Third Week - Almost Halfway.

Salam warahmatullah..
Today is Friday, 8th of August 2008.
Like an eye blink, I've been working for a month, and I've got merely 4 weeks left at the Chemist..
There are so many things that I need to learn, so much about the people in the Chemist that I need to know, and 5-6 Counterpart Course Modules that I need to go through..
Anyway, obviously, I've learnt more things that I did in the first week!!..

I think, entering third week was the most interesting part, since I started to work on things other than merely labelling, dispensing, and shelving off items.
Karen, the shop coordinator, came from warehouse for routine checking - just to check whether we follow the shop's Standard Operating Procedure ( SOP ) or not. In the same time, she brought something from warehouse for me : The Assistant Log In Badge!..

Previously, I would work at the counter sometimes, mostly dealing with taking in prescriptions.
As what I mentioned in the previous post, most patients who come to the chemist are exempted from prescription charge, which costs 7.10 GBP per item.So I would just ask the patients to sign at the back of their scripts, checking all the required details, and pass the scripts to the dispenser. However sometimes there would be paying patients. I couldn't take in these prescriptions since I've got no identification badge to access the cash register. So do if patients want to pay for GSL and OTC medicines, I just could not serve them. That badge enables me to deal with the cash, HAHAHAHAHA..but there's no chance of cheating, coz at the end of the day, all the sales record are transmitted directly via Cohens Intranet to the Warehouse. Lagipun, saya kan budak baik?

Then the most challenging task arrived : Answering the phone call.
`Why would you feel nervous, you spoke very well in the interview? '
Well, both are different, really.

Cohens, as other community pharmacies, provide repeat prescription service. This applies to patients who take medicines on regular basis, such as the Statins, Levothyroxine, and Bendroflumethiazide. Firstly, patients would need to register with the chemist if they would like to use this service - totally Free Of Charge.These patients already have list of required medicines that they obtain from their GP's at the first place. Next, around 5 days before the
patients run out of their supplies, they will call the Chemist to order what they need. The Chemist, who also has a copy of their repeats, will take the orders to the Surgery. In the case of Cohens Chemist at Cheadle Heath, the surgery is few doors away. If the patients' doctors are not within walking distance, then Cohens will use its' driver to send the order. The surgery will then prepare the scripts, which in turn based on the Patient's Medication Record ( PMR ). If a patient already have a full pack of dispersible Aspirin which can last for 28 days, and he/she order another box the week after,this usually (not all the time ) shows drug abuse, and GP would normally reject that order. GP's would take up to 42 hours to prepare the scripts ( They are busy with other patients too ). The Chemist would the collect the scripts and prepare the medicines. In Cohens, patients can choose to collect the medicines themselves or use the free delivery service, which operates in the afternoon, Monday to Friday.

So, the first step in repeat prescription service is to take the order!!..
When patients call for their orders, there is one important thing that I must get right, otherwise the call will take such a looong time : their SURNAMES.
All the repeat forms are kept in a file, and they are arranged alphabetically based on the surnames. I've a few times mistaken the patients' names : Thorley & Horley, Henshaw and Enshaw, etc. At the end, I just ask them to spell their surnames, senang cerita.
The next bit is to get their orders right. This is alright, most of the time, the patients just understand what I say.But....................

I picked up a call from her lady who order for her husband and herself. At the end of the conversation, I'd just go through the list of ordered medicines again. And, she happened not to get what I said. And even apologize, saying that she's a bit deaf. And ask me to pass the phone to someone else. I passed the phone to Jose then.
Jose then went through the list of medicines again, my voice was apparently louder than hers on phone.When the conversation ended, Jose just turned to me, nodding her head :

`I know sometimes it's quite difficult to get what people are saying because of different accents that we use. But to be honest, you spoke exactly the same way as me. I don't see why she can't get you'..

Never mind. At least I knew that I said things correctly.But till now, I seldom pick up phone calls, unless if Sarah, Jose, and Mo are really occupied. I still feel nervous, to be honest.

Next : Monitored Dosage System and Substance Dependency Module. In the coming entry.

Maas Salamah, Ilal Liqa. C ya then!!..

Many thanks. Full stop.

p/s : I've noticed that some people have found the previous entry( and maybe this entry too ) when they google for information about Cohens Chemist.Bare in mind that I wrote based on my own observations and experience, which might not match the ideal or perfect descriptions of services as explained in Cohens Official Website itself.Please always refer there.