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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have given pharmacist short shrift?

151 replies

itsgettingwierd · 27/08/2021 18:50

Enter pharmacy

Me: Good evening, I have a prescription to collect.

Pharmacist: name please

Me: first name surname

Pharmacist: was it sent today

Me: last week.

Comes back with it, checks address and I have my card ready to pay.

As I'm walking towards till she asks

"Does he pay for his prescriptions"

Me Confused for a second. "It's mine and yes I do"

Pharmacist: "well I just read the name" with a very defensive tone.

Me: shame you didn't also read the word before that says Miss.

Now I have a name that's unisex that isn't particularly unusual in this day and age (less so than when I grew up!) and people have made presumptions before and it doesn't bother me.

But I was actually annoyed she'd taken the effort to read the name and assume it belonged to someone else - rather than the person actually asking for it - and when I said it was mine act as though I was wrong to say that and retort the way she did as if annoyed at me saying that.

I'm having a rough time at the minute and can be over sensitive so I need the collective honesty on MN to tell me I'm right to have been annoyed or hand me a grip (but kindly Grin)

OP posts:
Confused102 · 27/08/2021 19:56

You were absolutely rude here.

ApplesAreTheBaneOfMyLife · 27/08/2021 19:56

You were incredibly rude

TheWeatherWitch · 27/08/2021 20:01

Me: shame you didn't also read the word before that says Miss

So you were equally rude towards someone who could also be having a tense day.
I think you’re even.

But know this, the pharmacist and all the staff there will remember you. They always remember shitty rude people and that’s how you come across in this dialogue.

Having worked as a A.C.T. In pharmacy for a lot of years, I made a point of remembering rude patients and can I let you in on a little secret…?

I made rude people wait way too long next time they came in.

godmum56 · 27/08/2021 20:02

Op, gonna say 50 50. maybe the pharmacist was having a bad day too and they also have to be 100 on the spot making sure that they give the right drugs to the right person...maybe someone else, maybe even that pharmacist had narrowly avoided handing over the wrong prescrption to someone today. You just don't know and neither do I. What i do think is that no one in that chemist went "Oh there's a person having a bad day, lets make it worse for fun."

Fluffycloudland77 · 27/08/2021 20:03

Was it Lloyds? Mines so bloody rude I send my six foot three inch dh in now. People don’t tend to do it to him.

I'd change it but he needs one particular beta blocker so we can’t until he’s off them. He’s on the max dose so they query it too, tempted to ask if they want to take it up with his cardiologist.

frogswimming · 27/08/2021 20:04

"What I'm wondering is the fact I'm bothered that she didn't apologise is an over reaction because I'm having a really tough time atm. "

Yes I think it is.

She made two mistakes, with your name and not reading your title correctly. Neither really warranted you giving her 'short shrift', or were upsetting enough to require an apology. They are just daily interactions that sometimes aren't 100% smooth.

CoronaPeroni · 27/08/2021 20:04

Bloody hell. She was obviously defensive about your first comment and there was absolutely no need for your patronising put-down second comment. An acknowledging nod and a smile would have been the easiest thing to do, why not try it in future? Remember, other people are NOT trying to ruin your day even though some of the aibu threads would have you believe otherwise,

ashmts · 27/08/2021 20:05

I actually don't think anyone can really say who was BU without having been there. Tbh it sounds like you were both a bit rude, probably both under pressure and a bit stressed. She was at her work so should have been more polite, you could probably be a bit less sensitive.

Please don't think she wasn't busy just because she was chatting though, often community pharmacists don't even get a lunch break as lots of things can't legally be done with them off the floor so that could have been her 'break'.

GreyhoundG1rl · 27/08/2021 20:07

He’s on the max dose so they query it too, tempted to ask if they want to take it up with his cardiologist.
They are literally doing their job thoroughly. Why take umbrage with it and get snotty?

MichelleScarn · 27/08/2021 20:07

You were absolutely rude!!

Whinginadeville · 27/08/2021 20:09

I think you were rude tbh

DifferentHair · 27/08/2021 20:12

I had hoped that one of the silver linings of this horrible pandemic might be that people give each other a break and the benefit of the doubt.

This person has worked as a pharmacist, in retail, through a pandemic. They don't need this crap frankly. No one does.

You were being mean IMO. Let things like this go in the name of goodwill to your fellow human OP.

Lennybenny · 27/08/2021 20:12

you were rude. Not sure anyone can really say they're happy and everything is wonderful. No one has had a good 18 months tbf. I'm a LP as well.... the pharmacist is used to looking at names not titles. You can also work and chat about something at the same time.

MichelleScarn · 27/08/2021 20:13

The fact you've said gave her short shift makes me think you absolutely think you think you are in the right.

Appzy · 27/08/2021 20:14

@Fluffycloudland77

Was it Lloyds? Mines so bloody rude I send my six foot three inch dh in now. People don’t tend to do it to him.

I'd change it but he needs one particular beta blocker so we can’t until he’s off them. He’s on the max dose so they query it too, tempted to ask if they want to take it up with his cardiologist.

But that is literally the pharmacists job. You would be shocked at how many times I have had to query drugs or doses with GP's and consultants and I can tell you that more often than not they've changed prescriptions on my recommendation - as they too are human and can make prescribing errors.

Maybe give healthcare professionals the respect they deserve when they're trying to keep your husband safe.

underneaththeash · 27/08/2021 20:15

As a HCP professional I would personally just apologise. Patient wasn’t uncomfortable, someone’s fault…you make them feel comfortable.
I do remember walking into a waiting room and asking for Mr Nutt, who then got up looking perturbed with his mum.,he then explained that he’d had a sex a week ago and was now Miss Nutt..
I apologised.

gardeninggirl68 · 27/08/2021 20:15

It's like being rude to staff behind a counter and in retail is some sort of sport on here!

Twilight7777 · 27/08/2021 20:16

No you did the right thing, the fact that she didn’t apologise when she realised would be the clue

gardeninggirl68 · 27/08/2021 20:17

And you're struggling? So even more of a reason to not be rude... imagine how much shit that staff member has had to put up with...... bet she's struggling too

Appzy · 27/08/2021 20:19

Honestly OP, I think you probably came across as rude and caught her on the defensive. She had probably dealt with quite a few difficult patients already- just a typical day for us lowly pharmacists.

Personally I would have apologised for getting the pronoun wrong for an easier life but can't see a clear reason that she should have tbf.

I would just forget it and enjoy your chocolate.

GreyhoundG1rl · 27/08/2021 20:20

@Twilight7777

No you did the right thing, the fact that she didn’t apologise when she realised would be the clue
The clue... Wow.
DroopyClematis · 27/08/2021 20:22

You've said that you're struggling at the moment. Maybe that struggle is manifesting itself by being snippety with people in customer facing roles who may , innocently, have had an oversight.

Suggest you get some help for your struggles with normal day to day interactions so that you don't come home seething and resort to Mumsnet to rant over nothing at all.

doingnothing · 27/08/2021 20:23

YAB rude and weird

PurpleCloak · 27/08/2021 20:23

Maybe the staff member is having a hard time in life too. And then maybe you were the tenth customer to make a comment she didn’t like.

I’m sorry you are having a hard time, but you have hugely overreacted. From your other posts it seems you might need help; can you get an appt with your GP?

fiftiesmum · 27/08/2021 20:26

I bet you wouldn't dare be as rude to the GP . You would probably be the first to complain if handed someone else's items.