I just had my first day at CVS as an untrained pharmacy technician. I was excited to transition and learn on the job and then take the state exam but I feel disheartened at my experience today.
It was so overwhelming and I was left alone to work on modules with a computer that didn’t have sound or headphone jacks. Everyone seemed nice but stressed and overwhelmed, so I was nervous to ask any questions. I left not knowing how to even clock in and how to do my direct deposit.
I will go back and give it another try but feel scared I made an awful decision and finding a job in this climate is hard. I am in my 40s on top of it so adds to the struggle. Anyways, any positive advice would be truly appreciated. Thank you

What are some tips or ways you guys got your foot in the door??? I recently became certified (finished a program at my community college) and now am licensed in Texas, I have been applying to jobs but have been getting rejection after rejection.. :(
What are some tips for my resume or did anyone else struggle getting hired with no experience???? My current job is in customer service at a retail store not at a pharmacy.

For those in Texas, did you’ll get an email to activate your account for CE broker? What is this? And how will be go about submitting CEs now? Do I still have to submit it to NHA or just this? I am so confused. Can someone explain it to me please.

I've been using Amazon for a bit because they're cheap and everything gets delivered directly to my house very fast. I'd prefer to support a local pharmacy but a lot of the ones near me are very very sketchy. They are legitimate pharmacies but in Miami a lot of them are just very sketchy, and my Spanish isn't the best so I'll struggle if I have any questions. I'm currently on TCP and naltrexone I think that combo might raise eyebrows for their purpose so idk if it's worth trying to find a new pharmacy. I'm also on topicals but idc too much about those. I'm completely new to this industry so I don't know exactly what is visible to other certified pharm techs/would they care, or silently wonder/judge.

I don't have a criminal background. I took a course and passed my PTCE and ExCPT exam.

My NJ pharmacy license is still pending my criminal background check, and no government official seems to be able to answer how long this will take. I received my fingerprints over three weeks ago and it is still pending a criminal background check.

Does anybody know how long it takes after fingerprints to get the license?

Pic of the rotation schedules for a 5 and 6 tech days

We have an older lady that works 3 days a week and spends all of her time on register now because its where she fits best. But days shes off someone has to take over her type of shift (very often me). I had complained to the lead tech a while ago that the 9am shift spent too much time on register as they were only allowed in dispensing (pd) from 2-3:30 and its not fair for anyone who has to work it outside of rhe one person. After a long time the manager finally worked on changing the rotation, biggest issue being that the 9am now get NO time off of register, the exact opposite of what I asked for. But also, where's the rotation at alll??

Manager is insistent this will help our workflow and will allow people to learn new things in new areas. But if she doesnt rotate people's daily schedule then certain people stay on the same thing every single day.

Not to mention im gonna mentally die working 8 hours on just register.

Anyways, feel free to rate this "rotation" schedule.

Hi Kroger Pharmacy In Frisco, TX is looking for part-time pharmacy technicians for evenings/weekends.

Must have an active license to apply. Prefer experience but we're open to technician trainees as well!

Apply on Kroger careers website!

Hello! I was here a while ago expressing worries. Now I am here to express a new one. I have been using AlliedRX to get my Pharmacy Tech Certification, and I am at the part where I am meant to be getting my clinical externship done. It had been a constant fight to do it, but I got placed with Walgreens.

At first, I was behind due to the trainee license not going through due to them being behind. Now im getting the run around from the Walgreens I was placed with. I have called multiple times, gotten a few responses, and been told someone would call me to talk about it.

Yada Yada, I am a bit lost on what to do? I really need to get my externship done. I have about 10 months until I lose insurance. In that 10 months I need to get my externship done, complete the course (which they wont mark me done until I do clinicals) get my test done, get licensed, and get a job.

I have no clue how to handle this and I am not sure if my externship will be paid or if I will be hored by Walgreens (they mentioned this as a possibility.) How do I usher things along? Is this normal?

Just wanted to vent here about my experience so far. I really really love this work so far. I also appreciate this training opportunity with CVS, however, the amount of pettiness and bickering in such a small workplace is just sickening. Literally. I was told to shadow the lead tech and he will be the one training me. The pharmacist was too busy to pay me any attention, which is understandable. After 2 weeks I get pulled aside by the manager, that was too busy for me, and was told that the lead tech doesn't do things correctly and not to follow him or take on his bad habits. BUTTT it's okay because he's been there for 10 years. Basically I wasn't working "correctly" and stop trying to be like someone else. Mind you, NOONE is teaching me the correct way. I'm literally following instructions and then being side eyed about doing what I'm being taught. Make it make sense! I never worked in a pharmacy before. My first week I was told I'm moving too slow and to speed it up chop chop. Now it's slow down. These are people's medications for God sake...not to mention none of them even wash their hands ever. Let's talk about that. They nasty. Smh. Dont let me look at my phone for 0.2 seconds. I will be crucified. There's people there watching family feud on their phones while they count pills.

this is a super random topic but has anyone else every dealt with other other techs with bad hygiene and how did you address it? i’m a lead tech at my store and i was talking about it with my manager bc she wants to address it and we were trying to figure out a way to fix it without embarrassing anyone. There are two guys, who who smells like he doesn’t use deodorant and another who farts all day long, breath smells, and has a smell that lingers after him. other people have tried to nonchalantly suggesting it but nothing has changed. we’re thinking about making a general psa to everyone first to see if that helps. Any thoughts?

Hi all, been a tech for a year now. Like many of you we are short staffed and I find myself unable to switch my technician brain off when I come home. I pick my son up at school and from that moment on I randomly think about work. I even had a nightmare last night. fortunately starting in January I am going back to school to become a dietitian, and will only work 1-2 days. In the meantime how does anyone else chill out???

current nighttime routine.
drink tea
shower
read
lay clothes out/prep my coffee

any tips how to not go insane or at least limit it??

Hi! I’m gonna keep my question short. For some context, i’m a pharmacy tech at CVS.

1. How do you guys calculate the day supply for insulin/creams? And also the ketoconazole shampoo? Doctors don’t usually state the amount to use
2. When a doctor sends in a script for a albuterol HFA inhaler, sometimes they send it as the qty as 1 and not the gm so I never know which inhaler to pick. For example (Ventolin, Proair,

Proventil

1. ). I’ve always just looked at the patients profile to see what inhaler they were using before but for people who is getting it prescribed for the first time, i’m not sure which to pick. I’m not sure if it matters either but the gm is different for each so i’ve always just guessed.
2. How do you calculate the day supply for eye drops too and what’s your method to memorizing the signs for which eye/ear (od, os, ou etc)

Hi guys!

Need advice, been in retail for about 6 years and I got an offer to work at an Infusion pharmacy! I decided to take the offer but I am nervous because I am so use to retail. I want tips on what I should be preparing for, or should start learning. I know I’ll get trained but I want to make a good impression. Did I do a good job going from retail to infusion ? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hi! I just interviewed for my first job that’s going to be full time sterile compounding. I’m familiar with some techniques and USP standards I learned in a few internships. Anyone know of some good online resources or content creators that have helpful info on aseptic techniques? Or just anything I should know going in! I want to go in as prepared as possible.

Started working in the IV room recently. Got any ~*~secret techniques~*~ to make my wrists twinge less after a shift?

Title. I want to be ahead of the game and learn as fast as I can so I am not that stressed while working. I am currently studying to be a pharmacist as well.

I wanna see what others ppl worst experiences are with patients, ive had many cuss me out for not reason and get mad for small things like showing id and stuff, what crazy things have yall heard?

TLDR: took CVS candidate assessment for one job, and it used that one for the next few jobs I applied to, but one job glitched and submitted a second candidate assessment and I’m worried it’s gonna get me rejected for being blank.

I got a Question for you techs out there. I worked for independent pharmacy as a tech but they allowed me to type prescriptions. Now I am an intern pharmacist at CVS I noticed that only the pharmacist does the typing. I am curious do techs do any typing at all in CVS? what about Wallgreens? Costco? Sams Club

Also if anybody could be so nice, can you send me info about the type of training you get from your company please. I am doing a paper for school about how tech training is not preparing them for more advanced roles.

Thank you

So, that's the news I came back from vacation to. Considering it took me 2+ months to get my last order, I'm not shocked (or sad). New hires at my hospital have been having to find scrubs elsewhere for the past few years. (I started during covid, so the 2 month delay made a little more sense, but post covid, not so much.)

We have to wear all black with the hospital logo embroidered on it, but the last few years they've been more relaxed with scrub styles because it has been so hard to get them.

So, not sure who else works in a hospital that was using them, but you won't be anymore, and if you order through work, you'll want to check in. However, that does mean they are having a closing sale... if you want to risk it.

This is a paraphrasing of an actual conversation I had with somebody while working the drive-thru window today.

" I'm picking up for two people. Let me start with my son."

I get the information on the patient's son and then I turn to her and say, "And?"

"And what?"

"And there's another person. "

"Yes there is. "

"So another person. "

"YES. ANOTHER PERSON. WHAT ARE YOU ASKING?"

" I need to know about the other person. You said you were picking up for somebody else."

"Yes. What don't you understand?"

"I need to know about the other person. "

"Yes, I'm picking up for someone else as well." At some point they started repeating the information on the first patient.

"Yes. I have the information on your son. But there's a second person. "

"That's what I said. What is the problem? " she looks genuinely confused.

"I don't know who you're talking about. "

"I'm picking up for another person. Why is this so hard?"

"Because you haven't said anything yet. "

"I told you it's for someone else."

"I get that but I don't know who that is?"

Looks confused... and frustrated... and starting to get upset. "I'm trying to pick up for a second person. Why is this a problem?"

"Ma'am, you haven't told me who this person is."

"It's for me. Do you want my date of birth or something?"

"Ma'am, I don't know who you are. "

"I'm his mother and I also have a script. "

I sigh loudly.

"What do you need?"Gives last name and offers birthdate.

I explain that I need first name as well and then I'll get her date of birth. She finally gives it to me. I look it up and confirm what she's getting.

"That wasn't so hard. I don't know why you had so much trouble. "

I grabbed the scripts and handed them to the pharmacist to avoid any further issues.

And I wish I was kidding.