PT293/PTN2915 Section 01 Pharmacy Virtual Practicum – Online Plus – 2020 Winter Quarter Term 2
(week 04) DISCUSSION POST AND REPLY
Time management skills are essential techniques to be able to
function in a fast-paced environment. Some of the skills include but are
not limited to:
- Being organized
- Planning ahead
- Prioritizing tasks
- Avoiding overload
- Being able to be flexible
In a pharmacy environment, a pharmacy technician must utilize these
skills on an everyday basis to be efficient in their position.
In your initial post, describe the most important time management
skill you believe will be essential to your job as a pharmacy
technician. Be sure to explain why you believe this skill is essential.
In your response post, provide your perspective to your classmate
regarding ways to improve their time management skill when the
environment in the pharmacy gets hectic.
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(week 05) DISCUSSION POST AND REPLY
Customer Service has become a “hot button” issue within society for a
variety of different reasons, predominately for the patient/customer
and making sure they have someone in their corner to fight for what they
want.
In your initial post, give your personal experiences regarding
customer service that you’ve experienced. Be sure to include examples of
both good and bad experiences.
In your response post, provide your perspective to your classmate
regarding ways to improve their bad customer service experiences.
Course Project – Part 2 Due: On-Boarding a New Employee
Previously, you began your work on developing a plan to on-board a
new employee. To be able to successfully on-board an employee, an
education plan is needed to ensure all components are addressed and
trained upon.
Part 2: On-Boarding a New Employee
You are asked to review the statements below and identify the following:
Education Plan:
Develop an education (training) plan for a new employee. Be sure to include the following in your training:
- Policy and procedure.
- Machine training.
- Employee relations.
- Prescription fulfillment.
- Supervisor schedule before being allowed to function alone.
Adaptability of Education Plan:
A part of developing an education
(training) plan includes the ability to adapt based upon not only the
needs of the individual, but also the environment that they are in. In
the event that changes happen within the pharmacy, how do you address
the following:
- Being short staffed and training a new employee.
- Electronic equipment being down in the pharmacy when training.
- Pharmacy being too busy to spend 1:1 time training.
Statement:
You are the Pharmacy Technician Supervisor
at your local pharmacy. You have a new employee starting in 2 weeks and
need to develop a training plan for them. This is the first job for this
employee since they have recently completed school.
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Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
As a medical professor, it is important to equip students with necessary skills for their future profession. In this assignment, we will address two important aspects for pharmacy technicians: time management and customer service. Additionally, we will discuss the development of an education plan and adaptability for a new employee in a pharmacy setting.
Answer to Week 4 Content:
The most important time management skill for a pharmacy technician is being able to prioritize tasks. In a fast-paced environment, it is important to address urgent tasks first while ensuring other duties are not neglected. This skill helps pharmacy technicians to maintain efficiency and avoid wasted time. Being able to identify and address tasks in order of importance guarantees that patients’ needs are met in a timely manner and the pharmacy runs smoothly.
Answer to Week 5 Content:
Good customer service requires effective communication skills, empathy, and active listening. It is important for pharmacy technicians to understand the needs and concerns of patients while addressing them in a respectful manner. A good example of good customer service is when the pharmacy technician explains medication usage and potential side effects in an understandable way. On the other hand, bad customer service can result in miscommunication, patient dissatisfaction, and possible legal issues. For instance, providing incorrect information about a medication or failing to address a patient’s concerns in a timely manner can harm the pharmacist-patient relationship.
To improve bad customer service experiences, pharmacy technicians can communicate clearly, listen actively to patients, and show empathy. In addition, using positive language and tone can improve patient satisfaction. For example, pharmacy technicians can apologize for any inconvenience and offer to address the issue immediately. It is important to remember that every patient interaction is an opportunity to provide excellent customer service and build patient trust.
Answer to Course Project:
Education Plan: A new employee should receive training on pharmacy policies and procedures to ensure they understand their responsibilities and obligations. They should have hands-on experience with machines, including how to fill prescriptions accurately. It is important that the employee has a good understanding of employee relations to improve communication with colleagues. The employee should be taught prescription fulfillment to provide accurate information to patients. Lastly, the supervisor should ensure the new employee is supervised adequately before being allowed to function alone.
Adaptability of Education Plan: Pharmacy technicians need to be flexible to handle unexpected situations. In the event that the pharmacy is short-staffed while a new employee is being trained, the supervisor can assign specific tasks to the employee to ease the workload for the team. If electronic equipment is down in the pharmacy, the pharmacy technician can use the opportunity to teach the employee about manual processes, thereby improving the employee’s adaptability in different scenarios. If the pharmacy is too busy to spend 1:1 time training, the supervisor can use technology-based approaches such as online training modules to equip the employee with knowledge and skills.
Statement: As the Pharmacy Technician Supervisor, the supervisor should use a combination of hands-on and technology-based training modules to equip the new employee. The supervisor should also be flexible enough to ensure the employee is trained in various scenarios, including when the pharmacy is short-staffed or is too busy.
