Transcript HS_6-4_Field of Pharmacy

Field of Pharmacy
Essential Question:
How do the roles/responsibilities of
pharmacists, pharmacy technicians,
pharmacy aides compare/contrast?
Written by Beverly Tippens
Pharmacists
Roles and Responsibilities
 In community pharmacies, dispense prescription
drugs to individuals.
 Advise patients and physicians etc. on selection,
dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications.
 Monitor health and progress of patients to ensure safe
and effective use of medication.
 Compound or mix ingredients to form medications.
 Counsel patients on use of prescription and over-thecounter medications.
 Advise patients on general health topics.
Pharmacists
Roles and Responsibilities
 Provide information on products such as
durable medical equipment or home health
care supplies.
 Complete third-party insurance forms and
other paperwork.
 Hire and supervise other personnel.
 Oversee general operation of the pharmacy.
 Provide specialized services to help patients
with diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation,
or high blood pressure. May be trained to
administer vaccinations.
Pharmacists
Roles and Responsibilities
 In health care facilities, dispense
medications and advise the medical staff on
selection and effects of drugs.
 Prepare sterile solutions to be administered
intravenously.
 Plan, monitor and evaluate drug programs
or regiments.
 Counsel hospitalized patients on use of
drugs before discharge.
Pharmacists
Salary Ranges
 Median annual of wage-and-salary
pharmacists in May 2006 were
$94,520.
 The middle 50% earned between
$83,180 and $108,140 a year.
 The lowest 10% earned less than
$67,860 a year.
 The highest 10% earned more than
$119,480 a year.
Pharmacist
Education/Training
 Pharmacists must earn a Pharm.D. degree
from an accredited college or school of
pharmacy.
 A license to practice pharmacy is required
in all States, the District of Columbia and
all U.S. territories.
 To obtain a license, a prospective
pharmacist must graduate from a college of
pharmacy that is accredited by the ACPE
and pass a series of examinations.
Pharmacist
Job Outlook
 Employment is expected to increase
much faster than the average through
2016.
 As a result of rapid growth and the
need to replace workers who leave
the occupation, job prospects should
be excellent.
Pharmacist
Work Facilities
 Community pharmacies.
 Hospitals.
 A small proportion worked in mailorder and Internet pharmacies,
pharmaceutical wholesalers, offices of
physicians, and the Federal
Government.
Pharmacy Technician
Roles/Responsibilities
 Help licensed pharmacists provide
medication and other health care products
to patients.
 Perform routine tasks to help prepare
prescribed medication, such as counting
tablets and labeling bottles.
 Answer phones, stock shelves operate cash
registers.
 Technicians refer any questions regarding
prescriptions, drug information, or health
matters to a pharmacist.
Pharmacy Technician
Roles/Responsibilities
 In retail or mail-order pharmacies, technicians receive
written or electronic prescriptions from doctor’s
offices. They must retrieve, count, pour, weigh,
measure and sometimes mix the medication.
 The technician prepares the prescription labels, select
the type of prescription container, and affix the
prescription and auxiliary labels to the container.
 Once the prescription is filled, the technicians prices
and files 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.
Pharmacy Technician
Education/Training
 Most pharmacy technicians receive informal
on-the-job training.
 Employers favor applicants who have
formal training, certification, or previous
experience.
 Strong customer service skills also are
important.
 There are currently few State and no
Federal requirements for formal training or
certification of pharmacy technicians.
Pharmacy Technician
Job Outlook
 Employment is expected to increase
much faster than the average through
2016, and job opportunities are
expected to be good.
 The increased number of middle-aged
and elderly people-who use more
prescription drugs than younger
people-will spur demand for
technicians throughout 2006-2016.
Pharmacy Technician
Salary Range
 Median hourly earnings of wage-andsalary pharmacy technicians in May
2006 were $12.32.
 The middle 50% earned between
$10.10 and $14.93.
 The lowest 10% earned less than
$8.56, and the highest 10% earned
more than $17.65.
Pharmacy Technicians
Work Facilities
 Hospitals
 Retail Pharmacies
Pharmacy Aides
Roles/Responsibilities
 Perform administrative duties in pharmacies.
 Aides often are clerks or cashiers who primarily
answer telephones, handle money, stock shelves, and
perform other clerical duties.
 Work closely with pharmacy technicians.
 Pharmacy technicians usually perform more complex
tasks than do aides, although in some States the
duties and titles of jobs overlap.
 Aides refer any questions regarding prescriptions,
drug information, or health matters to a pharmacist.
 Pharmacy aides may establish and maintain patient
profiles, prepare insurance claim forms, and stock and
take inventory of prescription and over-the-counter
medications.
Pharmacy Aide
Education/Training
 Most pharmacy aides receive informal
on-the-job training, but employers
favor those with at least a high school
diploma.
 Pharmacy aides begin their training
by observing a more experienced
worker.
 After they become experienced, aides
begin to work on their own.
Pharmacy Aide
Job Outlook
 Employment of pharmacy aides is expected
to decline rapidly from 2006 to 2016. Job
prospects, however, should be good.
 Demand for pharmacy aides will fall as
pharmacy technicians become increasingly
responsible for answering phones, stocking
shelves, operating cash registers, and
performing other administrative tasks.
 In addition, with increased training, many
pharmacy aides will become pharmacy
technicians, which will result in further
declines in pharmacy aide jobs.
Pharmacy Aide
Salary Range
 Median hourly earnings of wage-andsalary pharmacy aides were $9.35 in
May 2006.
 The middle 50% earned between
$7.89 and $11.58.
 The lowest 10% earned less that
$6.92 and the highest 10% earned
more than $14.64.
Pharmacy Aide
Work Facilities
 General medical and surgical
hospitals.
 Grocery stores.
 Pharmacies and drug stores.
Citation:
 Bureau of Labor Statistics
 U.S. Department of Labor
 Occupational Outlook Handbook,
2008-2009 Edition
 Internet: http://www.bls.gov/oco/
 Telephone: 202-691-5700