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| Safety Is Important: Rants and Musings of a Retail Pharmacist |
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by The Redheaded Pharmacist - January 24, 2012
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Provided by The Redheaded Pharmacist
Maybe it is the bad economy that is driving people into desperation? Or perhaps the drug abuse problem has reached an epidemic level and people are simply trying to feed their habit? Either way, pharmacy-related crime is on the rise and it is increasingly violent in nature.
It’s enough to scare the average pharmacy employee to read the latest news online or watch the evening news report on television. If you happen to see any pharmacy story, chances are it’s a report about an armed robbery of a pharmacy. People are desperate and they are boldly taking action. And your local pharmacy seems to be a magnet for criminals.
We all know we have the two things that criminals want: drugs and money. And we have them in one convenient location. Couple that with the fact that the average pharmacy is designed to be open and accessible for patients and customers and you have a recipe for trouble. Criminals have easy access to us just like patients and customers do.
I’ve talked about this issue of safety in the pharmacy workplace before. High profile violent crimes are happening all across the United States with a frequency that’s alarming. The pharmacy crime wave has brought the issue of safety to the minds of pharmacy employees, owners, and even state board members. It’s time we all recognize what is at stake now and take the necessary steps to protect ourselves while behind the counter at work.
Some states are passing stricter safety requirements for pharmacies. New York is looking into safety issues related to pharmacy operations after a string of recent violent crimes. Pharmacies are adding elaborate security camera systems and devoting extra time training employees how to handle robberies. Many stores now have silent alarms in place that can contact the authorities in the event of an emergency. But are these measures enough?
I’ve read stories of individual pharmacies that have taken extreme measures such as keeping the main doors locked and buzzing in patients and customers or installing bulletproof glass for protection. Do we need these kinds of safety precautions in this day and age? Has it come to the point where pharmacy employees should be separated physically from the customers for our safety?
I’d like to think that my personal safety is not in question while on the job. I don’t spend my day at work worrying too much about being robbed. There are thousands of other issues, problems, and duties that keep me busy enough so I’m not focused on safety issues. Maybe that’s the problem? Shouldn’t we all make more of an effort to be aware of the potential dangers at work?
And then there is the question of what else can be done to protect pharmacy employees. Should we be allowed to carry firearms at work? Is it really necessary to have a store with a pharmacy open all hours where there is access to the pharmacy 24 hours a day? Should state boards step in and demand certain safety or security standards for pharmacies or is that the sole responsibility of the employer or owner of the pharmacy?
We seem to focus on lots of other issues impacting the profession of pharmacy such as PBMs or accuracy. Those issues are important but we tend to overlook employee safety. I see a general lack of concern over the safety of pharmacy employees regardless of practice setting. Sure, there are things in place specifically to address workplace safety. But are we really doing all we can?
Maybe I’m just a bit paranoid after the robbery experience I went through years ago? Once you live through a robbery situation as an employee, the issue of safety becomes a lot more real to you personally. And while that day I experienced ended with no one getting hurt, other instances of robberies did not end so favorably for some pharmacy employees. It’s not like we can deny there are safety concerns with our profession. Things do happen.
Personally, I’d like to see the major pharmacy organizations take a more active role in developing and suggesting safety standards for pharmacies. I’d like for employers to spend more time focusing on security issues and maintaining employee safety. We should all feel safe and secure while on the job. We should also recognize that pharmacies are at risk. That is the reality now.
This struggling economy coupled with an epidemic of drug abuse has created a very volatile environment for pharmacies. And the desperation that sometimes drives criminals to act has been bringing them to pharmacies more often in recent memory. We’re a target whether we like it or not.
But how far should we go with safety measures? Is it now necessary to enclose retail pharmacies completely from the general public? Do pharmacies need extensive security camera systems now? What about time-delayed safes or panic buttons? How about an armed security guard on duty at night? There are so many questions related to this issue.
I don’t see the trend of increased crime at pharmacies reversing anytime soon. And because of that, we’ve got to do everything we can to make sure we are all safe while on the job. Safety is important. But what does that statement mean for all of us? What should we all be doing to protect ourselves? What do you think?
The Redheaded Pharmacist
The Redheaded Pharmacist has been working full time in retail pharmacy for more than a decade. He is in his mid 30s, and, yes, he has red hair.
Disclaimer: This blog represents the opinions of the author and the author alone. It does not represent any pharmacy group or organization. I also will leave out or change the names of patients/customers to protect their privacy and comply with government regulations regarding patient privacy rights and personal information.
The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
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