Pharmacy Technicians: love your job or hate it? (excuse the venting)

This is pretty much me venting about the past few days.

I know I've started a thread or two about pharmacy technicians in the past, but I'm very stressed!

I'm going to be working in a retail pharmacy setting (as a pharmacy technician of course) for 6 weeks, before I start my other job which is in the corporate offices. The store I'm working for is a big chain.

I've only worked one day in the front, and I felt terribly under prepared. They know I have no previous experience and that I'm there for training, and yet they just sort of threw me in the mix without any guidance. Luckily it was mostly just register work, that I can (for the most part) figure out on my own.

I was supposed to be there today from 1-5, but my car isn't starting (I felt ridiculous calling out on my second day). Tomorrow and Friday I'll be working 8 hour shifts, and I'm terrified!!! I'm going to be working in production (filling prescriptions and answering phones). I feel like they just expect me to perform without any knowledge of how everything works! I don't want to be the one messing up something as serious as people's prescriptions!

Is this a common technique that pharmacies use to train?
...not training at all!?

I hate being the new person and not knowing what to do. In an environment like a pharmacy, with everyone so busy, they don't have time to offer any help. I feel like especially because I'm a temp, they don't even want to bother with me. I'm going to be working 40 hours a week though, you think they would want me some what capable?

Pharmacy Techs, do you like your job? Does it get better?
...or should I be expecting 6 weeks from hell?

I'm gathering no CCers are Pharmacy Techs?

It would appear not, but indeed.com has forums with job-specific threads... maybe those will be informative.  :)

Thanks! I took a look at it.

I also actually googled pharmacy technicians and the chain store I'm working for. Looks like a lot of what I experienced is the norm. I'm not looking forward to these next few weeks :(
I think I'm going to have to go on meds for anxiety! I'll definitely be losing weight :/

Ugh.  That sounds rough.  Not many situations suck worse than feeling un[der]prepared for a demanding position.

Try to remind yourself that you can only do your best, and that you are smart, and that you will get accustomed to your duties in time. Sometimes the best way to learn something is on the fly, although it can be incredibly stressful. 

Good luck!

Are you working temporarily as a Pharm Tech so you can get into a PharmD program? Or is it going to be fulltime for quite a while? If it will be your permanent job, just enjoy the early easy ride. Things will get hectic when you know what to do soon enough. Just accept the fact that we don't always have the answer and life gets a lot more pleasant.

My youngest kid worked as a Pharm Tech for a short while prior to entering his PharmD program. He told me the same things you are saying. Just roll with the tide and enjoy the ride.

It's going to be full time for 6 weeks (5 weeks starting next Monday). Then I'm getting transferred to an office where I'll be dealing with phone calls. The calls will only be refills and general store information. I won't be doing anything with insurance, and of course any clinical questions will get transferred to a pharmacist.

It's supposed to be training, but 90% of what I'm going to be doing isn't going to relate to my actual job. Plus, they're not training me!

I'm naturally a very high anxiety person, so this is just added stress to what I already have. I'm just going to have to suck it up, because I really want the end position. Good pay and benefits, I can't complain...
I'll just have to ignore the little voice in my head that says "If you don't like it, there's the door. Leave." Even though it's tempting.

I work for a pharmacy, but i deliver the drugs, wayyyyyyyyy awesome!

I could never be a tech. I would go insane. But I hate tedious work like counting pills. 

I am around techs all the time and I just would not want to do that.

But hey! Not trying to be a debbie downer.

I'm applying for pharm school right now. Never worked as a pharm tech but shadowed a lot and got to "train" on a few 10 hour shifts at a chain and an independent pharmacy.

It's technically illegal for them not to train you, but they can get around it sometimes.

Just make sure that the pharmacist checks your prescriptions after you fill them. That's what they are there for.

Don't stress. Just read things twice (name and dosage). And make sure they check it. They are ultimately responsible for it.

Also, don't let anyone buy Aspirin if they are on blood thinners (interactions). I found out the other day that's it's the number one reason pharmacists are sued.

i was a tech for a store that rhymes with hall-mart.   I did it for 5 years and i hated it.  

Depends on personality types....it just wasn't for me.  Very Stressful.