"I have a PhD, I know more than you do!"

[MendedHeart]

I was at a Walgreens pharmacy waiting with my mom for her scripts to be filled. An elderly woman, wearing a pink ball cap and sparce, thinned gray hair approached the counter. I could hear her conversation without even trying to listen. She asked the pharmacist what she should cleanse a small cut with. The pharmacist told her to use saline and pointed to were it was so she could buy some.

As she passed me, I did not know the pharmacist was making his way behind her, I politely said, "ma'am, I wasn't trying to ease drop, but you can just use soap and water and save some money, I'm a Nurse."

The pharmacist came right up behind me, moved in front of my face and said, "I don't think she asked you, she asked me" as he swayed that neck left to right.

Well, I was pissed at how rude he was, I went and talked to the manager, then went back to the counter to pick up scripts.

He came to the register and stood behind the cashier and said, "Just so you know, I have a PhD, and I know more you do" My jaw dropped and told him his PhD sure didn't teach him how to treat others. He kept arguing with me and mom. Finally, I had to walk away after he told me, "My name is Dr. Peebles " after telling him I was going to contact coporate and file a complaint.

Uggg, I know I was sticking my nose out but he didn't have to act so hateful

Rant over, TY

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

What a charmer. And I imagine quite a mark-up on over the counter saline, too.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I am so sorry this happened to you. Society is becoming ruder and more impersonal as time passes, it seems.

With that having been said, I purposely avoid advising strangers in stores or on the street about health-related issues. I personally would have not made suggestions to the elderly woman about treating her cut, and I definitely refrain from revealing that I am a nurse unless someone specifically asks. It results in less aggravation for me.

Good luck to you. I would let this situation go. The pharmacist was wrong for being so rude and haughty about his credentials, but you gave medical advice while not at work. The pharmacist did it on the company's time. That's the defining difference.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

*eavesdrop

[elkpark]

I purposely avoid advising strangers in stores or on the street about health-related issues. I personally would have not made suggestions to the elderly woman about treating her cut, and I definitely refrain from revealing that I am a nurse unless someone specifically asks. It results in less aggravation for me.

Good luck to you. I would let this situation go. The pharmacist was wrong for being so rude and haughty about his credentials, but you gave medical advice while not at work. The pharmacist did it on the company's time. That's the defining difference.

^^ This.

[NOADLS]

you gave medical advice while not at work. The pharmacist did it on the company's time. That's the defining difference.

This sums it up right here.

You went into a store and behaved in a manner that would negatively affect the store's business. I don't think it is unreasonable for the pharmacist to defend his own advice, even if he is going to use such a poor argument (this is a poor argument at an educated person's level, but would likely stand as an acceptable argument from the point of view of the average member of the public).

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Another afterthought...the pharmacist's ego may have been bruised because he might have perceived that the OP was being openly dismissive of his suggestion to the elderly customer.

Some people become defensive and territorial when they perceive that their professional opinion has been flagrantly discarded by someone with less years of formal educational attainment. Thus, the spiteful pharmacist rubbed in the fact that he had a professional doctorate.

I used to despise the one or two CNAs who made suggestions to patients about pain medications, insulin injections, and so forth. Sorry, but their lack of pharmacological training certainly did not qualify them to dish this advice to patients. It made the licensed nurses look bad.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

Seems like the tone is:

1. don't give unsolicited nursing advice (though nurses deal with wounds more than pharmacists, the pharmacist was working and the nurse was not)

2. the pharmacist was defensive and reacted as such (personally I would classify that behavior as putz-ish)

On another note, the winter olympics will be held in Hell the day I address a pharmacist as "Doctor."

[quazar]

ITA w/the PP about dispensing advice when not on the clock and not being asked, and especially about not revealing that you are a nurse in public.

As for Mr. Peebles, sounds like he has a bit of a Napoleon complex going on there. What a doll.

[klone, MSN, RN]

On another note, the winter olympics will be held in Hell the day I address a pharmacist as "Doctor."

Why? If he has a doctorate He's a doctor.

[quazar]

Why? If he has a doctorate He's a doctor.

Dag nabbit. You were asking someone else, not me. Brain fart. Ugh.

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

Well, imagine if the reverse were to happen. You're at work giving your patient requested advice. As the encounter ends and you start to walk away, the pharmacist walks over and says, "Excuse me, but I'm a pharmacist and I know better blah blah blah...".

I'm sorry, but I believe that you were the one behaving badly, in this case. You may have been well-meaning, but your behavior was obnoxious.