Pharmacy students, and pharmacists themselves, often worry if they are enough when it comes to the job. Do they know enough? Are they patient enough? Do they listen well enough? Rather than focusing on if you are enough, let’s look at if your habits are conducive to your success.
Look at Your Mindset
Are you enough? Yes, yes, yes, and yes, a million times more. Effective people may doubt themselves at times, but they don’t allow it to take over their ideas and don’t let it hold them back. When the brain wants to tell you that you didn’t handle that frustrated patient well, or that you got too far behind on your workload, rephrase it to be empowering and less harsh. Think about how you can change your reaction to a frustrated patient and reassure them long before they need it. It’s about what you can do, not what you did wrong!
Never Stop Learning
We all know it’s a legal requirement to take continuing education, but it’s still a great practice to continue learning about the field and sharpen your skills at every chance you can. That may mean subscribing to email newsletters, looking for an extra workshop or class to take, or networking with others in the field and learning from them.
Take Your Time
There are going to be moments in which you feel rushed. Rushing can only make things worse! You can work efficiently and with purpose but without hurrying through the job. Whenever you feel like you are panicking over time and running around, take a moment for a slow deep breath and focus on the task at hand. You will be amazed at what you can accomplish when you stay calm.
Focus on Your Priorities
While you are breathing through the stressful moments, stay on task and deal with the most urgent of priorities. Don’t waste time on anything that can wait until the next day, always work on those things that need to be done now! When you have a good habit of prioritizing your work, you will do much better and get a lot more accomplished.
Listen Closely
One of the biggest issues all employees have, even in the pharmacy, is that the boss doesn’t listen. When the technician is explaining a problem, listen closely to what they are saying. When you listen, you can resolve issues so much faster than when you rush to solve a problem.
Be A Team Player
Follow the old adage, “two heads are better than one.” When a problem arises, the most simplistic of answers could be sitting right before us and we are so worked up over the problem, we don’t see it. When you have two people handling the problem together, the solution can be found a lot sooner. Your co-workers will often think in a different way than you and there is plenty to be learned from that person.
Be Proactive
There are so many different possibilities of what could happen. Be proactive and create backup plans in case it does! You won’t always be able to predict when a snowstorm could interfere with a delivery or when someone might get sick and call-in. Having a plan in place could alleviate some of the issues those things could cause. It is also often thought that if we prepare, we will never need it. Probably not true for pharmacists, but it is a nice thought regardless.
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This post is related to:
Professional Services: Staffing Services, Recruiting Agencies
