Tech learning curve?

[smileyman22336]

Hey guys! I finally got a job as a tech in a pharmacy! Today was my fifth day in the pharmacy. So far all I've really worked on is filling, bagging, and a little bit of finding sold prescriptions to be put away in storage. Bagging is the easiest thing for me. I take forever to find the drugs in the pharmacy in order to fill. I have not done any type of drop off, or input, nor have I answered the phones at all. What can I do to speed up and pass the learning curve of being a tech? I feel like such a noob and have 1000 questions to ask everybody. I'm starting my third year of pharmacy school this upcoming August and right now I'm not sure how I'll manage to work and go to school, but I definitely want to be able to enjoy my work and not stress as much as I've been with all of these questions running through my head. What suggestions do you have for me to learn quicker, cause it seems like everybody knows everything thats going on there. Help!

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[Digsbe]

Don't be afraid to ask questions from other techs or pharmacists (although when they are busy they may not have time to offer extensive help). I was a tech for almost 2 years and when I started out I felt overwhelmed (mainly with dealing with insurance and learning the billing aspect and all the prescription/drug lingo). I don't think anyone expects you as a first time tech to hit the ground running and knowing everything. I know for me, if I'm nervous I almost always make a mistake and it's hard for me to absorb info when I cram in a nervous setting. I don't know if others are the same way, but if you have confidence in what you do and feel as if you can learn everything (because you can). Just take it one task at a time as the pharmacy delegates them to you. If you feel really tryhard about it you could practice learning brand and generic drugs, which drugs are schedule medications for when you receive those scripts, learning medical abbreviations for prescriptions (like po meaning by mouth, qd for every day, etc). If you have general questions feel free to PM me, I don't mind answering anything I may know about.

 

[SClENCE]

Don't feel bad. You will learn fast. We hired two new techs a month ago. One of them spent 20 minutes in the QV screen today trying to pre-scan a script dropped off at drive through, and the other one started pulling hard copy records to see if a script was done for a patient rather than checking the computer/register.

 

[HelpfulPharmer1]

I finally got a job as a tech in a pharmacy!
I'm starting my third year of pharmacy school this upcoming August Help!

Congratulations on joining the force. Just looking out for you: You are starting third year of pharmacy school? In corporate pay record, you may qualify as Intern and get paid as Intern (In small independent pharmacy, I don't know.) My school forced me to get Intern license during the first few months of pharmacy school so I have reason to believe you should be paid as Intern and can do intern duties, meaning: Taking new phoned script! But I would not do that yet until I am confident I get the right medication.

About pharmacy questions you have, just ask, we will answer or you can look back in old threads for further knowledge.

Also, if you share the company you work for, you may get more tailored and precise answers.

 

[smileyman22336]

Hey guys! Thanks for all the advice!!!!! Things aren't great yet, but are getting way better so far. Yes, I wish I would have been hired as an intern, which I do have my intern license, but I guess they didn't want to pay that high and hired me as a tech. I was so desperate for a job I would have even taken it for experience for free. The pay is a plus for me.

 

[Swishers]

Hey guys! Thanks for all the advice!!!!! Things aren't great yet, but are getting way better so far. Yes, I wish I would have been hired as an intern, which I do have my intern license, but I guess they didn't want to pay that high and hired me as a tech. I was so desperate for a job I would have even taken it for experience for free. The pay is a plus for me.

Hopefully you can still do intern duties even though you're being paid as a technician. I mean stuff like counseling, phone transfers, taking phone messages, immunizations, etc.

 

[smileyman22336]

Yes, I am technically allowed to do all of that stuff, although, they haven't let me do any of it yet, the only thing I've done is a mix or two, that's about it...At my IPPE rotation, I did immunizations, which was pretty cool. Right now, I'm leaning heavily towards hospital pharmacy, but also got my eyes on compounding.

 

[SClENCE]

I hate phone transfers/call in scripts because I can't spell anything right haha

 

[smileyman22336]

I hate phone transfers/call in scripts because I can't spell anything right haha

I'm still not sure if we just write down the info and give it to the pharmacist, or can we do it ourselves? LOL, so many questions that I have.