Many other volunteers don’t have this opportunity because they aren’t licensed. Volunteers usually are stuck watching for several hours. I am able to touch medicine and do what a pharmacy technician does. The only thing that I am not allowed to do is to fill IV prescripttions. Usually, Pharmacy Techs are allowed to calculate and measure medicines into IV’s that are given to specific patients. Because I am a volunteer, I am not allowed to do this (which makes sense to me because one calculation error could kill someone). Depending on the pharmacist (and the circumstance), I am actually allowed to go with them and check in on patients. When checking on patients, pharmacist will ask what medicine the patient is on, and then from there the pharmacist will critique the current and new medications the patient will need. Overall, I get to choose where I want to be for every shift. Most of the time, I choose to be with the pharmacy technicians because I plan on taking a certification exam soon so I choose to be around them to gain knowledge about the exam.
Even though going through the process and becoming a volunteer was very excessive at times, I really am enjoying it. I like the people I get to be around and figuring out the effects of medicine. It’s interesting to learn about how patients are affected by pharmacists. Many people think that physicians do most of the work, but pharmacists correct a lot of situations. I love learning more and more about how to address and work with patients. Being able to be around the pharmacist and patients is overall a great