A career as a pharmacy technician usually begins with the question: What do pharmacy technicians do? Pharmacy technicians assist licensed pharmacists with dispensing medications to health professionals or to customers. The technicians usually work in a hospital or retail environment. Pharmacists are liable for the authenticity of the prescribed medications that are distributed. Therefore, the pharmacists supervise the tasks of the pharmacy technicians who are permitted to package and label prescription medications. The technicians may also record personal information from health professionals or customers, who provide the details about the prescriptions, such as information about the type of medication.
What do Pharmacy Technicians do?
The tasks for the technicians vary according to the location and are controlled by local regulations. The pharmacy technicians can measure amounts of medications for prescriptions, accept payments for the prescription medications, call medical offices to verify prescription refill information, process insurance claims and enter personal information about the patient into the computer system. The technicians also answer phone calls and can connect the customers with a licensed pharmacist who can provide information about the medications, such as about health concerns and drug interactions.
Inventory control is very important in a pharmacy. The technicians monitor the inventory and notify the pharmacists if the supplies are low, which could prevent a potential problem with filling a new prescription. The medications may require labels, lids, bottles and packages, such as a sealed envelope that contains the medication and detailed information about the medication. The technicians organize the inventory and clean the area, which promotes a more efficient work environment.
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Regulations
Prescription medications are beneficial but are controlled because of potential risks, such as fatality or injury from a drug. Therefore, the pharmacy technicians must be detail-oriented and have strong organizational skills. The prescriptions must be filled with the correct medications and with the correct amount for the prescriptions. A person with diabetes relies upon the correct amount of insulin, which must be packaged and provided by the pharmacy.
The medications can only be dispensed with a written prescription from a licensed healthcare provider, such as from a physician or a dentist. Sometimes, medical offices may be permitted to fax the information about a prescription to a pharmacy. There are limits regarding the number of refills for a prescription, which may require that the customer return to a medical office to get authorization for a prescription refill. Pharmacists are liable for verifying that an order for a prescription medication is valid, which prohibits illegal distribution of the medication. Therefore, the technicians have serious responsibilities and work in an environment that has stringent standards.
Education and Training
Pharmacy technicians may be trained on the job or complete a program for Pharmacy Technology. The basic qualification is a high school diploma. The technology programs usually last approximately one year and offer a certificate. Some programs may last longer than one year and offer an Associate’s degree. The subject matter includes pharmacy law, pharmacy ethics, arithmetic, recordkeeping, names of medications, uses of medications and traditional measurements, such as for dosages. The technicians should be meticulous, adept at performing calculations and have excellent customer service skills. There are examinations for certification, which are regulated according to the location.
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