CP: Because people prefer a dialogue as opposed to a diatribe.
MICE ELF: Then what are we discussing today?
CP: Pharmacy protests/walkouts.
ME: Why do you need us?
CP: To help be a sounding board and make our points.
MICE ELF: And those would be?
CP: The surprising argument people have against walking out is "I care about my patients".
ME: Oooh. That seems a little out of touch.
MICE ELF: And selfish.
CP: I would be willing to say that most pharmacists, when polled, would say they care about their patients.
MICE ELF: Well, except for that one conversation you had last week.
ME: Another story for another day. Continue.
CP: We all care about our patients. You are concerned about not being open for one day and how disruptive that will be and that it will, sadly, put you behind a day <sniffs>
ME: I sense no sympathy for these people.
CP: Correct. The rest of us are concerned about every patient we will see in the future. These pharmacists are concerned about the short-term whereas we are looking long-term. If we bite the bullet and close a day here or a day there and effect change, then all our future days will hopefully be easier, better staffed, and less chaotic. That's the goal: better working conditions for everyone, even you short-term, it-doesn't-affect-me-why-do-I-care pharmacy peeps.
MICE ELF: I sense you are seeing pushback from colleagues.
CP: I'm not sure if they are out of touch with the practice of pharmacy, retail in general, have great stores that are never behind, or only got into the profession for the money, not the true, altruistic reason people join the ranks of healthcare workers. I'm concerned when people are more worried about "their patients" than their working conditions. We have seen a steady decline for decades now and we always wondered where the bottom of the slide would land us. Just when we thought we found it, the corporations handed us a spoon and said "keep digging".
ME: To those pharmacists concerned about their patients: You'll still be open tomorrow. There will still be work to do. Surely you can suck up the extra volume at your store to help those who are trying to help you. If you really, truly cared about your patients, you'd want to fight so you don't have to risk their lives to protect your livelihood.
CP: Too many people have left the profession under these worsening conditions. And while for new pharmacists this is the only working environment they have known, the rest of us should know better.
MICE ELF: Oh, and let's not forget: THERE. IS. NO. PHARMACIST. SHORTAGE!
ME: Right. Only a growing group of dissatisfied professionals who are tired of being thrown to the wolves and getting yelled at for 12 hours a day with no help and the Fear Of Making Deadly Mistakes.
CP: Exactly. If there were a shortage, any one of us could walk out, for good, tomorrow, and get that shiny new job wherever we pleased. Not so easy to do. I get it. We all also fear for our jobs, our livelihoods. But what good is it if we burn out and kill ourselves in the process? Or, worse yet, someone else? Stop being the people who claim to care more about our profession than those who are actually doing something to help you. Be a bandwagon fan, but don't claim to not support us; don't claim you care more about your patients than we do. You know nothing, Jon Snow, and I'm ashamed you're my colleague.
ME: On the plus side, most of these handfuls of people have been taken to task over their holier-than-thou attitudes, but a rising tide lifts all boats; they will benefit regardless and take our gains willingly.
MICE ELF: And ask for seconds.
CP: As long as we remain a fractured profession, corporate wins. As long as we remain splintered amongst ourselves, they win.
ME: Be helpful. Be supportive. Be positive.
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