Life as a Newly Qualified Pharmacist – Katie’s story

Want a ‘behind the scenes’ look at life as a Newly Qualified Pharmacist at Boots? Hear from Katie, one of our store-based Pharmacists who recently completed the Boots Newly Qualified Programme.

What was the best part about the Newly Qualified programme at Boots?

The Boots Newly Qualified programme has made me a more confident Pharmacist. You really feel supported and you have a network of people to help you, not just your HAT (Healthcare Academy Trainer). Having a group of other pharmacists in the same position as you and meeting up with them every couple of months was really helpful. I loved the online portal as it pushed me to ensure I stayed up to date with my clinical knowledge, as well as encouraging me to learn how to run a pharmacy business, which is something that I don’t feel you really learn that much about at university or in your foundation year.

What support did you receive whilst on the programme?

My HAT was fantastic. She guided me throughout the initial time periods of being qualified. Something that was really helpful was the support provided to help us get through our first revalidation. This provided us with the opportunity to discuss ideas with each other for our CPDs (Continuous Professional Development), reflective accounts and even provided us with the opportunity to do our peer discussion. I think that this was invaluable as, being only qualified for a few months, the thought of all the revalidation activities was very daunting. Being provided with these opportunities meant that I was able to face this knowing that I had completed all of my revalidation activities to the best of my abilities and in plenty of time to submit as early as possible.

Boots not only supported me with my career throughout this time but with a family financial situation as well. After explaining my situation to my HAT, she recommended that I speak with TELUS Health, our Employee Assistance Programme. I contacted them and I was able to receive free legal and financial advice for my family. I was able to discuss my options with an expert and come up with a possible solution. Without this support, I don’t think I would be where I am today.

What opportunities have you had in your first year as a Pharmacist?

I started as a Pharmacist with Boots working on relief so I went to different stores most days. By doing this, I was able to gain experience in multiple stores including being the responsible Pharmacist in small local pharmacies and in much larger stores; I got to gain experience with customers who accessed the Substance Dependency Services which is a service that wasn’t provided in my foundation year store and is something that I currently provide for patients on a daily basis now.

I became a Boots Macmillan Information Pharmacist and now I can provide support and information to those with cancer and their families. I spent a lot of time in care homes dealing with interesting medication queries, advising GPs on which medications can be crushed and which would need a different formulation prescribed. I also spent a lot of time for my first flu vaccination season in a vaccination centre in my base store where they were performing up to 100 vaccinations a day.

This was quite scary at first, but I was given the opportunity to observe another Pharmacist completing the vaccinations to understand how they managed it. I ended up finding my rhythm with it really quickly and completed over 1000 flu vaccinations that year and was the top vaccinator in that store, which is something I am still really proud of. I even expanded to provide the Boots Pneumonia Vaccination Service.

I spent nine months on relief before I was given the opportunity to become store based in a Boots local pharmacy, which is where I am now. I am very thankful for the experiences that being on relief gave me as they have shaped me into the Pharmacist I am today.

What challenges have you faced?

I was part of the cohort that had a later exam and therefore spent the first month working as a Pharmacist as a Provisionally Registered Pharmacist. It was a worrying time as although I was allowed to practice as a Pharmacist, there was the chance that when I received my results, that could be taken away. Thankfully, I passed the exam and joined the full register in the September.

Another challenge I faced in the beginning was simply my confidence in being a leader in the store. Something that I was always nervous about was going into a store as a Newly Qualified Pharmacist and attempting to coach or lead a team that have been in their jobs for years. I found some coaching conversations difficult to begin with, but with the use of the materials provided on the Boots Newly Qualified Programme and some practice, they became a lot easier to do.

What is your favourite part of your job as a Pharmacist?

Being a Pharmacist always has its ups and downs but I love my job and I wouldn’t change it for anything. I have always wanted to help people, get to know them and build a rapport with them. You are the first port of call for so many people and you can really make a difference for them by answering queries about their medications, advising them about self-care for minor ailments, supporting them with difficult times or diagnoses – you make a real difference in these people’s lives. I interact with many patients daily, including vulnerable patients. Acting in the best interest for patients, recognising red flag symptoms and escalating them when needed really demonstrates the impact you can have on a patient’s life. For example, I’ve had a patient come back to thank me for referring them for urgent treatment as they had symptoms suggesting a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). When they attended A&E, they were confirmed to have a DVT and they received emergency treatment. It’s these moments that make me proud to be a Pharmacist.

Find out more about Newly Qualified Pharmacist careers at Boots here or contact our in-house Talent team at professional.resourcing@boots.co.uk