A Day In The Life Of A Retail Or Community Pharmacist

Community or retail pharmacy

Community pharmacy practice is enjoyed by majority of pharmacist on it. It is the choice dream of many pharmacist in other career paths. There is money in it but not better than the other career paths. The major reason is because of the close personal contacts with patients more than the other career paths. The only career path close to it is hospital pharmacy practice. Most people not yet on it did usually wonder how the life of a community pharmacist is and what it entails.

Community Pharmacist In Morning Shift

If you live in a neighborhood with with high population density and have to interact with people in your environment, your practice start almost from home. Waking up in the morning to your neighbor complaining of a headache that occurred last night to her or her child. You are attending to that one and another may be eavesdropping on your conversation to see what your neighbor is suffering from to have the next compound gossip.
Read Also: Life Of A Hospital Pharmacist
As you go through the street to your work, you hear different titles from doc to chief pharm, etc. It is very common to see some of your patients on your way to work.
On getting to your shop, you see one or two person already waiting for the attention of a pharmacist or to fill prescription. Opening the doors, turning on the computer and other necessary gadgets while switching off those that needed to be off. Afterwards, the waiting patient will be attended to. It is either a minor complain that need counselling or a prescription with explanation on how to use the drugs is what they need. That is besides the cleaning in the morning by the sales assistant.
Because the stock in the shelf was depleted or scattered the previous day and no one to arrange in the evening when they close, you start arranging the drugs properly and taking notes of those that are low in stock or out of stock.
Since the morning in most places is free compared to other times, this is the best time to do all non clinical job before the patient traffic starts coming. This involve noting all low stock including out of stock. If possible place order with wholesaler with the right quantity. Fast moving drugs gets more demand than slow moving ones.
Receiving stock is not a funny task. With the assistance of the sales assistant, you have to check the quantity supplied with the quantity on the invoice and sort out those with other abnormalities like wrong strength, wrong supply, etc. Each drug expiry date is noted and the cost for each drug and selling price recorded. All necessary information is entered into the computer or android app. This is real work. The selling price is attached to each drug as price tag before putting them in the shelf or in the store until they will be needed in the shelf. Sometimes, one wholesaler cannot provide all the required drugs hence you make another order to another wholesaler.
There are two sets of persons that come to a community pharmacy. Those with minor complain and others who wish to fill their prescription. Those who wants to fill their prescription may be coming from a health insurance scheme. They come with proof of identification with their various health scheme and prescription. A confirmation email from the health insurance providers is a positive nod to go ahead with the refill. The patient is advice on the dose and how to use with other relevant details. The drugs dispense is sent to the health insurance for billing purposes.
The other sets of people who come to the community pharmacy come to find solutions to their health challenge. Some just want a little lecture on life style modification, or want medications. That is where some degree of knowledge of diagnosis comes into play. As the patient explain how they feel, you are scanning your head on the number of possible causes and solutions. This must be fast or else they lose trust in you as a professional.
If properly done, they will always want to come back in cases of minor problems. They will then be free to carry out minor check with you such as blood pressure measurement, blood glucose level check, weight, etc. You receive calls from customers making inquiries on available drugs, alternative and how to use drugs.
As the day get more and more traffic, second sales assistant walks in and later second pharmacist walk in. The pressure is reduce now. Four or more staff all on ground. However, the new pharmacist should know that the less work is only for a while. The closing of the first sales assistant and pharmacist will transfer all the work stress. However, other minor work have been done in the morning like stocking shelf.

Community Pharmacist In Night Shift

After rounding off for morning sales, pharmacist in morning shift can go home. Going for another job elsewhere is possible depending on negotiation with the other place. The time depends on terms of contract. Evening shift is more of complain and buying of over the counter drugs. At the end of the day, rounding up is more stressful than morning sales. You got to balance sales as you try to attend to rushing customers who want to get their drug as they are coming back from work before going home. You still see those begging for last minutes attention just to save their life. I remember the day we have to open the door again for an old man who was asthmatic and got a night attack. He appreciated us a lot but not to the detriment of our comfort. But the bottom line is we got a customer that will likely come back another day to fill prescription.
To end the day, you switch off every thing that need to be off and switch on what is needed to be on. Lock doors and head back home. Going home is no fun if you are a bachelor or spinster. You got to greet your neighbors who may want you to spend some time with them, get home and find what to eat. If you could not cook, you have to buy outside before finding where to lay your head.
Read Also: Day In The Life Of A Pharmacy Student
This is the life of a community or retail pharmacist. This is the life I am living.
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