When the alarm rang at 7am, I woke up and contemplated in my state of grogginess.
“Hmmm…it’s only 6am actually, I can lie in a bit more…”
Now when I’m up at 8am, I think it’s 7am…so I’m still up “early”.
It doesn’t work that way, FeR!!!
You can still afford to do that today because you start at 11am but not tomorrow! You have to take time as it is displayed! Not -1. 
I think I did better this time – my dispensing assignment.
*does a little victory dance*
But as with all things, it can only get better!
Below is part of my conversation with a patient today:
“Hello, Mr Smith*! Here is your medicine. Are you expecting three items today from your doctor?”
“Oh yes, yes. He told me I have high blood pressure…something like 165/105…is that good?”
“Well, it would definitely be better if it was lower.”
“Really? I thought if I had a higher number it’d be better…like a score? The higher the better?”
“Oh no, unfortunately it doesn’t work that way.”
Trust me, it was REALLY difficult to keep a straight face because the patient was so animated when he told me his theory. 
Thankfully, it was just Rory being a very “interesting” patient for me to practice on while doing assignment 4 today. 
*So there was no Mr Smith.
I don’t think anyone would be interested and for those who care, you’d probably know the entire story anyway.
But it’s my blog!
So this is the story.
Why I am here in New Zealand.
I’m currently working through my internship to get registered as a pharmacist here.
I’m starting my 18th week tomorrow and in 5 weeks, I will be attending a final assessment in Wellington (if I pass my law exam and my 3rd appraisal, which is due on the 10th of October). I qualified for the 26-weeks internship but as long as I have a minimum of 20 weeks of full time work, I am eligible to attend the assessment (provided I’ve completed other requirements).
If I score a Level 3 during the assessment, I will be getting my new APC (Annual Practising Certificate) somewhere in the middle of December and that is when I can say I’m working as a pharmacist in New Zealand.
Many here have asked if I just graduated because they think internship=fresh graduate. I’d like to think it’s because I look befitting of a fresh graduate.
I’m listed for morning session of the assessment on 4th of November. I keep thinking I’ve got 2 months to go so it’s scaring me a little when I look at the calendar and I’ve only got 5 more weeks to go before I go to Wellington! I can’t believe it!
(In faith, I am going! Please pray for me! Eeeek!)
Do I miss home?
Sure I do!
So I’m glad (in a way) that I am kept busy with work, assignments, workshop, exams…and everything else.
When I got myself registered as an intern, they sent an intern programme manual to me. The folder tells you everything you need to do during your internship (sort of) – the deadlines of every submission, the number of assignments and their methodology, the number of appraisals, the things they want to see recorded under the evidence and learning portfolios and an intern badge. 
To-date I have completed 3 assignments, 2 appraisals, first aid course, law workshop+exam and submitted part of my evidence portfolio. Basically I had (still have) deadlines every month.
I have one more assignment and appraisal due on 10th of October and everything I have on my evidence and learning portfolios have to be submitted by 17th of October.
Work here as a pharmacist/in a pharmacy dispensary is really different from back home. It is more familiar with what I’ve studied in university but because I didn’t get to practice it back home, it takes some time for me to learn up about the system here.
Dispensing rights (with this it means liaison with other healthcare providers), computer systems (we’re using Toniq at work), subsidies, methadone dispensing, needles exchange, different list of pharmacist only medicines, different brand names, PHO charges/coding, CD dispensing (Group A+B needs to be on a separate form), extemporaneous compounding…
When it comes to scripts, you have check the script and decide if it’s safe/appropriate to be dispensed (this is where recording Prescription Interventions come in – for my evidence portfolio) – and if it’s not, you ring the doctor/nurse practitioner/dentist/midwife.
Isn’t it like PharmacyPractice in university? Sure is!
But bear in mind it’s been 5 years since I’ve had a PP class and there is no time to muck around with the BNF…especially if your pharmacy works through an average about 400 scripts a day.
Lots to learn and absorb!
Well, perhaps I’m writing this down to clarify what I’m doing here. Perhaps it’s an excuse so that you would not be angry at me (seeing I’m swarmed with work!) that I did not write to you.
But this is what is going on.
Now you know.
[click to know more about what happened prior to being here]
It’s coming to 7pm…but my body and eyes tell me it’s 6pm.
I’m having daylight-saving-shock.
Can’t they change the time bit-by-bit instead of a whole hour?
I’m just moaning lah…I know I have to get used to it in preparation for summer.
Now if you ever see me online, it’s either a weekend or I’m up really late.
By the way, the iPod nano jingle is stuck in my head (from their ad on TV) – it’s “Bruises” from Chairlift. Go to their website and get it stuck in your head, too!
It’s 1031pm now…but achelly I have to treat it as 1131pm (daylight saving starts at 2am when time is pushed forward an hour, so it will be 3am when 2am comes)
ARGHHH!
I’m losing one hour of sleep.
Better get going and remember to set clocks forward.