DEATH at CVS

1. A police investigation;
   
   
2. A state board of pharmacy investigation that includes a review of CVS policies and quotas/metrics pharmacists are expected to meet and criteria for determining hours of staffing;
   
   
3. The establishment of a policy by CVS that authorizes pharmacists or other employees who feel ill at work to leave immediately, even if the store must be temporarily closed.
   
   
4. The disclosure of the name of the CVS supervisor who "discouraged" Ashleigh from quickly leaving the pharmacy, and the names of the CVS personnel in the administrative hierarchy above the supervisor up to the CEO;
   
   
5. The establishment by the Indiana and American Pharmacists Associations of a memorial fund in honor of Ashleigh Anderson that would support efforts to protect the well-being of pharmacists and improve workplace conditions.

Tobacco (continued) - The Great American Smokeout – November 18, 2021

• Protect your personal physical and mental health; consider taking medical leave, if appropriate;
  
  
• Be aware of other employment opportunities; pharmacy organizations and colleges of pharmacy may be helpful;
  
  
• If there is an independent pharmacy in your local area, ask if they have an opening for a pharmacist; although it is unlikely that they do, you know the names and contact information for the individuals who obtain the most prescriptions at your chain store and who might be "recruited" to transfer to the independent pharmacy if you make that change;
  
  
• For those with an entrepreneurial spirit and interest in doing so, consider opening a low-overhead independent pharmacy as close as possible to the location of the chain store where you are now employed; you have a head start in knowing and contacting an initial base of customers/patients;
  
  
• Document errors, "near-misses," and other factors that jeopardize patient safety for your personal files;
  
  
• Regardless of metrics/quotas, work at the pace that you consider appropriate for assuring safety of your customers;
  
  
• Do not work "off-the-clock" unless you wish to do so, will be paid for it, and will not incur excessive stress;
  
  
• Give higher priority to completing prescriptions that are needed on a timely basis, than to requests for immunizations; decline requests for immunizations when the safety and timely fulfillment of other responsibilities may be compromised;
  
  
• Decline or reduce participation in store promotions (e.g., Carepass, auto-refill calls);
  
  
• Close the drive-thru window if safety in fulfilling other responsibilities is compromised;
  
  
• If there is solid documentation of employee and patient safety being placed at risk, consider becoming a whistle blower;
  
  
• Share this issue of The Pharmacist Activist with other pharmacists and pharmacy students and encourage them to also access previous issues on related topics on the website (www.pharmacistactivist.com);