Scenario:In this hilarious and all-too-relatable novel, Pill Talk: Confessions of a Pharmacy Tech, readers are invited into the daily life of Riley Carter, a sharp-witted and caffeine-fueled pharmacy technician at Mercy General Hospital. Told through the pages of her personal journal, Riley chronicles the absurd, bizarre, and downright comical encounters she faces on the job—one prescription at a time.
From patients who insist their "Perk-a-sets" need to be refilled early because their dog ate them (again), to the endless parade of customers who believe they’ve cracked the Da Vinci Code of pill-counting when it comes to their narcotics, Riley has seen it all. She documents the most ridiculous medication mispronunciations—like "A-mock-silly-in" and "Lotta-pin", the suspiciously creative excuses for lost prescriptions, and the customers who suddenly develop selective hearing when she tells them their insurance won’t cover their “very necessary” anti-aging cream.
But beneath the humor, Riley’s journal also captures the chaos, the long hours, and the sheer endurance it takes to work in healthcare. Between dodging rude patients, deciphering illegible doctor handwriting, and keeping a straight face when someone asks if ibuprofen can cure a broken heart, she finds solace in her coworkers—her fellow warriors in scrubs who survive on sarcasm, stale coffee, and the collective dream of winning the lottery.
A laugh-out-loud must-read for anyone who’s ever worked in a pharmacy or the medical field, Pill Talk is a witty, unfiltered glimpse into the world behind the counter—where patience is tested, nonsense is inevitable, and laughter is often the best medicine.
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In this hilarious and all-too-relatable novel, Pill Talk: Confessions of a Pharmacy Tech, readers are invited into the daily life of Riley Carter, a sharp-witted and caffeine-fueled pharmacy technician at Mercy General Hospital. Told through the pages of her personal journal, Riley chronicles the absurd, bizarre, and downright comical encounters she faces on the job—one prescription at a time.
From patients who insist their "Perk-a-sets" need to be refilled early because their dog ate them (again), to the endless parade of customers who believe they’ve cracked the Da Vinci Code of pill-counting when it comes to their narcotics, Riley has seen it all. She documents the most ridiculous medication mispronunciations—like "A-mock-silly-in" and "Lotta-pin", the suspiciously creative excuses for lost prescriptions, and the customers who suddenly develop selective hearing when she tells them their insurance won’t cover their “very necessary” anti-aging cream.
But beneath the humor, Riley’s journal also captures the chaos, the long hours, and the sheer endurance it takes to work in healthcare. Between dodging rude patients, deciphering illegible doctor handwriting, and keeping a straight face when someone asks if ibuprofen can cure a broken heart, she finds solace in her coworkers—her fellow warriors in scrubs who survive on sarcasm, stale coffee, and the collective dream of winning the lottery.
A laugh-out-loud must-read for anyone who’s ever worked in a pharmacy or the medical field, Pill Talk is a witty, unfiltered glimpse into the world behind the counter—where patience is tested, nonsense is inevitable, and laughter is often the best medicine.
Riley Carter
resilient, and humorous. Riley documents her daytoday experiences working in a hospital pharmacy, facing absurd interactions with patients and dealing with the challenges of the job. She relies on humor and her journal to cope with the challenges, maintaining friendships with coworkers who share similar experiences. Despite the challenges, she finds joy in making a positive impact on patients' lives.
Dr. Lee
demanding, and sometimes humorous. As an attending physician overseeing pharmaceutical operations, Dr. Lee frequently interacts with Riley and Heather, often issuing precise instructions regarding medication management. His expectation of high professionalism from pharmacists and technicians is evident, though subtle humor occasionally breaks through his formal demeanor. His presence maintains strict standards in the hospital's pharmaceutical department despite the chaos faced by staff.
Heather
witty, and strongminded. Heather is one of Riley's closest friends and coworkers, often providing comic relief and camaraderie in the workplace. She shares a similar sense of humor and understanding with Riley, having faced numerous absurd interactions with patients. Known for her ability to remain calm under pressure, she helps Riley navigate through the daytoday challenges in the hospital pharmacy.
"Did you check the inventory sheets?"
Heather asked.
I nodded.
"Nothing out of the ordinary."
"Let’s go through them again."
She pulled the sheets from behind the counter and we checked them line by line.
Nothing seemed out of place.
Heather folded the papers and put them back in their rightful place.
"I don’t know what to tell you. Unless someone is filling bags with pills and then throwing them away, someone stole them."
I groaned.
"Troy’s going to kill us."
Heather was always the strong one.
She never let anything get to her.
Even attending physicians couldn’t intimidate her.
"Let’s go talk to him," she said.
Troy was our fearless leader.
Well, actually Dr. Lee was but Troy was the fearless leader of our domain.
He walked up as we were about to confront him and nodded for us to enter.
The three of us sat at the back table of the pharmacy.
"Anything?"
He looked at us expectantly.
Heather shook her head.
"We’ve checked everywhere."
"Damn."
Troy ran his fingers through his hair.
"I’m going to have to fill out a police report."
He looked at me.
"You do it, Riley."
