Rx: An Introduction

So you all know I work at Target, and I've mentioned I work at a different pharmacy, but never really went into it. Well, here goes:

I'm in my first year of the pharmacy program at my university, and to help with school, they recommend working at a pharmacy. It helps you learn things. So I have my internship license, and I applied for a job as an "intern" at a local pharmacy. Needless to say, I got the job.

I had never worked in a pharmacy before so everything was brand new to me. At the moment, all I do is count pills, answer phones, assist customers (or patients, at least they aren't "guests"), and do whatever else needs to be done. But on the ladder of things, the intern is below the pharm tech, as they really should be.

Everyone there seems to like me, but I don't know where I stand. I know, and so do they, that I am there to learn, but some days I can't help feeling that I'm just in the way. They haven't shown me how to do everything that they expect me to know, and so when I do it for the first few times and make a mistake, I always feel like I'm going to get fired. I'm usually a quick learner, but I guess things just take a few times to actually know. And because I don't work all that often or do the specific task all that often, it just isn't in the forefront of my brain.

And only there is when I feel like I'm going deaf. On the phone, when patients call in for refills, they give their name and prescription number or drug name. I don't know if it's the phone, the person, or me, but sometimes I have to ask for their name again, and for some people that is like the end of the world. I'm sure I'll get used to it as I go, but it's just frustrating.

Then you throw in the actual patients/customers. Some are not a fan of me by the way some of them treat me. Again, I don't know if they are just cranky or whatever. I've already been yelled at by some.
One ladies' meds were supposed to be mailed out, but were put in the wrong group (for delivery) and because she spoke to me originally, she yelled at me for not getting it in time. Granted, not my fault, but still made me feel like shit.
Or the guy who brought in a script and I gave it to the pharmacist to enter (they haven't shown me how to do anything with the computer) and because there was nothing else to do (it was dead and we already did everything that could be done) I just stood there. The guy said to the pharmacist, "Does he do anything at all?" The pharmacist explained, and I'm sure the guy was just crabby, but still, it made me feel like shit.

And I'm not one to have thin skin. 5 years in retail behind the returns counter toughens you up. I think things just get to me more because I'm not fully confident in what I do at the pharmacy. At Target, I know pretty much everything that has to do with Guest Service. At the pharmacy, I don't know a lot of things.

It also goes back to the whole idea that people have that employees of whatever place of business are ok to treat like crap. It's sad to see how someone could be so vicious to a total stranger.

But there are nice people too. People do like to talk with everyone and are truly interested in what you have to say. Also, when I was taking a phone call, they needed a pharmacist and asked if I was one, I told them, no that I was just an intern, and she said I shouldn't say "just" because I was "getting there." So that was nice.
I guess all I want is an understanding that I am a human too, and I'm still learning. I will make mistakes and continue to do so, but empathy always helps. It's a two-way street.