The work of pharmacy technicians is to help licensed pharmacists who provide medicine and other health care products to patients. Generally, pharmacy technicians execute everyday tasks with the intention of preparing prescribed medicine such as labeling bottles and counting tablets.
Job Prospect
A pharmacy technician performs various duties comprising of stocking shelves, answering phones, and operating cash registers. Technicians refer questions pertaining to remedy information, health issues, and prescriptions to a pharmacist. A pharmacy technician who serves in mail-order or retail pharmacies carries out various responsibilities based upon state laws, rules, and regulations.
Pharmacy technicians receive requests or written prescription for prescription refills from patients. Sometimes, these technicians receive prescription from doctor's office through electronically. After receiving prescriptions, a pharmacy technician requires to verify information on the prescription. They conform whether the prescription is accurate and correct.
Pharmacy technicians must count, retrieve, measure, weigh, pour, and sometimes mix up the medication. Consequently, they choose the type of prescription container, create the prescription labels, fasten the prescription, and attach additional labels to the container. Upon completing the prescription, pharmacist technicians file and price the prescription that is subsequently verified by the pharmacist and then given to the patient.
Pharmacy technicians may establish and maintain a profile of the patient, take and stock inventory of prescription, prepare insurance claim forms, and stock over-the-counter medications. The pharmacy technician who is working in assisted-living facilities, nursing homes, and hospitals performs a number of responsibilities such as preparing the proper medications and reading patient's charts. The work of pharmacy technicians is to get the prescription checked by the pharmacist and deliver it to the patient.
Consequently, a pharmacy technician copies the information pertained to the prescribed medication onto a profile of the patient. A technician is accountable for supplying medicine to every patient. These technicians label and package every dose separately. They place medicine packages in the patient's cabinet and get them checked by a pharmacist for accuracy. Once medicines are supervised, pharmacy technicians deliver it to the patients.
Pharmacy technicians work together with pharmacy aides. These pharmacy aides act as cashiers or clerks, whose responsibility is to responds telephones, deal with stock shelves, money, and execute other clerical duties. Usually, a pharmacy technician carries out complex tasks. In some states, the job titles of pharmacy aides and pharmacy technicians may overlap, however, they are not exact the same.
Work Environment
Pharmacy technicians perform their tasks in well organized, lighted, clean, and spacious areas. They need to spend ample amount of time on their feet. Sometimes, they may need to move and lift heavy cartons and use stepladders to recover supplies from high shelves. Pharmacy technicians work the same hours as pharmacists do. They may require working on weekends, evenings, holidays, and nights. They work in flexible schedules, especially, with retail pharmacies and hospitals which are open round the clock. These professionals may work full-time as well as part-time. They need to perform responsibilities as given below.
Responsibilities
Educational Qualification
Many pharmacy professionals are given training on-the-job, however, employers prefer candidates who have completed certification, formal training, and possess experience in the relevant field. Candidates must have customer service skills. After gaining extensive experience, a pharmacy technician may get promotion as a pharmacist. Consequently, they may get into sales.
There are few states in the US where a candidate does not need to get certification of pharmacy technicians or a formal training to enter this field. Candidates who have competed a certification or formal education program shows their interest in this field and dedication to the work. There are many school and colleges which offer training programs such as proprietary schools, some hospitals, community colleges, and technical or vocational colleges.