How does a good pharmacist gain the trust of customers? The "best medicine" against people's mistrust of the pharmacy and even the profession itself are...
How does a good pharmacist gain the trust of customers?
The "best medicine" against people's mistrust of the pharmacy and the profession itself is kindness and courtesy. A pharmacist should always be willing to help a customer and take the time to listen to the problem that brought someone in for a particular medication. Of course, excellent professional education is mandatory in all of this, which is the basis on which trust can be built. In this, we help each other and also with doctors, if there are any ambiguities regarding medicines. However, it is true that it is easier to establish trust in a smaller place where I have known many people for quite a few years, even if only in appearance.
How many drug names can an average pharmacist remember?
A lot. There are about 4,000 of them in the pharmacy, and their number has been increasing rapidly, especially in recent years, so it is necessary to follow on a daily basis which medicine has received its parallel and what are the innovations. The names of these simply need to be remembered. Training and education help with this, but names become familiar with practice. However, it is not possible to know at all times where all the items are located and what they are for, for this you can always look at the list in the pharmacy.
When recommending a drug, what gives preference to the drug: price, quality or marketing approach of the manufacturer?
Definitely the quality of the product, as most of us are willing to pay a bit more for a quality product. It seems to me that it is ethically objectionable to recommend a certain drug to someone simply because of the excellent marketing of the manufacturer. But it is usually the marketing approach that affects the sale of medicines in manual sales. We can all lie under him here. If a certain person is familiar with the product, he makes his own decision and does not consult a pharmacist.
Is there something hidden in "aspirin"?
Every drug has an effect, that's why it's a drug. It is important to what extent it affects the problem for which we are taking it. If this effect is much greater than what we call side effects, the drug is fine. Over-the-counter medicines have so few side effects that there is no need to fear them, except in the case of very large quantities, if, for example, you exceed the recommended dose by ten times. Most of the time, the problem is not in the side effects at all, since they are small, but in the mutual combination of the drugs. Here the consequences can be greater.
Does it really "grow a rose for every disease"?
I couldn't say that, especially when I think about severe or serious illnesses. However, it is true that sometimes a smile and the time dedicated to that person have a positive effect.
Pharmacies look so huge and full of boxes. How do you really organize yourself?
Each pharmacy is divided into categories. To make it easier to organize and work faster, all medications are divided into prescription and over-the-counter medications. These two categories are then divided into many groups, such as antibiotics, anal-getics, etc. The storage of medicines must also be organized, as some of them must be kept in the refrigerator up to a certain temperature.
Could you say that there are many hypochondriacs in Slovenia who go to the pharmacy every day to get medicine?
It is difficult to speak for the wider area. Some people come to us who very often buy medicines, even though they may not need them. Every time we try to ask questions about their problems to see if they need medicine. For some, it is clear that the problems are imaginary and we try to dissuade them from buying. Sometimes we succeed, but that person can go to another pharmacy and buy things there. In our case, we alerted the doctor and family members in two cases. I think that this can depend, even if it is the person himself who decides to use drugs in manual sales.
You prefer to recommend teas or natural remedies or real, pharmaceutical drugs?
I use teas or medicines and preparations of plant origin, if possible. But we can't cure everything with teas. When I get seriously ill, I also have to take medicine. Sometimes it is possible to get over a disease without medication, but the body needs much more time for this than if we are treated with medication. However, some teas also belong to medicines because they have a strong effect and can have side effects.
Do you think people know the medicines well?
Do they need a lot of advice when buying medicine for a particular problem? There are many people who come to get their medicines very well informed and know exactly what they are going to buy. They read a lot, as general interest in medicine and health is high. However, it is still necessary to advise people about different products because of parallel medicines or novelties. For some things, the choice is so large that once again it is the pharmacist who can help with the choice of medicine with an expert opinion. We can be very proud of such pharmacies that we know in Slovenia, because you get a professional opinion from a pharmacist for every medicine.
Doctors are known for their "doctor's handwriting". Do you ever have trouble deciphering recipes?
Of course, it sometimes happens that the prescription is so illegible that you cannot be sure which medicine it is. In such a case, it is necessary to call the doctor who issued the prescription to look in the patient's file to see which medicine he prescribed. Doctors have never responded disapprovingly to such calls in twenty-four years. It is necessary to be careful with medicines and dispense only those for which it is 100% certain that they are prescribed.
Where do you like to read the menus or catering offer?
My family and I like to go to the Cubo restaurant in Ljubljana. On the sea above Izola, the pleasant inn Korte remained, because in Ankaran they closed the inn, where we went several times for seafood. I organize my free time and vacation so that it includes the whole family. In recent years, we like to go to Turkey in the summer.
