I need to be more assertive

Amberrrr · June 2013

Long story short: I started that internship position last week, and I think I'm being royally screwed.

Short story long: I'm pretty sure I'm being blamed for something that isn't even my fault. To start with, I have been given small simple tasks to begin. I do counting/filling, bagging prescriptions, calling patients, putting drugs back on the shelves, dealing with customers at the register, cleaning, delivering prescriptions to elderly patients (which I Think is BS, because I'm an intern, not getting paid, where the hell am I going to get all this gas money to do this???) etc. I haven't worked with the computer yet because they won't let me. I'm BORED. I feel like I am helpful, but I feel like I'd be more helpful if they'd actually let me deal with people dropping off prescriptions and work with the computer.

So anyways, I got yelled at yesterday by the pharmacist. The patient's bags need to be in alphabetical order, with the same family in the same bag. I check the racks periodically through out the day to make sure they're all in order because the other techs apparently don't do it in alphabetical order. I have organized them, went off to do something else, and came back to them not being in order. The pharmacist got pissed off at me and told me if I'm not capable of doing the bagging properly I must not be able to work with the computers. He also told me I put Abilify under B, which I'm pretty sure wasn't my fault because I know where abilify goes, and even if I don't know where a drug goes right away I will stand there and search for it and I don't put it down until it's in the right spot.

Also, sometimes the techs don't take decent time to train me, they just tell me to do things and expect me to know what they're talking about. So I ask to confirm I'm going to do the job right, because I don't want to screw something up, and I got accused of not paying attention. Sometimes the techs will tell me to do something a certain way and then I find out it was the wrong way when the pharmacist confronts me about it....

This position is becoming very unpleasant.

Yesterday the pharmacist told me to go home until Monday..I asked him if I'm doing a bad job and he told me it's because I can't follow simple instructions and I'm screwing everything up apparently. I feel like I can't learn properly here, they won't let me move forward, and I'm being blamed for things I didn't even do.

I'm not sure whether I should tell him it wasn't me, wait for a week or so to see if things change here, or just say screw it all together and start looking for a new place today or tomorrow (since I have 2 days off including the weekend....)

I'm just so upset!

And thank you for reading.....

jmccall79 · June 2013

Sounds like you're the "new kid on the block" and are going to catch hell no matter what you may do. Everyone else has been there longer, so no, if they screw up they aren't going to take the blame for it. You can do a couple of things here...turn the blame back around and be assertive and say that you did X, Y, and Z and you're not sure how it got screwed up but you'll fix it right away. You can say to hell with it all and look for a new job. Or you can do both, continue where you are (in the end I'm sure you're gaining something by being there) but continue to search for something new. No matter where you go, there are going to be issues...but it's a matter of how much are you willing to put up with and how much are you willing to fight for what you want. The part of this that's getting me is that you're not getting paid...that sucks! So, are you really benefiting from being there? Only you can truly answer that question. Hang in there(with this position or the next). It does take some time to find 'your place' in the midst of those that have been there for a while. I hope things get better, or you find something that's a better fit for you.

MrMrsandBaby · June 2013

jmccall79:
Sounds like you're the "new kid on the block" and are going to catch hell no matter what you may do. Everyone else has been there longer, so no, if they screw up they aren't going to take the blame for it. You can do a couple of things here...turn the blame back around and be assertive and say that you did X, Y, and Z and you're not sure how it got screwed up but you'll fix it right away. You can say to hell with it all and look for a new job. Or you can do both, continue where you are (in the end I'm sure you're gaining something by being there) but continue to search for something new. No matter where you go, there are going to be issues...but it's a matter of how much are you willing to put up with and how much are you willing to fight for what you want. The part of this that's getting me is that you're not getting paid...that sucks! So, are you really benefiting from being there? Only you can truly answer that question. Hang in there(with this position or the next). It does take some time to find 'your place' in the midst of those that have been there for a while. I hope things get better, or you find something that's a better fit for you.

jmccall is wise...listen to her...I would have said the exact same thing so I will just say I agree with everything she wrote.

Mar5195 · June 2013

I'm not really sure if assertive is the thing you need to be.

I think perhaps you need to be a little more ON then you're use to. At my company it's sink or swim. And the FNG (Intern) does the grunt work. We made him move boxes from one side of the office to another just because. We also taught him some stuff because we wanted him to see what it's like to work in this field.

You gotta make your bones and take it. I am concerned about the leadership in your pharmacy. Sending someone home isn't going to teach them anything. Maybe he was having a bad day and took it out on you. Or he's just a a-hole. Either way I'd go back with a fresh new attitude, maybe ask for feedback. I think that might give you a good indication of where they are coming from. If they are critical and tear you down you know what kind of people you are dealing with. But if they give you good constructive feedback you know they want you to succeed.

Good luck!

Amberrrr · June 2013

I graduated on honors. I'm pretty sure I can put bags in alphabetical order.
I'm just so mad because I am pretty sure that girl is messing me up.
She has told me to do things a certain way in which I got yelled at because it was wrong. Its like WTF?!? And when he was yelling at me she was in the back room laughing. So ridiculous. I guess I'm in high school again.

jmccall79 · June 2013

Amberrrr:
I graduated on honors. I'm pretty sure I can put bags in alphabetical order. I'm just so mad because I am pretty sure that girl is messing me up. She has told me to do things a certain way in which I got yelled at because it was wrong. Its like WTF?!? And when he was yelling at me she was in the back room laughing. So ridiculous. I guess I'm in high school again.

So, next time this happens, if you choose to stay, you say "Oh, I'm so sorry. It was explained to me this way and I do apologize that it appears to be incorrect. Could you please show me how you prefer 'this' to be done." Of course that wouldnt work for alphabetical order things (yeah, she's probably messing with you on that) but other things it would.

jmccall79 · June 2013

Oh, and again, you're the new kid on the block. You're a 'threat' to people that have been there for a while...especially to anyone who is used to 'just getting by' and not doing a super, efficient job with what they do. You're a threat because what if you come in and just blow the boss away with how awesome you are? That could mean their job on the line. So, some people are petty enough to try and sabotage a person when they know they are lacking in certain areas!

Amberrrr · June 2013

Thanks jmc, you always have such helpful replies.

I admit I felt really slow at first, being my first time out there in the work place, but if it persists I'm afraid I just have to leave as I cannot grow at this place.

I'm watching my back.

Ya Never Know · June 2013

jmccall79:
Amberrrr:
I graduated on honors. I'm pretty sure I can put bags in alphabetical order. I'm just so mad because I am pretty sure that girl is messing me up. She has told me to do things a certain way in which I got yelled at because it was wrong. Its like WTF?!? And when he was yelling at me she was in the back room laughing. So ridiculous. I guess I'm in high school again.
So, next time this happens, if you choose to stay, you say "Oh, I'm so sorry. It was explained to me this way and I do apologize that it appears to be incorrect. Could you please show me how you prefer 'this' to be done." Of course that wouldnt work for alphabetical order things (yeah, she's probably messing with you on that) but other things it would.

I would have just told him "this is what I was told to do". He sounds like an a-hole to me.

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