Pharmacy experiences and professional practice

Pharmacy Experiences

When describing their various maladies, the clients at my local pharmacy ranged from being completely open and frank to being noticeably ashamed. One woman, for instance, spoke of her skin disorder loudly, so that practically everyone in the room could hear, while another woman's voice was a barely audible whisper so she could hide her obvious embarrassment. When the pharmacist had to lean over the counter to hear her properly, I realized how important it would be for me to develop sensitivity while on the job. Rather than simply possessing knowledge about all available pharmaceutical products on the market and being aware of contraindications and other complications that arise, pharmacists must possess good people skills.

Unfortunately, not all the pharmacists I witnessed were skillful in this area. Some were brusque and unsupportive of their client's needs, only concerned with an efficient filling of orders. While I understand that speed and accuracy are of the utmost importance in the profession, I also appreciate the need for genuine caring. The people who come to the pharmacy either to fill a doctor's prescription or to obtain information directly from the pharmacist seek and need care and attention. I believe that it is the duty and responsibility of the pharmacist to treat each person with patience, kindness, and compassion. After all, we are being entrusted with intimate secrets about their bodies, secrets they might even withhold from their friends and family members.

Much of the information that pharmacists receive from their clients is also confidential. I did not appreciate it when one of the pharmacists I observed gossiped about the customers who came in that day. She would joke about their ailments or diseases with glaring lack of respect. I feel that like doctors, pharmacists need to be totally respectful of privacy.

Organizational skills are also of the utmost important in this profession. We need to be constantly on the ball and vigilant, for one tiny mistake can mean serious consequences. One misprint on a medicine label or accidentally filling a prescription with the wrong drug can be fatal. One of my biggest fears is that I will make one of these mistakes. While I watched these pharmacists at work, I wondered how many of them were thinking about their dogs or what they were going to eat for dinner while they grabbed a bottle of pills. Fortunately, the system at this pharmacy was streamlined and it would be difficult to make such a glaring mistake. However, human error is a major consideration in this profession, perhaps more than I realized before.

I also noticed how personal biases can affect a pharmacist's reaction to a customer. Because a plethora of medicines and products exist for each ailment, the pharmacist can recommend whatever product he or she feels is best. However, what I would recommend might be totally different from what one of my colleagues would recommend. We pharmacists must always keep our personal biases out of the professional setting. I believe that when asked for advice, we should present the customer with the full gamut of products and help them make an informed decision on their own. Rather than offer them the latest marketing brochures or other promotional materials, we should take the business out of pharmacy and focus on healing and wellness.