Tuesday, March 11, 2014

It's Just a Little Push

You're a patient and you walk up to the drop off counter and set a prescription on counter. It's well within my reach, but most of the time when I approach the counter, you say something like "I need to drop off this prescription" (of course, you weren't here to order pizza, were you?)...

Then it happens, most every time...



The push. It's just a little push. It's completely unnecessary. I can reach the prescription from where I'm standing. And no, this is NOT about being helpful by thinking you're getting the prescription closer to me to make it easier to pick up.

No, I've watched this for quite awhile now. I know what you're up to. This is about power and control. You think that little push puts you in control of the situation. You're trying to establish the dominant role in the filling procedure. You're da man, I be da dog dat fills your prescription. Hop to it, boy. Get it done.

I'm on to the little push and let me tell you, NO, this does not establish control. In fact, it just pisses me off. Suddenly a 10-20 minute wait time turns into 30-60 minutes. Why? Because I'm tired of people that have no respect for the pharmacy process. We're here to make sure YOU get the right medication, the right dose, and to make sure it is appropriate for you given your medication profile, age, gender, etc. We're the ones in control now, not you.

Bottom line: DON'T GET PUSHY with your pharmacist or pharmacy technician. Ever.

8 comments:

Frantic Pharmacist said...

Yeah the only thing that bothers me more is when the 'push' coincides with the barked question, "HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO FILL THIS??" Damn, I hate that.

Anonymous said...

dude, sometimes a helpful push is just a helpful push. chill.

Anonymous said...

I have issues with the people who hand them one by one to you "just hand them over. I can understand what they are written for. Do this before you bring them in if you need to read them.

Anonymous said...

How about the phrase "I just came from my doctor/the ER/urgent care"? Oh really? And here I thought maybe your hairdresser wrote that prescription for your z-pack.

Unknown said...

This totally reminded me of my sales associate days. I would ring up a customer, put my hand out for the cash, and they would bypass my hand and put the money on the counter. Ticked me off every time.

[[Del.A.No]] said...

Yes!!! Ugh! The worst! The handing of one by one or they all of a sudden they just stare at the prescription instead of handing them over. Why do you need to look at them now? I just asked if you were dropping them off! I just go back to what I was doing and say "Let me know when you're ready." I'm not going to stand there while you read them. I got things to do!

Anonymous said...

AND don't grunt, cough, jingle your keys, whistle, knock on the counter or any other annoying attention-getter AFTER I have acknowledged you and told you that I was busy and would be with you in just a few moments. Your wait time will definitely get longer.

Sean M said...

I don't know. I usually HAND the prescriptions to the pharmacist all at once I don't just drop them on the counter. I was raised to be polite.