The requirements for working as a pharmacy technician vary from state to state. If you are considering this as a career choice, there are several things you need to know.
What States Require Registered Pharmacy Technicians?
Several states require pharmacy technicians to register with the Board of Pharmacy. They are: Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, and Virginia.
Educational Requirements
In some states, those interested in becoming pharmacy technicians can learn the necessary skills during on-the-job training, but in others, graduating from an accredited pharmacy technician program is a must. Programs are found at community colleges, vocational schools, and the armed forces, and courses may include:
Issues in Pharmacy – Explores the healthcare environment and emphasizes the issues facing pharmacies and pharmacy technicians.
Business Language Skills – Discusses language skills commonly applied to documents written or edited in the business environment. This course includes business grammar, parts of speech in proper context, and proofreading skills.
Computers in Healthcare – This course explains the fundamentals of complex technology and specific applications that are important to the delivery of healthcare. Also explained are the legal and ethical considerations in the processing of confidential patient and medical information.
Pharmaceutical Calculations – Centers on applying mathematical skills for calculations required for the usual dosage determinations along with solution preparations using household weight, metric, and apothecary systems.
Basic Pharmacy Software Applications – This course teaches students about the specialized pharmacy programs including outpatient and inpatient medication, and quality assessment. An emphasis is placed on drug distribution systems, record keeping and third-party billing.
Applied Pharmacy Systems – Students learn medication distribution systems that relate to inpatient systems, compounding, inventory control systems, preparation of intravenous admixture, and manufacturing and replacing.
Medical Terminology – This course teaches students the proper spelling, abbreviations, and definitions of medical terms.
Compounding Medication – Students gain the necessary skills needed to mix medications for patients who have special circumstances.
Certification Requirements
Not all states require certification and the ones that do are Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. The administering organizations are the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (Pharmacy Technician Certification exam) and the National Healthcareer Association (ExCPT exam). Some states will accept certification from either administering body while others only allow one. Make sure you know what is accepted in your state before obtaining certification.
Continuing Education
Certified pharmacy technicians need to complete twenty hours of pharmacy related continuing education every two years.
Job Duties
Pharmacy technicians are responsible for filling prescriptions and other duties that depend on state law and employer. They are:
- Assisting patients who are dropping off and picking up prescriptions
- Compounding medications
- Enter prescriptions into a computer
- Processing insurance claims
- Selecting the appropriate size pill bottle for the capsules or tablets and labeling it with the patient’s information
- Preparing chemotherapeutic agents
- Preparing intravenous mixtures
- Checking pharmaceutical stock in order to determine the inventory level and ordering medications to replace stock
- Establishing and maintaining patient profiles
- Preparing reports by collecting and summarizing information
- Following infection control and policies and protocols
- Keeping the work area clean
Where do Pharmacy Technicians Work?
Pharmacy technicians can find employment in assisted living facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, and retail or mail-in pharmacies.
Job Outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) believes the job growth of pharmacy technicians will be twenty percent until 2022.
Salary
In 2013, pharmacy technicians earned $29,650 according to the BLS. Several factors played a part in determining this figure such as location, education, employer, and certification.
If you would like more information on registration, training programs, or certification, please contact us.
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