Join The Healthcare Industry by Becoming A Pharmacy Technician

Consider joining the growing number of healthcare workers by becoming a pharmacy technician. Gain the information and competencies you will need to qualify for entry-level positions in a variety of settings such as hospitals, clinics, long term care facilities, retail pharmacies, mail order pharmacies and large industrial complexes.

What is a Pharmacy Technician

A pharmacy technician assists a licensed pharmacist in filling prescriptions according to doctors’ orders. The technician prepares the medications for dispensing to patients by retrieving them in the correct form and strength and by measuring the proper amount of each drug, then producing a label for each prescription.

Pharmacy Technician Duties

Pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of a pharmacist and work with drugs that are administered orally and topically. Typical day-to-day duties of the pharmacy technician to help the licensed pharmacist include the following:

• Receiving prescriptions electronically from physicians’ offices
• Checking patient information for accuracy
• Finding, counting, pouring, weighing, measuring and sometimes mixing medications
• Pricing medications and filing prescriptions
• Answering the telephone
• Maintaining records and preparing insurance forms
• Stocking and inventorying prescription and over-the-counter medications
• Assisting people by retrieving prescriptions, checking details and handling payments
• Ordering supplies
• Keeping work areas neat and tidy
• Fulfilling other tasks and projects as requested by licensed pharmacists

Pharmacy Technician Training

Pharmacy technician programs range from a comprehensive 50-hour certificate course to a diploma or an associate degree program. Some programs are online with internships while others are on-site classes with practicums.

The 50-hour program prepares a student to enter the field of pharmacology and to take the PTCB, an exam given by the certification board. Pharmacy technicians not only work in community pharmacies, but they work in other health care settings, such as home infusion pharmacies and hospitals. Regardless of the setting, all pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of a registered pharmacist.

The coursework in a 50-hour program will train students in the medical terminology used in pharmacies. In addition, this type program teaches students valuable skills like how to read and interpret prescriptions as well as how to define drugs by generic and brand names.

Students learn how to calculate dosages and I.V. flow rates, how to compound drugs, convert doses, and dispense prescriptions. A 50-hour program also prepares potential pharmacy technicians to handle responsibilities in important administrative areas like billing, reimbursement, and inventory control.

Regardless of whether you enter a 50-hour certificate program, a diploma program, or an associate degree program, all programs train students to be successful when taking the PTCB exam. More information about this exam follows.

Many pharmacy technician training programs have emerged as a result of the growing need for trained technicians to work in hospital settings and drugstores found in grocery and retail establishments. The increase in pharmacies in the latter locations over the last few years has impacted the need for assistance to licensed pharmacists in preparing prescription drugs for a growing older population.

Employers tend to favor pharmacy technicians with certificates or degrees from quality programs and community colleges. They understand that individuals who pass the national exam have a standardized framework of knowledge and skills. Furthermore, well-prepared candidates can offer exemplary patient service.

Pharmacy tech courses include medical terminology and anatomy as it relates to medications, reading and understanding prescriptions, naming drugs by their trademark and general names and pharmaceutical calculations.

Students will learn about billing, insurance and reimbursement, dispensing of prescriptions, dose computations and exchanges, drug compounding, I.V. flow rates and inventory control.

In addition, the following content is covered:

• Role of the pharmacy technician
• History of pharmacy
• Standards and Code of Ethics
• Employment or practice settings
• Equipment
• Storage
• Certification process
• Abbreviations and measures
• Detailed review of pharmacy settings: hospital, retail, long-term care, mail order, and home care
• Ordering and inventory control
• Requirements for prescription labels
• Drug pricing
• Insurance and third party reimbursement
• Patient profiles
• Pharmacy law and ethics
• Emergency and crash carts
• Major classes of drugs including brand and generic names
• The metric system
• Pharmaceutical calculations
• Handling of sterile products
• Doses for children
• Math review
• Hands-on practice of concepts covered: clinical rotations-hospital and retail

Pharmacy Technician National Exam

The goal of pharmacy technician training is to prepare participants to pass the National Certification Exam that is offered by the certification board, the PTCB. It is, however, up to individuals to be sure the training program meets their state’s requirements; this can be accomplished by contacting their state’s Board of Pharmacy site or the licensing and regulation department of their state.

Certification in this healthcare field is achieved by meeting specific eligibility requirements and passing the PTCE (Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam). This assessment measures individuals’ competence to perform the varied duties of a pharmacy technician.

The content of the exam was developed by experienced and skilled professionals in the field; it assesses knowledge that is critical to safe and effective patient care and service. The following areas are tested on the PTCE:

• Helping the pharmacist to serve patients – 66%
• Keeping prescription and inventory control systems – 22%
• Sharing in the management of pharmacy practice – 12%

The test format consists of ninety multiple choice questions. It is a timed test with one hour and fifty minutes allowed to complete the exam. Ten questions are pilot ones that may be included in future versions of the test; these items are not included in the individuals’ scores.

At the beginning of the exam, there is a five minute tutorial; at the end, there is a five minute exit questionnaire; these additional items result in the exam being a total of two hours. Interested persons who wish to become a certified pharmacy technician need to apply online and pay $129 for the PTCE.

The tests are given all year round in over two hundred and twenty Pearson VUE test centers. Several optional practice exams are available that help individuals to experience the format and types of questions on the exam.

The purpose of the pre-tests is to provide an opportunity to take a simulated exam, not to determine the likelihood of passing the actual national exam. The practice tests, which must be purchased, indicate the content and format of the national examination but are different than the format delivered by Pearson VUE.

Pharmacy Technician Salary

According to the United States Department of Labor, the average salary for a pharmacy technician ranges from $23,650 to $27,705 to a high of $32,240 for a full-time 40-hour work week. Factors that influence salary are geographic area, certification, experience, and evening and weekend shift work that can increase earnings.

Of course, pharmacy technicians can add the benefits they receive, such as health and/or dental insurance, vacation and sick leave time, travel and/or clothing allowances, and paid leave in some larger organizations.

Career Options for Trained Pharmacy Technicians

With increases in the aging population and the number and variety of pharmacies, the demand for pharmacy technicians is growing. Individuals wishing to pursue this healthcare career can choose part-time or full-time work in a variety of settings.

Employment opportunities for trained pharmacy technicians exist in almost every state and are expected to grow as the demand for medication increases among people of all ages. Retailers are expanding their pharmacy services, and some individuals move upwards, thereby leaving positions available.

Science and research continue to develop new drugs for diseases and disorders. With people living longer, medications for various ailments enable them to maintain active lives for many more years.

Pharmacy technicians work in clean, organized environments. They are expected to be on their feet most of the time and may need to lift boxes or climb stepladders to access supplies from high shelves or storage areas.

According to the National Pharmacy Technician Association (NPTA), the job outlook for pharmacy technicians is excellent. The current job growth is 28.8% with annual openings exceeding 39,000.

Continuing Education for Pharmacy Technicians

Some pharmacy technicians may advance in their positions or take on additional responsibilities as they gain experience. Licensed pharmacists who see the potential in their pharmacy assistants may assign them routine tasks that they had previously completed themselves. Additionally, some individuals may continue their education to become licensed pharmacists.

After training for a pharmacy technician, individuals should apply for registration with their state board of pharmacy or their licensing and regulation department. Technicians are required to keep up with their education and to re-certify every two years by completing twenty contact hours of education related to their field. This condition ensures that technicians remain up to date with new drugs, procedures, and technological advances.

Healthcare is one of the largest growing industries in the country. Good opportunities exist for pharmacy technician work in a variety of practice settings with full and part-time employment options. Jobs in this field are professional ones that involve continued learning, yet they do not require a four year degree.

Becoming a pharmacy technician is a good choice in the health services field for many reasons. The pharmacy technician profession has become essential to the field of healthcare. Helping others to live healthy, fulfilled lives is simply the most rewarding work to do day after day.

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