Helping a young pharmacist establish authority when faced with strong technician personalities
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This is a submitted question/dilemma from a young pharmacist known as "M" -- s/he is requesting that the community help her with some professional advice and recommendations from our little blogosphere community.
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As a new pharmacist, I have a dilemna concerning my role/authority in the pharmacy. Since I'm new to the store, I have a lot to learn from the senior techs as far as managing the pharmacy is concerned. In essence, they are actually training me to run the pharmacy. For this reason, I sometimes feel like they take advantage of that, and they do whatever they want. They often come in late and call off last minute. One technician doesn't like to 'fill' so I end up filling most of the scripts, verifying, and then ringing it out as well. She claims she has other stuff to do, which she sometimes does. I can't complain much because she will do certain tasks and help free my ear from the telephone. However, I'm just not comfortable with her not listening when I ask for her to help in filling. I'm trying hard to learn much so I don't find myself solely dependent on them (technicians). So far, I've been nothing but nice to them, and they've yet to call in on my shift. But I know that day will eventually come... Regardless, this has got to stop. We must be able to depend on them as our patients depend on us.
Please help me by providing me some ideas on how I can approach the situation with both my pharmacy manager, other staff pharmacists, and most importantly, address my concerns gingerly with the technicians without alienating them and subsequently finding myself on the wrong end of a string of sick days! I've also got to consider various friendships (or grudges) between techs and pharmacists, or even techs and techs.
Any advice would be most appreciated! Thanks!
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OMGZ you linked me. *cue fangirl squeals* NB: I am a she. :)
I’m sure you know already, but I meant it in a purely complimentary way. Your posts are amazing and never fail to make me smile – and occasionally nearly damage myself through laughing – after a day at work destroying my dodgy knees (by spending six hours on the floor and behind the dispense counter).
As to the subject of this post: at the previous pharmacy I worked at, techs did this all the time. Well, not quite: it was more like ‘Oh, the new pharmacist is working today, now we can bludge without getting into trouble.’ It did get better as time went on, particularly if the ‘new’ pharmacist was working at the same time as one of the more ‘experienced’ pharmacists. I remember always feeling a little sorry for them. Don’t know if I can give much in the way of advice, since I’ve only ever had a ‘demi-boss’ position in the workplace…all I can offer is, don’t be afraid to nag when you need something done. Good luck, anonymous pharmacist!
Thanks again for the linking, Angriest. I’ve been a fan for a while. Keep up the awesome posts (I don’t mind if they are infrequent).
As a tech, I look to the pharmacist to be in charge and give me direction. Although I’ve seen techs pull that, it’s not proper or professional. As the person in charge, the Pharmacists that I work with are very clear in their directions of what they want the tech(s) to be doing. For example: “Amy, I need you to be filling scripts now.” Calm, and to the point, your tone should be firm and give no room for argument. I have rarely seen a tech openly defy a direct order. Usually each tech has an assignment and does it. If they are not, they are challenging your authority – don’t let them get away with it! As a pharmacist, unless it’s slammin’ busy or you have just counseled the patient and go on to ring them up just to complete the counseling, you should not be at the register at all. If it continues, then you should discuss it with the pharmacy and store manager. Chances are, theses issues are ongoing and they are aware of them.
On the other hand, I have also worked with pharmacists who do everything but what they are supposed to do, and it’s frustrating from a tech side. They were usually floaters who were only there for a short time, but it was still hard to re-direct them when we needed a script verified fora patient that was waiting and the floater was on their cell phone, pulling drugs or doing something else while being totally oblivious to what was REALLY needed. It’s also harder for a tech to “reprimand” a pharmacist.
Good Luck!
This is very good advice for the author. Thanks!
Yes, I have been in this exact position before. It was an ongoing problem at my site too. Yes, I agree with pharmtechgurl. completely.Her thoughts are solid. They are testing their boundries with you. Passive-aggressive behavior. It will help too if you have your senior tech give you a list of “other” assignments/reports with the due dates. Or, at the start of the day, ask her what she has on her agenda for the day so you can plan ahead. Perhaps she isn”t thinking about the work flow priorities as she should. Perhaps she isn’t good at time management. Assure her that you will be sure to allow her time to do attend to her other duties in a timely manner. As pharmacist,its up to you to take the lead. Act as if you expect the task at hand to be done. Ask the tech why she doesnt like filling. Perhaps she needs some coaching/lacks self confidence. Try to treat all the techs the same (even if you may like one better than another) as valued members of your team. Then, if necessary, talk to your pharmacy manager as soon as you know it’s not getting better.
I have worked with pharmacists that aren’t self-directing and get off task, stay off task. They frustrate pharmacists,too especially when you’re gettin’ slammed. I always wanted to tell them go on home.
Sometimes I did. (Billy Bob, you stayed over the other day, why don’t you get the hell out of Dodge?)
If you need pharmacist help on the line, just ask one to help. “I’ll verify if you review scripts? or I’ll type if you will counsel”. I need help on the frontline, which task do you want to do?, something like that.
For the techs, just say, ” Lucille, I need you to fill please or Ruby, I know you can handle the register until the line goes down, and Josh I need you to help type until we catch up, thanks” . I always use please and thank you. Blatantly ignore any attitude you may sense. It is beneath your professionalism. Never let ‘em see you sweat!
If it’s a discipline problem, Refer the problem to the pharmacy manager. Ask the pharmacy manager if you can write them up for being late. They may not like you for it but they will respect you. You’re not there to be liked. You’re there to take care of patients. You have a life outside work where you’re liked.
But always be pleasant, act happy at work. If you get to feeling snippy, step out and straighten the cough syrup shelf for a minute or two. Help a customer find something. Explain the new tylenol dosing to a customer. etc
And if nothing works, you were looking for a job when you got that one. Transfer. Find a better job. No point in being miserable at work. All you can do is try, do your part the very best you can. Then you have no regrets. Only you can decide when/if enough is enough. I hope this helps. I feel for you. Good Luck.
Been there!!!! I once had to write up a tech that refused to return my used stock bottles back to the shelf, for insubordination. Her attitude changed real quick! They definitely test their boundaries (much like teenagers), especially if you are a new graduate. If they are older than you,…all the more because of their own personal resentment issues. The important thing is to not make it “personal.” You are leading a professional department, and you “prefer” that they do it xyz way. Definitely let you pharmacy manager know if you feel you cannot resolve the attitude problem quickly. A frazzeled pharmacist is a disaster waiting to happen. You must look at the big picture to see that even the atmosphere in your work place can affect the quality of care you give. Nip it in the bud, you can do it! By the way, as you learn to be more self-sufficient, your confidence will increase and your authority will he appreciated more. All the best to you!
You can approach the situation in a couple of ways…
You can tell the tech that if you have to do a large chunk of their work.. that you are going to recommend to management that their hours being reduced or eliminated.. since you see his/her position is being under productive.
You can tell the tech that your primary function is to make sure that everything is done promptly and correctly… not necessarily to do tasks that are others responsibilities.
Of course, you can always take the real confrontational approach and pull out the company’s P&P and look up the tech’s job description and ask the tech to explain how what you wish for him/her to do is not within his/her job description. Hopefully their job description includes the phrase “including but not limited to …”
This is absolutely stellar advice…take a real close look at the very last paragraph of the last comment. It’s 100% right. I’d all but guarantee that every company’s policies and procedures plainly spell out all the tech’s duties and expectations, but most importantly it will say something to the effect of, “the technician will assist in any and all other tasks as needed and required by the pharmacist for the day to day operations of the pharmacy…”
They can’t talk their way out of that one….