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Any pharmacy technician will tell you that a day behind the counter is a busy one. Pharmacy techs can’t do every task that pharmacists do, but they handle a whopping list of duties during their long, on-their-feet-all-day shifts. They count pills, call insurance companies, staff the register and the drive-thru, verify insurance coverage, check inventory, and talk to doctor’s offices, all while answering phones, responding to customer questions and complaints, and sometimes even administering vaccines.
And, the list of job duties for techs isn’t getting shorter any time soon; with many pharmacies across the country cutting hours and the increased pandemic-related pressure on pharmacy staff, techs are likely to take on even more responsibilities in the coming months. But…how? Are there practical and easy-to-implement pharmacy tech tips to improve pharmacy operations?
RELATED: Why pharmacy techs are essential for every pharmacy
9 pharmacy technician tips
SingleCare talked to three pharmacists who have worked in a myriad of settings, from retail to research to hospitals, and in a number of different roles: as technicians, pharmacists, interns, and pharmacy managers. Here’s what they said about how pharmacy techs can optimize their working hours behind the counter and help their pharmacies run more smoothly—without burning out or compromising their own well-being.
1. Plan ahead for long days
Technician hours vary widely, but many techs find themselves working long (read: 12-hour) shifts on a regular basis. What are the essential items for surviving a shift at the pharmacy? For one, good shoes.
As for what kind? “It’s really personal preference,” says Jenna Spell, Pharm.D., a pharmacist in North Carolina who recently made the move from retail to research. “I’ve seen some people swear by Crocs, others tennis shoes, and others Rothy’s, but good shoes, compression stockings, gum, [and] a water bottle (if you’re allowed one) are essentials.”
2. Excel at administrative tasks
According to Malena DeSantos, Pharm.D., a pharmacist at CVS in Berkeley, California, techs can’t verify prescriptions but can perform almost every other task in the pharmacy. Because of this, a tech’s mechanical skills can impact the overall workflow of their pharmacy.
“Becoming proficient at tasks such as typing, filling, and inventory management, and taking on additional roles such as training new hires and handling scheduling,” says Dr. DeSantos, “can allow techs to positively impact the pharmacy and play an integral role on the team.”
In other words, know how important all those day-to-day administrative tasks are to the pharmacy and your coworkers; even though they may sometimes feel unglamorous and tedious, they can help your whole pharmacy excel.
3. Know your limits
You’re a confident, competent, and dedicated pharmacy technician…but you’re not a superhuman! Dr. Spell says it’s crucial to remember that you are only one person and simply can’t do it all—even if you want to!
4. Be watchful for any Rx errors
All pharmacies have a series of checks and balances to reduce the likelihood of medication errors being made. When the proper protocols are followed, mistakes will be rare; still, the possibility for a grave error exists.
Should you make a mistake, the temptation to fix it by yourself or even try to cover it up will be real, but it’s important to do the exact opposite, says Dr. DeSantos: “When an error is made, it should always be communicated as quickly as possible—to the pharmacist, the patient, and to anyone else involved.” Make sure you know your pharmacy’s procedures for each type of error.
5. Improve your time management skills
Keep learning ways to safely and effectively improve your productivity without getting bogged down by your workload. “I try to pair tasks when possible,” says Indira Geist, Pharm.D., an outpatient pharmacist at a pediatric hospital in Pennsylvania. “For example, when I worked in pharmacies that had drive-thrus, I might try to type a few inbound prescriptions while waiting for cars to pull around.”
6. Count medications smarter, not harder
Ideally, you’ll find useful ways to count medications more quickly and increase your efficiency at work, but you don’t want to do that at the expense of accuracy. Instead, find smart ways to count medications more quickly, so you can move along at a brisk—but safe—pace.
You can start by counting “slappers,” Dr. DeSantos says, i.e., medications you don’t have to count individually, like 90-count bottles, creams, inhalers, and more. This will help you get a lot more done quickly, up front, and then leave you more time later for pill counting.
7. Prioritize accuracy
Speaking of accuracy in the pharmacy, Dr. Geist says that of the three pillars of any community pharmacy—accuracy, efficiency, and service—accuracy is the most important. “The responsibility of handling prescriptions is massive, and there’s truly no room for error,” she warns.
We don’t remind you of this to stress you out, but simply to help you prioritize throughout your day, whenever you feel overwhelmed. Is it important to count pills quickly? Yes, but not as important as counting them correctly. When in doubt, make accuracy your top goal.
8. Remember your patients are people
In rushed retail settings, it’s easy to forget that the customers at the counter are not just another task to get through—and that you may not be interacting with them while they’re at their best.
“I like to remind my colleagues that we are meeting people under less than ideal circumstances: they might be sick, experiencing some medical event, or managing difficult chronic health conditions,” says Dr. Geist. “Assume positive intent and try to meet people where they are at that moment.”
The pending queue of prescriptions, adds Dr. Geist, will always be there. But you have a unique opportunity when a patient or customer is standing in front of you to take care of them; there is great value in that, and a technician who embraces their service skills can have a positive ripple effect on the rest of the pharmacy.
9. Guard against burnout
Let’s be honest: pharmacy staff have an incredibly stressful job. This was true before the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s even more true now. As the face greeting patients behind the counter, you will have uplifting, fulfilling interactions some days and ones that are the total opposite on other days.
On top of patients, you also have to deal with coworkers, managers, administrators, and colleagues in outside organizations like insurance companies and healthcare provider offices. Communication can break down quickly, resentments and frustrations can build, and technicians can find themselves burned out.
RELATED: How to fight pandemic fatigue in the pharmacy
“I think the best advice I can give is to take your breaks—take that mental health moment to just step away from the chaos and recenter yourself,” says Dr. Spell, who says that whenever she would see one of her technicians getting frazzled, she would jump in and tell them to go outside or go to the break room for a little while. It was, she says, immensely helpful.
