Dating and Retail Pharmacy

While watching television today I saw one of the many commercials for online dating services. I know many people who use these and several people who have had successful relationships from using these sites. One major problem I can see with these would occur with people who work with the public, like retail pharmacists.

This may seem like an innocent and effective way of meeting people who are also interested in a relationship. However, when working with the public this puts a bit of a twist on things. Consider that anyone can sign up for a dating website and most of these sites let people limit the geographical area in which people can search for other singles. Thus if a retail pharmacist was to sign up for one of these sites there is a decent chance that they may see some of their patients on the dating site. Also, the patient may see their pharmacist on the site as well.

Seeing a patients profile could actually work for the pharmacist since they will see what medications a patient is on before they decide to wink, poke or talk to the patient/dating interest. However, this may also put the pharmacist in a predicament, what if they are not interested in the patient but the patient has a thing for them. Trust me, people have no fear getting flirty with their pharmacist either. They already trust their pharmacist with to handle and check things that they are going to put into or on their body. With trust already being there, the pharmacist is also a well respected and decently paying profession. Don't those sound like good qualities in a person for someone looking for a person to date?

Now, I am not saying that these websites are forbidden for pharmacists, but rather use caution when using these sites. Also, if something like this does occur, be sure to weigh all options before making a decision, for personal sanity NOT the business end of things! Besides we all know those patients who get flirtatious with the pharmacist, kind of adds some flavor to the day really. Heck, many pharmacists (who are hopefully single or in an open relationship) have gotten flirty with patients as well. One of the many perks of the job. The key and hardest part is to make sure that a line or multiple lines are not crossed. Show respect for the patient and their rights (even though they may not do the same for the pharmacist), remain professional while at work and be certain that whatever you put out on the dating site is nothing that can come back to you in the work environment. Admitting to having a leather fetish and enjoy multiple partners may not be what a supervisor or patient would like to know about but they can both read it if it's put out there.

That being said pharmacists should still do what they want but occasionally listen to that little voice in the back of their head before posting things on the internet!