Pharmacy technician is a job title for a pharmacy staff member
"who works under the direct supervision of a licensed
pharmacist, and performs many pharmacy-related functions.
In most cases, job duties include providing medication and
other health care products to patients.
• Job opportunities are expected to be good, especially
for those with certification or previous work experience.
• About 71 percent of jobs were in retail pharmacies,
grocery stores, department stores, or mass retailers.
Nature of the Work
Pharmacy technicians help licensed Pharmacists provide medication
and other health care products to patients. Technicians usually
perform routine tasks to help prepare prescribed medication,
such as counting tablets and labeling bottles. They also perform
administrative duties, such as answering phones, stocking
shelves, and operating cash registers. Technicians refer any
questions regarding prescriptions, drug information, or health
matters to a pharmacist.
Pharmacy technicians who work in retail or mail-order pharmacies
have varying responsibilities, depending on State rules and
regulations. Technicians receive written prescriptions or
requests for prescription refills from patients. They also
may receive prescriptions sent electronically from the doctor’s
office. They must verify that information on the prescription
is complete and accurate. To prepare the prescription, technicians
must retrieve, count, pour, weigh, measure, and sometimes
mix the medication. Then, they prepare the prescription labels,
select the type of prescription container, and affix the prescription
and auxiliary labels to the container. Once the prescription
is filled, technicians price and file the prescription, which
must be checked by a pharmacist before it is given to the
patient. Technicians may establish and maintain patient profiles,
prepare insurance claim forms, and stock and take inventory
of prescription and over-the-counter medications.
In hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted-living facilities,
technicians have added responsibilities, including reading
patients’ charts and preparing the appropriate medication.
After the pharmacist checks the prescription for accuracy,
the pharmacy technician may deliver it to the patient. The
technician then copies the information about the prescribed
medication onto the patient’s profile. Technicians also
may assemble a 24-hour supply of medicine for every patient.
They package and label each dose separately. The packages
are then placed in the medicine cabinets of patients until
the supervising pharmacist checks them for accuracy, and only
then is the medication given to the patients.
Work environment
Pharmacy technicians work in clean, organized, well-lighted,
and well-ventilated areas. Most of their workday is spent
on their feet. They may be required to lift heavy boxes or
to use stepladders to retrieve supplies from high shelves.
Technicians work the same hours that Pharmacists work. These
may include evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays, particularly
in facilities that are open 24 hours a day such as hospitals
and some retail pharmacies. As their seniority increases,
technicians often acquire increased control over the hours
they work. There are many opportunities for part-time work
in both retail and hospital settings.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
Most pharmacy technicians are trained on-the-job, but employers
favor applicants who have formal training, certification,
or previous experience. Strong customer service skills also
are important. Pharmacy technicians may become supervisors,
may move into specialty positions or into sales, or may become
Pharmacists.
Education and training. Although most pharmacy technicians
receive informal on-the-job training, employers favor those
who have completed formal training and certification. However,
there are currently few State and no Federal requirements
for formal training or certification of pharmacy technicians.
Employers who have insufficient resources to give on-the-job
training often seek formally educated pharmacy technicians.
Formal education programs and certification emphasize the
technician’s interest in and dedication to the work.
In addition to the military, some hospitals, proprietary schools,
vocational or technical colleges, and community colleges offer
formal education programs.
Formal pharmacy technician education programs require classroom
and laboratory work in a variety of areas, including medical
and pharmaceutical terminology, pharmaceutical calculations,
pharmacy recordkeeping, pharmaceutical techniques, and pharmacy
law and ethics. Technicians also are required to learn medication
names, actions, uses, and doses. Many training programs include
internships, in which students gain hands-on experience in
actual pharmacies. After completion, students receive a diploma,
a certificate, or an associate’s degree, depending on
the program.
Prospective pharmacy technicians with experience working as
an aide in a community pharmacy or volunteering in a hospital
may have an advantage. Employers also prefer applicants with
experience managing inventories, counting tablets, measuring
dosages, and using computers. In addition, a background in
chemistry, English, and health education may be beneficial.
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Everest College - At Everest College,
you will gain the career training and critical
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Diploma Program
• Pharmacy Technician |
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View
a complete list of colleges offering Pharmacy Technician programs
Certification and other qualifications
Two organizations, the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board
and the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians,
administer national certification examinations. Certification
is voluntary in most States, but is required by some States
and employers. Some technicians are hired without formal training,
but under the condition that they obtain certification within
a specified period of time. To be eligible for either exam,
candidates must have a high school diploma or GED, no felony
convictions of any kind within 5 years of applying, and no
drug or pharmacy related felony convictions at any point.
Employers, often pharmacists, know that individuals who pass
the exam have a standardized body of knowledge and skills.
Many employers also will reimburse the costs of the exam.
Under both programs, technicians must be recertified every
2 years. Recertification requires 20 hours of continuing education
within the 2-year certification period. At least 1 hour must
be in pharmacy law. Continuing education hours can be earned
from several different sources, including colleges, pharmacy
associations, and pharmacy technician training programs. Up
to 10 hours of continuing education can be earned on the job
under the direct supervision and instruction of a pharmacist.
Strong customer service and teamwork skills are needed because
pharmacy technicians interact with patients, coworkers, and
health care professionals. Mathematics, spelling, and reading
skills also are important. Successful pharmacy technicians
are alert, observant, organized, dedicated, and responsible.
They should be willing and able to take directions, but be
able to work independently without constant instruction. They
must be precise; details are sometimes a matter of life and
death. Candidates interested in becoming pharmacy technicians
cannot have prior records of drug or substance abuse.
Advancement
In large pharmacies and health-systems, pharmacy technicians
with significant training, experience and certification can
be promoted to supervisory positions, mentoring and training
pharmacy technicians with less experience. Some may advance
into specialty positions such as chemo therapy technician
and nuclear pharmacy technician. Others move into sales. With
a substantial amount of formal training, some pharmacy technicians
go on to become Pharmacists.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational
Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Pharmacy Technicians, on
the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos252.htm
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