CRAP day.

Feel so lousy.

CRAP CRAP CRAP CARP CARP CARB CARB CARB CRAB CRAB CRAB!

*sigh*

Gave wrong ‘done to ‘done patient.
The problem is that I gave him another patient’s dose which is MORE than what he’s on. If it was less, it would have been easily remedied.
There IS a logic to why people say, “Don’t assume because it makes an ass out of you and me.”

Such an ass.

Feel so lau beh although people at work were really nice about the whole issue.

Am glad I’m not working tomorrow – I’d prefer to unwind away from work for now.

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It’s not even a want, it’s a need!

I’m probably in our room, preparing for the assessment tomorrow. Thank goodness we got a room here in the inn itself – don’t need to rush to assessment centre!

We are to report ourselves at 9am and for me, my interview is in the 10-1030am slot. Then about an hour wait (!!!) before the scenario block from 1120am-1240pm.

After all that, we will go home and wait to hear our results (the wait is about 6 weeks).

Please help me pray that I will pass my assessment.
I don’t want to end up in a position where I have to wait for another 6 months before I could be reassessed again.

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Healthcare and drug (as in medicines) issues here are for all to know/see/hear.
Maybe it happens back home but I don’t remember the public being so informed/involved.

So far we’ve been through issues with levothyroxine (patients experiencing side effects after the reformulation), script charges (came out in the papers saying HawkesBay’s pharmacies charging too much!), hospital scripts to be able to code “4′s” and now it’s something to do with a pharmaceutical company’s manufacturing site (Ranbaxy’s Lovir, Amoxycillin and Cefaclor – Medsafe considering a ban)

This would mean we would all need to be updated (thus me in front of the telly watching NEWS at 6pm!) because you’re bound to get people asking you about it the next day – whether in person or through the phone.

Then hor…I’m made confused by these people using eltroxin=levothyroxine. Isn’t Eltroxin the brand name from GSK?
You know how medicines have their brand name and then the generic in smaller print? Well, the imported levothyroxine that we got for one of the patient last month had the brand and “Eltroxin” at the bottom of the brand name. Pelik, kan?

Even if Eltroxin was part of the brand name, is that possible? I thought the name is a registered trademark?

*shrugs*

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Die.

See, we have to answer 4 questions out of 5.
(Completely unrelated but I just found out the cause for my sore middle finger tip – I’ve got a papercut! Which isn’t visible at all…until when I was scrutinizing my finger under the lamp just now. Now it hurts more often – I tell you it’s psychological!)

I had time (or rather, SPLURGED my time allowance on them) for the first two questions, did fair for the 3rd and my 4th question was DISGRACEFUL! DISGUSTING!

Now they may think I’m an idiot who doesn’t know the system because I just found the legislation that says it IS unlawful to dispense a prescription medicine for more than 3 months’ supply at one time.

Now, now.

I KNOW that we do not dispense more than 3 months’ supply – I just didn’t know (forgot, actually) which section to refer to. Since I couldn’t find it – I had “no choice” but to say “funding requirement, not a legal requirement”.

Die.

Maybe you can start counting down from 45 marks because that last question went down the drain liao (15 marks/question).

From feeling okay from exam to not feeling that confident (of passing – I’m not greedy ) now…

Not okay = Nokay

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It’s all about the money!

MissYap…be prepared to pay $875 or more for your Law Exam. It’s not $695 anymore as of today.

I think the December07 batch paid $695. And their workshop is $1200.

Workshop now is $1500!!!!!

They’ve added audioconferences and 5 Pharmacy Ethics assignments (apparently this is new – just added to take the stress off the 3 days’ workshop…konon)

Instead of being less than $2k, it’s MORE than $2k.
Korek dari mana, huh?

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Eksyen-nya but it IS warmer than any other nights so far…14°C

I’ve got a fair bit to write (I know I’ve been saying/hinting that in almost every recent entry but never really got to doing it) but now when I have the time (and it being warm enough), I have lost the plot.

Let’s start with some other words I’ve remembered!

• flash – can be used to represent gaya or something good
• togs – swimsuit
• minky – yucky, disgusting, dirty
• bikkie – biscuit

More random things…

I see “Myvi’s”, “Kancil” and even “Viva” around!

They are branded under Daihatsu, though.
Myvi = Sirion
Viva = Charade
Kancil = don’t know.

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I miss the food back home and the availability of “affordable” dining out options (maybe it’s different now with the increase in prices for everything!)

I guess my “social life” revolves around going out and eating together with friends. Without that, I feel that I have no “life” nor “friends”.
The sad reality is that I DO at times feel that I don’t have friends here.

Yes, I’ve got colleagues and people from LifeGroup/church…but it’s different, y’know.
I know it takes time and I’ve only been here for just more than a month – I’m not seeking assurance, I’m just seeking an outlet to express my true feelings. I’m not unhappy but it’s just one of those things that you think and wonder about. Then again, maybe it’s just me.

I told a few people that I cannot see myself having a close (or even a normal one!) girlfriend to go out with. Hang out, watch a movie, coffee at cafe, girly talks…not at this point of time. I have no “potential” girlfriends. The fact that eating out is expensive isn’t helping matters either – and different interests.

Me = food
Them = exercise/health

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Sometimes I wonder (only slightly more than a month and already paranoia in hyperdrive!) if they ever regretted hiring me. I probably “look” better on paper than in person – in terms of qualifications.
Sometimes I feel that maybe behind my back they shake their heads and go, “What have we done?”

I still feel like a “let-down” of my profession. So many things I don’t remember/know – the good thing is that I’m learning.

It’s scary to think that I am supposed to be on my own (if all goes well!) by December/January. No more security net, no more saying, “Let me check with the pharmacist.”

I actually didn’t think of it until when there was one day when I overheard Kelly telling Mike, “Oh, she’s actually a qualified pharmacist back home but now she’s working as an intern and after 6 months she’d be like Rory and Adam.”
I actually cringed when I heard that.
I am fearful of that day when I’m the pharmacist on duty. At the moment, I’m dispensing without worrying about errors because the pharmacist would be the last to check the scripts before it’s given out to the patients.
Of course I want to pass my assessment this year and get registered. But the thought of flying solo scares me…to think that the “let me check with the pharmacist” line would be used by someone else and they come to me.

Assignment 2 is an eye-opener to where I stand.
I’m in the pits, yo!
I am learning more when I’m questioned rather than sitting myself down, trying to figure out which end of the book I should start with. Even with exams, you’d want to know what topics to study through, right?

Seriously, community pharmacy back home is SO different from here. I guess that is why back home it’s called “retail pharmacy” and here it’s “community pharmacy”.
Back home I just need to know the generic name, price and where it sits on the shelves. And also just short, layman’s terms for the drug’s indication – like “for high cholesterol”, “for high BP”, “for gout”, “for pain”, etc.

Here?

How does it work?
Are there any drug-drug interactions?
What would you monitor?
Is it a long-term therapy?
Is it short acting?
Where is it metabolised?
Can this be given together?
What is the maximum dose for children?
Is it subsidised?
Is it legal?
What is the pharmacology?

And so on…

Now you tell me…6 months for all that, is that enough? Do you think I can make it?

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I don’t know what else I wanted to write already.
So many things run through my mind when I walk to or from work…but everytime I get the mood/time to write, it’s just blank.
Great.

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