How To Be a Good Pharmacy Technician

How To Be a Good Pharmacy Technician

 

Pharmacy Technicians are skilled healthcare professionals that most Canadians have contact with on a regular basis. For this reason, it’s key that pharmacy technicians have excellent customer service skills, among other must-have attributes. If you’re considering a career as a pharmacy technician, or are already established in the profession and interested in learning how you can advance within the industry, consider these tips on how to be a good pharmacy technician.

 

Go above and beyond when interacting with customers

 

Like any healthcare professional, pharmacy technicians must always prioritize the health, and safety of their patients. To ensure this thinking is upheld, pharmacy technicians should consider how each patient interaction can be improved to better suit the needs of their patients. For example, what pleasantries can you introduce to a conversation to make patients feel more relaxed? Can you better clarify a complicated prescription? In certain interactions, should you reach out to the pharmacist for support to ensure a patient has a comprehensive understanding of their medication? These are just a few of the questions you may ask yourself in an effort to improve your interactions with patients. Undoubtedly, your efforts won’t go unnoticed and you will be more likely to receive career advancement opportunities.

 

Develop personal organization systems

 

Everyone has different tactics for staying organized. In a profession that demands top-notch organizational skills, it’s key to determine your own, personalized method for prioritizing your responsibilities and ensuring every task is completed with precision and care. To improve your organizational skills, or to introduce a new strategy into your existing workflow, try making lists of all the various tasks you’re required to complete during the day, and place a check beside each task as they’re completed. This is a great way to visualize your responsibilities and feel accomplished after each day.

 

If lists aren’t your thing, find a pattern to your workflow by completing tasks in a similar order. Most of us enjoy creating routines within our week, so why not do the same with our work days? For example, if you know Mondays and Fridays are busy days for the pharmacy, try moving any tasks that can be completed on any day, into the middle of the week so they don’t interfere with your busiest periods. Developing a consistent routine in your week will help alleviate feelings of anxiety toward certain tasks, as well as help you complete tasks without unnecessary time constraints.

 

When time permits, brush up on your skills

 

It’s easy to grow complacent, when we’ve worked for the same employer for a number of years, or have mastered any task a job can throw at us. For this reason, it’s important to stay fresh within our professions by striving to learn new concepts or ways of thinking. You can do this by reading pharmacy technician blogs, grabbing coffee with a respected member of your industry, attending healthcare lectures that may apply to your work, or even registering for a course to improve your credentials. Pursuing new learning opportunities is a great way to demonstrate your commitment to your career, and to avoid complacency within your day-to-day responsibilities. Make sure you let your supervising pharmacist know you’re interested in career learning opportunities — they may be able to provide you with helpful resources.

 

Patience goes a long way in this profession

 

As a pharmacy technician, you may confront disgruntled patients on occasion who are frustrated about not being able to access a prescription for whatever reason. In these types of situations, your ability to stay composed and remain polite will set you apart from many professionals in the customer service industry who resort too quickly to frustrated tones and short replies. A great way to demonstrate patience to exasperated visitors of the pharmacy, is to express that you understand their frustrations and are working toward a solution. This type of communication will help put the guest at ease and enable them to see you care about their concerns.

 

Maintain a healthy lifestyle outside of work

 

This point may seem self-evident, but according to Health Canada, far too many Canadians are ignoring the minimum recommended standard of exercise each week, and neglecting to consume healthy diets. In addition to maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine, it’s also key to get a sufficient amount of sleep every night. Health Canada notes that one third of all Canadians do not get enough sleep and are therefore at risk for a number of ailments including cardiovascular disease and depression. This trifecta of exercise, diet, and sleep work toward ensuring we’re healthy and happy individuals in our personal lives, and at work. The behaviour we practice outside of work impacts our ability to effectively perform our jobs and handle patient concerns with a positive, upbeat attitude. For more information on the practices Health Canada recommends to maintain a healthy lifestyle, visit this resource here.

 

By following the above suggestions, you will be able to improve in your career as a pharmacy technician, and better serve the patients that rely on your services. Remember, if you’re considering a career as a pharmacy technician, Robertson offers flexible course start times for its Pharmacy Technician Diploma Program and hands-on learning from industry professions. Speak to a Student Admissions Advisor today about your rewarding future as a pharmacy technician.