Friday, April 2, 2010

How Do You Like It?

As I end a nine hour shift tonight, the pharmacist and I pondered a question. You see over that nine hours we have filled precisely 17 prescriptions.

A daunting number, I know, but it left us with this question.

Would you want to work a nine hour day where you fill just 17 prescriptions or a day where you fill 317?

I'm of the camp where I would rather fill 317. I thrive in chaotic situations and love when its busy. Granted you can be worn out at the end of the day, but at least I do not get bored. And I hate being bored.

The pharmacist on the other hand preferred doing just 17. Her logic was that she did not like when it was overly busy and preferred slower days when she can surf the net or do CEs.

So I pose yet another question to you loyal blog readers, which do you prefer? A day filling 17 scripts or a day filling 317 scripts?

The poll, as usual, is located to the right of the page. Happy voting!

12 comments:

Stonegiant said...

As a pharmacy software installer/trainer, I prefer the 317 a day. It's freakin hard to train a store when they only fill 17. Every system handles rejects, DURs, COBs, etc differently.

CynicalIntern said...

Maybe if I had internet access at work, it would be tolerable, but even less than 80 scripts and I start going nuts. I can only clean and reorganize shelves so many times - and I LIKE doing pharmacy busy work.

Grumpy, M.D. said...

I'll take the lighter day, provided I make the same amount of money. Then I can blog.

Unknown said...

o.O You filled 17 on a Friday? I'm insanely jealous. We did about 300 which is normal, but we have two people out on vacation right now and just got remodeled so we've been in our new place one week and still don't have everything right.

I prefer slow days because I hate giving insanely long wait times (2-3 hours has been pretty normal around here lately)..I'd much rather give people a 5 or 10 minute wait and be able to actually do what needs to be done. I don't like being bored, but I really hate being so far behind we're in danger of being fined by the state board for not having filing done. I prefer medium days I guess..enough time to get everything done, but still be able to fill people's scripts in a timely manner.

xtine said...

The answer depends entirely on whether or not I have internet access.

No internet access: 317. I hate being bored.

Internet access: 17.

was1 said...

17 rx's, 9 hours... sounds like a 30 minute wait time to me.

jhartf2 said...

Sometimes I think that it doesn't depend on the number of scripts so much as the number of problems that come up over the course of the day. We are a slow store, usually only doing a max of about 120 a day (1 pharmacist, 1 tech). There are some days when we do 50 and it's utter chaos, and days that we do 100 and everything goes smoothly. It all hits the fan when someone comes to check out and then realizes they have a coupon or something, and then BAM, we have to re-process the whole thing, and it's all downhill from there. I just love the days when people are cooperative, regardless of the volume.

Anonymous said...

Lol! I work in a pharmacy too, and also came across that question quite often.

Of course I'd say doing 317 as my answer, but...

The thing when you have lots of scripts is the chances of doing a mistake increase.

And!! The number of angry &*%&*?$# patients increases too..


I'd say 117 Rx :)

pharmacy school admissions said...

Hiring someone else to do the 317 scripts over 9 hours!

Mike said...

317. I hate having nothing to do. My Walgreens keeps me busy and I like it that way. The time goes by faster when you're busy anyway.

I'll take 17 when I'm 60 and working part-time somewhere.

Frantic Pharmacist said...

I agree with jhartf2, often the number doesn't tell the true story -- some days you do 80 and it feels like 800. However, 17 is a little on the low side!

Burger Doodle Chicks said...

I'm with jhartf2 and frantic, it's the quality, not the quantity. Also, weather plays a role out here, if it's nasty and I have to get pelted with any weather while opening the blasted drive-thru window, 17, please!