I recently had some issues with my phone that couldn’t be resolved over the customer service line, and I was advised to go to my nearest dealer. Thankfully, there’s one on the corner down from my apartment, so it was a quick jaunt over there. Stepping inside, I was a bit taken aback by the choice of music.

It has been eight months since I have become an apprentice optician. Every working day is an opportunity to learn different techniques and apply my knowledge. If there’s one thing I’ve noticed since working in this field, it’s that people need to feel comfortable with who is helping them. Although every optician encounters those patients who refuse almost every suggestion made to them about lens treatments, materials, frame choice, etc., it is still important to try to relate to them and fulfill their needs. Being approachable and friendly will work, but patients gravitate more towards confidence. If there is a way to relate to them on a personal level, they value my recommendations instead of viewing me as another person who is solely seeking sales. Furthermore, I establish a comfort-zone and consequently they willingly share the appropriate information to enable me to design the perfect pair of glasses.

I am not a germ freak...well, I could go down that road, but that is not the reason for addressing the important topic of infection control and hygiene in the optical dispensary. This topic was brought to my attention by one of our soon to be graduating Vision Care Technology students. This student has an extensive background in healthcare and is cognizant of the importance and necessity of handwashing and practicing hygiene. After observing interactions in dispensaries over the years, she noticed that the opticians would go from patient to patient without ever washing their hands. Is that what is done in your office? Hand washing is an effective and easy way to reduce the spread of germs and should be done before and after touching a patient. This is even more important now that flu season is here.

Whether you work for a large corporation or for a small business, answer the following questions. Is there enough time during the day to properly train your staff? Is there a formal training plan in place for new and current employees? If you answered yes, you are in better shape than many of your peers.