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| The Big Picture: Rants and Musings of a Retail Pharmacist |
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by The Redheaded Pharmacist - January 31, 2012
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Provided by The Redheaded Pharmacist
The answer is as cliche as the question itself. “Why did you become a pharmacist?” is a question that will evoke lots of answers from pharmacists if you pose the question to them. But inevitably, helping people will be part of the answer they give you. If only we could step back and look at the big picture and realize that fact more often.
I was unfortunate enough to have some home repairs that were urgent (as they normally are) come to my attention at the end of this past weekend. I found myself in a familiar situation for a homeowner- something breaks and you need someone to come repair or replace it. My pending problem was a water heater that didn’t heat and was leaking. That resulted in a friendly visit from a local plumbing company early this morning.
As I was chatting with the company representative who came to my house to check my water heater, we talked about when was a good time for them to return to complete the needed work. I told him that tomorrow was out because I worked all day. Which prompted him to ask what I did for a living.
I told him I was a pharmacist and he said he knew someone who was also a pharmacist and commented about our crazy work schedules. Like the business of plumbing, pharmacy isn’t a 9-5 Monday through Friday job (if those jobs even exist anymore). I told him I was used to the unusual work schedule and he mentioned that he works long hours some days as well. We agreed that we were lucky to be employed and that long hours were just part of the job.
After he left, I thought about our conversation. I realized that we both were in service professions and we both helped people in our own way. But then I realized that it is so easy for either of us to focus on the individual job at hand instead of looking at the big picture. My conversation from earlier this morning focused on our respective jobs, not the impact those jobs had on people’s lives.
I thought about a prescription I had tried to fill late yesterday at work. It was for a controlled substance and the insurance company in question was being difficult and requiring a prior authorization. My frustration was visible as I spent the last several minutes of my shift on the phone only to find out the doctor had to call to get the prescription approved. I left work frustrated even though most of my day went well. That one simple insurance issue left me feeling frustrated and worn out.
But I realized as I got home that I tend to be too focused on individual prescriptions and their associated problems while at work. Just like that plumber today who was focused on my specific problem, we tend to concentrate on the individual tasks at hand in our day to day jobs. I usually don’t look at the big picture that often. But it might help give a little perspective to view my work as a whole instead of the culmination of individual prescriptions filled or patients seen.
After that plumber left my house this morning, I’m sure he had several other stops during his workday. He probably fixed lots of issues for lots of other people through the course of the day. And I can imagine that another leaky water heater or toilet that is running constantly is routine for him just like another prior authorization or out of stock medication is a routine problem for me.
I wonder if this man will take a moment tonight to think about all the people he helped through his job today. And just like me, I bet he doesn’t really dwell on the big picture that much if at all. He’s just doing his job. And that mindset makes it easy to overlook the importance of your work.
But now that I think about it, maybe a little perspective wouldn’t hurt me as I finish a day at work. If people have been difficult or problems have been growing, maybe I should think about all the things that went right for me at work? And maybe I should also think about the people I’ve helped throughout the day.
Some people would say that a pharmacist only puts pills in a bottle and hands them to customers. I’d say that is wrong if you look at how pharmacists help people time and time again. The problem though is that it is easy for us to get caught up in our jobs and the individual problems of our day. And stepping back to survey your whole impact on the lives of others isn’t easy to do.
So I am going to try to step back from my work and look at the big picture every once in a while now. I’m going to try and notice the number of patients I help in a given workday. Focusing on the bad and getting frustrated doesn’t seem to help me at all. I will try to see the good in my work and realize that I do help people.
Just like that plumber will help lots of people today with various repairs, we can help lots of patients with a different kind of need at the pharmacy. I’m learning that one little problem isn’t worth all my attention and focus. Sometimes, it’s the big picture that’s important. I just wonder why it’s taken me so long to realize this fact? It should have been obvious to me years ago!
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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