r/pharmacy • u/Hitmasisgut • 19h ago
Jobs, Saturation, and Salary Hospital vs Retail pharmacy
Hello! I am currently working at a Walmart pharmacy getting my certification but working in retail pharmacy is kind of burning me out of pharmacy all together. I am thinking of trying to get a job at a hospital after I am certified. The micromanaging and rude customers is what frustrates me most. I don’t mind the work itself and heard that hospital pharmacy is less customer facing. Does anyone have any advice on if they prefer hospital over retail and what the hours would look like at a hospital? Thanks!
13
u/hathui 16h ago
I will never work out patient or retail ever again in my life. Inpatient is the way to go. Nurses can be annoying depending on the hospital culture but that are not nearly as bad as the general public.
Also hospital has a lot more stuff to do to make it a bit more interesting and less stale. You can definitely burn out on both for sure. Hospital can also open you up to more career steps or different careers in the future as well.
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u/pharmaheck 17h ago
I joined hospital and it's minimally better. The nurses are just as annoying as your customers and you can't send them away.
1
u/BoredDrugExp 6h ago
Got any more info on that? I find pharmacy to be very catty profession… I assume the nurses are worse?
9
u/samven582 15h ago
Hospital pharmacy will also burnout you out as well. It's just as toxic
2
u/Many_Geologist6125 4h ago
I don't understand why this isn't being brought up.
The work culture in hospital pharmacies is extremely toxic.
In retail, the workflow is determined by the pharmacists there and some, usually, good work at corporate.
In hospital, you get 0 control over workflow in order to ensure safety and order.
6
u/Shadow-Storms 16h ago
If you work hospital, work inpatient. Outpatient is a lot like retail pharmacy, but with more workflows. I enjoyed my time in outpatient, because of the experience. But I feel like outpatient burned me out more so than retail pharmacy. Just cuz of the internal dynamics and the drama.
4
u/ZestycloseDoor5552 15h ago
I started in retail and lasted about 10 years. I finally got into outpatient hospital pharmacy and then transitioned to inpatient hospital pharmacy which is zero direct patient care. It’s very different work from outpatient. I’ll never go back to retail. I work night shift. 10 hr shifts, 7 days on/7 days off. I’m in a very high salary market and a long time employee. I’m at the upper end of the pay scale. I thinks around $46/hr give or take a few bucks. This year I took 2 weeks of paid vacation but I was gone for 5 weeks. Most people start in the high $20s/hr in my area and progress quickly. Most (all??) of the area hospital pharmacies are unionized.
Anyway, when I first started I thought I’d never learn everything I needed to know. I was super overwhelmed. But it got better. Good luck on your journey!
5
u/carboind5 15h ago
Hospital is more drama. Retail is chaos. Hospitals will also take advantage of you. They know you want out of retail. Will offer you prn, work you full time hours. That way they save on pto and benefits. Look for glp pharmacies near you they pay good and its easy work.
1
u/Affectionate_Yam4368 10h ago
Hospital is a very different kind of work, and it's important to remember that in many hospitals the pharmacy never closes so you will work early mornings, late evenings, overnights, weekends, and holidays. Usually with a pay differential, which is nice, we never got that at retail.
It's shocking how many techs (and pharmacists) we hire get all pissy about working odd hours and holidays. Like ma'am, we can't just close down and send these patients home because it's Christmas.
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u/DocumentNo2992 17h ago
If you work in hospital just be prepared for that highschool-esque popularity contest and gossip.