The Pharmacy Chick

Flying the Coop in Retail

They cancelled their shift so I have to cancel my plans.

Filed under: Uncategorized — pharmacychick at 9:18 pm on Monday, June 16, 2008

Pharmacy Chick is one unhappy pharmacist this evening. The relief pharmacist scheduled for tomorrow cancelled and I have to work. That means 52 hours this week. I dont work because I like to. I dont work because I want to. I work to make a living and I only maintain my sanity by sticking to 40 hours. I REALLY dont like to add another 11+ hour shift. We all know this isn’t a cake job, and the last thing I want is 11+ more hours of high stress in my week. I know they tried to find coverage. It didn’t happen, so they expect me to be there. Sucks to be me today.

So what would happen if I really wasn’t available? Close the store? Its not the first time, I doubt it will be the last time. I’m sick of this shortage nonsense. I can’t be sick, and its a pain to get a vacation.

Don’t tell me to be grateful I have a job. I AM grateful to have a job. I purposely picked this field because it was a good long time job prospect. Little did I know that 22 years later we’d STILL have a critical shortage of pharmacists. Little did I know I’d have to ask for vacations a year in advance and still only hope I get it. Little did I know that you could completely suck as a pharmacist but if your liscence is intact and you are willing to work, you are hired.

My family doesn’t understand that I cannot “just come” to a wedding when I get the invite 30 days ahead of time; and that if you want the Chick’s to come to your event/reunion/whatever, you better let us know at least 6 months ahead of time, especially if its in the summer….and then hope.

The job pays well, but this aspect really stinks. The tech said “at least you get extra money”….You know what? I’d take my planned day at the lake over the cash anyday. They tax the crap out it anyway.

I’m having my own pity party tonight–attendance: one.

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7 Comments »

Comment by MP

June 17, 2008 @ 8:25 am

Come join the hospital world. We have 50 some pharmacists on staff and it is usually relatively easy to trade shifts with others (as long as you recipricate down the line).

I know this is a simplistic response and you probably didn’t even want any advice but here it is. We have our own problems, of course, but thankfully our schedule is usually good and pretty flexible. The problem is you have to know what you are doing in 8 week blocks or you have to go the trade route.

Comment by John

June 17, 2008 @ 10:11 am

“My family doesn

Comment by scargosun

June 17, 2008 @ 11:32 am

*hands PC a drink in a thermal coffee mug so it will look innocent*

I feel for you. Sometimes I think I should have just bitten the bullet and went to pharmacy school but then I hear stuff like this and I am glad I didn’t.

Comment by Ariel

June 17, 2008 @ 11:48 am

Preaching to the choir! When I first started I wanted as much overtime as I could get so I could make as much money as I could. What I ended up with is burnout and some extra money. At one point, I had worked so many days without a day off that I had made myself physically ill. Then, when my boss finally got someone to take my place so that I could take some doctor ordered rest, he didn’t show up. I went to work in my pajamas and now won’t answer my telephone on my days off. I like my job for 40 hours a week. Time off and extra pay are not equal by any means. I think we have at least 2 more years of this before it really starts to ease up!

Comment by Carol

June 17, 2008 @ 7:03 pm

I feel for you. I managed for a while (over 2 stores for 7 years) and getting coverage was the absolute worst part of the job! I too got stuck working way more than I wanted to. Bring a book and sit down with your feet up. If HQ gets pissy, tell them you could have stayed home….

Comment by pharmacychick

June 17, 2008 @ 7:20 pm

Carol, wish I could prop the feet up, we did as many on tuesday as we did on monday, but everybody walked around on butterfly feet cuz PC was not a happy camper.
Thanks for reading by the way!

pc

Comment by The Ole' Apothecary

June 18, 2008 @ 5:46 pm

I second MP’s motion, PC, and I speak as one who has worked years in both retail and hospital venues, 13 years in each. In all of my years as a hospital pharmacist, I have never had my time-off kayoed by a coverage problem. There may have been an occasions contention for one or two time high-demand time slots (spring break time, winter holidays), but nothing like having the coverage cancel out on me.

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