Special sunscreen for special skin

This Indian man walks up the counter and asked me if the SunSense sunscreen is 'transparent'.

Me: Well the sunscreen is white. When you put on a thin layer and rub into the skin thoroughly then yes it will be transparent.
Him: Ok thank you.

He comes back 5min later and complains. Now you'd think its just sunscreen - what is there to complain about?

He shows me his hairy arm. There's white residue all over. It was the sunscreen he applied.

Him: You said this was transparent. But when I put it on, its white!
Me: That's because you haven't rubbed it in properly. And look at your hands, they're so greasy. You must have put too much on.
Him: No i didn't. Its white. You gave me the wrong advice.
Me: Excuse me? Ok let me try.

So I squeeze some sunscreen and applied it to my arm like normal and guess what - it was transparent. I showed him my arm.

Him: Well I don't know. It doesn't work for me.

Me: Maybe because your skin is dark? Let me get my colleague who has dark skin to try.

So I get my male colleague who's got really dark skin and applied it on. Transparent.

Me: Well as you can see, all of us have applied the same sunscreen on and its all transparent. There is nothing wrong with this sunscreen. You just applied too much and not spreading it out.

Him: No you are wrong. I came here thinking the pharmacist can give me professional advice, but obviously this is not what I want.

Me: Are you saying I lied or gave you wrong advice? Because clearly, it is transparent when everyone else puts it on.
Him: Well I don't want a product that's transparent on other people. I want a product that's transparent on ME.
Me: Well sorry but there's no such thing as a custom made sunscreen for each individual. All these sunscreens are basic and standard. There is no special one for different colored skins. I gave you advice based on what the 99.9% people would get but I think you've put too much on and you are just refusing to accept that.
Him: This is ridiculous.
Me: Its not ridiculous. Can you explain to me why its transparent on me and my colleagues arm then? We applied it in front of you. My colleague is dark skin and his a male, why would it be different?
Him: I don't know why.
Me: You don't know why. Can I just ask you a question? Is this the first time you've used sunscreen before. Because you seem a bit adamant about it.
Him: Yes its my first time.
Me: Errr ok so its your first time. Well I guess you came in with a very high expectation of sunscreens. I'm telling you, sunscreen is something very simple and basic. But you make it sound so complex. There is no sunscreen tailor-made for anyone. You have to understand that.
Him: I came in with an expectation that I would be given professional advice but I guess I was wrong. You've give me the wrong advice.
Me: Fair enough. If that's what you think, fine. Well there's nothing I can do for you then. All I'm going to say is - I'm sorry there is no special sunscreen for your special skin. You will have to try all those different sunscreens on the shelf then, since I can't fulfill your requests just by looking at it, you'll have to try it in order to know.

And I ended it at that.

WTH. Its just sunscreen!!! He clearly put layers and layers on to the point where his whole hand is greasy and wet. How dare he come in and say I gave him wrong advice! What did he expect man? Special custom made sunscreen for his special skin? Come on!

Rude Duromine lady wants me to call doctor before everyone else

This regular customer of ours probably had an episode of PMS or something coz she gave me a bit of attitude when she came in today.

She had a repeat for Duromine 15mg. She said she wanted 30mg. People need to realise you can't just 'swap' different strengths around just coz you have a repeat of the same medicine. She tells me to look in her record and she's taken both the 30mg and 15mg before. For the Duromine 30mg, she should have 2 more repeats left. She says she's lost it. 

I tell her if she's lost her prescription, she will have to see the doctor, let him know she's lost the repeat so he can write her a new one. She urges me to call the doctor for her coz she 'can't be bothered' or 'have no time' to see the doctor. 

Lazy sh*t. Anyway, because she's a regular customer, I said I'll call the doctor for her and see if he can fax a script over. Now mind you, I was in the middle of doing a prescription, and there were 2 other prescriptions waiting to be filled before hers. So i put her order in line. 

She walks to the other counter and stands there watching me. I'm in the middle of dispensing someone else's script. 

She stands there for a few minutes then she says: "Umm excuse me, have you called the doctor yet?"

Me: "No not yet. There are 3 people ahead of you in the line, I will call the doctor when I get to your prescription." 

She rolls her eyes and sighs and snaps: "Wellllll I'm going to go the bank now, by the time I come back, you should have better have called by then."

Now that was extremely rude. So I snapped back: "Well that depends on if I get to your script by the time you come back. Like I said, I'll call when I get to your script."

Then she asks for my boss. I said my boss wasn't here. Then she asked for my name..... and I proudly showed my name tag and said this is my name. I am certainly NOT afraid of giving my name. 

I later call the doctor while she's gone and the doctor says: "my surgery's just across the road, just tell her to come over and see me." Good. That's all I need. Confirmation from the doctor that he is refusing to fax over a script and rather see the patient in person. HOW it should be done. Can't wait to tell her the bad news hahahaha... wanna see her reaction when she comes back.

She comes back and speaks to my assistant: "Has she called the doctor yet? Coz if she hasn't, I find that quite rude."

Excuse meeeeeee... I find you quite rude in fact. 

Me walks over: "I've called the doctor. His won't fax over the script, instead he wants to see you in person first." 

She looked disappointed: " Can't you just give it to me?"

Me: "No coz the doctor said no. I've tried to help you but the doctor wants to see you first. Ok. that's his answer."

She: "Fine." and walks away.....

Teeehhheeeee... I felt so good telling her that. Suckers! Lazy people - stop making excuses. You have time to walk to the bank which is next to the doctor's surgery, I don't know why you don't have time to see the doctor. If you need it so desperately then surely it's worth the wait. 

No receipt

A lady was waiting for her script to be filled but she was in a hurry so took her script and left. 

On the way out, our security guard stops her as she had a plastic bag with 3 boxes of Panadol and Codral Cold & Flu in it. She said she bought it from another pharmacy but couldn't produce a proof of purchase. 

She: This is ridiculous! I'm in a hurry and now you won't let me leave because I bought something from another pharmacy!
Me: Yes sorry but you need to provide a proof of purchase. If you can't then I'll have to check the security cameras for you to find out if you walked in with those goods.
She: I'm in a hurry! I don't have time for this!
Me: You need to provide a proof of purchase.
She: I can! You just have to come with me to the other pharmacy and they will show you! Do you even sell this?!?!? Have you checked?!?!??
Me: Of course we sell this. We're a pharmacy. No I'm not gonna go to another pharmacy for you. I can either check the cameras for you, if not then we will have to call the police. 
She: Fine check it check it! This is ridiculous.

So I check the cameras, yes she did come in with the goods.

Me: Ok I saw the camera. That's fine, you may leave now.
She: Give those back to me! 
Me: Next time, as a tip for you, you must have a receipt if you are buying things from another pharmacy. Otherwise how are we suppose to know? 

She storms out and then curses the security guard that he'll get a divorce because of what he did to her. Omg, its his job to check bags! Otherwise what's the point. What did she expect us to do? Just listen to her story and then let her walk out. That's dumb!

Medicare no big deal

This lady holding a child in her arms interrupts me whilst i'm serving another customer.

Mother: Excuse me, I've got a script to be filled.

Me: Yes, you'll need to take it in at the prescriptions in counter overthere.

Mother: Yeh but there's noone there.

Me: Someone will come and assist you when they are free. 

So I end up dispensing the script for the child. Upon entering the name, the child's name did not pop up on our system. New patient. So I ask the mother, who was holding the child, for a Medicare card as her name was not on the system.

Mother: (gave me a dirty) Look I don't know what the big deal is, you should have all the details on the system.

Me: The deal is, her name is not on the system, hence why I need a Medicare card.

Mother: Omg, all the details are on the prescription. 

Me: No its not. The doctor only wrote the name. There's no Medicare or Address either. 

Mother: Well my daughter's sick and we've been waiting for a long time.

Me: Well, most people who walk into our pharmacy are sick but everyone still patiently waits. (me smirks) 

She says nothing. She later decides to take a jab at my other workmates. An item didn't scan at the counter so had to ask for a price check.

Mother: OMG, now i'm gonna wait a WHOLE YEAR for you people to check the price.

Assistant comes back and overhears her: That was $4.90 and no it did not take a year! (walks off)

Lady purchases for items and leaves.

What is wrong with this lady? 

Doctor asks me a random question if I sell ear drops

A received a call from the doctor. 

First thing he asks me: "Do you have ear drops?" 

Me: Which one are you after?

Him: What do you have?

Me: I've got many. Depends on what condition you're after. Antibiotic, ear wax, painful ear???

Him: Do you have Sofradex?

Me: Ok so you're after an antibiotic ear drop. No I don't have Sofradex as its out of stock from the manufacturer. I've got Otocomb ear drops if you want something similar.

That's just like calling me and asking do I sell tablets. Yes we do - we're a chemist - but depends on what you want.

No need to tell me your lifestory. My answer is no.

When you ask the store if we keep a certain product, and we say no, that means no. 

A lady came into the pharmacy to ask for a long cotton swab, I tell her I don't have the long one, I've only got the normal short ones. 

Me: No sorry we don't have these long ones. I've got the normal shorter cotton bud ones if you like.

She: Yeh you know, my husband had a stroke, and he needs to use this everyday to clean his mouth.

I look at her...and thought: "yeh and your point is??" 

Me: Ok. 

She: So do you have it? My husband really needs it.

Me: I've already told you. We don't have these ones, we've got the normal short ones. 

She: Are you sure? Can you look for me?

Me: Yes I'm sure what I sell in our pharmacy.... 

She: My husband very old, and........

I just switched off. Her purpose was to buy that long cotton bud and I've told her we don't sell it. Now why would telling me the story of your husband and why he needs it, change my answer from no to yes? 

I don't get it. 

Medicare should audit doctors for over-prescribing quantities

Doctor's wasting our taxpayers money by over-prescribing. There's no need to prescribe max quantity every single time and there is an option on the system to change quantity. 

- prescribing 50 tabs of Abbocillin tablets for a 2 day treatment. All they need is 8 tablets! 
- prescribing 2 bottles x 150ml (total 300ml) of Ventolin Syrup for a baby who's only taking 0.5ml three times a day for 3 days...... one bottle is more than enough

Such a waste of resources and money. *shakes head*