The SOP That Wasn’t: How I'm Standing Up Against Unwritten Rules

Hey guys!

I’m not sure about you, but it’s been a week! From nonsense patient complaints to finding out that a store manager fabricated a story about me, I’ve been going through it! But now that I can laugh about the situation and am working on a resolution, let me tell you what happened between this store manager and me.

But before we begin, let's review two facts pertinent to this story:

• I have been a floater community pharmacist for two years.

• I've worked at my company for about seven years but have been in this area for about two years.  

The Incident

I'd like to preface this story by saying that I’ve worked in this pharmacy with this store manager many times. In fact, I go there so often I'm practically their third pharmacist! I have the same routine every time I go. So, this day was like any other. I opened the pharmacy, I did my morning counts, then I sat down to complete the 80 prescriptions in prescription verification.

For reference, I worked a 12-hour shift the day prior. So, as you can imagine, my feet were aching and I was tired, and I hadn’t eaten. So yes, I sat down to verify scripts.

After some time had passed, the store manager came to the pharmacy. She talks to the technician, then turns to me and asks several times if I was ok, to which I replied I was fine (though I was not, but I didn’t want to get into why). Then she mentioned that I shouldn't be sitting down due to a standard operating procedure (SOP).

This is the part that gets interesting. Remember, I’ve worked with my company for seven years. I have many friends and mentors who work at my company in various areas, so I’m familiar with our policies, or at the very least, I know where to look for them. So, I was pretty sure there wasn’t any SOP about sitting down.

So, I asked, “Since when? From what I know, there’s nothing saying pharmacists can’t sit.” She then offered to show me the SOP. I said, “Sure,” but she never came back with it.

After that exchange, I called my pharmacy manager to double-check. He was just as confused as I was. So, I moved on—I stood up, finished my work, and went home.

The Fallout

Five days later, I got a text message from my pharmacy manager that we needed to talk. Coincidentally, I was on my way to that same store when I called him. That’s when he told me that the store manager emailed my district manager (DM) and someone from human resources (HR) about me sitting down. In the email, she claimed I had an attitude and that she was trying to help me get the documentation needed for reasonable accommodation, but I refused to accept it.  

I was shocked!

Here's why I was frustrated:

1. She gave me inaccurate information.

If she “helped” so many pharmacists get the information for accommodations to sit, then she knew that there wasn’t an SOP. So why misrepresent it?

2. She escalated the situation unnecessarily. 

If she was contacting the DM and HR about the so-called policy, then why include her biased account of our interaction?

3. She fabricated parts of the conversation. 

She never offered information about reasonable accommodation, nor did I resist any offer.

4. There is no enforcement of the “SOP.”

I’ve sat at nearly every store when there weren’t any patients, and my feet hurt. Many pharmacists do the same, most without accommodation. So why was this suddenly an issue?

5. It was inconsistent.

This is the same store manager who wrote on my performance evaluation that I go above and beyond, helping patients and the technicians. But I was sitting down completing the same daily routine then too—so what changed?

If I were sitting for my entire shift or ignoring patients, I’d get it. And yes, I’m aware that some pharmacists abuse it. But that was not the case here. Never has my sitting down interfered with my work. I take care of patients, answer phones, fill prescriptions, and support my team in addition to my pharmacist duties. Yet, it was somehow an issue.

 After that call, my pharmacy manager emailed our DM and explained my side of the story, which of course, was brushed off. I was emotionally drained. I knew that if I went into that pharmacy, I would not have given the best patient care, so I called out and went home. Unsurprisingly, no one cared why I called out—just that I did and it was used against me.

That same day, I contacted HR and emailed my DM with my full account of the incident. I also noted that I wasn’t the only one present during the interaction. Again, I was brushed off. The DM couldn’t even explain the SOP—just vaguely said that sitting was covered under the reasonable accommodation policy. So, I reviewed it myself, and it was not clear.

I followed up with the original HR representative whom the store manager emailed, hoping that she could provide clarity, but to this day, I am still waiting for an email back.

The Truth (Finally) Comes Out

Weeks later, after multiple attempts to clarify, I finally received the answer. There isn’t a formal SOP (huge shocker!) Not sitting is a “best practice” (an unwritten rule that I am still expected to abide by) that is covered under the reasonable accommodation policy to supposedly

• Promote “safety.”

• Prevent “abuse.”

• Prevent “discrimination” (aka prevent lawsuits).

So, to get it straight:

Sitting is not prohibited, but it also is—unless you get permission.  

That makes complete sense. After speaking to several people, no one knew why there isn’t an SOP making it clear that you aren’t allowed to sit. So, how does one enforce a rule that isn’t a rule? In this case, it was by bullying, lying, and trying to dismiss my concerns.

The Main Message

To be clear, this was not about sitting. It was about how the situation was mishandled. How a small issue was escalated, how misinformation was allowed to take center stage, how no one was able to address my concerns or questions.

And sadly, this happens a lot in community pharmacy.

Many of us experience these kinds of power struggles in the workplace, and it’s exhausting.  But that shouldn’t deter us from advocating for ourselves.  Which is why, though I wanted to quit and let the situation go for my convenience and comfort, I chose to advocate for myself.

What I’ve Learned

• Pharmacists do not advocate for themselves enough.

• We (employees) accept “best practices” as policy, even when they're not.

• We allow ourselves to be mistreated then that mistreatment expands and worsens over time.

Just because something has been a certain way does not make it right, and it does not mean you should tolerate it.

Though I am still deciding how to handle this situation with the information I now hold, I’ve discovered that it’s important to follow through and not give up. Had I not pushed back, I’d still be in the dark. I’d still be blaming myself. I might have quit. And I’d be internalizing stress that had nothing to do with me.

And for what? To keep fake peace? True peace is not the absence of conflict. And peace is not found in passivity.

Yes, going against the grain is uncomfortable. Yes, you may want to quit halfway through. But don’t, follow through. How can we encourage change or create a better work environment for ourselves and those that come after us if we don’t speak up?

To My Fellow Pharmacists (And Healthcare Workers)

Whether you are a new pharmacist or a seasoned one, young or old:

• Familiarize yourself with the policies and procedures.

• Don’t wait for someone else to speak up.

  Establish a relationship with management.

• Demand clarity, respect, professionalism, and fairness.

• Manage your emotions.

• Advocate for yourself with grace, humility, courage, and kindness.

Let’s all create workspaces where we can thrive and not just survive, not only for ourselves but for those to come after us.

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Have you ever dealt with something similar in your workplace? Let’s open the conversation. Drop a comment below or reach out—because we’re stronger together!