Being in the community pharmacy means being part of a real community, writes Michelle Lyons
On a quiet day, with not much to do, are the best kind of days, when we can get to know our patients. It usually starts off small, with a curious look of ‘who is this new person giving me my medication?’ The acknowledging grin, the polite hello, and the courteous ‘goodbye’. Conversations start short and small.
Over time, as the weeks progress, those short hellos and quick goodbyes become countless words and deep-dive chats.
Slowly it flows to why they are there, what is in the bag, and how much they fear what is in the bag. We open up about our day, what’s in our heart, and how we play. Friendships blossom, and those monthly scripts turn into daily trips.
Social outlet
Truth be known, the pharmacy is a lot of elder folks’ social outlet. They don’t really need anything, they really just need someone to chat to. I suppose as we grow older, our social networks decline. The people we once went to bingo with, had tea with and watched the footie with, have all dwindled.
Most of their outings have been planned around collecting their pension, doing their food shop, or even something as simple as collecting their monthly tablets. The need for human interaction is what brings the most vulnerable people out of their homes and into the pharmacy each week.
These little visits mean so much, for both ourselves and our patients. The lessons in history for us, and the trips down memory lane for them. Not only do we learn about their lives and their families, we hear about their ailments. We learn about their symptoms, their reasons for their visit to the doctor (eventually). We learn about the diagnosis and the treatments they’re undertaking. Work becomes school again, always learning something new, either about people or medicine. Most important lessons we’re learning is that the human spirit is resilient and it costs nothing to be kind.
Comforting words
As we get closer, we recognise each other’s ways — when there’s a little less pep in the step, the downward smile, when the day isn’t going so well. We’re there with the comforting words from a friend, lifting each other up, putting the smile back on our faces and hope back in our hearts.
We have all the chats, the ‘no-holds-barred’ kinda chats. We admit what we know, and what we don’t know. We help the patients who don’t know how to use electronic mail, help them set up an account and teach them, so that they can mail for their future scripts. They help us to avoid starving, dropping in the biccies and the cakes for the tea later! A little appreciative gesture.
With the blossoming friendship comes the questions about how to treat their insecurities, the pride we hold on to that we’re not ready to let go of yet. ‘Which product can I use to stop the hair falling out?’ ‘What colour is the best to hide these roots?’
These questions create a deeper bond between each of us, but also put the fear of God in us — that, heaven forbid — we recommend something that didn’t work! Could you imagine, one wrong recommendation could ruin months of friendly testing to see if we know each other or not!
That’s why we need to be schooled on all products that come into our store, making sure we know what suits each specific person, especially now that summer is coming. More sun means more skin to protect!
Sunshine and pollen
Getting the legs out means getting the tan out for most of us ladies. We need to know that we need we have our skin care in the same bottle as the tan, so that would be reaching for the St Tropez to keep us hydrated and silky smooth, as well as looking like a golden goddess!
Keeping the sun cream out of the eyes of the keen golfer, runner, cyclist, all the outdoor enthusiasts, is just as important, so handing the la Roche Posay Anthelios skin fluid out with confidence knowing we’ve done the research is très important.
Once we have everyone on the outside protected from the sun, looking their best, we have to try fight against the pollen. The arch nemesis of most of the population from babies to the elderly. Needing to use every strategy we’ve learned to protect ourselves, from antihistamines, nasal sprays, eye drops, barrier balms, to hoovering the house at night after we’ve closed our windows.
The holiday-goers asking for what they need, the go-to’s to be holiday-ready, their survival kits! Rehydration tablets, travel sickness, anti-sickness, and don’t forget the diarrhoea tablets — no-one wants to get caught out with a dodgy tummy.
Community
Telling us all the stories of where they are going, to the reasons why they chose the place, and the excitement of it all. Going to see members of their family they haven’t seen in so long, it feels like we’re going along with them. And when they return, showing us picture after picture of their adventures, putting faces to the names we’ve heard about for so long.
We find ourselves dancing at their weddings, sharing the celebrations of their children’s christening, or giving condolences to their family members.
“Community: A group of people living in the same pace or having a particular characteristic in common.”
That’s the word they chose to describe pharmacies in our areas. Community pharmacies — and there’s no better description, because that’s what we become — a little community, supporting each other, caring for one another in all aspects of our lives.
Patients becoming friends, friends that become family.
