XXIV : Mix

Seriously, every time I return to work at the pharmacy, I learn something new. There was one time, my co-worker (who actually works there full time) told me to watch this one lady who had just entered the pharmacy. "Go watch her. She steals," she told me. My mind went blank. What did you say? I watched the lady as she moved down the aisles and stopped in front of the toothpaste. She reached for this one brand I wasn't familiar with and smiled, "My friend! I found you, my friend!" in that voice many movies portray old witches to have-- old, nasally-ish, and that hint of trickery. I had no idea what to do! As long as she didn't decide to walk toward the exit with her "friend," I didn't have to do anything but watch her. Another co-worker walked in and took over the position of watching this person, so I returned to the register. But wow, what would I have done? I know my voice isn't powerful enough to push anyone to listen... but maybe I could have made her leave her "friend." ... who knows.

Anyway, today, something else happened. It was close to closing time (6pm) and I was helping this one patient who called in to have her prescription filled. The thing is, when prescriptions are sent over from USC's Health Center, the pharmacists don't fill them automatically because some people never pick them up (but we keep all the prescriptions forever anyway). I don't know why the physicians there tell the patients that they can "just go to the pharmacy and pick up your medicine" without telling them the part about having to wait for us to fill them after you've told us you were at the Health Center. whatever. Health Center and pharmacy lack of communication. It's not that big of a deal, just a few people go "What? You don't have it ready?" yeah. anyway, on to what happened today. I was searching for this one name, First Last, which when I looked up in the system, was there and her prescription was processed and completed today. The pharmacists remember filling her prescription. But where was it? We had no idea. And then a lady called with the name "First MID Last"! The first and last name were the same!!! What was complicated was that though their birthdates are clearly different, the computer system does not distinguish them when it prints out the medication form to be put on the medicine. Coincidentally, both of them had called in to have their prescriptions done today, and they were both from the Health Center. And the lady over the phone (the one with the MID name to) had picked up the non-MID lady's medicine. yikes. Being inexperienced, I gave specific details on what was going on ("your prescription was accidentally given to another person with the same name as you... but the pharmacist is working on yours right now. So it'll be a few minutes.") when I should have just gave a general idea. A pharmacist gave me the tip later when we were all finished ("instead of telling them that their prescriptions were given to someone else, next time just say that there was bit of a mix up and the pharmacist is now filling the prescription for you"). wow. sounds so much better. heh

So, communication skills need to be worked on. Best way, in my mind, is to make mistakes (and hope that people don't take it badly). I wonder, which gives a more positive image: making mistakes and learning from them? or learning about what to do in each situation by observing others and not making those mistakes? hmmm... guess it depends on what the situation is... which seems to be what the answer is usually for many many questions.

Mix and mingle!! It's like what happens in cooking with no recipe in mind. You mix random items that you think will taste good together and you try it. Sometimes it's a success, and sometimes it's, well, interesting.


(four?) raspberries and (1? granny smith) apples. DELICIOUS