Retail Pharmacist Reviews

As a new retail pharmacist, I was not prepared for the amount of time involved in resolving prescription drug claim issues. Although the bulk of the process is handled by the technician, pharmacist input is required when alternative drugs are preferred by a particular insurance carrier. Another source of stress is having to say "No" to patients attempting to get their prescriptions refilled early. This is a common issue with pain medications and certain other medications subject to abuse. Patients can become agitated or angry and they take out this frustration on the pharmacy staff. This is when the pharmacist in charge must step in and use conflict resolution skills to prevent the situation from escalating. To excel as a pharmacist, you must learn to manage your time well, prioritize tasks and handle frequent interruptions while maintaining focus on the task at hand. Develop a prescription checking routine to help minimize errors. Never vary from the routine.