Tips on Patient Interaction

Being a pharmacy tech is a great medical experience because I get to talk to patients directly and deliver care to them throughout the entire process of getting their medication. The pharmacist usually only sees them at the end to double check the meds and show them how to use it/discuss side effects. You fill about 100-200 scripts a day and that equates to a lot of patients you are interacting with. Some days, you might be having a bad day, stressing over a test, or feeling tired. There are days you want to put in 100%, and there are days you just go through the motions.Entering college and going forth, you will start to encounter patients. In order to become an expert with this, you have to start now. Being a doctor is not all about what you know and can tell, it is also what you feel and connect with a patient. So how do you get out of that rut and provide the best care you can? Here are some of my personal tips on how to do it!

1. This is their first experience with you. You might be seeing hundreds of patients daily, not remembering their names or faces, but they will remember 1 person, 1 name, and how you treat them. Don’t let the commonality of what you do everyday hinder your effort for a patient. I like to imagine each patient as my first patient I encounter when we first open so I can retain the same freshness and liveliness throughout the day. 
2. Listen carefully to what they have to say. It is easy to jump ahead of what they are trying to tell you because you know the procedures. This rush of action will make you miss important details and your chance to really build a relationship with patients. 
3. They are called patients because they need patience from us. People don’t come to the pharmacy because they are happy and healthy. Patients have lives and problems outside of their monthly visit to the pharmacy. As a healthcare professional, you have to understand that to understand the rudeness, the yelling, and the frustration.
4. Show sympathy, especially when a patient asks for it. We are bound by a lot of things like law and company policy. Make your best judgment when you are handling these situations. 
5. Don’t let your superiors or supervisors influence you in a negative way. If you see that they are doing something wrong, don’t necessarily adopt it just because you are following an example. If you are working at something for a long time, it may be possible to grow complacent. Still, you should do what you think is right, even if it’s the more tedious route. 

I hope you guys find this helpful, especially if you are an introverted nerd like me that doesn’t know how to talk to people! I am eager to add onto my list of what to do for patient interaction in med school!Lub dub,  Shanon