Sunday, December 31, 2006

Happy New Year..yeah, happy. Right.

Just an hour away from 2007 and I'm already dreading Tuesday. Thank God were closed Monday. It was an eventful weekend:

1) The snowbirds are here en force. Filled 60 scripts on Saturday and 30 were out-of-state transfers. And I'll be dammed that most were maintenance meds I didn't reorder during the summer.

2) Got quite a few requests to "loan" a few pills to those who are in the donut hole, then bill in the new year. I told them this would jeopardize their fills for February as we would get the "refill too soon" reject, and they'll be S.O.L. I did leave 2 for the PIC, just to piss her off!

3) Had the sister of one our elderly customers come in today with 7 scripts, 3 of which I didn't have. One was Aranesp, which is mucho dinero. When I told the sister about the expense ($2300 for 4 pre-filled syringes), she nearly broke down in tears. She wanted to know why the "fly-by-night" nursing home and doctor didn't tell her this was expensive. I started the spiel about that's not their primary concern, they worry about treating patients conditions, etc. Since this customer is a Medicare Part D holdout, I told the sis to contact the attending MD for advisement on Aranesp, and handed her an AARP Medicare Part D brochure. Told her that she has til midnight to sing up.

4) There's a swamp town 40 miles away and we're the closest pharmacy to it. The daughter of one of our regulars from down there (pretty hot) brought her Mom's scripts in to fill. I had 4 of the 6. She said she went to 3 different CVS' and was given a wait time of 1, 2 and 3 hours. Had them done in 10 minutes. She winked at me as she left. I was aroused!

5) While doing the end-of-the-month C-II count (while the lights were out and the "Pharmacy Closed" sign was in plain view) I had several hecklers asking me where things were. I gave them the DrugNazi stare and proceeded doing my thing.

I love retail. I need a beer!

Later taters
The Reel Deel

email me: thereeldeel@earthlink.net

Friday, December 29, 2006

What would you choose?

Continue working in a pharmacy where the bull-dike, self-centered , maniacal, egotistical pharmacy manager thinks of nothing but herself, the tech is quite a spaz with a short attention span, and where your customers are perpetuating a rumor that you will close because White-trash American Laziness MART will be opening up soon. Or, work at a pharmacy as the manager with an older, wiser, funnier pharmacist, a cool tech, a place where I only have to speak English, and a store manager with a personality and an idea of what running a retail store is all about. What would you choose?

My only hang-ups with transferring are these:

1) I've got a good customer base at my current store. In fact, most of them have told me they would rather deal with me than "that woman pharmacist." I'm hoping she's working with that recruiter that's been calling our pharmacy trying to pitch the Albertson's job that's been open for over a year.

2) I live 15 miles from my current store. The new store is 65 miles from my home. Instead of a commute of 20 min. during the summer, and 40 min. during the winter, I would be looking at 75-90 minutes during off-season, and God knows how long with these damned snowbirds.

I confronted the male-wanna-be yesterday about being scheduled every Sunday. She said, "it'll be good for your feet." Working every Sunday? Right, and your a lazy psychopath (the words of the Supervisor of your former employer, not mine). I should tell you I decreased from 40 to 30 hours a week because of her bullsh*t and this is an example of said bullsh*t. Instead of working a half day (5 hours) during the week, she wants me to work my 2 5 hours shifts per pay period on each Sunday. I told her, No, not working every Sunday. Working every other weekend like every other full-time pharmacist in this chain." She said she would change the schedule, but we shall see.

God, I need a beer!

Later Taters
The Reel Deel

email me: thereeldeel@earthlink.net

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Happy F**king Boxing Day

Well closed on a Monday for a holiday, so it's the usual Tuesday mess (like it is w/Memorial Day and Labor Day).

To start, I work 60 hours a pay check, the PIC works 80 hours a paycheck, and the pharmacy is open 130 hours per pay period (Mon-Sat 9-7, Sun 12-5). Doing the math, there's 10 hours over her overlap (which she never works). So I should be working every other weekend, 5 full days, and one half-a-day. The schedule for January is out and the f**king dike now has me scheduled EVERY SUNDAY! That's bullsh*t!!! The District Manager gets a call on 1/2/07, when he gets back from his 12th week of vacation.

The other problem is the full time tech. If ignorance is bliss, she's very blissful. Actually she's not ignorant, but I don't know what the hell she is. She's been with this company for 12 years before transferring down here, but sometimes she acts like she been a tech 12 weeks. Either that, or she plays dumb (I've caught her doing that before). She has about a 5 minute attention span, and she is hearing impaired. What a combo! I think she needs heavy doses of Ritalin and Straterra. Did I mention she gets extremely anxious over 2 prescriptions to fill? Extra alprazolam on the side.

On a lighter note, I saw the LP gal in her black sweater. Niiiiice!

Later taters.
The Reel Deel

email me: thereeldeel@earthlink.net

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Walgreens...not my most trusted drug store

(This all occurred Friday..been to busy Christmas shopping to get on the computer)

Ive' been a pharmacist for 15+ years now. In my many travels and many employers, Wags has not been one of them. It seems that during this period of a pharmacist shortage, the 8 resumes I've sent during my 15+ years have been ignored. Not one contact or interview. Maybe they are too good to hire me.

Well, let me tell you something, Walgreen's. You have s**t pharmacists and maybe I don't want to work for you. Not after today. You see, I had to deal with two of your pharmacists that are not poster children for your neighborhood, friendly pharmacist:

1) I had a customers who's doctor phoned in for Lantus Cartdridges and Humalog Flex-Pen, and I'll be damned if I didn't have them. I called the Walgreen's across the street. After a 25 minute hold, the pharmacist (a fill-in I presume) says "we don't give that information out to other pharmacies." I explained that if he did, he might get this business, but since the Publix nest door had it, the customer was on her merry way there instead.

2) Had a mom of a newborn want to transfer from this same Wags her baby's Cortef 5mg 1/4th tablet q8h #10 tablets (with instructions to crush, add to water, and put in baby's mouth). This was from a famous South Florida pediatric hospital, and I'm guessing that compounding was nixed by Wags, as that would be too hard for them to do. And also they have Florida Medicaid, and compounding a suspension may be out of the question.

Any way I call to transfer and get another hold-fest (thank you Drug Monkey for that term) for 20 minutes, and get another fill-in pharmacist who gives me the info (after I already typed it into the computer and got the refill-too-soon rejection). I ask how they billed it, they said 30 days supply for 10 tablets. I inform this simpleton that 10 tablets lasts 14 days, and they need to re bill it correctly, so that I can bill it correctly. Idiot sighed loudly, and said "you'll have to call Medicaid and fix it yourself. I'm too busy." Fine you little f**cker, I'll call Medicaid, then I'll call the Wags district office to make an already-ignored complaint. Which I did. After an hour, mom got her script for $0.00 copay.

I will work mail order before I work for Walgreen's. They are scum!

Later taters
The Reel Deel

email me: thereeldeel@earthlink.net

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Medicare: I wish I could go back in time and bitch slap LBJ

Now I know this will offend some Texans, but this monster is out of control!

In theory, this was a novel idea, but 40 years ago there were no ACE inhibitors, Rostiglizones, Synthetic insulin analogs, etc. There was no Viagra. You were lucky to live past 70. Medicare probably wasn't expected to handle the large volumes of people that are eligible.

Today, I was asked to bill a home blood pressure monitor for one of our regulars. Mind you, the discussion I tried to carry on with her, including that this was not a DME device, like syringes this ain't covered, yadda yadda yah. Nevertheless, the customer prompted me to try and bill it (without an Rx from the MD which took hours to get). She'll be in tomorrow and will be ever so disappointed.

On the upside, I left "anonymous" gift cards in Christmas cards to 2 ladies in our store. Our LP supervisor (nice rear-end) and the pharmacy recruiter (nice rack). Their both married, though. And since I've been through the workplace-extra-marital-affair experience before, I will not partake, no matter how much Viagra I have access to.

Later Taters
The Reel Deel

email me: thereeldeel@earthlink.net

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Dammit, why did you give me your virus?

Off for a couple of days, and I get a nasty virus from my partner. Dammed homos! Wait a minute, I'm a lesbian trapped in a man's body...

Let me tell you about my partner. My partner is gay. A card-carrying, everything-should-be-shared, I-am-gay-hear-me-whine, homosexual. This person also thinks the world revolves around them, they are never wrong, and they believe the world owes 'em everything, since this nut lives the "alternative" lifestyle (alternative to what?). Otherwise, a fine human being and an upstanding pharmacist.

Well, this individual pulled several fast ones on me this summer. Signing me up to work at a very busy pharmacy in our chain, while the thought working at that store was beneath 'em. I was forced into a trade where I worked a full day for this nut, but only for a half-day off. And the piece-de-resistance was the incident involving the misfill and this pharmacist (did I mention this one is the pharmacy manager?) encouraging the patient to report it to the board (which is actionable in Florida). Again, a fine upstanding human being.

I've heard through the grapevine, though, our light-in-the-loafer pharmacy manager may possibly be looking for another employer. Good, hope that becomes someone else's liability. I don't mind working 78 hours a week without them.

Bartender, Bud Light longneck please.

Later taters
The Reel Deel

email me: thereeldeel@earthlink.net

Sunday, December 17, 2006

The Donut Hole

It just amazes me! I've done everything to warn people whom ask, "Reel Deel, what's the best Part D Plan out there?" I've explained very clearly that when your out-of-pocket plus reimbursed total reaches $2,250 (increases to $24,00 in '07), the you hit the donut hole.

(Mmmmmm....donuts..) courtesy of Homer Simpson

Today came in Mrs. X. Mrs. X is someone (like 99% of all Medicare recipients) expecting that Medicare Part D was a free government hand-out, and that all there meds were free. Regardless of their income or assets, and that the government was not privy to what their income should be. But yet, when Mrs. X gets to the donut hole, there's quite a bit of objection, that Part D was "stupid." I agree with you, but you live in a multimillion dollar condo in a county where the median for a home is 500K. And you're on 4 meds, 3 Brands and 1 generic. You were also told you didn't have to sign up for this, and if you did, I would be MORE THAN HAPPY to review your regimen (I might be able to get paid to do this if the HMO's would let me) and suggest generic alternatives. But, noooooooooo. You got what you deserved.

Bartender, I'll take a Budweiser.

Later taters
The Reel Deel

email me: thereeldeel@earthlink.net

Saturday, December 16, 2006

¿Español?

Jesus, I get asked this at least 20 times a day! The likelihood of someone with blue eyes speaking español is highly unlikely, but yet most of those who see me in the pharmacy with my off-white lab coat and professional name tag (in English, to boot) still ask. And they walk away miffed when I politely say, "No." I believe English is the native tongue here in the good ole EUA. And more than likely these people came into our country uninvited and unannounced. For once, I wish I could wear a shirt that says ICE.

I've actually asked my employer with help with conversational español enough to try to communicate with this crowd. But the employees who speak español, which is about 99.99%, don't step up to the plate. I just don't want someone taking the wrong dose of something and then turn around and get sued because I didn't communicate with them in español.

Now I should also mention I live in a resort town down here in Florida, so not only do I have to deal with illegals, I get to deal with hateful Haitians, impatient Germans, rifle-dropping-yet-snotty French, Chinese, Russian, Albanian, and any other ethnicity I forgot to mention. It's like I'm at the f**king United Nations! Actually, most of the foreigners that stop by are from the UK. Funny, this is the only time I get to use my English...

It was a dead Saturday today. Finished sending returns so that we can get $0.39 out of $2000 worth of expired drugs. Just have to raise the price of Viagra....

Later taters.
The Reel Deel

email me: thereeldeel@earthlink.net

Friday, December 15, 2006

A Potpouri of Crises Today

I knew today would be a bitch, cause we were slow for a Thursday. And then there was s**t I had to clean up from others:

1) My partner pharmacist, who herself is a pain in the ass, had the sniffles Wednesday and had the district floater work for her. She is somewhere between and idiot and a numb skull. She filled a script, didn't order the medicine, and , the piece-de-resistance, didn't leave a label. My full-time tech, who herself has the attention span of a crack baby, didn't recall this. Had to give an oweski, a $20 gift card, and many apologies.

2) The same "floater" (did you know s**t floats, too?) sold a customer his Protonix, but didn't put it in the bag. This floater works at a 300 scripts/day pharmacy, and we're at 60, but come on! Ya gotta pay attention, Dammit!

3) The Albuterol guy (from 14 Dec 2006) was back again, with his card from Standard Life. Surprise, surprise, that Medicare Part D plan was the same one that rejected, and the same plan that directed us to fill this under Medicare Part B. This took another 20 minutes out of my life, and again he walked away disgruntled.

4) I have this Cuban immigrant (don't get me started!) who believes she's God's gift to this earth, and wants everything 5 minutes ago. Wanted me to call her doctor at the very busy clinic/hospital for refills on routine meds of amitriptyline and ibuprofen. This was life-and-death to her. The doctor's nurse didn't want to cooperate til I put the patient on the phone, then she got chewed out! Got her refills after a 30 minutes wait, but out of amitriptyline.

God, I need a beer!!!!!

Later taters
The Reel Deel

email me: thereeldeel@earthlink.net

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Hey, Buddy! My Wife Has Medicare Part D!

Yeah, yeah, everyone in South Florida has Medicare Part D. Can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Part D recipient. Problem is, this fella, who was picking up his wife's ALBUTEROL SOLUTION FOR NEBULIZATION, did not quite understand the concept of Medicare Part B.

You see, for all you amateur pharmacists out there, Part D was created to provide "coverage" for those medications not previously covered under Part B (with a few exception). Part B covers Strips and lancets for diabetics, immunosuppresants, cancer chemotherapy drugs, AND MEDICATIONS FOR NEBULIZERS. Tried to tell the man twice about the difference, but to no avail. Paid his $15 co-pay (20% mind you), but will come back with the wife's "sub insurance" card. Whatever the hell "sub insurance" is, unless he has a submarine covered by Allstate...

Otherwise, a quiet day. Only had to clean up after my idiot partner (did I mention she's the pharmacy manager) 3 times today. Not bad after being away for 10 days.

Later Taters
The Reel Deel

email me: thereeldeel@earthlink.net

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Wow, I've finally found the on-ramp to the Internet!!!

Well, today I did it. I jumped into the world of on line blogging. Not sure of what's ahead, but I'm going to provide the daily rantings and play-by-play of my little world of retail pharmacy.

I have a couple of inspirations for this:
1) The Drug Monkey/Nazi Whatever http://drugnazi.blogspot.com
2) The Angry Pharmacist http://www.theangrypharmacist.com
3) The Yahoos who work for this grocery store chain http://publixpharmacists.blogspot.com/2005/07/unity-needed.html

Except, I really don't get involved in political issues that much. I'm like road kill; found in the middle of the road. Besides, retail pharmacy is depressing enough as it is without adding in politics.

If I do rant about anything, it will be the dating scene. I've yet to come close to even getting half-way perfect. Still tryin' though.

Later taters
The Reel Deel