Working as a Pharmacy Staffing Professional
Indispensable Health’s pharmacy staffing department, StaffRx, discussed the work experiences of our talented staffing pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in order to provide others with advice who may be considering working for a staffing agency.
What’s different about working with a staffing agency as a pharmacist, pharmacy technician, or any interim pharmacy professional?
What should pharmacy professionals do BEFORE their first day of a staffing assignment, and what should they do ON their first day to be successful?
What are effective traits of pharmacy staffing professionals?
The StaffRx leaders broke the advice of our Indispensable Health pharmacists and pharmacy technicians within the following sections; before the first day of a staffing assignment, on the first day of a staffing assignment, and effective workplace traits for pharmacy staffing professionals.
Before The First Day of a Staffing Assignment
A staffing agency should provide a staffing professional with all the necessary information regarding the position, what they’ll be doing, the address, where to park, the type of setting, the expected attire, and any other details before the first day of the staffing assignment.
In our conversations, StaffRx pharmacists and pharmacy technicians all stressed the importance of knowing where to go and to be on time. A pharmacist explained she looks up the pharmacy address on google maps to better visualize where she will be going, and takes steps to understand how to get to the pharmacy once on site. Additionally, this pharmacist allows additional time driving, planning to arrive 15 minutes before shift starts in order to make the walk into the pharmacy once she has parked her car. Another pharmacist allows even more time with a plan of arriving 30 minutes early.
Driving to the site of the assignment is a technique that one pharmacy technician utilizes a day or two before his first shift, so he knows how to get there and the time it takes to do so. He will then park, walk into the hospital, talk with security to explain they’re a new hire, and inquire where the pharmacy is located within the facility. The pharmacy technician explains to the security officer he is not asking to go there presently, but would like to know where to go on the first day. This pharmacy technician learned this technique from a past experience; in a prior position he became so lost he was two hours late on the first day, and had a hard time recovering from that first impression.
Finally, in preparation for the first day of a staffing assignment one pharmacist mentioned how they pack a notepad and pen, so that they can take good notes while being trained on the first day and even after.
Managing The First Day on a Pharmacy Staffing Assignment
When the first day on a staffing assignment arrives, one pharmacist is sure to introduce himself to the pharmacy staff and the pharmacy manager upon entering the pharmacy to break the ice. If a tour has not been provided, politely ask for a look around the pharmacy and any area relevant to the staffing assignment. A pharmacist we spoke with said, “let them take over, let them guide you,” regarding how the first day proceeds. For example, follow the regular pharmacy staff’s lead when lunch is, as well as how much time is allocated for lunch.
The most common first day recommendation among StaffRx pharmacy professionals is to ask questions
“What is a habit for them is not a habit for you”, is a great reminder from one of our staffing pharmacists, leading into why asking questions is crucial. A pharmacy technician demonstrated the importance of asking how the pharmacy does certain things. IV’s, for instance, could be made in batches, doubles, or quads - what’s expected in this pharmacy department? When the pharmacy technician was on his general tour on the first day, they walked by the emergency department (ED), he asked if the pharmacy department staffs pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the ED, and if they had a Pyxis in the ED. Although these questions were not directly related to his role as a pharmacy technician, they are general questions about how the location operates.
Asking questions requires confidence because one is showing they’re unsure about something. A pharmacy technician drives this point home explaining by displaying this vulnerability, shows an openness to learn, and often results in a more respectable persona. Additionally, not all protocols and procedures are the same everywhere. Pharmacy professionals need to know what is expected of them so they can succeed within their position, so ask questions.
Make Introductions & Seek Out Colleagues
During the beginning of the first day a pharmacist makes a point to know who it is that he needs to talk to. He finds out who the Charge Nurse is and makes sure to introduce himself by simply saying his name and that he is the pharmacist for the day. At the end of the day this pharmacist will say goodbye to the pharmacy staff, and Charge Nurse, before leaving for the day and let them know if he’ll be back tomorrow.
Sometimes, despite the best efforts of everyone involved, a pharmacy staff is surprised to see a staffing professional. When this happened to one of our StaffRx pharmacists they advised, “understand it happens on rare occasions and don’t take it personally”. In that situation pharmacy staff on-site that day simply weren't aware there would be a staffing pharmacist.
Effective Workplace Traits of Pharmacy Staffing Professionals
Ask Questions
Open Communication
Maintaining an Open Mind
Flexibility & Adaptability
Take Action to Learn Tasks
Kindness
Respectful
Voice Concerns
Maintain Positivity
Utilize Experience & Expertise
All StaffRx Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Highlighted The Importance of Communication
An example of effective communication is a relief pharmacist letting a regularly staffed nurse know they’re waiting for a blood level result, and telling the nurse “as soon as I know [the blood test results], you’ll know.” Communicating openly with the nurse demonstrates the staffing pharmacist is on top of, not only of the patient’s results, but also getting those results to the nurse as soon as possible in order for the nurse to then do their job to the best of their ability.
Maintain an Open Mind
All individual pharmacies have their own procedures, being flexible, and adaptable to pharmacy operations is crucial.
Be Kind
Treat others how you want to be treated, and have a good attitude. A StaffRx pharmacist notes how, “A smile and a friendly attitude go a long way”. Another pharmacy technician said how helpful maintaining a positive attitude, as well as being ready to work has helped her work experience as a staffing professional.
Be Respectful
When working within a location, with on-site nurses and physicians, be mindful that they’re our StaffRx clients; one of the overall goals is to provide great service to our clients, which in turn will improve the care of the patients they serve.
Voice Concerns
If there is ever something that is not being done correctly, say something. Don’t follow along if compliance, safeguards, or regulatory factors are being undermined.
Utilize Flexibility & Adaptability
Each pharmacy has their own setup, it’s expected to take the time to learn it, ask for help when needed, and see if there is any way your past experience may be useful to help with the pharmacy’s processes. Although things may be done differently than what you have experienced in the past, it’s okay, and it can be seen as an opportunity to learn new things. “Each pharmacy can be looked at as a snowflake”, one StaffRx pharmacy technician noted, “they are all different and unique … every pharmacy has its own way of doing things”. Another pharmacy technician added that whenever entering a new pharmacy environment, understanding the need for time to adapt to the pharmacy’s processes is okay, and over time learning will come naturally.
Rely Pharmacy Experience & Expertise
Pharmacy staffing professionals are placed on assignments that fit their experience, skill set, and background. It’s okay to boost oneself up with confidence reminders, because ultimately an assignment was picked for a staffing professional because they were recognized to know what they were doing. Using prior knowledge, experience, and skill be open to learning as much new information and skills while on a new assignment. While prior experience is good, old habits can be a challenge toward learning new things that may require trying a “new habit”.
Take Action & Learn New Tasks
Be willing to help, and take action to step up and learn tasks. Typically a pharmacy staffing professional is sent to a pharmacy because they’re short-staffed, so be mindful of this. Their regular staff may be stressed and going through a difficult situation due to the staffing levels, which ultimately led them to seek a pharmacy staffing agency for staffing help. “If [the pharmacy] didn’t need help, you wouldn’t be there”, is how one of our StaffRx pharmacist’s simply put it.
When a pharmacy is short-staffed, it can be cumbersome to train you; they may simply not have the time. They don’t know what you don’t know, so ask specific questions. It’s unlikely a staffing agency professional will receive the same training processes that the hospital’s regular staff receive, so always be looking to learn, watch the pharmacy staff, and stay focused on doing the job. Another StaffRx pharmacy technician commented on how she’s constantly trying to learn new tasks. She believes by taking action through learning new pharmacy tasks and skills allows her to be in control, and it also makes the day go by fast.
Rather than waiting for instructions, or waiting for your next task, ask “what do I need to do”? This question demonstrates that you’re there to help where needed, so make them know you are there to help by asking, “What should I be doing? What should I be looking for?” A StaffRx pharmacist reflected how the regular on-site pharmacy staff may not think that you are doing the right things, so check in with them. Ask if they are expecting you to do anything more, or something in particular for the pharmacy.
Pharmacy Staffing Professional Benefits
FREE RESUME REVIEW
Need Assistance Updating Your Resume? Pharmacy professionals can receive a FREE resume review from our StaffRx leaders
There are perks to being linked to a staffing agency, one of which includes not being “attached” to the facility placed at for a staffing assignment. As an example, there’s typically more schedule flexibility when working with a staffing agency. There will be opportunities to go elsewhere to help other pharmacies with a staffing need. A StaffRx pharmacy technician explained that he likes the variety of pharmacies he works at, enjoys having the opportunity to learn more, and help out. Another staffing professionals points out that as a relief pharmacist, all he needs to do is get through the shift. There is not a need to get involved with policy or with interpersonal drama that the regular pharmacy staff may have to deal with on a frequent basis.
Providing staffing relief to pharmacies and facilities in need can intrinsically be rewarding to many pharmacy staffing professionals. Some have discovered new passions within pharmacy through their staffing assignments that they would not have uncovered otherwise, and many more have found many simple benefits along the way. Remember, similarly with any new job, be on time, bring a positive attitude, and utilize the pharmacy skills and expertise to make effective decisions are some of the strategies to use to be successful while on a pharmacy staffing assignment. For those considering working with a staffing agency as a pharmacy professional or considering what steps to take following making that decision, it’s wise to utilize free resources to help guide those choices like the free resume review we provide.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR STAFFING TEAM
Indispensable Health Exclusively Assists With The Placement and Growth of Pharmacy Professionals
APPLY FOR A NEW PHARMACY JOB
Submit an Online Application & Get Started With Indispensable Health’s Staffing Team
Follow Indispensable Health on Social Media
A callback to what led a relief pharmacist to begin this company, while helping to lead a hospital pharmacy department in Fargo as an Interim DOP. This pharmacist journey is only looked back on with gratitude.