Attachment Experience In NHG

[Jie]

hey guys... this is for the ppl who is serving attachment in the various polyclinics...

[suzhen]

eh, yeo wei jie, we IMH de student post here ar?

[weijie]

Yo. Is been 2 weeks at tpy. Let me try to summarize teh working lifestyle here.

People
People are generally nice. The staff here basically range from teh young to the old. So we have 2 pharmacists, Mr Chan and Bandy, who are our supervisor, Hock Eng, Pharmacy exceutive (one rank below pharmacist and one rank higher than PT). A few senior PT who are very experienced with at least 10 years experience and some even 30 years. Young PTs like SHee wee, Yas Min and Shan Shan. 2 Pharmacy assistant, Regina and sze hui. Lastly we have 2 pharmacy attendant, Rahman and Hui Huang. Not forgetting 3 retails staff.

They are nice but some are a bit eccentric.

Things do so far:

Packing.
This is what I usually. Nothing but pack, pack, PACK. But looking from a good way, you get to know the common drugs dipsense and their doses. Is tends to get busy during 11 am and on sat. Some nasty encounter would be people getting partial supply after you finished packing (meaning got to repack again) or counting medicatinons return. AS such, when doing such stuff, is the time you should not be so hardworking. LEt them wait as long as possible.

Retail.
Well, so far I have been just doing nothing except cashing duties. I just hate to work in a retail setting. Is so stressful lol. People just keep fire questions and I am also like can't answer. So my solution is shout Help! Fancy or Catherine or Eunice! Haha. ANway, it looks wierld wearing a lab coat in the retail. People might mistaken you for a Pharmacists and start firing qn at you. That's the reason why I never choose retail pharmacy in my attachment choice. I just hate it. I swore never to work in retaila again.

One funny thing happen. JY keep pressing the wrong. When a customer wants to use visa or master, he pressed the button c/card. So you might be thinking it is credit card button. But then he is wrong. Is actually cash card. So the retail staff are probably shocked as they don't understand why there is so many cash card transaction. Haha

As for lessons wise, we spend some small time with Mr Chan each morning lol. So he will use this time to teach us some things.So he has touch on dipensing stuff, the principles and the mistakes. he also explain why patient has such a long list of medication.

Well, that's what I have done so far. Next week is stocktaking and I am in charge of counting sweets. People keep wishing me good luck about and I wonder how bad it would be.

One more thing, I got sakae sushi vouchers Who wants it. It last until end of the month.

[suzhen]

elo!
pei wei jie & jian yuan! piece of gd news to u guys!!!hahas

today, cal & i heard from our senior PT that the TPY staffs are satisfied (or happy i 4g0t) with u guys' performance! haahaa, congrats!

[lynn]

i xian mu those who have training schedule de coz i dun have T.T i learn as and when de... lol ... first day they throw everything at me lah ... as in like familiarise with the packing and stocks area and some of the medicines which are stored at the front counter there but is by MYSELF! lol ... den my pharmacist in charge tell me how to answer phone calls so by fourth ring must pick up. Hmmm... got read the good customer's manual lah and did a discussion on it. Sometimes when she is oso inside packing den she will test me on the spot about those drugs and stuff. Like when GTN expire, why? why this drug given with this? and she will also post me challenging stimulation questions like wad happen if this this this happen and den have to think of an answer and reply her. She also expects me to noe what the medicine are for le and their side effects so not gonna teach me that agn. LOL... and the thing is... when u see the actual drug hor, you will forget everything u have learnt!!! hahaha... and so i have to take the initiative to re-read everything agn... T.T oh yah ... and now she say im the one in charge of answering the phone liao lor... coz that way i can learn the fastest coz got patient enquiries and such T.T now i hear the phone ring i scared liao lor... will always frown my brows de T.T at home hear dio phone ring oso T.T anw, gambatte!

[weijie]

Lynn: Well having a training schedule also not that good. It means you to do as acording to what it has stated lol. Don't need to be so scared of the phone ring la. Unless you have met nasty doctor or patient through phone calls. Haha

Well. I didn't have a good time at retail these few days.

Monday:
Today I got scolded by one customer. She ask me whether can aspirin 100 mg be used in a patient with hypertension and diabetics. Since I cannot answer it, I have to ask the pharmacist. then she ask me whether I was a trainee. I say yes and then she say 'no wonder'. Cause she got irritated by me lol. She find it irritating that I always say "I will go and check" for every question she has asked. Lol. She say I should have a trainee badge and she will 'support' me all the way lol. Made me even hate retail more.



Tuesday:
I made one GRAVE mistake today. In a rush to get help an auntie to give her one more customer loyalty chop and the situation was a but luan, I gave her the item (which cost $2) and forget to collect money from her. So I ended paying $2 from my pocket. Luckily she already pay for her previous item (which mount up to $73), if not I can imagine the pinch. Lol. Then Cat decide to pay the $2 herself. So I feel a bit bad lol... Haiz...



Wednesday:
Aiyo. Today was very busy. Think probably after mid autumn festival, everybody wants to see the doctor lol.

Outpatient:
Well. Initially it was not that busy. Until about four pm. So many prescription lol. Picking medicine like crazy. It seems to be the doctor 'closing ceremony' for us. Haha.

I went in to the same doctor room twice today and receive call from him as well. Quite a nice doctor.

Retail:
Today is worst. Damn busy. Then the aircon like not working. So a bit hot. Then if you met some nasty customers, it make you even feel hotter.

So these are some of the customers I have met.

1st customer:
An Indian lady. Very arrogant one lol.

"Do you need a receipt?"

"OF COURSE!"

Usually people will just say 'Yes'. Then she ask why some things so expensive. Then must faster explain, if not kenna scolding from her. Basically very arrogant la and her attitude sucks to the core.

2nd customer:
She help another old lady buy a eye drop. She realized she bought wrongly. So she try to ask for a change. Then we cannot change it due to company policy. So she ask for a refund, again we also cannot due to company policy. In the end, the staff fork out the money for the refund stuff lol. Lucky not that expensive ($1.60).

3rd customer:
A drug addict. She basically first start off by asking for some items that require consultation from the pharmacist, by doing so she will get to see the doctor. So if you promote one item that she 'need', she just show you one black face. So she will fake don't know how many stories la.

"I need the acne lotion. I already got the cream. So I want the lotion. Also, I need another type of eyedrop. I wonder if there is a eyedrop better than this (referring to the one she is using)"

A woman try to promote her acne lotion and the drug addict display a black face.

'Hmmm, I think you should go and see the pharmacist.'

Once she see the pharmacist, she will try to ask for a cough syrup, codeine, which drug addict likes.

At the counter.

"Are you the pharmacist?"

"No." Again she display a black face.

"Is this medicine (Promethazine) the same as this (Promethazine Codeine)?"

"Hmmm, no, it does not contain codeine"

Still she decide to buy promethazine because she 'bought it for her children cough'. But when she realize it was for children use (her children is 15/16), she demand to ask for a refund. Well, we still refund back to her lol. She create extra trouble for us lol.

I didn't know she was a drug addict until one of the staff told me. The doctor already prescribe her 2 bottles of codeine (under the law, one patient is only allowed to buy max of 2 bottles from one pharmacy). Lol I think I will see her agin in future.

So if I knew she was a drug addict, I would say I am a pharmacist and tell her that medicine contains codeine and trick her into buying it. Can't believe she actually use her child to try to buy drugs.

4th customer:
"Why is this toothbrush so cheap?"

"Hmmm, because we can buy in bulk and thus, we can sell this more cheaper."

'This is not a good answer"

What the hell...

Then I tell myself, he must be selling this same item at a higher price, so jealous when we sell it more cheaper. haha.

Wearing a lab coat is very stressful. Sometimes I juts feel like not wearing a lab coat. But I cannot lol. Cause Mr Chan say the moment you see patient you must wear white coat. People will think that you are a pharmacist and try to ask fire you with all sort of questions. Then when I went to the clinic to find a doctor (I mention earlier), the patients all think I am a doctor lol!!! And they all was like saying "wa.. so young"... haha...

Well, I also did something different. I give out queue no at the counter!!! haha...

[Poogypoopoo]

yo pple !
yep i got my username and password for ipharm 2 wks ago. and this has generated a lot of pressure for me. everything i do i must be responsible.
last few wks has been quite d same. packing picking topping up, outpatient counter 2, telephone enquires, mastering how to use ipharm . today i started on capturing rx...woho....a feat for me .....to me its complicated......if it's wrong, packer and dispenser would "scream" at u...haha....
i too attended a talk on falls , instability and urinary incontinece at ttsh on wed..it's rather enriching lar...raise awarreness for us women abt incontience..(but i nearly fell alsp)..but d best part is the polar chicken pie given ...


i haven been posted to d retail area unlike others arh.
ur guys having audit soon too? in jurong it's coming, and i am attending good customer service training. it's hard to smile when u really feel like screamin at an unreasonable patient. certain patients jus shout at me ..eg abt adding a bottle of chlorhexidine wash.. u want must tell doctor lar..i tell him he just insisted he want ..alamak...den have to call doctor. i lurve old ah mas....u smile at them they smile back at you...so cute ...


Gotcha!

[weijie]

Peggy: not bad. They actaully help you reguster for iPharm.

[Poogypoopoo]

jurong poly all attachment students got ipharm username and password.

today being posted to retail finally.
d day started quite ok with OK customers.
did opening and closing of counter, cashiering.

aye at d end of d day during closing, d counter was short of 2.20. wdhell. i counted so slowly still got wrong. PiANG. tml duno wanna lose how much... i am gona be in d retail department for 1 week. wish me luck.

[Leong Ai Lin]

Finally, I find the chance and time to read the postings in this forum. We can not access this site in NYP. Thank you for inviting me, Weijie.

Majority of the postings are complaints...Well...this is normal... I am pleased..because all of us after a day of work, we will need a channel to vent our stress and pressure.

Now all of you realize working life is not easy, right? We have to face different sort of people everyday...Like you all, I have to handle demands from students, colleagues, my bosses, parents, people from external organizations...for each cateory I will need to apply a slightly different type of interpersonel skill. We learn to be tactful, be patient, be attentive.

Well.. make best use of this learning opportunity, and live this experience to the fullest.

[weijie]

Peggy: Not bad wa. Every attachment get their own iPharm account. More responsibility and more things to learn. Haha.

Retail just got to be more careful la. Retail can sometimes be fun lol. Just have mixed feelings about retail ba. Haha.

[suzhen]

yoz peep!

im currently attached to TPY polyclinic. 1st wk there was kinda meaningful cuz learn quite alot of things, the OP area and the retail and visited UMC home as well.

OP: we do picking of med...basically med. in polyclinic is much more than those in the PPC & when it gets really busy it can b quite chaotic.

REtail: did cashiering, doing lil' stock up. Well, cashiering itself i find it quite enjoyable cuz you will b able to deal with all sorts of ppl , a chance for u to practise ur EQ, hahas. AND there are babies as well, they are so Cute! but really have to b careful when dealing with transaction and $$, if not if short of the $, the staffs will have to bear the cost.

UMC: did checking of expiry dates over there. Hmm, the cupboard is full of medicine's smell so can really feel kinda nausea at times.

overall it is an enjoyable experience @ TPY.

Ciaoz! take care everyone! =)

[weijie]

Yo guys. Also very long didn't post about attachment.

Everything is doing fine currently. Su Zhen has gone back to PPC and Cal has come to tpy for training.

Hmm, sometimes kinda of like retail la. Maybe because get to interact with people lol. And then, you are less likely to get scolded by the staff there.

Today, I sold 2 BP set on my own lol. Teach them how to use, advice on certain things lol.

Then one more thing, I got to dispense on monday!!! First time doing dispensing with patients. Of course nervous lol. Was like speaking so fast. Then also always like in doubt, asking myself whether I got miss anything. But then today, I didn't get to dispense

Wish there will be more dispensing sessions for me in future.

[weijie]

Yo guys. Also very long didn't post about attachment.

Everything is doing fine currently. Su Zhen has gone back to PPC and Cal has come to tpy for training.

Hmm, sometimes kinda of like retail la. Maybe because get to interact with people lol. And then, you are less likely to get scolded by the staff there.

Today, I sold 2 BP set on my own lol. Teach them how to use, advice on certain things lol.

Then one more thing, I got to dispense on monday!!! First time doing dispensing with patients. Of course nervous lol. Was like speaking so fast. Then also always like in doubt, asking myself whether I got miss anything. But then today, I didn't get to dispense

Wish there will be more dispensing sessions for me in future.

[Jie]

attachment is so nice to me that i feel like gg back to do part time until my army after feb (right after Unity FYP)