Usually I'm not the person looking to deepen wounds or accentuate problems, or look to find issues where there aren't any. If there's something I don't like and I can't change it either, I move on. However, the past few days I witnessed some things that made me think deep about where we are as a society right now.
The first scene that affected and shocked me a lot happened last week at the pharmacy. I went to buy some Magnesium+B6 supplements, that are very common these days. I haven't taken any for ages, but I feel like I need some these days to help me in my daily routine.
A few years back I had a brand that worked well for me and wanted to buy those but they didn't have any. As it was Saturday, I didn't have the time, nor was I in the mood of roaming around the city in pursuit of the supplements, so I asked the pharmacist to recommend me something similar. She offered me two, at two different prices. Next I asked her to tell me the daily dosage, to be able decide. She said 1 or 2 tablets per day, I clearly remember that.
After coming home, the first thing I did was read the instructions that came with the tablets and to my surprise I see it say 1 - 2 tablets 3 times per day. If I say I was shocked, that's an understatement.
Now you can argue that she can't know everything and I tend to agree with you, but she had the product in her hand and she read the label on the box. Yet she had no time (to be diplomatic and avoid saying she was lazy) to finish reading the sentence, where it says 3 times per day.
This was a supplement that can not harm you even if you take more or less than recommended, but imagine what happens if they do this with vital drugs so many people need to survive these days and don't have the ability to read or understand those descriptions properly. These people are trained professionals who are dealing with dangerous drugs. There's no room for errors here. Literally no room for errors.
Life has taught me to read everything and question the doctors' decision if I have to and will do that till the day I die and trust me, you should to as it's about your health and life after all. If you don't care, no one will.
The second case is just as shocking as the first, but in a different way.
Yesterday I went to the easy box to send a laptop case back, which arrived damaged and I didn't want to keep it, but this is not the focus of my story. When I got tot the box, the delivery driver was there too, with a bunch of labels in his hand. He was quite polite and asked me if I would like to pick up something, which I appreciate as he had a bunch of parcels to pick up and drop off, but as I needed to find my code first, I told him to go ahead. What I was to witness is quite hard to believe.
He started scanning the labels, took out each pack, stuck a label on each box and threw them on the ground, one after the other, one on top of the other, without mercy. I was standing there and didn't know if it would have been better to film the whole scene or stop him right at the beginning.
To be able to understand the gravity of the situation, I have to tell you that I'm in the process of selling all the stuff I don't need or use anymore among which I have glassware and porcelain as well. Maybe now you understand why I was so shocked. Imagine my glasses landing on the ground because this gentleman has no sense of responsibility at all.
I understand that he has a very busy schedule, has to deal with delays and a million problems during the day, which sometimes can make his shirt way longer than expected. I understand that his patience is wearing thin after each difficult day, I really do. I suppose clothes don't mind but what happens if my glasses end up broken into a million pieces after such a treatment?
I tell you what happens. I have to refund the buyer as the glasses arrived in a different shape and form and lose my money and my product as well. I also get a negative feedback because I didn't deliver what I promised. Would I be the only one in this situation? Highly unlikely as all the packages that day had the same faith, ended up on the ground.
With the deteriorating state of economy, everyone is looking to cut costs, which is understandable, but it also comes at a cost. By no means I mean to be disrespectful or blame anyone here, but some things are unacceptable.
I have been given he wrong medicine before and I noticed it was different and asked him to double check. I think you need to double check everything these days as there ae many morons around masquerading in important roles doing jobs that obviously they should not be doing. It makes you wonder how many people they have killed.
Unfortunately, indolence and irresponsibility have become globalized like so many other things. It is a pity, but it is the reality.
I had a bitter experience with medications. I am allergic to several medications and on one occasion I was recommended one that I had never taken, I explained to the doctor my allergy symptoms and he still told me that it was safe. To make a long story short, I ended up with an edema under my eyes that was there for more than 1 week with an unbearable pain that did not let me open my eyes and luckily something worse did not happen. After that I look for information from various sources before taking any medication, whatever it is. Regards.
It's about professionalism and seriousness. You won't find that in our country, unfortunately. Education is poor, education has fallen. The two you're talking about went to school after the 90s. There's something else. Pharmacies and couriers are hiring the most now and they are probably not so strict anymore, because they don't have much to choose from. Sure there are still many responsible people, but we see more and more who don't follow rules and procedures and don't care.
Well, I wouldn't say you won't find those in our country, but these are on the verge of disappearing. Just because they are not paid well and are not happy with their work conditions, it doesn't mean they have to act like they do. It's a matter of conscience as well I think. It's sad in any case.
Of course, it's a matter of conscience first.
Maybe she was tired and could not read to the end, if so, it would've been nice someone else who was qualify take over and attend to people, than she working and tired, because I can sense she was, although no one is above mistake, it was a lot better you read it yourself as you got home, I think it's something we should always do 🥰🙏
Yes, I know fatigue could have played a role here, but still, it is unacceptable.
That's why we need to read things out ourself, just as you have said, questions some decisions when it is necessary, because if we don't take care of ourselves, we will still have ourself to blame also.
It really is a sad state of affairs in the world these days. For many reasons, the work ethic has gone into hiding it seems. Sometimes a person never had a good work ethic to begin with, but even with seasoned workers, there just isn't the pride in one's work anymore. It affects society as a whole from the top down.
Pack your glasses extra carefully and hope for the best! Maybe shipping insurance is necessary.
Wow it seems that this wine is very tasty, I really like it, it must taste very sweet
Yup, you are right.
I can relate to how you felt when you read the instructions and it's not what the pharmacist told you.
I've experienced it twice, typhoid and malaria medicine, then deworm medicine. I do advise my people to read the leaflet at least twice because a lot is happening, many people are tired and confused with life. It is well.
The prescription details are available for everyone to read. I used to rely too much on the pharmacy instead of reading it myself first. That’s just me. Mistakes can happen if we don’t check things ourselves first.
Disappointing week. I say disappointing because I hold myself to high standards and am always disappointed when I see people not doing the same. The delivery guy probably wanted you to go first so you wouldn't witness his cavalier attitude 🙄 The pharmacist is different to me almost criminal. There is a push in this country to lower job requirements to make it easier to fill jobs. Like letting nurses do some of the task that formerly required a doctor. Or a state recently removed the requirement of a college degree for most state jobs. These are not good developments.
I have also seen people who do not like their work or who trust themselves and generate very serious problems by offering their services to others, it happens and will continue to happen and many people in the world will be affected without us knowing it. It is good that in your case you were attentive and it was not a drug that could do any harm.
But what I know is that at some point either the person who works in that place or the company itself is affected or some other company or person who offers a better service arrives and they end up going bankrupt.