non issues.


You need to dig deep down and find your guts
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Let this be a lesson learned. When it comes down to HR issues don't expect the courtesy of being allowed to defend yourself when a subordinate accuses you of something, even if it is total petty B.S. Just another thing to keep in mind when you're cranking Rx out and giving shots
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Let this be a lesson learned. When it comes down to HR issues don't expect the courtesy of being allowed to defend yourself when a subordinate accuses you of something, even if it is total petty B.S. Just another thing to keep in mind when you're cranking Rx out and giving shots

Well said. And from experience, these corporations view a professional like a pharmacist the same as the guy that stocks boxes in the back warehouse. So don't think you will have any leverage in their eyes for your pharmD.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
A technician who writes me up gets fired immediately. I'm not there to assist them in doing their job, it's the other way around.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
A technician who writes me up gets fired immediately. I'm not there to assist them in doing their job, it's the other way around.
I can't remember if you work at an independent pharmacy or maybe you are the owner. I also don't know what state you're from. If you work for a chain, you definitely can't fire your own techs without documented cause. Additionally, you would be fired if you retaliated against them for a complaint they made using some type of open door policy.


I'm pretty sure that the pharmacy manager would have a problem with a random floater coming in and trying to fire their people. If my techs told me that a pharmacist filling in yelled at them, I would not ask that person back. I work with them every day and I trust their perspective.
 
So you believe that despite your sound career decisions, you have no right to discuss your achievements/perks because someone else, for any number of career reasons, feels inadequate and inferior? Maybe if they put as much work into improving their lives as they do being petty and giving people dirty looks their lives would be much better.

Yes, I don't trust technicians in general. Even other rphs can be a huge problem.

This thread seems a little out of control with a lot of generalizations. This is not addressed at the original poster. It is addressed at some of the commenters.
1) Technicians are not psychopaths they are actual humans. Additionally, when you say classist things, we see the classism.

2) If you want to talk about how much money you make, you can. Technicians also have the right to share their life circumstances. If the pay discrepancy makes you uncomfortable, maybe keep your salary to yourself.

3) It's kind of your fault if you can't get along with people. If you have a ready example when asked to talk about a work conflict, you may need to look at how you approach people.

4) If you would quit a job in which the people working for you could report misconduct, you should be fired.

Edit: Sorry, I got a little angry after reading these comments. I recognize that this isn't really directed at the technicians I know. It just feels really personal to me.

Is was a tech from 05-09. This type of professional disrespect to a rph is far too common I bet
 
Hi, I'm a new pharmacist working retail for a big chain and they send me to some of the most problematic stores. I'm fine with driving 2 hours at a time to work these stores but a lot of these stores have horrible techs. One store in particular has some of the laziest techs ive encountered with attitude problems. They can type fast but just talk most of the time while i work to verify and I answer patient questions.

So a couple instances where the phone rings and they literally tell me "hey pick up the phone" while i was in the middle of verifying an interaction. I ignored them and then one of them yelled it louder. It got me pissed off so i told her why dont you pick it up and dont tell me what to do. Lo and behold the next day i found out I was written up by this tech. Unfreaking believable. I was so outraged I talked to the pharmacist manager at that store and that dude pretty much backed up the tech and said I shouldve helped out. I fear this will probably be a black mark on my reviews. How does one deal with difficult techs? I mean i spent so much sweat and tears only to be reduced to taking orders from a technician? I hate pharmacy!

I am going to take a wild guess and say you work for Walmart. Maybe not. Either way, yes, welcome to retail and to floating. It's obvious the techs run the show there and that can have its pros and cons. Don't act like anything is beneath you BUT don't let them ride your @$$ either. Whenever I float, I pick up the phone, I do tech resolution and help out in general. I think it might be a CVS thing but I have to know what's going on. Otherwise, I am the last one to find out when problems arise. I am currently a manager and when I float I continue to act like one. As a Staff pharmacist - float, you are expected to act like one.

I do whatever needs to be done because it makes my day go faster and if that entails dancing circles around other pharmacists who are probably being slow on purpose, too, even better. I even fill. It doesn't matter.

The tech or techs almost crossed the line by shouting at you that way. She stepped up to the gray area but did not cross it. You made the mistake of losing your cool and yelling back at her. You're a guy. Be a gentleman, be a dude, smile and say "yikes, was in the zone here. Thank you!" Then you take the call and say "sure, I will have one of my technicians help you with that." and transfer it to them. LOL

The way she spoke to you was inappropriate. There is no doubt about that. However, you beat her with your stick and that's why you got in trouble. Techs will do that all the time. Sure, she provoked you. But that's all she did. Next time, try what I said and route the calls to them. Then play petty like everyone else and file a formal complaint reporting that technician's conduct. You could elaborate on how her tone creates a hostile work environment which may negatively impact your ability to safely verify prescriptions. You might get fired, though.

Truth is though, you do sound green and inexperienced. You do not sound like you ever "needed" a job. Techs smell that the way vampires smell blood. So they're messing with you. I'd figure out who Big Bertha is and become her b*tch. Play nice. Being a new pharmacist, you could benefit from fielding phone calls and troubleshooting on the spot. The phone does that. It'll give you more confidence and it'll drive the message home that it's not beneath you BUT you do have to prioritize your work and at times, you may just have to ignore it.

Replay the situation in your head with you smiling and playing nice and you'll see that it would have turned out a lot better. You gotta be around them for at least 8 hours a day. Throw them a bone. It's a give and take. But also carry yourself in a way that reminds them that you are in charge and that they are able to be inside the pharmacy ONLY because a LICENSED PHARMACIST is present. Techs forget that all the time. The majority of them have NEVER stopped to think about that. I have occasionally had to remind a tech or FIVE that they're in fact working under my license and to either follow my direction or return when they're ready to do so.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
I am going to take a wild guess and say you work for Walmart. Maybe not. Either way, yes, welcome to retail and to floating. It's obvious the techs run the show there and that can have its pros and cons. Don't act like anything is beneath you BUT don't let them ride your @$$ either. Whenever I float, I pick up the phone, I do tech resolution and help out in general. I think it might be a CVS thing but I have to know what's going on. Otherwise, I am the last one to find out when problems arise. I am currently a manager and when I float I continue to act like one. As a Staff pharmacist - float, you are expected to act like one.
I do whatever needs to be done because it makes my day go faster and if that entails dancing circles around other pharmacists who are probably being slow on purpose, too, even better. I even fill. It doesn't matter.
The tech or techs almost crossed the line by shouting at you that way. She stepped up to the gray area but did not cross it. You made the mistake of losing your cool and yelling back at her. You're a guy. Be a gentleman, be a dude, smile and say "yikes, was in the zone here. Thank you!" Then you take the call and say "sure, I will have one of my technicians help you with that." and transfer it to them. LOL
The way she spoke to you was inappropriate. There is no doubt about that. However, you beat her with your stick and that's why you got in trouble. Techs will do that all the time. Sure, she provoked you. But that's all she did. Next time, try what I said and route the calls to them. Then play petty like everyone else and file a formal complaint reporting that technician's conduct. You could elaborate on how her tone creates a hostile work environment which may negatively impact your ability to safely verify prescriptions. You might get fired, though.
Truth is though, you do sound green and inexperienced. You do not sound like you ever "needed" a job. Techs smell that the way vampires smell blood. So they're messing with you. I'd figure out who Big Bertha is and become her b*tch. Play nice. Being a new pharmacist, you could benefit from fielding phone calls and troubleshooting on the spot. The phone does that. It'll give you more confidence and it'll drive the message home that it's not beneath you BUT you do have to prioritize your work and at times, you may just have to ignore it.
Replay the situation in your head with you smiling and playing nice and you'll see that it would have turned out a lot better. You gotta be around them for at least 8 hours a day. Throw them a bone. It's a give and take. But also carry yourself in a way that reminds them that you are in charge and that they are able to be inside the pharmacy ONLY because a LICENSED PHARMACIST is present. Techs forget that all the time. The majority of them have NEVER stopped to think about that. I have occasionally had to remind a tech or FIVE that they're in fact working under my license and to either follow my direction or return when they're ready to do so.

PFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
 
Top