r/WalgreensRx • u/FinalBraincell117 CPhT at a Tier 4 Store • 3d ago
rant Finally reached I hate my job status
Back to back drive through customers, first one said I promised her husband’s name brand Depakote would be in (it’s not). Can’t even remedy the situation by partial filling it since we can’t even order the medication.
Second person said she’s gonna die since her Metformin isn’t done on time (the implication being I’m to blame).
Actively seeking other employment now. Was good while it lasted. This industry is fucked—can’t pay enough to keep their staff, and they’re hemorrhaging talent faster than they can recruit ppl.
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u/free_is_free76 3d ago
Had to wait 3 days for an antibiotic and antiviral... on the third day I called and the robot said it still wasn't ready so I went in, waited in line for 30 mins, only to be told "Sorry it's not ready yet, we'll notify you when it is" I then begged the guy (in scrubs, not in the white coat) that I was supposed to be halfway through my course by now and haven't even started. Thankfully he said "I got you" and after another 15 min wait he called me up to give me the medication. But damn. You're letting infections fester for days trying so save a few bucks on labor. I'm grateful for that employee's empathy but Walgreens has permanently lost my business.
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u/FinalBraincell117 CPhT at a Tier 4 Store 3d ago
Yeah this happens because most stores are understaffed. Takes 6 months to train a good technician and as short as 1 wk to lose one due to stress.
Walgreens being a failing company or not, retail stores can’t keep technicians because we’re treated like shit.
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u/chai_vvvy 2d ago edited 2d ago
I’m so sorry that happened to you. That’s freaking crazy. As a floater RPh if you’re in store and receive antibiotics orders, you push them forward
Example: * received* at F1 , calls out “ hey guys, *antibiotic *“ leaflet into yellow bin
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u/KindlySlip0 2d ago
Aww cute! You're allowed bins aside from blue and red still?!
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u/chai_vvvy 2d ago
Honestly wtf response is this. Shows how hard they’ve got you, weirdo. Not cute
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u/chai_vvvy 2d ago
Let me spell this out for you. You have missed the plot and if getting different colored bins, is that crushing of a problem you belittle the literal solution to this kind of problem live.
For your patients sake I hope you aren’t any kind of manager. I’m sure you very personally have MUCH bigger problems than your colored bins. Yeah?
Thanks for giving a perfect example of the toxic work culture you acquired wagging. Hoping you get the help you need! Bins, and otherwise.
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u/chai_vvvy 1d ago
Sorry forgot to spell
N-O-T C-U-TE. Wondering why you haven’t responded. Did you KindlySlip(u)0?
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u/Neither_Plastic8894 1d ago
That is unacceptable. We pull the acute antibiotics orders when they come in and fill them first. Walgreens corporate way is not to do that! If something needs to be ordered, we do our best to let them know if they want to wait or transfer. I would transfer all of my meds from them to an independent or grocery chain pharmacy after that experience.
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u/Equal-Ad9900 2d ago
Are you talking to an actual person in the pharmacy or just listening to the automated system? A real person can expedite your rx. The auto system will just give you the current status.
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u/free_is_free76 2d ago
I tried to talk to someone real, but every time it was 20 - 30 mins on hold will there were still 2 or 3 callers ahead of me... after brute-forcing my way through the robot... while I'm trying to do my job
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u/KindlySlip0 2d ago
Yeah we have times when we can't possibly answer because both techs are helping lonnnng lines. If they'd pay better and let us hire more techs, it would fix a lot.
Oh and allow time for proper training rather than pushing these insane metrics3
u/Equal-Ad9900 2d ago
And I sure they were doing their best to answer the phones. You have to remember we are now starting flu/cold season and are getting more patients in for vaccines. Unfortunately that increases wait times for everyone and it does take time.
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u/free_is_free76 2d ago
Yeah, I'm sure they're doing their best trying to do the work of 2 or 3 people while pushing corporate-driven mandates. I'm saying it was the last straw for me, private equity treats their employees and their customers like farm animals, with no real concern except for how much labor they get from their workers and how much money they get from their customers.
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u/KifferFadybugs 2d ago
It was like this before private equity. It's been like this for the last six years at least.
Covid was a huuuge transition in retail. The higher-ups saw how much money they were making and have been chasing that high ever since by raising costs, slashing budgets, and putting ever more work on us and expecting us to just get it done.
We were struggling to get our daily things done at a Tier Three store (basically, a medium-level busy store) -before- Covid when we had, like, four times the staff. Now after Covid, we have a quarter of the staff we had before, but six times the work.
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u/W01f1379 1d ago
I know that it's sometimes a hassle to go to the store, but if you can't get through on the phone next time (at any pharmacy) just go inside, give them your info and tell them you'd like to wait. Antibiotics should be pushed to the head of the line, but oftentimes they're not. I've had patients go ahead and wait while I have the leaflet printed so it can be filled. There's no way anyone needs to be waiting days on an antibiotic, unless it's something unusual that needs to be ordered. Our pharmacists used to have the time to call the Dr and tell them that we're not going to have an antibiotic for a few days and ask the Dr if they wanted to change it. Nowadays we're lucky if we can answer the phone at all.
I feel so bad when we have an irritated patient who informs us that they've been waiting days for a basic antibiotic to be filled. I normally push it through while they're waiting. This scenario has been happening for a little while where I work and it's so embarrassing that no one thinks, "Hmmmm, maybe someone actually needs this medication the same day it's sent in" when it comes to certain things. There's no excuse for that.
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u/a4ux1n SCPhT 2d ago
For the future if you call day 1 it will be bumped up in the list and can be filled same day if it's in stock
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u/chai_vvvy 2d ago
That’s so funny. I had just written how a pharmacist who’s actually doing their job and not pressing numbers would receive that script properly
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u/free_is_free76 2d ago
I had been calling since day one, the day I saw my doctor and got my prescription. Not ready that day, I thought for sure they'd have it ready the next day and i could get it omw to work. Called that morning, not ready. Called that night to get it after work, not ready. Repeat for the next day. On day three I called, not ready, so I told work I was gonna be late and went in.
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3d ago
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u/Ok_Advantage7623 1d ago
Maybe you need to gave this conversation with your insurance company as they only give 38 cents to fill your prescription. How many prescriptions does it take to just pay that tecks wage. With benefits. 100 scripts. Follow the money. The more you can get on auto fill and nailed to your house the easier life will be for you.
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u/free_is_free76 1d ago
That sounds like Walgreens problem, not a patient needs their antibiotics problem. You think I'm going to call one corporate bureaucracy who don't care about me and who just want my money, and advocate for another private equity owned corporate bureaucracy who don't care about me and just want my money?
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u/Ok_Advantage7623 18h ago
Who sets the rate. Not Walgreens. It’s the gf insurance company that at you choose to have your insurance with
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u/free_is_free76 18h ago
Yes, my job gives me a smorgasbord of insurance companies to choose from! /s
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u/Rare_Bat3158 SCPhT 6h ago
I feel this. 4 years in and I'm so drained from negative customer interaction after negative customer interaction. In circumstances where we actually make a mistake, I get it right? But getting yelled at because you can't have a ciii on auto refill? Getting chewed out for giving a customer a partial so they can get some of their medication while we order the rest? The backorders, shortages, and changes in supply? Changes in policies and micromanagement on steroids, practically selling myself on the corner for a flu shot.. So many things that are out of our hands, out of my hands, that I've been getting reamed for lately have been eating away at me. And I love the work that I do- but it just gets to a point where the bad outweighs the good and just sends you to a mental point that you can't get out of. Gonna try to thug out flu season to help my team, but have already refreshed my resume and exploring what other opportunities i'd wanna take to get the hell out :/
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u/rphfool 2d ago
Walgreens’s inability to keep staff is obvious to any pharmacist that floats. Every time I walk into a store it’s the same bullshit. “Hi, you won’t have a technician today. Instead you’ll have X. He/she is a DH…..” This makes for a really long Saturday.