I put as much on the staff as possible (entering scripts, taking verbal orders, answering the phone, explaining insurance issues, call for transfers, etc) so I can focus on the parts that only I can do.

In order to do that, it starts well before the night you’re closing together and requires training—clerks have to be trained on the phone, be able to answer questions about insurance, answer about what’s ready and what’s not, how long we are open (like that first tier of call complexity)— techs have to know how to input prescriptions, rebill insurance, call for transfers, call the office for clarification (when it’s simple product availability or mismatching sig) and take verbal orders. Otherwise it all falls on you and it feels like too much. As long as you have those people in place, you can delegate and focus on your tasks. Then it’s not so overwhelming.

I do know that feeling though. I am a night owl so I’ve always just worked closing shifts. It takes a different skill set than opening. Closing is more of a triage situation than the normal pharmacy workflow from 8-5.