#pharmtechprobs

i've been a tech for four years, and i am damn good at my job.

she's been a pharmacist for all of four months. she's slow as Christmas checking prescriptions, and she tells ME I'm slow? i answer the phones, fill prescriptions, count prescriptions, run the register, assist patients on the floor, count medication, pour medication, check in the daily order, stock the shelves with said order, among so many other things.

She checks our work and verifies the script. And consults patients occasionally.

Your local retail pharmacy shares some similar desires as fish in a tank:

So, let me preface this by saying: A pharmacy is not to be thought of as a fast food drive-thru. This is not Burger King. You cannot have your way. And just because you drop your script off at the drive-thru window doesn't mean we can turn around and grab what you need from under the heat lamps that have been keeping your things warm since it was cooked 2.5 hours ago.

I'm a pharmacy technician, and I work on the West Side. I'm about to tell you a story about how I got my new "nickname."

A woman comes through the drive-thru and hands me her script. 

Me: Hey there!

Purpledrankeisha: *shoves script in my hand* I'mma wait on this.

Me: Okay ma'am, I can get this filled for you, but if you're going to wait on it, you'll need to come inside. We can't have people wait in the drive-thru.

Purpledrankeisha: Since when??

Me: Um... it's always been a policy since I've worked here for 4 years. (I am new to this location, though. I was transferred about 4 months ago during this conversation)

P: I always wait in the drive-thru! They always let me wait! I don't wanna get up and walk all the way in there, I'm TIRED.

Me: I'm sorry, ma'am, but you'll have to come inside and wait.

P: Oh, so now that you here, the rules have changed??

Me: Actually, they're my pharmacist's rules, and she's been working here for two years now.

P: *curses under her breath* Fine, I'll come in...

I leave the window with a gentle roll of my eyes [I'm a ginger, how could I refrain?] and go back to my work station to begin filling. I set the woman's script to the side [which is for Focalin, btw] and wait for her to come in before I start on it. We're a very busy store, and we have a work flow that's important to maintain. If you don't come inside, then your script gets put behind ALL the others you dropped off after. That's just how it works.

About 5 minutes later, the drive-thru bell rings. I walk over to help the next person to see that it's actually Purpledrankeisha driving off. I tell the pharmacist I have no idea why she was just sitting there, that she told me she was coming in. Oh, and she did...

Purpledrankeisha: *obviously not amused* You just left me sittin' there at the window!!

Me: *confused and annoyed as hell* Well, ma'am, you told me you were coming inside to wait on your medication...

P: I was waitin' for you to tell me whether you had it or not!!!

Me: I told you to come inside and we would fill your prescription. I assumed that implied that we have your medication in stock.

P: *stalks into the waiting area* Stupid, white mother fucker...

Pharmacist: OH, LOOK AT THAT SHE READ IT WRONG AND WE DON'T HAVE YOUR MEDS HERE YOU GO HAVE A NICE DAY GOODBYE.

Not in so many words. But amazing pharmacists don't put up with tech abuse. 

So there you go. My first west-side nickname. Stupid, White Mother Fucker. I'm honestly surprised it took as long as 4 months.