A pharmacy technician can indeed be rewarding, but it also requires a lot of energy and skills. Imagine how it’s going to be when you are the front person at a busy pharmacy. You’ll be the first person that customers will see and connect with. That means you’re going to need communication and organizational skills.
Well, you probably already know that. But what else do you need to do to be a top-notch pharmacy technician? Northwest Suburban College, your trusted provider of excellent pharmacy tech programs, shares some tips:
Always Be Mindful of the Details
Know that you will always be busy when you are a pharmacy technician. However, you should always be focused on the task at hand. This will help prevent any errors that could cost you later. It will also make you more efficient in your job.
Understand Your OTCs Better
Soon after you start working at a pharmacy, you’ll realize that over-the-counter medications are, in a way, seasonal. Different seasons require different OTCs. There will be seasons where allergy medications are in demand, while there are other times when you’ll almost run out of cold or flu medicines. Take note of these waves of changes so you’ll know when you should order more of the “in-season” medicine so you can meet the demand for them.
Additionally, you should also remember which OTCs require the patient to consult with their physician or pharmacist before intake. This is often the case for patients taking blood pressure medication regularly.
Know Your Limits
When there’s a long line of people waiting, it can be tempting just to answer the patients and give them the medicines you know they should get. However, you should recognize your boundaries. There are rules regarding what you can and cannot answer, for instance. There’s nothing wrong with saying, “You’ll have to ask the pharmacist about that. I’ll go and get them.”
Of course, you can still be a reliable resource if you know for sure that the information you’ll be sharing is within your scope and skill set.
Always Be on Time
This should go without saying – pharmacies are a fast-paced environment. There’s no room for tardiness when you are a pharmacy technician because people need you to be there on time to provide them with the services and medicines they need.
Make the Most of Your Strengths
If you really want to stand out as a pharmacy technician, you need to make use of your strong suits and apply them to your work. For instance, if you are a people person, then you’d do well at the front desk as patients always look forward to warm and friendly service. If you are excellent at administrative tasks, then you’ll do really well in the back office.
It could take time to determine where you’ll shine, and that’s okay. While you’re figuring it out, make sure that you do your best to perform your job the right way.
Conclusion
Choosing to take pharmacy tech classes is a really good decision because there’s a lot of opportunity in this field. Of course, like in any other industry, you’d need to do your best, make use of the skills you have, and work on developing some things that you lack but need to be an excellent pharmacy technician.
Northwest Suburban College offers excellent pharmacy tech programs to prepare students for a career in this field in the future. We have seasoned instructors who conduct both online and on-campus classes, so you’ll find classes that meet your schedule. Contact us today to find out more about our programs!
