Re: pharmacy jobs

June 25, 2004

Hi..

I have worked in a hospital, retail and compounding pharmacies. You practice

math in all, if you are having a hard time with going from ml's to grams or

whatever then maybe you should really get more practice on it, cause it doesn't

get any better or easier. Most of my day is spent caculating something out for a

doctor who just writes down what they want as an end result, most of the pedi

docs will call and ask us to figure out the dosage cause it is a certain amout

of mg per kg per day. So if you don't like the math then maybe you should

rethink becoming a tech. That is a big portion of what we do.

janny108 <janny108@...> wrote:

Hi,

This may sound like a strange question, but in which work

environments do you practice the least amount of math? I am finding

I really don't care for the math portion. Now I have an accounting

degree to, so working with numbers is not the issue. It's going from

one system of measurement to another. To me, it's like mixing

apples, oranges and bananas! That's why I'm interested in learning

others' opinions, whether they be positive or negative. OJT is

looking better in a lot of ways, cause you get to practice what you

are learning. Which kind of places are more likely to hire people

w/o experience?

thanks

Jan

June 25, 2004

Since you have the accounting degree ... (Liked your analogy of

apples oranges and banannas) ... Its all about the same... your

trading $ , cents... Pound... Euro Dollar.... ect for Grams

Liters... ect Profit and loss.. Profit/ loss ratios... yada

yada...

Your looking for a Position that will not become Mundane and

repetative you may want to search for a field that combines all your

talents... You can do it

Char

June 28, 2004

Dear enelerod/rokercam

I would say that in hospital work you really need to know and

understand the concept of filling cassettes and or automated

dispensing equipment.

Usually in most of the 47 states that do not require tech education,

a high school diploma is necessary. About 5 states require on the

job training.

In terms of skills I would say definitely math skills in the area

already mentioned about IV math and flow rates. Refer to my

Tutorials on such in the File section. Ability to communicate

effectively with nurses,doctors, pharmacists, techs and patients is

a must. Ability to think and focus clearly, to react and respond in

an emergency situation quickly making an IV or gathering stat drugs

for dispensing. Ability to read poor handwriting and knowledge of

prescribed drugs and orders. If you are allowed to input, then

computer skills are a plus. An eye for detail. Ability to multitask.

To get the job you can have all the abilities listed above,

willingness to learn and take direction, but if you can not sell

yourself you will never land the job! Hospitals are very picky about

who they hire. You either have to know this stuff via

school/experience or be able to sell yourself as willing and capable

of learning quickly. Otherwise you are of no use to the hospital.

Knowledge of drug use/indications, interactions, and side effects

can help sell your abilities to learn and to apply what you already

know from retail to hospital. But ENERGY sells! Keep your interviews

up beat and positive. Ability to move, think and react quickly in

a hospital is essential.

I hope this helps you to land an interview and get the job!

Transition from retail to hospital is tricky. Here on this site we

have a few who have told their stories. Fox from Texas and

Tracie Smullen have been able to make this transition. You may wish

to write to them privately.

Anyone else out there wish to comment on your own transition? Many

techs get the door closed long before getting hired in hospital. I

have personally given private advice to a handful of people on this

site who have made the transition. My advice is the same: get out

there and sell yourself, if this does not work then ask for a

volunteer position to prove yourself to them and to get experience.

Both of you win. A win win situation.

I hope this helps you,

Please get back to me to let me know how you did in the market place!

Respectfully,

Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BSChem

Pharm Tech Educator

> ---

> Currently I work for a major retail and would like to switch to a

> hospital. I do not get enough hours I wanted in the store to get

more

> experience. What are the requirements? My education is only

> through correspondence course but good though.

> Lynn

>

June 28, 2004

Hi Jan,

Pharmacy is math. It doesn't matter in which area you choose to practice.

If you are a hospital tech, you need to calculate doses by age, weight, lab

results etc. You need to calculate IV drips for chemo, LVP's etc. If you are

the buyer you need to calculate cost, mark up, inventory turns.

A retail tech needs to calculate days supply, months supply, conversions of

teaspoons to milliliters and back (most of the time in your head), QS supplies

(from doctors too lazy to do it themselves LOL), mark up to retail price,

inventory turns, outside vendor %'s, MAC pricing.

If you have an accounting degree it's not math that's blocking your way. You

just need to practice what you learn. This field really is a " use it or lose

it " field of education. I work retail. If I have to I can do the math required

of a hospital tech just not as quick. And I am sure the same is true of a

hospital tech thrown into a retail store. We remember and become better at that

which we practice. I'm sure whichever part of pharmacy you choose you will do

fine learning as you go along.

As far as hiring without experience, no doubt about this (and I'm sure I won't

start a debate here) retail will hire you first.

Hope this helps,

Jan,

I found that retail (i.e.-Wal-Mart, Walgreen's, etc...) do not use much of the

math or calculations. We used some of what we learned, but not very much. I

find that now, since I compound every day all day, I use the math and/or

calculations very much. I will learn the I.V. drips, rates and etc. later and I

can't wait. Any more help, feel free to e-mail me. sxetxn67@....

Tere, Tech in Texas