Page 37 - Demo

How long have you been working at Advantage Pharmacy Penguin? I’ve worked as the Pharmacy Manager at Advantage Pharmacy Penguin for more than two years. I’ve been working in various pharmacy roles for 19 years. In my current role, I’m honoured to work with a team that are enthusiastic, engaged and a joy to work with every day. We love giving back to our community, and I believe that a happy workplace reflects on our exceptional customer service skills. Do you have a background in pharmacy? My first job, as a work experience student, was working for a pharmacy when I was 16 years old. I completed my work experience at Top of the Town Pharmacy in Upper Burnie. I fell in love with working in the pharmacy environment straight away and was offered a job after my placement was up. I started working full-time there a couple of weeks later. At the few pharmacies I’ve worked at, I’ve found that it’s a career that has fitted in well \\\\\\\[with raising\\\\\\\] my two beautiful daughters, Paris (now 20) and Sienna (now 18). Is pharmacy a career pathway you’ve always been passionate about? Yes, ever since I did my work experience at school. I stated to my career counsellor that I wanted to be a pharmacy manager one day. Along the way, I’ve added to my skill set to enhance the service I give to patients. I took time out to study for a Diploma of Beauty Therapy, full-time between jobs, where I learnt all about skin biology, wound care, injury and nutrition. I’ve also studied visual merchandising, which is very helpful in the day-to-day running of the retail side of the business. What are your other hobbies, passions and activities that occupy your spare time? I love interior design. I go to the gym three to four times a week and love to maintain a healthy lifestyle through nutrition and regular exercise. What do you enjoy most about working in pharmacy? Building customer rapport is very important for me, and the team, at Advantage Pharmacy Penguin. We have amazing support from Advantage, who are on hand whenever we need advice, new procedures set up and support in new initiatives we’re spearheading. Our local area manager, Nancy, gives us one-to-one support, tailored specifically to our needs and is always at the end of the phone if we need her, which makes my job much easier. We’re all about fun and offering the best service to our very tight-knit community with offers, promos and dressing the store up for any occasion. “I stated to my career counsellor that I wanted to be a pharmacy manager one day.” Are there any positive customer interactions that stand out most to you, and if so, why? I support our busy pharmacy by assisting with running weight-loss management, nutrition advice and health checks for our customers. We had a customer who came in a while back who was having trouble managing his weight after trying every diet, and was incredibly down about his situation. Over a six-month period, we put together a meal plan and ran fortnightly blood pressure, BMI and cholesterol checks. PHARMACY ASSISTANT PROFILE 35 His motivation skyrocketed, alongside his confidence, as he started getting results and maintaining a healthy weight again. This was a proud moment for me. What are some of the highlights in your career so far? My motto in life, and at work, is: ‘a healthy lifestyle inside and out’. I’m always talking to patients about their health and wellbeing, and ensuring they get the right advice for any health concern they have. Managing a pharmacy and using my experience for the wellbeing of our patients are my ‘why’. I’ve really enjoyed delving into related areas of interest, including visual merchandising and beauty therapy. I also love working with such passionate, fun and kind people every day. I’ve also worked with both my daughters. My eldest now works in the same pharmacy and role that I started in all those years ago. What has been one of the most difficult challenges you’ve had to overcome in pharmacy? When I went to study for my Diploma of Beauty Therapy, I wanted to go all in and do it full time, so I had to resign from my pharmacy assistant role at the time. It was a very hard decision to leave a great team behind, but I had my sights set on offering superior skills to my role, and so, with the bigger picture in mind, I went off to study and haven’t looked back. RETAIL PHARMACY ASSISTANTS • APR 2021