Tips for Pharmacists

This section will go through what you, the locum pharmacist, need in order to make locuming an exciting and rewarding experience for both yourself and your customer!

Your customer, of course, is the pharmacy owner that has entrusted their million dollar assets in your hands.  If you satisfy your customer, you will almost certainly be called back for more work.  That’s why its so important to get it right first time.

Remember, first impressions count the most and are long lasting.  By choosing to become a locum through Pharmacy S.O.S, there are some basic instructions that you should be familiar with and adhere to at all times.  Remember also that our service is 100% guaranteed, so we too have an interest in ensuring professional service.  By following these procedures, higher rates of satisfaction are achieved:

  • Please contact the pharmacy before the shift to organize keys, codes and for any other handover information required so that you are fully prepared for the shift.
  • Please follow all legislative and Pharmacy Board requirements (For example emergency supplies, Drug of Dependence,
  •  legislation and regulations etc).  The PDL has Guide to Good Dispensing which should be followed.
  • Ensure you have appropriate insurance paid for.
  • Please arrive on time.  Give yourself enough leeway for traffic and delays in public transport.
  • Always use a scanner after stock selection as part of your dispensing procedure.
  • Please use current pharmacy procedures and staff knowledge to your advantage.
  • Leave the pharmacy in a clean and tidy state, leaving a note for the next day as a handover.
  • Follow the above procedures.  A happy client is a return client.  Clients will ask for specific locums next time they call if they have a pleasant experience with you.

Important: When you go to work, please go and enjoy it. It shows when people turn up to work only because they have to and don’t have their heart in it.  If you don’t enjoy working in whatever role you are in, be it locuming, managing, accounting or fishing (yes, some people fish for a living!), then reconsider your options and reflect on what it is you want out of life.

Life is short.  Enjoy.

(Last Updated on January 7, 2023)