Transcript File - Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy Tech Introduction
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About You
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Purple- What is the best vacation you have ever
been on?
Green- What was the last movie you
watched…how was it?
Yellow- Who is your favorite Music group?
Orange- Which foreign country would you like to
visit and why?
Red- What is your favorite food and why?
The Pharmacy Technician
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Pharmacy technicians and aides help licensed
pharmacists prepare prescription medications,
provide customer service, and perform
administrative duties within a pharmacy setting.
Pharmacy technicians generally are responsible for
receiving prescription requests, counting tablets, and
labeling bottles, while pharmacy aides perform
administrative functions such as answering phones,
stocking shelves, and operating cash registers. In
organizations that do not have aides, however,
pharmacy technicians may be responsible for these
clerical duties.
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Pharmacy technicians who work in retail or mail-order pharmacies have various
responsibilities, depending on State rules and regulations.
Technicians receive written prescription requests from patients.
They also may receive prescriptions sent electronically from doctors’ offices,
and in some States they are permitted to process requests by phone.
They must verify that the information on the prescription is complete and
accurate.
To prepare the prescription, technicians retrieve, count, pour, weigh, measure,
and sometimes mix the medication. Then they prepare the prescription labels,
select the type of 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, as well as prepare
insurance claim forms. Technicians always refer any questions regarding
prescriptions, drug information, or health matters to a pharmacist.
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In hospitals, nursing homes, and assistedliving facilities, technicians have added
responsibilities, including preparing sterile
solutions and delivering medications to
nurses or physicians. Technicians may also
record the information about the prescribed
medication onto the patient’s profile.
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Pharmacy aides work closely with pharmacy
technicians. They primarily perform
administrative duties such as answering
telephones, stocking shelves, and operating
cash registers. They also may prepare
insurance forms and maintain patient
profiles. Unlike pharmacy technicians,
pharmacy aides do not prepare prescriptions
or mix medications.
Work Environment
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Pharmacy technicians and aides 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 and aides often have varying schedules
that include nights, weekends, and holidays. In
facilities that are open 24 hours a day, such as
hospital pharmacies, technicians and aides may be
required to work nights. Many technicians and aides
work part time.
Education & Training
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There are no standard training requirements
for pharmacy technicians, but some States
require a high school diploma or its
equivalent. Although most pharmacy
technicians receive informal on-the-job
training, employers favor those who have
completed formal training and certification.
On-the-job training generally ranges between
3 and 12 months.
Certification & other qualifications
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Most States do not require technicians to be certified, but
voluntary certification is available through several private
organizations. The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board
(PTCB) and the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy
Technicians (ICPT) administer national certification
examinations. Certification through such programs may
enhance an applicant’s prospects for employment and is
required by some States and employers. To be eligible for
either exam, candidates must have a high school diploma or its
equivalent and no felony convictions of any kind. In addition,
applicants for the PTCB exam must not have had any drugrelated or pharmacy-related convictions, including
misdemeanors. Many employers will reimburse the cost of the
exams.
Employment
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Pharmacy technicians and aides held about
381,200 jobs in 2008. Of these, about
326,300 were pharmacy technicians and
about 54,900 were pharmacy aides. About
75 percent of jobs were in a retail setting,
and about 16 percent were in hospitals.
Job Outlook
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Job opportunities for pharmacy technicians
are expected to be good, especially for those
with previous experience, formal training, or
certification. Job openings will result from
employment growth, as well as the need to
replace workers who transfer to other
occupations or leave the labor force.
Earnings…
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Median hourly wages of wage and salary pharmacy technicians
in May 2008 were $13.32. The middle 50 percent earned
between $10.95 and $15.88. The lowest 10 percent earned less
than $9.27, and the highest 10 percent earned more than
$18.98.
Median hourly wages of wage and salary pharmacy aides were
$9.66 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between
$8.47 and $11.62. The lowest 10 percent earned less than
$7.69, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $14.26.
Certified technicians may earn more than non-certified
technicians. Some technicians and aides belong to unions
representing hospital or grocery store workers.
Significant Points
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Job opportunities are expected to be good,
especially for those with certification or
previous work experience.
Many technicians and aides work evenings,
weekends, and holidays.
About 75 percent of jobs were in a retail
setting.
More information…
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www.ptcb.org
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Part 1
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Part 2
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Look through your phone book. See how many different types of
pharmacies mentioned in the lesson are available in your area.
Look for both community and institutional listings.
Visit a local pharmacy—chain store or independent. See how the
pharmacists and technicians interact with each other and the
customers. Do they display the honesty, integrity and
confidentiality you would expect from these professionals?
I look forward to your responses.
Questions, Comments, Concerns