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Okay people, the most dreaded time of year has arrived for pharmacies nationwide: FLU SHOT SEASON.
Imma tell you how this shit works, so listen up.
* Yes, flu shots do take fifteen minutes to prepare. Longer if there's a line.
* No, you cannot just walk up to the register, roll up your sleeve and expect the tech to pull a preloaded needle out of their coat pocket and vaccinate you.
* Only the Pharmacist, or a pharmacy student intern, can administer shots. Do you really want just anyone ramming a needle into your arm?
* The pharmacists KNOW how to make it hurt, so don't be an asshole.
* When venturing out to your neighborhood pharmacy in search of said flu shot, PLEASE do it when you have plenty of time to spare. DO NOT come rushing in and demand a super speedy flu shot because you're in a hurry. WE WILL NOT HURRY. Do you want the correct dose or not?
* Flu shots are a process, not a free sample in the grocery store. You HAVE to give us your name and we HAVE to fill out the forms. THERE IS NO GETTING AROUND THIS.
* Incase you're wondering what's taking so long, this is exactly what happens when you come up and ask for a flu shot:
-We pull up your profile.
-If you are not a regular customer, we must create an entirely new profile for you.
-We must have your most recent insurance information.
-We type in the shot as if it were a prescription from your doctor. This includes the name of the med, the proper corresponding NDC of the vaccine we have in stock, the SIG code, the days supply, the dispensing physician, the administering Rx, the site of injection, the Lot number and expiration date of vaccine, and your doctor's name if you have one.
-We must then bill your insurance. Ofttimes we get a rejection for whatever numerous reasons. We then must access sub-screens and enter override codes. If the overrides do not work, we must bill the state. If it still rejects, you may have to pay out of pocket. Sorry, not much we can do about it.
-We then send the "prescription" over to production, who print it out and pile it up with the other scrips waiting to be checked. It is marked as a "waiter" which means it must be attended to in 15 minutes or less. This is not always possible, especially when the local news station encourage their viewers to go out and get their annual flu shot.
-The Pharmacist on duty will receive the scrip, check to make sure it's been processed correctly and signs off on it.
-We will then call you up to the register and ring you up, even if there's no charge. WE HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR THE VACCINE, therefore it has to be rung up. You must sign for it. You must complete a checklist, sign and date a one-sheet form.
_The Pharmacist must then wash their hands thoroughly, don rubber gloves, take the vaccine out of the fridge and draw the vaccine up into a needle as per precise instructions. They must make sure no air bubbles are in the syringe, or you could have an embolism.
-They then can exit the pharmacy with their sharps container, alcohol wipes, needle, bandaids and whatever else in hand.
-They will direct you behind a screen, ask you to roll up your sleeve and administer the shot.
-Do NOT wear tight clothes.
-PLEASE BATHE!!! The Pharmacist WILL come back and tell us who stinks, who has body cheese, etc. It's fucking disgusting.
Now, imagine there are 30 people ahead of you who all want flu shots.
Rinse, repeat.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to come in when you have ample time to spare. There is no "good time" to come in and get a shot. It will always take fifteen minutes AT LEAST. That's standard. Deal with it.
Thank you.
Imma tell you how this shit works, so listen up.
* Yes, flu shots do take fifteen minutes to prepare. Longer if there's a line.
* No, you cannot just walk up to the register, roll up your sleeve and expect the tech to pull a preloaded needle out of their coat pocket and vaccinate you.
* Only the Pharmacist, or a pharmacy student intern, can administer shots. Do you really want just anyone ramming a needle into your arm?
* The pharmacists KNOW how to make it hurt, so don't be an asshole.
* When venturing out to your neighborhood pharmacy in search of said flu shot, PLEASE do it when you have plenty of time to spare. DO NOT come rushing in and demand a super speedy flu shot because you're in a hurry. WE WILL NOT HURRY. Do you want the correct dose or not?
* Flu shots are a process, not a free sample in the grocery store. You HAVE to give us your name and we HAVE to fill out the forms. THERE IS NO GETTING AROUND THIS.
* Incase you're wondering what's taking so long, this is exactly what happens when you come up and ask for a flu shot:
-We pull up your profile.
-If you are not a regular customer, we must create an entirely new profile for you.
-We must have your most recent insurance information.
-We type in the shot as if it were a prescription from your doctor. This includes the name of the med, the proper corresponding NDC of the vaccine we have in stock, the SIG code, the days supply, the dispensing physician, the administering Rx, the site of injection, the Lot number and expiration date of vaccine, and your doctor's name if you have one.
-We must then bill your insurance. Ofttimes we get a rejection for whatever numerous reasons. We then must access sub-screens and enter override codes. If the overrides do not work, we must bill the state. If it still rejects, you may have to pay out of pocket. Sorry, not much we can do about it.
-We then send the "prescription" over to production, who print it out and pile it up with the other scrips waiting to be checked. It is marked as a "waiter" which means it must be attended to in 15 minutes or less. This is not always possible, especially when the local news station encourage their viewers to go out and get their annual flu shot.
-The Pharmacist on duty will receive the scrip, check to make sure it's been processed correctly and signs off on it.
-We will then call you up to the register and ring you up, even if there's no charge. WE HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR THE VACCINE, therefore it has to be rung up. You must sign for it. You must complete a checklist, sign and date a one-sheet form.
_The Pharmacist must then wash their hands thoroughly, don rubber gloves, take the vaccine out of the fridge and draw the vaccine up into a needle as per precise instructions. They must make sure no air bubbles are in the syringe, or you could have an embolism.
-They then can exit the pharmacy with their sharps container, alcohol wipes, needle, bandaids and whatever else in hand.
-They will direct you behind a screen, ask you to roll up your sleeve and administer the shot.
-Do NOT wear tight clothes.
-PLEASE BATHE!!! The Pharmacist WILL come back and tell us who stinks, who has body cheese, etc. It's fucking disgusting.
Now, imagine there are 30 people ahead of you who all want flu shots.
Rinse, repeat.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to come in when you have ample time to spare. There is no "good time" to come in and get a shot. It will always take fifteen minutes AT LEAST. That's standard. Deal with it.
Thank you.
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