Before she became a pharmacy technician, She’Tarra S. Gaston, CPhT, RxOM, worked as a certified nursing assistant in nursing homes and hospital settings. She was often entrusted with helping patients and their families through difficult moments while making them feel they had her undivided attention—a role in which she was naturally adept. Now, she applies that experience in her role as a pharmacy technician at Walgreens #19454 in Louisville, Kentucky, ensuring that all patients she serves feel they are receiving the care they deserve.

“It was helpful having to deal with so many families at once because it helped me grow a better understanding of people’s frustrations or what they have to go through when it comes to getting their medicine,” she said.

That may mean filling emergency prescriptions at closing time, reminding patients that their refills are due, and assisting with transferring prescriptions from another state—all examples customers provided of how Gaston has made a difference to ensure they’re living their healthiest lives possible. Sometimes customers will come to the pharmacy, not to pick up their prescriptions, but just to thank Gaston for looking out for them.

“I don’t think of myself as the best,” Gaston says. “I just show up and always strive to do my best.” 

After serving as a pharmacy technician for two years, Gaston was promoted to pharmacy operations manager last year. In addition to learning how to juggle a heavy workload, Gaston says her experience as a nursing aide has helped her provide comfort and empathy as a certified pharmacy technician.

“We’ve had some patients who come in to close out profiles because their spouse passed away, and that’s difficult,” she says. “But they’re always really thankful for our kindness and for giving them a good experience and taking care of their needs.”

Gaston says she may have her eyes set on becoming a store manager one day, but for now, she is focused on providing the best possible care to her pharmacy patients while becoming an expert in her role through a combination of compassion and dedication.

What does your typical day look like working in a pharmacy?

I do a little bit of everything. My store is really small. We don’t have a drive-through, so it’s me and one other technician, as well as the pharmacist who works during the week. I do the orders, enter the prescriptions, run the register, and count the medications—pretty much all aspects of working in a pharmacy.

In what ways does being an operations manager change what you do each day?

It’s a little different for my store, because it is so small and there are typically only two of us. I will make the schedule, order any supplies pertaining to the pharmacy at the end of the week, receive the orders every day and put them away, and delegate other tasks to the techs.

What do you think is a key component of good customer service?

Communication. I’ve been a customer, too, and I know how it feels. When you have an expectation of service, you want someone to follow through or at least follow up—so I do that. If our pharmacy doesn’t have something in stock or we can’t find it at another store for them, it’s important to communicate. 

I make sure I call patients if we’re really busy and they have questions that I need to research. I will always call them back and let them know that no matter what the outcome is, whether it can or can’t be done, I will call to let them know the answer. When patients are upset, they’re mostly upset that no one informed them or followed through. I like to make sure that’s done.

Can you share a time you went above and beyond for a customer?

I delivered a prescription for someone in need after a snowstorm. Customers who lived in the surrounding neighborhoods were stuck in their homes because their driveways were covered in ice. They had to wait until the ice melted before they could safely leave their homes. 

A regular patient of ours, who lives five minutes away from the store, couldn’t get to us. She was stuck at home and didn’t have transportation. So, I took her medication over there for her. When she was able to make it back into the store—she came in for another refill the month after—she thanked me for doing that for her.

Tell us one small thing you do that makes a big difference for patients.

If a customer is going to wait for their prescriptions, I make sure that they’re filled in a timely manner. As soon as I input the prescription and put it in a waiting status, I will remove it from the shelf and have it counted before the pharmacist even checks it. That way when he does check it, all I have to do is label it and get it back to him as fast as possible. 

How do you put yourself in patients’ shoes?

I’ve been on that side of things and because I’ve worked in different aspects of healthcare, I know the importance of getting a medication after being discharged from the hospital or having a family member moving to a nursing home. I’ve seen the other side of it, so I can relate.

You never know what somebody is going through. Not every day is a good day. So I don’t take anything personal and try to just be kind. I treat everybody with kindness no matter what.