A day in the life of a pharmacy technician

Okay! So, where do I start? First of all, working at any retail store basically means flexible hours and sometimes the hours are not so favorable. Some stores are open 24 hours, whereas some are open up to 12 hours. That means you could be scheduled around any time unless you have a preference.

I always preferred doing mid-shift, which would basically be 11 a.m to 7 p.m, and if I start at 10 a.m, I will finish around 6 p.m. It also depends if you’re looking to work full-time or part-time. Some pharmacies let your do 3 days, 8 hours shifts as a part-time whereas others like to schedule 5 days, 5-6 hours shifts.

Anyways, the days that I worked would start at 11 a.m, and I live 20 minutes away from work, so I would start getting ready at least 40 minutes before my shift starts. I would make sure everything is taken care of at home; that way, I would have peace of mind while I’m at work.  I don’t like to be rushed, so I would wake up early every day around 9 a.m. Even though I would love some extra hours of sleep, but once you become a parent, you can bid goodbye to those long 10-hour sleep.

I would try to leave at least 25 minutes early just to make sure I have that 5 minutes of extra time, so I can drive peacefully. Since I’m an hourly employee, I would have to clock in on time, or else I risk getting written up. 

Once I punch in at work, I usually look at my computer screen to see how many medications need to be filled, how many waiters in the pharmacy, and how many prescriptions need data entry. That helps me prioritize and also gives me an overview of how my day will be like.

It’s always important to get the data entry done ASAP because if there are any issues with the directions or insurance, that way, they can be worked on right away. Then if there are any waiters, I start filling their prescriptions and passing it on to the pharmacist for verification. That way, you can have all the customers out of the way and not worry about anyone waiting or getting upset because that gives major anxiety.

Everything that needs to be done in the next 20 minutes is done, and then I continue filling as much and keep going back and forth to the screen just to make sure if there’s any insurance issue that needs attention or any data entry left.

Afterward, I look into what medications need to be called for a refill, and if any patients need a reminder that their prescriptions have been ready for the past couple of days. All the responses are updated in the system.

Usually, out-of-stock medications are delivered to the pharmacy around the afternoon or a little later, which are scanned right away so that the medicines are ready to be put away on the shelves. And also simultaneously filling all the out-of-stock medications.

In between, if a patient is picking up a prescription, I make sure to check them out, and if anyone brings in a new prescription order, I make sure they are entered into the system. The main objective of working in retail is to keep the customers happy.

Once the day slows down, I start processing orders for medications that need to be ordered. I also have to make sure daily counts of certain pills are completed by the end of the day. 

So that is a short preview of a day in the life of a pharmacy technician. Basically, you have to multi-task all at once. Sometimes it can get a bit overwhelming, but if you enjoy what you do, then you’re going to love every day of it.

My heart is in nursing, and even though I have enjoyed being a pharmacy technician for almost 3 years, this is something I can’t imagine doing for a very long time. I continue to work just, so I’m exposed to experience, but other than that, I want to keep moving forward since there is no promotion after you become a senior technician. I love learning, and so I want to continue getting my education.

If you do have any questions or thoughts regarding this field, feel free to comment down below, or you can reach out to me via the contact page!