Today, my boss told me I ask too many questions and that's why they cut my hours in half. Officially, I'm a "Pharmacy Technician in Training", which means I'm trying to teach myself how to do the job without killing someone. All from on the job experience and an outdated textbook. FML
Collection
Fall
Dead leaves, the first cold of the season and an umbrella flipped inside out: fall, the season of grace.
Today, I finished my last day of job training. At the beginning, the boss had told us to ask as many questions as possible. I was fired because I asked too many questions. FML
Today, I've been working for a company for six months, but I still don't know my job fully because my trainer is difficult. He would get mad because I'd wait until he was done explaining before asking questions, so I changed and asked as soon as he said something I didn't know, but would get, "Well, if you'd let me finish…" FML
Today, as I was helping a customer, she asked if it was my first day and who was training me. Evidently, I'm bad at my job, because I've worked there for 7 months. FML
Today, the people who gave me no training or instruction on how to do my job tried to fire me, because asking for clarification apparently means I'm incompetent. FML
Today, I got in trouble at work because the person whom I trained, and had done everything correctly with no mistakes, and said he was comfortable being on his own when I asked, was screwing it all up over the course of 6 weeks. When I asked him, he said, "I think my way is better than yours." FML
Today, I was yelled at by a customer because I couldn't tell her where the vitamins were in the pharmacy. The manager came and yelled at me for being lazy and incompetent. I work in the store across the street from the pharmacy. FML
Today, it was my first day as a pharm tech. Two hours into my shift, I came down with awful food poisoning, causing me to go to the restroom multiple times before eventually leaving. I'd filled multiple controlled substances today and can't help but think my coworkers are thinking I'm a drug addict. FML
Today, I got demoted from my manager's position, only to be replaced by a 21 year-old who has never worked in retail in her life. I now have to spend the next month teaching her my job so they can fire me. FML
Today, after working at the same place for 3 years, I found out that they are not only cutting my hours but now I have to take orders from some girl I trained because she was promoted over me. FML
Today, I interviewed for a job at a pharmaceutical lab. During the interview, I said something about a past work experience that made the interviewers think that I would enjoy doing something similar to that… so they gave me a warehouse job instead. I have a degree in chemistry and biology. FML
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Top comments
Redoxx_fml 22
I wanna know what pharmacy thus is so I don't accidentally end up dying
MELKOZAR 27
Just do your best, and screw them!
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Comments (88)
roccoman79 8
Relax the pharmacist is ultimately responsible for any death or harm to any patient that may occur due to your lack of experience.
PharmacyJoe 13
I still think they would be horrified to know that they were in part responsible for the death of another human.
z3r0d4z3 22
The pharmacist has the final say on what the customer recieves. It's their license on the line. Its a tech's responsibility to fill the scripts, but the pharmacist has to check it was done correctly.
ApplePie1994 27
This reminds me of the book series "Gone," in which all people over fifteen years of age disappear. The kids have to run the pharmacy by themselves using the medical book from the doctor's office. OP, is there someone you can go to about that? You could unintentionally hurt someone or even worse; that would be terrible and very unfair on you.
PharmacyJoe 13
I'm a pharmacy technician (hence the username), too. In my state, we need 200 hours of externship, a year of related schoolwork from an accredited pharmacy program, plus a pass on the PTCB to be licensed. Yet I'm STILL asking a ton of questions. You're doing the right thing, regardless of what your bosses say. If they're upset at how many questions you're asking, the best advice I can give is to write all of them down and look them up on your formulary when you have spare time; that way you're learning and not "bothering" the pharmacists with questions.
jlee95 5
GG on passing your exams! I wrote my law exam and national here in Canada in the fall!
PharmacyJoe 13
Thanks 47! :) I hear your exams are harder than the ones given in the States... I kind of want to see if I would pass, haha. Wishing you the best!! :)
little_one 20
My husband is a pharmacist, at his work they are called pharmacy assistants and require no schooling which is obviously frustrating when he's doing 100+ scripts a day by himself and then stoping to talk to people with tons of OTC questions. He doesn't always have time to answer a bazillion questions from techs that have no idea what they are doing. He's so stressed out most of the time. Working non stop for 8 hours, never getting a break. His last pharmacy he worked for made him work for 12 hours by himself without a break, but since he's a "professional" it isn't against labour laws. He's paid well... But I know he regrets becoming a pharmacist.
PharmacyJoe 13
That's because he's working retail, and they haven't hired technicians for him. Technicians and assistants are completely different and have different responsibilities. For instance: I make intravenous medications for children and routinely double-check the pharmacist's calculations; a pharmacy assistant could not do either of those as they wouldn't have the knowledge required. If he hates his current job, he should try to apply for inpatient work. The pay is worse, but the environment is better (from what I've seen at least). :)
GirasolNegro 22
Tell your employer you are trying to do your best job for them and that the "only dumb question is the one not asked"!!
zarrganaut 17
What's so wrong with asking questions? It's how you learn!
blah0205 9
didn't know it was a crime to ask questions would they rather you fail make a mistake fall on your face than to get it done the proper way shrugs I don't understand it
Eloxia 7
This happens at my job, also. I work in healthcare. Our referrals team gets 2 hours of training and then told to "figure it out" if they have more questions. We only have three people from the original team of six. In the past six months we've replaced the other three people three times each, but their manager refuses to realize the problem.
siggy_mcsigx 22
Health care/pharmacy is the one employment area where this really shouldn't be happening....
bab3ruthl3ss 16
Both your & OP's posts are strongly wavering my confidence in the pharmacy/healthcare system...
Meettitan 14
You had faith in healthcare? Capitalism and health care do not mix well.
bab3ruthl3ss 16
Well I still had it in the pharmacy system, at least.
chef4money 12
Unless you are asking the same questions over and over, I don't see the problem. Even in you are, I agree that it's better safe than sorry. I'm sure there is a lot to learn and a lot of meds have very similar names. Good luck op.
sahmnc420 13
Report your boss
deejoy 22
Sorry but, pharm techs are the same as cashiers honestly. Don't give anyone the wrong script and you're fine. Believe me, I work at a drugstore and am untrained in pharmacy and they put me there all the time. Not hard or life threatening.
twilightmm 2
Just depends where your at. There is so much more "behind the scene" stuff that goes on that no one knows about
jlee95 5
I would love to know where you get your knowledge on what pharmacy technicians do-- here in Canada we are a regulated (meaning you need to graduate from a pharmacy accredited program, and get a licence to practice) health care profession. I make sterile IVs and stat orders for the emergency room. We don't just count pills. You're very uneducated.
ladyg228 15
Who told you this? Pharm tech are definitely NOT cashiers! Pharm tech are the first and last person to interact with the patient. They are ones who deal with insurance. They are ones faxing the doctors. They are the ones who input your prescription, medical history etc. They do all the hard work that makes the pharmacy run! Cashiers don't need to be licensed for their job! Please get your facts straight before you open your mouth
z3r0d4z3 22
#48 #66. Some states dont require certification to work as a tech. Speak calmly before you have all the information yourself.
little_one 20
At my husbands pharmacy they've hired people that have no pharmacy education and not licensed. It's even happened at the previous pharmacy he worked for as well. Maybe community pharmacy is different clearly you work in a hospital so there may be different regulations.