Friday, February 1, 2008

Who's the Boss?

If you are a pharmacist and will be working at a pharmacy in a medical clinic, make sure that you know who the boss is. I recently turned down a job after working relief in that situation. Although the pharmacy is owned by a pharmacist, the owner has no spine. So, when the doctors started making demands, the owner just caved.

The problem came in when the demands started impinging on me and my practice of pharmacy. I felt that clients should obey certain requirments set by law. The doctor wanted me to "make an exception". Numerous times. Then the doctor wanted the pharmacy to stay open well beyond the posted business hours for the "convenience of the patients". Turns out that some patients were complaining that when they came in late in the day, they would have to go a whole 100 metres to the next pharmacy instead of the one in the building.

I was willing to stay a bit late, but not up to 3 hours late. I also wanted to be informed when the clinic would be running late hours. They can tell. If they have appointments booked late in the day, then I wanted them to walk across the fucking hall the day before (minimum) and let me know.

Apparently that was asking for too much. I guess as a pharmacist I am classified as a "grunt' and not a professional. I guess as a human being, I have no life outside work except for what my boss, the doctor, allows me to have.

I walked. I wish them joy of the relief pharmacist who accidentally screwed up a compounded prescription-5 times- and overdosed the patient. I hope they have fun explaining to the non-english speaking pharmacist they have to stay late.

I wonder how the doctor will react when the boss can't come in and can't find anyone to work? So the pharmacy will stay closed for a day. Think the patients will complain?

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