If you are a certified pharmacy technician(Cpht) you can expect to earn something like $30,000 a year, which isn’t bad. Those working in a Pharmacy Technician Corrections Setting can expect to earn something like $25,000 on a yearly basis. Lead Pharmacy Technicians earn something in the region of $39,000 a year. Those working as pharmacy technicians can earn about $34,000 on a yearly basis. For Pharmacy Technician Store Workers the average yearly salary is in the region of $35,000, while a Csr Pharmacy Technician can earn about $29,000 on a yearly basis. A Senior Pharmacy Technician can earn in the region of $39,000 a year and a Pharmacy Technician G can earn around $44,000 a year. If you want to be a Pharmacy Technician Specialist you can expect a salary of around $38,000 a year, and if you want to be a Certified Pharm Technician Inpt, you can expect to earn around about $36,000 each year .An average yearly salary for a Homeland Security worker is around $69,000. If you work as a Ptcb Pharmacy Technician you can expect to earn about $41,000 a year. MH Pharmacy Technicians earn around $32,000 a year and Registered Pharmacy Technicians earn about $28,000. Working as a Pharmacy Technician will earn you an average of $33,000 a year.

Salary According To Experience

A pharmacy technician with less than 1 year of experience can earn a pharmacy technician pay of about $14,899 – $46,362, while a pharmacy technician with 1 to 4 years of experience can earn a pharmacy technician salary of around $15,306 – $44,864. As you get more experience, so your salary increases. A pharmacy technician with 5-9 years experience can expect to earn a pharmacy technician salary around $19,512 – $47,606, a pharmacy technician with 10-19 years of experience can expect to earn around $21,615 – $60,402, and a pharmacy technician with 20 years or more experience can expect to earn around $19,463 – $101,789.

Salary According To Industry

If you work as a pharmacy technician in a Retail Drugstore or Pharmacy Chain you will earn around $8.05 – $15.43. If you are a pharmacy technician in Retail you will earn around $8.06 – $15.48 and if you work in Pharmaceuticals you can earn around $8.34 – $16.02. For those working in Retail Grocery stores as pharmacy technicians, the average hourly rate is $8.09 – $15.96, and for those working in Healthcare the expected salary is $8.29 – $15.63.

Salary According To Gender

79% of the people working as pharmacy technicians are female and only 21% are male. On average a woman will receive about $8.96 – $12.49 for being a pharmacy technician while a man will receive around $8.91 – $12.79 for being a pharmacy technician. There are very small differences in terms of gender (at least as far as rate of pay goes) in the pharmacy technician industry, which is more than what can be said for a large number of other industries out there. There is no reason why more men should not be pharmacy technicians either, so give it a try today.

Salary According To Education

You can also receive a different pharmacy technician salary depending on what degree you hold.

• For a Bachelor’s Degree you can expect to earn around $8.12 – $14.40 an hour, while with an Associate’s Degree you can earn in the region of $7.98 – $14.87 an hour.

• A Bachelor of Science (BS / BSc), Biology will earn you a pharmacy technician salary of about $7.86 – $14.97 an hour, a GED or High School Diploma will earn you around $8.03 – $13.13 an hour, and a High School Diploma gets you a pharmacy technician pay of about $8.12 – $17.22 an hour.

• If you have a Certificate (Cert), Pharmacy you may be able to earn about $7.25 – $18.50 an hour, and with a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Psychology you can earn about $8.71 – $18.61.

• If you have a Certificate (Cert), Pharmacy Technician you will probably be eligible to get around $8.09 – $15.78 an hour, while if you have a Technical Certificate, Pharmacy you can earn something in the region of about $8.11 – $28.60. With a Doctorate (PhD) you can earn about $7.26 – $12.52, with a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Political Science (PolySci) you can earn around $9.00 – $11.00, and with a Bachelor of Science (BS / BSc), Chemistry you can earn in the region of $8.71 – $10.52 an hour.

• If you have got a Technical Certificate, Pharmacy Technician you will probably be able to get a salary of about $8.24 – $15.03, while with a Bachelor of Science (BS / BSc) you may be able to earn in the region of $8.26 – $11.70 an hour.

• The average pharmacy technician salary for someone with a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Biology is about $9.11 – $13.09, and the average pharmacy technician salary for someone with a Technical School Diploma, Pharmacy is about $8.25 – $11.75. A Diploma (Dipl), Pharmacy gets you about $8.59 – $16.00 an hour, an Associate of Science (AS), Pharmacy gets you about $11.25 – $14.24 an hour, and a Bachelor of Science (BS / BSc), Psychology gets you about $8.95 – $9.67 an hour.

• If you have a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) you will be able to earn a pharmacy technician pay of around $9.72 – $11.03, and if you have an Associate of Science (AS) you can probably earn about $8.07 – $10.28. With a Bachelor of Arts (BA), History you can earn $9.08 – $14.87, with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) you get a salary of around $10.15 – $11.45 an hour, and with an Associate of Business Administration (ABA) you can earn around $8.36 – $10.58 an hour.

• Pharmacy technicians that hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) can earn around $8.60 – $14.65 an hour, those who hold an Associate of Arts (AA), General Studies can earn around $8.27 – $13.75 an hour, and those who hold a Bachelor of Science (BS / BSc), Business Administration can earn around $9.50 – $17.00 an hour.

• Last but not least a Diploma (Dipl), Pharmacy Technician gets you an average pharmacy technician salary of about $9.70 – $10.66 an hour.

Salary For Pharmacy Technician: Popular Employers

There are a number of popular employers that hire pharmacy technicians. At CVS / Pharmacy you can earn around $8.01 – $12.57 an hour, while at Wal-Mart Stores you can earn in the region of $8.24 – $12.72 an hour. If you work at Rite Aid Pharmacy you may be eligible to earn $7.74 – $15.51 every hour and at Walgreen’s Pharmacy pharmacist technicians receive a pharmacy technician pay of $8.40 – $13.23 an hour. Those working at Walgreen Co. receive around $7.91 – $14.82 an hour and those working at Wal-Mart Pharmacy earn around $8.18 – $13.96. If you want to work at The Kroger Company you can earn $7.33 – $13.34, if you want to work at CVS Caremark Corporation you can earn $7.89 – $12.99, and if you want to work at Target Corporation you can earn $8.03 – $15.57. For those working at Meijer the average hourly rate is $8.16 – $12.64, and at Omnicare it is $8.87 – $14.81. Working at Kmart Corporation makes you eligible for an hourly rate of $7.18 – $9.50, working at Giant Eagle Supermarkets earns you around $6.63 – $10.37 an hour, and at Rite Aid Corporation you can expect to earn about $8.24 – $16.85. At Publix Super Markets the average hourly rate is around $7.60 – $14.35, and at Family Pharmacy you can earn a pharmacy technician salary of about $9.00 – $17.88. If you work for Giant Eagle you will receive around $7.05 – $12.42, if you work for Safeway you will receive around $8.02 – $18.86, and if you work for Sam’s Club you will earn something in the region of $10.35 – $13.02 an hour. At Kaiser Permanente pharmacy technicians earn around $19.00 – $27.00, while at Express Scripts Incorporated they earn about $10.50 – $11.91 every hour. Those working at Shopko Stores Incorporated probably earn in the region of $9.76 – $12.07, and those working at Walmart.com earn around $9.83 – $11.70 an hour. If you want to work at Hy Vee Food Stores you can earn around $8.50 – $10.38, if you want to work at The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy you can earn around $9.50 – $15.75 an hour, and if you work at Medco Health Solutions, L.L.C. you can earn around $14.83 – $19.03. Fred’s Pharmacy pays around $8.00 – $11.38 and Osco Pharmacy pays around $9.47 – $13.10.

Average Salaries Can Differ By State

There are slight differences in terms of what salaries you can expect to earn in which states. It is very important that you be aware of what the options are in the state that you are most interested in practicing in. There are also differences between cities within states.

The salary for pharmacy technician in South Carolina is about $29,000 a year, while the salary in Louisiana is about $25,000. If you are interested in working in North Carolina, the pharmacy technician salary is around $31,000.

Pharmacy techs working in Mississippi can expect a pharmacy technician pay of around $39,000. In Oklahoma a pharmacy technician can earn around $29,000, and in New York they can something in the region of $38,000 each and every year.

If you want to be a pharmacy tech in Virginia you can expect a pharmacy technician salary in the region of $33,000. On the other hand if you want to work as a pharmacy technician in Hawaii you may only earn around $24,000.

In Pennsylvania you can earn as much as $28,000 a year and a pharmacy technician Salary in Nebraska is about $27,000.

You could also choose to be a pharmacy technician in South Dakota where you can earn $27,000 a year, or in Puerto Rico where the average salary is about $23,000.

In the District of Columbia (DC) you can earn around $37,000 a year and the average pharmacy technician Salary in Ohio is about $30,000.

If you want to work in West Virginia as a pharmacy technician you may be eligible to earn somewhere around $33,000, while in Wisconsin you can earn around $26,000 a year.

The average pharmacy technician Salary in New Mexico is about $29,000, and the average pharmacy technician pay in Missouri is around $32,000.

If you plan to be a pharmacy technician in New Hampshire the salary you can expect to earn is around $33,000.

For pharmacy technicians interested in working in Arizona the going rate is something like $28,000 and for those interested in working in Massachusetts the very good pharmacy technician salary of $37,000 a year is on offer.

The pharmacy technician Salary in Montana is also quite high at $32,000, and the pharmacy technician Salary in Minnesota comes close at about $30,000.

If you want to work in Texas you will also be eligible to earn something in the region of $30,000, and if you want to work in Maine you may earn slightly more at $31,000.

The average pharmacy technician Salary in New Jersey is about $34,000 a year, the average pharmacy technician Salary in Wyoming is about $35,000 a year, and the average salary in Nevada is about $30,000, all of which are good rates.

In Washington you could also earn about $30,000, and in Oregon the pharmacy technician salary also holds strong at $30,000.

If you would like to work in Idaho you will earn a little less than average at about $28,000, and in Rhode Island you stand the chance of earning more than average with an average pharmacy technician salary of $34,000.

Anyone wanting to work in Alabama as a pharmacy technician will earn around about $34,000. The average pharmacy technician pay in Utah is average at $30,000, the expected pharmacy technician Salary in Tennessee is around the same, also at $30,000, and the expected pharmacy technician Salary in Kansas comes close to average at about $28,000 a year.

In North Dakota the salary peaks at around $31,000 and the average pharmacy technician Salary in Florida is also around $31,000.

You are eligible for slightly above average salaries if you work in the following states: the average pharmacy technician Salary in Connecticut is about $34,000, the average pharmacy technician Salary in Maryland is about $33,000, and the average salary in California is about $35,000.

If you want to work in Iowa you can expect an average salary of around $30,000, while if you work in Delaware you are eligible for slightly more at $31,000.

The average pharmacy technician Salary in Colorado is around $28,000, the average pharmacy technician Salary in Michigan is about $29,000, and the average pharmacy technician Salary in the Virgin Islands is high at about $38,000.

Those pharmacy technicians wanting to work in Vermont earn a competitive salary of around $32,000, and those wanting to work in Indiana earn even more at an average of $34,000.

The average pharmacy technician Salary in Arkansas is $32,000, the average pharmacy technician Salary in Georgia is about $34,000, and the average pharmacy technician pay in Illinois is also good at $34,000.

If you want to work in Alaska you can earn around $26,000, and if you want to work in Kentucky you can earn around $30,000.

Highest Paying Areas For A Pharmacy Technician

The areas that pay the highest pharmacy technician salaries (in descending order) are San Francisco, California; Seattle, Washington; Spokane, Washington; Honolulu, Hawaii; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Sacramento, California; Anchorage, Alaska; San Diego, California; Long Beach, California; Tacoma, Washington; San Jose, California; Denver, Colorado; Dayton, Ohio; Bakersfield, California; Tucson, Arizona; Los Angeles, California; Richmond, Virginia; Baltimore, Maryland; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and St. Paul, Minnesota.

The above mentioned salary information may be pivotal in helping you decide where you want to work as a pharmacy technician, as well as in helping you come to a decision regarding what kind of education you will have to get first. These statistics are more like guidelines than anything else, but hopefully they are of help to you in your particular situation. There are always factors that can cause variations in the average pharmacy technician salary for any area, but these are fairly easy to account for if you understand all of the things that go into consideration in this regard.

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Tips For Writing A Pharmacy Technician Resume

There are several very basic things that you need to do in order to write the perfect pharmacy tech resume. Those things are as follows:

• You want your resume to seem professional and you want your prospective employer to think that your resume was written by someone who actually knows what they are talking about. Therefore it is important that you read about being a pharmacy technician online to get the necessary vocabulary. Make sure that you include words that are relevant to the field, and be careful about using words when you are not sure of their meaning as you may use them inappropriately and make a bad impression on the person who is reading your resume.

• Make a rough copy of all of the job experience you have, and think of ways in which that job experience relates to the pharmacy technician job that you are applying for. If you do this quickly in note form first then this will save you time later on when you are actually writing your pharmacy technician resume.

• Use active verbs to start each of your sentences regarding your previous experience. When doing this, make sure that you use the same tense throughout in order to give your resume good consistency.

• Be sure to look for templates and examples or samples online of how to write the perfect pharmacy technician resume. This will make it more likely that you will write an efficient resume that will have the desired impact on the people who you are aiming it at.

• Personalize your resume in order to make you seem a more attractive prospect for the job. You basically have to sell yourself so think of ways to market yourself in the resume to the best of your ability. Make it clear that you will be an asset to that particular organisation and avoid sending out the same resume to all of the places that you hope to work at. His is something that is soon spotted and employers prefer reading resumes that they can tell have been tailor-made for the position in question.

• Make sure that you include information about your personal as well as your professional skills. Include all experience, as many things can be relevant to you as a pharmacy technician. Make sure that you highlight your most advanced skills in the pharmacy technician arena as this will make it more likely that you will be chosen for an interview. Also, by highlighting your most advanced skills you are also implying that you also have the other skills that come before, without you actually having to list them all.

• For a pharmacy technician resume that you are planning to post, keep it down to one page and use a format that is very eye-catching and that will get the attention of the person who will be reading it. If you are planning to send an email copy of your resume, keep it to the same length as the posted copy. Take a copy of your resume with you to the interview. This version can be longer and include more information to be used as a reference point during the interview. Don’t make it difficult for your prospective employers to find out about you.

• Remember that your resume is the first impression that your prospective employers will have of you. It is therefore very necessary to make sure that the pharmacy technician resume that you submit is one that is completely error free and that it makes perfect sense. You can do this by first reading the resume out loud to yourself. This will make the errors in it more obvious to you. Then you should get a friend to read it over to check for spelling errors. After that have a colleague read it over to make sure that all of the technical and job specific content and terms you have used are accurate. Lastly double-check your contact information. If this is wrong it will not only make it difficult for your prospective employer to get hold of you, but it will also create a very bad impression of your devotion to accuracy.

Personal Information

It is very important that you include your personal information on your pharmacy technician resume. This includes your name, address, telephone number and email address. This information is essential as your potential employer will not be able to reach you if it is not there, even if they like your resume and think that you are a suitable candidate for the job. This information should be included at the top and center of your resume, and you should attempt to make it stand out immediately when your potential employer reads your resume.

The Resume Objective

Usually in a resume it is appropriate to include your objective. These are short and to the point statements that outline what your job goals are and what you wish to achieve. In the case of a pharmacy technician resume you are going to want to clearly and simply state that you want to be employed as a pharmacy technician with a pharmaceutical or other company or with a hospital.

Work Experience

Like with all resumes it is best at this point to list your work experience. Generally we start with your most recent experience and then work backwards in time from there. At this point you should also include the dates over which you worked for each of the companies listed. You should also list the skills and accomplishments you gained at these companies. You are writing a pharmacy assistant resume so you should make a point of emphasizing the following skills:

• All responsibilities related to paperwork, Medicaid, or insurance billing
• Responsibilities related to mathematics

List Your Credentials

It is important o include any information about your credentials. This means information about your pharmacy technician training. Make sure you include start and end dates of your education, and again list them in reverse order of most recent to most distant. In this section you should also include any voluntary work you have done or any other classes or credentials you have achieved that could prepare you for a job as a pharmacy technician.

Other Things To Include

• Use objective language in your pharmacy technician resume at all times.
• Make sure that you sue brief phrases when writing your resume as you do not want the reader to become bogged down in the detail included in long sentences.
• As mentioned previously, create a rough draft first and revise until you are absolutely certain that it is as perfect as it is going to get.
• Make sure that the responsibilities that you list are described in excellent detail in order to give the reader a clear idea of your skills.
• Make sure that your pharmacy technician resume is grammatically accurate, and use the past tense for previous jobs and the present tense for your current one (if you are currently employed).
• Make sure that format of your resume remains consistent throughout the document.

Things You should Not Do

Now that you know what things need to be included in a pharmacy technician resume, let’s move on to things that you should absolutely not include or do.

• Your pharmacy technician resume should not be longer than two pages.

• Don’t include personal information but stick only to information that is directly related to the job.

• Don’t inform you employer of the names and addresses of your references at the resume stage. This information can be provided at the interview at the request of the interviewer.

• Don’t use subjective language or personal pronouns as this is not the professional way to write.

• Do not include pharmacy technician salary information in your resume. This is not really considered to be relevant at the application stage and is something that can be discussed if necessary at the interview itself should the interviewer wish to do so.

• When attempting to make information on your resume stand out, do not use italics, dashes, or underlining as this detracts from the professional feel of your resume.

• Avoid using abbreviations and contracted forms of words at all costs. It is more formal and has a better sound if you write everything out in its full form.

• Don’t use paper that it different from the standard size, that is any colour other than white, or that has a border. It is better to stick to old-fashioned formats in this regard as it is more professional and will make a better impression on the person who will eventually be reading your resume.

• It is highly inappropriate to send your picture with your resume, so, if you were thinking that this would increase your chances, don’t do it.

Generally speaking the things to remember when writing a pharmacy technician resume are easy enough to keep in mind. When it comes to it you should have no trouble formulating the perfect resume, or indeed in getting a job, should the content of your resume be appropriate and accurate.

Pharmacy Technician Resume Sample

John Preston
225, Palisade Avenue
Jersey City, NJ 07306
(012) 234 5678
johnpreston@mail.com

Career Objective
To be employed as a Pharmacy Technician.

Summary Of Qualifications

• Experience in all areas of pharmacy operations.
• Broad understanding of medications.
• Experience in big metropolitan hospitals as well as small community hospital.
• Knowledge of computers and excellent communication skills.

Professional Experience

Pharmacy Technician, General Hospital, Chicago, IL, 2005-Present

• Preparing the medications according to the standards of quality and guidelines of the pharmacy.
• Entering prescription orders in computer and creating payments.
• Packaging the drugs according to government rules and pharmacy standards.
• Provided assistance in the final checking of filled prescriptions.
• Maintaining the cleanliness and safety at work environment.
• Maintaining record of long term patients.

ABC Health Care Center, Chicago, IL, 2001-2004

• Assisting patients with procedural information.
• Data entry of prescription orders and payments.
• Preparing and bottling medications.
• Final checks on filled prescriptions.
• Maintaining patient records.
• Receiving and recording prescription orders on computers.
• Maintaining cleanliness in labs and supervising general cleanliness at the health care center.

Education

Pharmacy Technician Associates Degree, Boston University, 2000

Certifications

Certified Pharmacy Technician from the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT)

References

Available upon request

The post How To Write A Pharmacy Technician Resume appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

Being a compounding pharmacy technician takes a lot higher level of education than most other pharmacy technician jobs. If you want to work as a compounding pharmacy technician you will need to get a bachelor’s (B.S.) or doctorate (PharmD) pharmacy degree from an accredited college or university. Once you have the necessary qualification you will then be able to work as a compounding pharmacy technician, once you have passed the necessary exam.

Because a compounding pharmacy technician is the one who has to deal with customers on a regular basis, he or she is required to have excellent interpersonal skills and be able to easily communicate with others. These personality requirements are essential if you are to be a compounding pharmacy technician who meets with success in your job. There are a large number of people from all walks of life that you will have to deal with on a regular basis. If you feel that you do not have the personality required to talk properly with these kinds of customers you may want to consider looking into alternative avenues of employment.

Compounding pharmacy technicians have to create complex compounds to give to patients. These may include medical gels, creams, lozenges, pills, eardrops, eye medications, ointments, supplements and solutions. In some cases they may have to create compounds that are to be administered to whole groups and in others simply to individuals. It is also part of the pharmacy technician job description for this type of pharmacy technician to make medicines that naturally have a bad taste more palatable for their patients. This involves adding flavoring and finding other ways to take the edge off the bad taste.

A big part of the pharmacy technician job description for compounding pharmacy technicians involves keeping everything at an appropriate level of cleanliness. It also involves making sure that all of the regulations that abound in the pharmaceutical industry are kept to at all times and that the rules are never contravened for any reason at all.

If you work as a compounding pharmacy technician then you may be eligible to earn in the region of around $52,000 per year. Remember that the amount you earn can vary quite drastically depending on where you work. Different states have different salaries, and even different cities within the same state can differ quite vastly. Your level of education and the industry in which you work can also affect how much you get paid for this position. If you want to find out more about salary you will have to do specific research for the state in which you work.

The Retail Pharmacy Technicians

Another position that you may be interested in as a certified pharmacy technician is in retail. In fact this is the area in which most pharmacy technicians are employed. The educational level that you require to be a retail pharmacy technician is not really very standard. There are no formal educational requirements necessary to do this job. However many employers do prefer you to at least have your high school diploma or GED to your name, and in general you will find it easier to get work if you do have some kind of formal qualifications in the area.

It is, as has been mentioned, not a requirement of the average pharmacy technician job description that you have to hold any formal qualifications. However if you want o stand a chance of getting a job it is in your best interests to get some kind of qualification from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ICPT). When an employer is faced with two candidates he is more likely to choose the one that has a Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ICPT) qualification.

As a pharmacy technician working in retail your main pharmacy technician job description will include the following: greeting customers, taking prescription requests, assisting the pharmacist by counting pills or measuring liquids, labeling the prescription bottles, entering customer information into a computer system, printing the labels, including appropriate prescription information, answering phones, receiving payment from customers and maintaining inventory. These may not seem like the most exotic things you could possibly spend your time doing, but, as they are a big part of the average pharmacy technician job description you will need to be comfortable with performing these roles are all times.

As far as work environment goes you are in luck. You will work in very clean and well ventilated areas. You will also work in good lighting conditions at all times. However the pharmacy technician job description includes that you are able to stand for long periods of time. You may also be required to lift fairly heavy boxes and move them on a daily basis so there is a certain amount of physical strength needed in the pharmacy technician job description. Because you work in retail you may also be required to work on weekends or in the evenings.

The salary for a pharmacy technician working in retail is quite good. It is about $13.50 an hour, and this is not bad at all considering the tough times that we are living in. It is very important that you note, however, that the salary can differ drastically form this average for a number of reasons. The state you live in, for example, can affect how much you earn. It can also be affected by your level of qualification as well as who actually employs you. There are few standards in terms of the pharmacy technician job description.

Inpatient Pharmacy Technician

A compounding pharmacy technician is one that works under eh supervision of a licensed pharmacist to dispense medication. There are a number of things that this kind of pharmacy technician can do, but in general the roles is limited and supervision form an actual pharmacist is a constant requirement. IN short you have to process and fill out prescriptions under the guidance of a pharmacist if you want to work as a pharmacy technician in this regard.

The pharmacy technician job description for an inpatient pharmacy technician includes the fact that you will of course be working in a hospital or a similar medical institution. This is because you are dealing with inpatients that are in some kind of hospitalized setting. This is different to, for example, a retail pharmacy technician who only deals with outpatients. You will be working closely with the patients, so part of the pharmacy technician job description for this role is that you have a very good bedside manner. You will also have to have all of the interpersonal skills required by all pharmacy technicians.

The main pharmacy technician duties for an inpatient pharmacy technician involve labeling prescriptions, filling prescriptions, and assisting patients, inputting prescriptions in a computer system, verifying prescriptions and pre-packaging bulk medicines, all of which is very basic. Many of the aspects contained in the pharmacy technician job description for an inpatient technician are the same for other areas. These may seem to be very easy and not particularly glamorous duties to perform. If you feel that you would not be comfortable or happy to fulfill these duties than this may not, in the end, be the right job for you.

Part of the pharmacy technician job description involves knowing what kind of certification is required. In many states there is not certification required at all, while others require that you be certified to work as an inpatient pharmacy technician. These norms vary drastically, and can even be different within cities in the same state. To work as an inpatient pharmacy technician you are going to need to know what the norms are for your state and you are going to have to comply with them. This information is easy enough to find and makes it easier to fulfill the pharmacy technician job description.

The salary that you can earn in this position is something between $19,000 and $28,000. However, like it has been mentioned several times previously, there are major differences in salaries that can occur. If you want to earn a particularly high pharmacy technician salary there are some states where you will do better than others. This means that you need to do a bit of salary research before making your final decision about where you want to work as location can affect your salary quite a lot. However in general your decision in this regard should now be a lot easier.

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The Importance Of Pharmacy Technicians

In recent years, due to immense shortages in aspects like education, training and expertise, technicians have been required to extend their reach and influence. These shortages are not limited to developing countries alone. Indeed, even in developed countries, technicians go the extra mile in providing good quality medical care and ensuring that the right procedures are followed in the dispensing of medication. According to the “Pharmacy Technician Overview,” as prepared as part of the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center: “Pharmacy technician jobs hold about 285,000 positions in the United States.”

Job Opportunities For Technicians In The Professional Sector

There are a range of possibilities in terms of pharmacy technician jobs. Placements depend largely on a technician’s level of experience, their formal education and their interpersonal skills.

Technicians In The Retail Field

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook 2010 – 11 as directed by the United Sates Bureau of Labor Statistics: “About 75 percent of pharmacy technician jobs were in a retail setting.”
In the retail field, these technicians play roles as community helpers, working alongside qualified pharmacists in the dispensary and performing tasks which include:

• Filling prescriptions and dispensing the appropriate medication to patrons who have obtained formal prescriptions from their general practitioners and other medical specialists.

• Giving advice on how to use the medication appropriately, how to deal with any potential side effects and what to do if the medical problem persists.

• Recording personal details and medical records for future reference.

• Obtaining approval from the resident pharmacist before prescribing or dispensing certain medication.

• Distributing medical documents and receiving prescriptions from other local pharmacies in order to attend to the needs of patrons.

• Monitoring stock and facilitating the ordering and intake of medication and medical supplies.

• Administrative tasks relating to the operation of the pharmacy, its staff constituent and its medical stock.

In addition to these professional tasks, these technicians need to be able to interact with people on a deeply personal level. Often, these technicians interact with community members when they are at their most vulnerable emotional states. They therefore have to have to have the ability to build a rapport with their customers and be trustworthy and approachable.

Pharmacy Technician Jobs In Prisons And Other Institutions

In institutions, technicians perform vital roles similar to those performed at a retail level. In this field, they may work in conjunction with and according to governmental procedures and ensure that facilities run as effectively as possible. There tasks therefore extend to those including:

• Performing formal audits of the work and consultancies of general practitioners who treat patients in correctional facilities, primary care institutions and armed force treatment centers.

• Ensuring a constant supply of the right kinds of medication through procurement of medication and the use of ordering systems.

• Administering injections and medication as prescribed by other medical professionals.

• Assisting with the treatment of minor ailments like colds and influenza, which are potentially life-threatening in these environments where infected patients live in close proximity with their fellows.

• Administering medication according to state laws and legislation.

• Monitoring the condition of patients and treating them accordingly in conjunction with other specialists and internal practitioners.

As in the retail sector, these technicians will often have to undergo specialized pharmacy technician training to deal with their immediate environments, which can prove very challenging. They will also be trained in emergency procedures to ensure that outbreaks of disease or acts of violence can be contained on a medical level without disrupting the operations of the institution. Although they may not perform the role of professional counselors, they need to have the knowledge and level of assertiveness to deal with patients who may be incarcerated and/or living under highly stressed conditions within an institution.

Mail Order Medical Dispensary Jobs

Ordering medication and filling prescription via mail orders is fast becoming one of the most rapidly growing fields in the industry. The large demand for these kinds of services is influenced greatly by society’s constant need for more convenient service delivery. It requires less effort and time on the part of the customer and works just as effectively as ordering pharmaceutical drugs over-the-counter does. Benefits for these kinds of companies are lower operating costs and the ability to stipulate one’s own working hours according to fluctuations in the level of demand. The duties of technicians in these types of positions include the following:

• Receiving the orders and relevant prescriptions which need to be filled.

• Recording all the orders and tracking the activities of customers for future reference.

• Meeting delivery deadlines to ensure that customers receive the medication they need in the right quantities and within the correct time frame.

• Labeling medication accurately and ensuring that all usage instructions follow legal and medial health protocol in the interests of protecting the well-being of customers.

• Constantly processing the inflow of new orders and ensuring that supplies are kept at sufficient levels.

These kinds of technicians do not play the kind of roles as those in the retail field do, largely because they do not spend much time with customers and in fact, rarely come into direct contact with the people they serve. Thus, they need to practice extreme discipline, as their time constraints and work ethic is not dictated to them directly by the public but is largely reliant on their own sense of responsibility and commitment to doing their job to the best of their ability. They need to be just as meticulous as any technicians in other fields because a mistake in this industry can be a matter of life and death.

Careers In Clinics And Hospitals

Among the range of certified pharmacy technician jobs which are available, are those in hospitals, clinics and medical treatment facilities. Here, it is integral that technicians have the ability to work as a part of a team. The unity of any workforce in this field of medicine plays a central role in its overall success and there simply can be no room left for error. Technicians in this environment also need to be able to use their initiative. Although their work is always done in conjunction with a certified pharmacist or doctor, a large amount of responsibility lies on their shoulders, especially in emergency situations where decisiveness is the key. Their duties include but are not limited to:

• Providing patients with advice on how to use their medication safely while they are in hospital and when they are discharged.

• Checking and recording the different kinds of medication which are prescribed to each patient on a daily basis.

• Helping doctors to prepare specialized medication administered to specific patients with special medical needs.

• Ensuring that all medication is prepared or modified in environments free from bacterial infection and the infiltration of harmful chemicals.

• Helping in the making of special medicines which are not commercially available or which do not arrive in the form in which they will be administered to patients.

• Preparing creams and ointments.

• Measuring, counting and preparing medication for distribution to different wards.

Technicians in this field have to be adaptable and flexible in terms of their abilities. Their services may be needed in different areas in the facility throughout the day and they need to be readily available to help wherever they can. They may be required to work in shifts which may range from day or night shifts to those which require technicians to work in the early hours of the morning. While they may be able to prepare their tasks in advance, they can never be sure when an emergency situation may arise and should be prepared for anything in this fast-paced work environment.

Fields Of Work Requiring The Expertise Of Trained Pharmacy Technicians

In any area of work, whether it be in the retail or the hospital arena, technicians may undertake or oversee the facilitation of certain aspects of work in this industry. These aspects become almost like areas of specialization and technicians may wish to focus on one or more of these areas during their studies and further education.

Medicines Management

According to Richard Seal, Program Consultant in Medicines Management for the NHS: “Medicines management is about enabling people to make the best possible use of their medicines.”
Therefore, in short, it is the discipline whereby the medicine prescribed to each patient is monitored closely to avoid negative side effects which may occur when two or more different types of medication are taken simultaneously. It regulates different medication to ensure that the process runs smoothly and that any medication issued to the patient is directed in a safe and responsible manner. It also requires that technicians be able to assist with a level of forecasting. That is to say, a technician needs to be able to predict which medication may be needed by a patient in future, having taking into consideration their medical history and their present condition. These patients may include cancer patients or pregnant women. This forecasting ability will help them to ensure that the hospital or treatment facility is well stocked with the appropriate kind of medication to adequately supply patients with the assistance they need.

Medicines Manufacturing

The industry of medicines manufacturing is one of the largest and plausibly, the most influential medical industry in the world. It is the boiling pot for the new technologies and medication which have led to the phenomenal increase in worldwide life expectancy and the capability of medicine to sustain and support life for longer. Needless to say, technicians in this industry work in plants and laboratories which are often closely linked with governmental institutions and initiatives and are constantly looking at ways in which to develop the medical industry further.

This particular field of work for technicians has evidently led to the establishment of large-scale companies and medical manufacturing plants.

Quality Control

In this field, all medicines are thoroughly tested to ensure that they are safe for usage, that they produce the desired results and that they perform according to the required standards. Technicians will be involved in tasks like:

• Testing medicines and recording data regarding its effects on patients.
• Technical preventative procedures to ensure that all medication can be safely used.
• Quality management procedures as stipulated by lab scientists and authoritative bodies.
• Ensure that governmental quality standards are followed during the manufacturing, developmental, packaging and distribution procedures.

These tasks are of a highly technical nature and technicians will liaise with medical scientists and technologists.

Medical Supplies Procurement

Procurement technicians work closely with medicine manufacturing companies and plants to determine which suppliers would best suit their company’s/institution’s/hospital’s/retail pharmacy’s business model and individual needs. While working in conjunction with pharmacists and practitioners in different fields, they will have the following responsibilities:

• The ordering and purchasing of patient care supplies, medication and medical equipment.
• Supply sourcing
• Planning services according to available budgetary stipulations.
• Facilitating automated ordering systems and implementing changes where necessary.
• Managing information technology systems for these purposes.

These tasks are imperative to ensuring that the operations of medical facilities run effectively.

Changes And Job Prospects For Future Pharmaceutical Technicians

According to various studies on what the future holds for technicians in these fields, pharmacy technician job prospects look increasingly positive. This is due to a number of factors including:

• New developments in medical technology and the subsequent emergence of new medication which can cure previously “incurable” diseases and conditions.

• A rise in worldwide life expectancy and therefore the longer need for each individual to use medication.

• The opening up of entry-level positions due to the rapid advancements of former technicians and aides who study and fulfill managerial and leadership positions.

• The rising trend in insurance companies using pharmacies and treatment facilities to monitor and track the health of their insurance members.

• The increase in demand for more efficient administrative organisation and technicians’ abilities to fulfill the needs of this demand.

Statistics show that the, “employment of pharmacy technicians is expected to increase by 32 percent from 2006 to 2016, which is much faster than the average for all occupations,” (“Pharmacy Technician Overview” Sloan Career Cornerstone Center (www.careercornerstone.org)).

For many aspiring medical field workers, striving towards obtaining a pharmacy technician job is an obtainable and sustainable prospect. With studies showing the rise in opportunities for these talented and hard-working individuals, the earning potential for technicians is increasing, much to the benefit of the industry as a whole. Although these positions are demanding and personally challenging at times, the rewards always seem to prove greater. Besides playing a major role in the very sustenance and maintenance of human life, helping people is always a self-fulfilling undertaking.

The post Looking At Getting Pharmacy Technician Jobs appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

How The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Serves Pharmacy Technicians

Pharmacy technicians are trained professionals who aim to assist pharmacists in the dispensing of medication. The pharmacist is legally responsible for all of the actions of the pharmacy technician. In order to ensure that the pharmacist receives the best level of assistance possible, the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board exists to ensure that a high standard is maintained within the profession. This is for the sake of the patients receiving the medication above all else. The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board offers a number of services to pharmacy technicians which they can use in their daily lives:

• MyPTCB
• Apply to take the PTCE
• Recertify
• Reinstate
• CPhT Connection
• Career Info

State Associates

In order to ensure that as many pharmacy technicians as possible are made aware of the certification process and that as many pharmacy assistants as possible are given the opportunity to become certified, the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board has teamed up with a number of pharmacy assistant associations, including the following:

• Alabama Pharmacy Association
• Alabama Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Alaska Pharmacists Association
• Arizona Pharmacy Foundation
• California Pharmacists Association
• California Society of Health-system Pharmacists
• Colorado Pharmacists Society
• Connecticut Pharmacists Association
• Connecticut Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Delaware Pharmacists Society
• Delaware Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Florida Pharmacy Association
• Florida Society of Health-system Pharmacists
• Georgia Pharmacy Association
• Georgia Society of Health-system Pharmacists
• Hawaii Pharmacists Association
• Idaho State Pharmacy Association
• Idaho Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists
• Illinois Pharmacy Association
• Indiana Pharmacists Alliance
• Iowa Pharmacy Association
• Kansas Council of Health-System Pharmacists
• Kansas Pharmacists Foundation
• Kentucky Pharmacists Association
• Kentucky Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Louisiana Pharmacists Association
• Louisiana Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Maryland Pharmacists Association
• Maryland Society of Health System Pharmacists
• Massachusetts Pharmacists Association
• Massachusetts Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Michigan Pharmacists Association
• Minnesota Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Mississippi Pharmacists Association
• Mississippi Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Missouri Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Montana Pharmacy Association
• Nebraska Pharmacists Association
• Nevada Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• New Hampshire Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• New Jersey Pharmacists Association
• New Jersey Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• New Mexico Pharmacists Association
• New Mexico Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• New York State Council of Health-System Pharmacists
• North Carolina Association of Pharmacists
• North Dakota Pharmacists Association
• Ohio Pharmacists Association
• Ohio Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Oklahoma Pharmacists Association
• Oklahoma Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Oregon Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association
• Pennsylvania Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• South Carolina Pharmacy Association
• South Carolina Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Tennessee Pharmacists Association
• Texas Pharmacy Association
• Texas Society of Health-system Pharmacists
• Utah Pharmacists Association
• Virginia Pharmacists Association
• Virginia Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Washington State Pharmacy Association
• West Virginia Pharmacists Association
• West Virginia Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin
• Wyoming Pharmacists Association
• Wyoming Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Certification

About The Exam

The certification exam comes in three parts:

• Assisting the Pharmacist in Serving Patients, which makes up 66% of the exam
• Maintaining Medication and Inventory Control System, which makes up 22% of the exam
• Participating in the Administration and Management of Pharmacy Practice, which makes up 12% of the exam

In total the exam will be 2 hours long. The first 5 minutes of the exam comprises of a tutorial that you must complete before writing the exam. Following the tutorial you will need to answer 90 multiple choice questions in 110 minutes. It is important to note that 10 of those questions will not count towards your final score. This is because they are new questions being piloted for their suitability in future tests. However these questions are randomly distributed throughout the test, so you will not know which of the questions will count towards your final score and which will not. You will not be penalized for guessing, so it is important that you attempt all questions to the best of your ability. The final five minutes of the test consists of an exit survey that you are also required to complete.

The tutorial that you complete before completing the exam is there to give you an idea of what the test will look and feel like. However, if you would like to prepare more thoroughly for the exam, there are a number of practice tests that you can buy from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. These tests will allow you to not only test your knowledge, but also to become comfortable with the online testing system used by Pearson VUE, the body that administers that pharmacy technician certification exam.

Apply

If you want to become certified, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must have a high school diploma or equivalent educational diploma
• You must receive a passing score on the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE)
• You must provide full disclosure of all criminal and State Board of Pharmacy registration or licensure actions
• You must comply with all applicable PTCB Certification policies
• There must not be any record of criminal conduct involving you
• There must not be any evidence of State Board of Pharmacy registration or licensure action against you
• There must be no evidence that you have violated a PTCB Certification policy, including but not limited to the Code of Conduct

In order to apply for certification you must pay a fee of $129. You can only apply online, unless you have special needs or disabilities that make this difficult for you, in which case you will be allowed to apply for a hardcopy of the application form. During the application process you will have to indicate that you have met all of the eligibility requirements. Action will be taken against you if you lie on the form about your eligibility for certification.

Schedule

When it comes time to schedule your examination, you will be given a 90 day period in which you are allowed to do this. If you apply online, your 90 period to schedule your exam begins immediately. You will then own exam appointment directly with PTCB’s test administrator Pearson VUE, either online or by phone at (866) 902-0593. There are a number of exam venues available across the country for you to choose from. Once you have scheduled your exam you will receive an email notification to confirm your appointment within 24 hours. If you want to cancel or reschedule your appointment, there is no additional fee charged, but you must contact Pearson VUE at least 24 hours before the start of the exam to give them fair warning of your cancellation. If you do not, you will be marked as absent from the exam. If you miss an appointment due to your own fault, you will forfeit the exam fee and you will have to pay the fee again in order to set anther date.

On Test Day

On the day of the test you should arrive at least 30 minutes before your appointment. If you arrive 30 or more minutes late for your appointment, you will be deemed to have missed your exam. Things to bring to the venue include:

• An approved form of identification that matches the name on your Authorization to Test (ATT) letter
• Your ATT letter

Your personal belongings, except for comfort aides, are stored in a locker before entering the room. You may not bring your own calculator unless special permission has been granted.

During the exam you must behave in accordance with the Code of Conduct outlined by the PTCB. You will then have the option of completing the tutorial after which your exam will begin. You should answer all questions as there is no penalty for guessing. You will also have the opportunity to write notes about questions that bother you and submit concerns about the test directly to the PTCB, although these will not be addressed during your test.

Becoming certified as a pharmacy technician through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board is easier than you think. Once you have completed your training the test itself will not be very difficult to complete. In addition there are a number of aides available online as well as from other sources that exist specifically to prepare you for your exam.

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What A Regulated Pharmacy Technician Can Do

Becoming regulated as a pharmacy technician effectively means that you will have more responsibility for your own actions. The scope of practice for a pharmacy technician with pharmacy technician regulation status includes receiving and transcribing verbal prescriptions from practitioners, ensuring that a prescription is complete and authentic, transferring prescriptions to and receiving prescriptions from other pharmacies, ensuring the accuracy of a prepared prescription, performing the final check of a prepared prescription, and ensuring the accuracy of drug and personal health information in the PharmaNet patient record. In relation to these tasks the pharmacy technician will be held liable for any actions taken and any mistakes made. The following tasks will, however, remain the responsibility of the actual pharmacist:

• The pharmacist must be involved in every new and refill prescription

• The pharmacist is still responsible for assessing the appropriateness of drug therapy

• The pharmacist is still responsible for patient assessment

• The pharmacist is still responsible for confirming dose and interval amounts

• The pharmacist is still responsible for checking the relevant PharmaNet profile

• The pharmacist is still responsible for identifying any drug related problems in a patient

• The pharmacist is still responsible for providing patient consultation

So, although the pharmacy technician will have far more freedom and independence, double-checking the work of the pharmacy technician remains the responsibility of the pharmacist in charge of that technician. If a pharmacist does not perform the above roles, the medication in question cannot be released to the patient as there is no guarantee that is has been accurately measured or that the appropriate instructions have been included n the packaging.

Becoming Regulated

Steps to regulation for current technicians:

The following steps need to be completed by current pharmacy technicians employed in Canada if they intend to become regulated:

• They must have worked in ‘pharmacy practice’ for a minimum of 2000 hours in the past 3 years.

• They must complete both the PEBC Evaluating Exam and the College of Pharmacists (CPBC) Bridging Program (these two steps can be completed in any order).

• They must successfully complete a Jurisprudence Exam to test relevant provincial legislation and ethics which is not included on the national PEBC Qualifying Exam.

• They must complete the PEBC Qualifying Exam consisting of two parts – a written multiple choice question exam (MCQ) and a performance based exam called an Objective Structured Performance Exam (OSPE).

Steps To Regulation For Future Technicians

The steps that future pharmacy technicians are advised to take in order to become regulated (whether or not it is required in their province as the rules are changing across the nations) are as follows:

• They must complete an accredited program offered by either a public or private post-secondary institute that has met the accreditation standards for a regulated pharmacy technician program established by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP).

• They must successfully complete a Structured Practical Training (SPT) program which is a supervised competency based training period within a pharmacy that includes regular assessment by a pharmacist or another regulated technician.

• They must successfully complete a Jurisprudence Exam to test relevant provincial legislation and ethics which is not included on the national PEBC Qualifying Exam.

• They must complete the PEBC Qualifying Exam consisting of two parts – a written multiple choice question exam (MCQ) and a performance based exam called an Objective Structured Performance Exam (OSPE).

FAQ

What Is Pharmacy Technician Regulation?

Pharmacy technician regulation is very similar to pharmacy technician registration or certification. All of these words essentially imply that the profession will be monitored and manage din some way in the best interests of all those who work within it. Through regulation you will be established as a regulated healthcare professional which essentially speaks volumes for your professional demeanor and your ability to do your job well. In fact the title of pharmacy technician is now restricted in Canada to refer only to those pharmacy technicians who are regulated (or certified, or registered). This is a trend that may become more and more prevalent in many different countries as people begin to understand the benefits involved in ensuring that pharmacy technicians are properly monitored.

It is interesting to note that becoming a regulated pharmacy technician is voluntary but you will not be able to use the title of ‘pharmacy technician’. Those who choose not to become regulated, or are unsuccessful in becoming regulated, will no longer be able to refer to themselves as pharmacy technicians as of January 1, 2011 and will likely be called ‘pharmacy assistants’, a more lowly position that may affect your salary and employment opportunities within the pharmaceutical industry. Through the process of pharmacy technician regulation you will become responsible, accountable and liable for a specific scope of practice, which is the same as your job description.

Generally speaking, pharmacy technician regulation means that you have more power, but also that you have more personal responsibility in your role as a pharmaceutical expert within your specified scope of practice in the industry.

Liability Insurance

As a regulated pharmacy technician you will, due to the marked increase in your responsibilities and liability, need liability insurance. The insurance that you will need to have does, according to bcpharmacists.org, have to meet the following basic criteria:

• Your insurance package must provide a minimum of $2 million in coverage.

• Your insurance package must provide occurrence based coverage or claims made coverage with extended reporting period of at least 3 years.

• If your insurance package is not in the pharmacists’ or regulated pharmacy technicians’ name, the group policy covers the pharmacist or pharmacy technician as an individual.

It is important to remember here that, although the pharmacist for whom you work will still be in charge of overseeing and double checking all of the work you do, you yourself will also be held liable for any mistakes that are made. Remember as well that no matter how careful you are, you are human and you will make the odd mistake form time t time, most of which will not be serious. In addition there have been many cases of pharmacy technicians being sued even though they did not do something wrong. This can arise due to a basic misunderstanding or as a result of a deliberate ploy by a patient or colleagues in order to get money out of the situation or to discredit you for some reason. The bottom line is that you cannot assume that you will not need liability insurance as even the best pharmacy technicians have run into trouble of this nature from time to time. Therefore it is a requirement that you have liability insurance in order to become regulated.

Continuing Education And Assessment

Like many healthcare professionals across the board pharmacy technicians are required to engage in continuing education and assessment. This will depend on the rule of your province. The purpose of this form of continuing education is to ensure that the standards in the industry remain high and that patients and clients receive only the best care and treatment from the pharmacy technicians who serve them. This is an essential aspect of pharmacy technician regulation. Specifically you will be required (in the same way as a qualified pharmacist is) to complete the Professional Development and Assessment Program (PDAP) which includes a continuing education component and an assessment component.

Continuing education should be looked at in a positive light. It is a way for you to improve your knowledge and a way for you to ensure that you are up to date with all of the developments in the field. This will in turn make you more marketable when the time comes to look for a new job. In addition it will improve your confidence in your role and allow you to work more quickly and more efficiently as a pharmacy technician. Continuing education and assessment is a fairly new standard for pharmacy technicians in Canada, but this is another sign that the discipline is becoming more professional and gaining greater significance in its own right. It is therefore important that you, as a member of the profession, embrace these changes and complete the necessary continuing education with the correct attitude. The idea of pharmacy technician regulation is very strong in Canada at present and it is believed that it is a concept that will soon spread to other nations, such as the United States of America.

How To Become A Pharmacy Technician In Canada

Because at this stage pharmacy technician regulation applies mainly to Canadian pharmacy technicians, we will now look at the steps involved in becoming a pharmacy technician in Canada:

• The first step involves doing some careful research. The different territories and provinces within Canada have different rules when it comes to regulation. In other words some require you to be a regulated pharmacy technician while others do not. In addition there may be examination and certification requirements that differ between these areas. Finding out well in advance what will be expected of you in that territory or province can make your path to becoming a pharmacy technician far easier.

• Once you are aware of what requirements you will need to meet you can enroll in a pharmacy technician program. These will take about 2 years to complete and they tend to include a work placement program in Canada. If you are interested in pursuing this career and if you are still in high school, you should consider taking math, biology, chemistry and English in order to start preparing yourself for the coursework you are likely to cover in your course.

• The next step involves taking the Pharmacy Technician Evaluating Examination. This exam is absolutely essential and necessary if you want to work in a province where pharmacy technicians are required to be regulated. Even if your province does not have that requirement, it will still be better to take the exam and pass it as this will improve your resume. To become licensed in areas that require pharmacy technician regulation this exam is an essential step in the process.

• The final step involves applying for a license in your home province (although this is not required in all Canadian provinces). Generally, applying for a license involves submitting proof of your education and evidence that you passed the Pharmacy Technician Evaluating Examination. Once you have submitted these documents you will be well on your way to working as a regulated (or unregulated) pharmacy technician (this depends, once again, on the province you wish to work in).

Taking the examination as stated above will not take a lot of your time or money, comparatively speaking, making it a worthwhile to do even if your province does not require it. In the near future all Canadian provinces may require you to be regulated, so it is worth preparing for that change now.

There are a number f benefits to becoming a regulated pharmacy technician in Canada. It does, for one, indicate that you have the capability to work on your own without supervision and may boost your resume considerably. Although pharmacy technician regulation is a fairly new concept and does not yet seem to be a prevalent idea in countries such as the US, there are certainly a number of merits to the movement that will most likely result in a similar trend in other countries in the very near future.

The post Pharmacy Technician Regulation In Canada appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

This is not so, though, and whilst there are many similarities between jobs when it comes to the pharmacist vs pharmacy technician, there are also many differences. In short, a pharmacist is more qualified and the senior of the two; the pharmacist is the only one with authority to decide whether or not a certain medication is safe for public consumption; the pharmacist handles the clinical and scientific side of things whilst the pharmacy technician handles mostly administrative duties.

Pharmacists And Pharmacy Technicians Workplaces

You will find pharmacists and pharmacy technicians everywhere that prescription drugs are dispensed. Although there are various settings in which they work, these sites all fall within two categories; hospital pharmacies and community pharmacies:

Community pharmacy workers are employed in general merchandise stores or drug stores, who employed approximately 55% of pharmacists and 68% of pharmacy technicians in 2010. Hospital pharmacy workers can be found in medical hospitals and clinics, and their ratio of pharmacist vs pharmacy technician in 2010 was 25% of pharmacists and 20% of pharmacy technicians.

Pharmacist vs Pharmacy Technician Duties

The pharmacy technician and the pharmacist share many of the duties, but whilst the pharmacist can do anything the pharmacy assistant can, the same cannot be said for the opposite.

As the more senior of the two, the pharmacist is responsible for everything that is in and that happens in the pharmacy, including ensuring that all regulations are strictly adhered to. They must also ensure that every prescription is double-checked before being handed to the patient, and that each prescription that is sold is legal and valid.

Duties Of The Pharmacist

A pharmacist in theU.S.must earn a Pharm.D. Degree, which has replaced the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree previously required. A pharmacy is one place where a mistake could have lethal consequences, such as if an incorrect medication is given to a patient. The pharmacist must be familiar with all the medical problems of the patients and what drugs are used to treat those conditions, as there are many drugs with very similar sounding names.

Most pharmacists work in community settings such as a retail drugstore, or in a healthcare facility such as a hospital, mental health institution, neighborhood health clinic or a nursing home.

A Pharmacist’s duties include:

• Compounding the actual mixing of ingredients to form tablets, ointments, powders, capsules, and solutions

• Dispensing drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners to patients

• Answering questions patients may have about medications; advising patients on general health topics; counseling patients on the use of over-the counter and prescription medications

• Advising physicians and other health practitioners on the dosages, selection, interactions, and side effects of various medications

• Monitoring the health and progress of patients in reaction to drug therapy to assure safe and effective use of medication

• Having current in-depth knowledge and understanding of the composition, use, and clinical effects, of drugs, including their biological, chemical, and physical properties

• Receive new prescription orders verbally from prescribers

• Perform identification, interpretation, , evaluation, and clarification of a prescription

• Verifying the prescription before handing the it to the patient

Pharmacists are looked upon as fonts of medical information and advice. In the pharmacist vs pharmacy technician scenario, it is the pharmacist that spends a large part of the day giving patients advice on their medical problems judging on their symptoms. They will sometimes offer over-the-counter medications and at other times they will refer the patient to a medical doctor. There are some states where pharmacists are even allowed to write prescriptions for commonly prescribed non-regulated medications such as mild pain relievers or antibiotics.

Duties Of The Pharmacy Technician

One of the biggest differences when it comes to the pharmacist vs pharmacy technician scenario is the fact that the pharmacy technician does not necessarily require any education above a high school diploma or equivalent. There are, however, many vocational schools which offer programs that make the pharmacy technician much more attractive to future employers.

Apart from helping the pharmacist to prepare medications, the pharmacy technician may also:

• Serve the customers at the counter or elsewhere in the pharmacy
• Verify insurance and other information with patients and maintain patient files
• Receive electronic prescription requests from doctor’s offices and prepare prescription labels
• Pour, weigh, measure, count, and sometimes mix medications.
• Read patient charts, prepare and deliver the medicine to patients in hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted-living facilities
• Assemble a 24-hour supply of medicine for a patient
• Act as the cashier

In some communities and hospital pharmacies the pharmacy technician may also:

• Enter prescriptions into the computer
• fill and label prescriptions
• Pre-pack bulk medications
• Prepare pharmacy inventories together with the pharmacist
• Transport medications or equipment to clinics or nursing units
• Pick up copies of physician’s orders
• Fill medication cassettes
• Compound nutrition solutions and intravenous mixtures
• Perform routine nursing unit inspections

Pharmacist Vs Pharmacy Technician Similarities

Pharmacy technicians generally work very closely with pharmacists, and their duties are therefore very similar in many ways. Both of them count, mix and weigh medications, and both deal with pharmacy customers, insurance companies and doctor’s offices.

Both the pharmacy technician and the pharmacist play essential roles in the pharmacy and have the same goal; the health and wellness of the public in general, and satisfied customers or patients. Both generally also enjoy very satisfying careers.

Pharmacist vs Pharmacy Technician Differences

Although in the main the pharmacist and the pharmacy technician perform similar tasks, there are also some very substantial differences between the jobs. A pharmacist spends many years learning names of medications, their composition and their side effects. Only a pharmacist is allowed to note down prescriptions given and spelled out over the phone, and only a pharmacist can give a patient advice regarding a drug and its side effects.

New customers are handled by the pharmacist while pharmacy technicians generally attend to regular or returning customers; the pharmacist handles more of the medical side whilst the pharmacy technician handles more of the administrative side. The pharmacist is paid a significantly higher salary than the technician, who is generally paid by the hour.

Education And Training

In the pharmacist vs pharmacy technician debate, there is no doubt that whilst they share the same space and similar responsibilities, education and training requirements are vastly different. The pharmacy technician is not required to have any formal training beyond high school in many states, whilst the pharmacist requires at least a doctorate (PharmD) in order to be employed in a pharmacy.

Some states require pharmacy technicians to become certified whereas other do not, but a pharmacist must have a doctorate and be registered with the State Board of Pharmacy. One can become a pharmacist technician directly from school or after a short course, but a pharmacist has to study for 6 years before they can sit for the licensure examination.

Pharmacist

In order to practice as a pharmacist, an individual has to complete some three years of undergraduate studies to attain a bachelor’s degree before getting their doctorate. A PharmD degree, or doctor of pharmacy, is a six-year degree, which consists of a four-year professional program involving academic training as well as internship experience, and two years of pre-pharmacy education. Once they have qualified, they need to complete a one-year internship under a licensed pharmacist.

Once an individual has completed all his or her studies, they must sit for and pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) examination in order to gain licensure, and then register with the State Board of Pharmacy.

Subjects studied to become a pharmacist include:

• Biochemistry
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Microbiology
• Pharmacology
• Pharmaceutics

Pharmacy education includes learning how the body works; how drugs work on the body; identifying and differentiating between medications; what disease or condition each medication is used to treat and how various drugs interact with each other.

As there are continuously new drugs beings discovered and introduced onto the market, the pharmacist must continually learn in order to keep current with all the new developments.

Pharmacy Technician

In the pharmacist vs pharmacy technician race to get into the working world, it is definitely the pharmacy technician that wins, as individuals can work as pharmacy technicians with no prior training or education. Although there is no standardized national education requirement, some states do require pharmacy technicians to become certified, and this means passing a standardized test called the ExPCT which is administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), which is a national organization which develops pharmacy protocols, offers pharmacy education, and certifies pharmacy technicians. The PTCB is recognized in all fifty states.

There are many private organizations, institutes of higher education, and online schools that offer pharmacy technician certification programs and some large retail pharmacies also offer internal training programs which prepare their employees for certification.

Pharmacy technician training programs can range in duration from eight weeks to two years. The training programs that pharmacies offer generally consist of eight weeks of classroom training and up to six months of on-the-job training.

Educational institutions can offer:

• Certificate Programs which by and large take less than a year to complete
• Diploma Programs which generally take twelve to eighteen months
• Associate Degree Programs which is a two year program

Pharmacy Technician Programs normally include the following:

• Pharmacy law
• Ethics
• Medication dosage calculation
• HIPPA regulations
• Pharmacy administration
• Day-to-day operations of a pharmacy

Pharmacy technician training includes gaining knowledge in the correct way to handle private patient information; the day-to-day operations of a pharmacy; how to process insurance claims; pharmacy record keeping; an awareness of prescription requirements; how to fill prescriptions.

Once the training course has been passed, the graduate will need to sit for and pass a standardized test called the ExPCT which is administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board.

Employment Outlook And Earnings

When it comes to the pharmacist vs pharmacy technician employment outlook, employment growth is set to grow for both professions. Overall, healthcare professions are growing throughout theUSdue to the baby-boomer generation now reaching an age in which they will require more nursing and more medications. Both industries are expected to show phenomenal growth in the 2010 – 2020 decade, with the need for pharmacists growing by 25% per annum and that of pharmacy technicians growing by approximately 32%, both of which are higher than the national average.

When it comes to earnings, this reflects the difference in pharmacist vs pharmacy technician education requirements and job responsibilities. A pharmacy technician is generally paid by the hour and earns somewhere in the region of $25,000 per annum and the pharmacist earns between $80,000- $120,000 annually. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary for a pharmacist was $111,570 per year in May 2010, and that for a pharmacy technician was $30,020.

As has clearly been shown in the above article, when it comes to pharmacist vs pharmacy technician there are many similarities and also many differences, in the education required, the job and the salary. Whichever one you decide to become will depend on your own interests, needs, and financial situation, so do your research and enable yourself to make an informed decision that way as to what would best suit you.

In the pharmacist vs pharmacy technician debate the financial gain is much greater on the pharmacist side, and this costs money for many years of study, which puts many individuals off, but there are many financial aids available to pharmacy students, so if that is really what you want to do, do not let anything stop you!

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What many pharmacy technician students do not realize is that there are other professions in this field to pursue in addition to the traditional job and employment roles. For one thing you could choose to be a military pharmacy technician, a role that comes with a great deal of responsibility, but that also has its place in the world. This is a career in the pharmacy industry that should not be overlooked.

What Is A Military Pharmacy Technician?

The two main roles of a pharmacy technician are the following:

• Prepare and dispense prescribed drugs and medicines under the supervision of pharmacists or physicians
• Maintain pharmacy supplies and records

Because military personnel need medications as often, if not, more often, than the general public, pharmacists are needed who are able to dispense these medications. In addition these pharmacists require assistants or technicians to help them in this job in order to improve efficiency. These assistants are usually called pharmacy technicians and they are employed to increase efficiency, which is needed in all pharmaceutical settings. However, in the military, speed and efficiency can be the difference between life and death.

Army Pharmacy Specialists

There are different areas of the military in which you can work as a pharmacy technician. In order to be a pharmacy technician in the army you will need to have an 86Q military occupational specialty (MOS) qualification. To become a pharmacy technician in the army you must complete:

• 9 weeks of basic combat training
• 19 weeks of advanced individual training (AIT)

The advanced individual training required to become a pharmacy technician will include the following very important topics:

• How to mix drugs
• How to dispense drugs
• Different types of drugs
• Different uses for different types of drugs

Your main function will be to keep the army pharmacy running efficiently.

Air Force Pharmacy Specialists

In order to become a pharmacy technician in the air force you must:

• Graduate from the basic course, and
• Receive the 4P031 Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC)

You can do your training occurs at the Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, the only location for this qualification. It will take you in the region of 63 days of training in order to achieve this qualification.

Generally speaking the training regime will be similar to the training you must undergo to become a pharmacy technician in the army. The topics covered in training will be the same as in army pharmacy technician training. Pharmacy technicians in the air force are often referred to as pharmacy apprentices rather than as pharmacy technicians.

Navy Pharmacy Specialists

The qualification that you need to be a pharmacy technician in the navy is the 8482 Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) code. This requires completing advanced training. If you are in the navy and are listed as being in pay grades E1 to E5 you will be eligible to complete the training required to become a Navy hospital corpsmen (medic) and then go on to receive the pharmacy technician qualification that is required. In the course you will learn:

• Drug preparation
• Drug dispensing
• Basic pharmacy administration

To become qualified as a pharmacy technician in the navy you will need to attend the Naval School of Health Sciences in Portsmouth, Virginia, for a period of about 23 weeks to complete the program.

Job Duties

Military pharmacy technicians are required to read physicians’ prescriptions to determine the types and amount of drugs to prepare for a particular patient as well as weighing and measuring those drugs and chemicals in order to ensure that the correct quantity is administered. Technicians are also required to produce the specified prescription by mixing the necessary ingredients and prepare labels for prescriptions that contain patient information and directions for use. Last but not least the military pharmacy technician must dispense medications to patients and store shipments of drugs and medications for use in the field. Consequently the job roles are very similar to those of a civilian pharmacy technician. The main difference is occasional increased pressure in a battle situation.

Helpful Attributes

There are a number of natural personality traits and skills that you will find very useful in order to be a military pharmacy technician. Firstly you need to have a high degree of self-discipline. This is useful in:

• The military in general
• In any medical profession

As a military pharmacy technician you will need to be able to follow directions precisely and without deviating from the prescriptions. In addition you will need to be very precise in order to accurately measure and mix the ingredients required to produce a prescription. Precision is a skill that is highly value din the armed forces as well, so if you are particularly concerned about precision you will make a good military pharmacy technician on two counts.

Training Provided

You will need to have military training in order to be a military pharmacy technician. Basic military skills are required for anyone who works in a military situation as you can never be sure when an emergency will strike. In addition to this you will be required to undergo classroom training in order to learn the following:

• Pharmacy laws and regulations
• Drug types and uses
• Mixing and dispensing drugs

There are a number of programs offered for the various areas of the military and they are aimed at ensuring that you are able to perform these duties in the work environments that you will most likely encounter in your career as a military pharmacy technician.

Requirements

In order to become a pharmacy technician in the military there are generally a number of basic requirements that all applicants have to meet:

• You must possess a high school diploma
• You must attain certain minimum aptitude scores before the training will be approved
• An aptitude in math and algebra is required in the Air Force and highly recommended in the army and navy

Because there are fairly strict rules for entering the military services you will need to be aware of all of the requirements for enlisting as a soldier. These requirements will have to be met first before you can consider becoming a military pharmacy technician in any area of the armed forces.

Career Prospects

Once you leave the military you will have many career prospects in civilian society as a pharmacy technician. Although additional education is generally required, the military will assist you in receiving the credentialing necessary in order to have a career as a pharmacy technician once you no longer want to work for the military. In addition there are opportunities for advancement within the military for those who want to make it their life long career. You could, for example, become a fully fledged military pharmacist. This tends to come at an increase in pay of about $33,000 to $40,000 yearly.

Work Environment

There are a number of places in which a military pharmacy technician can be employed, including but not limited to the following:

• In hospitals on land or aboard ships
• In clinics on land or aboard ships
• In field hospitals

Generally speaking the hours and environment will be very similar to those that a civilian pharmacy technician will have to endure on a daily basis. Overall there will not be many major differences in the work environment itself other than the fact that you will most likely be employed in a situation where you will move around frequently or where you will be required to be stationed outside the country in a field hospital.

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian pharmacy technicians work in the following locations, generally speaking:

• Pharmacies
• Drug stores
• Hospitals
• Clinics

As compared to military pharmacy technicians, civilian pharmacy technicians have less power in that the generally have to work under the direction of pharmacists (whereas military pharmacy technicians are often given free rein) and they generally do not have responsibility for the compounding and dispensing of drugs.

The main differences between civilian and military pharmacy technicians are as follows:

• Civilian pharmacy technicians perform far simpler tasks and have far fewer responsibilities.
• HOWEVER military pharmacy technicians have a lower level of education and are required to undergo additional training in order to become civilian pharmacy technicians if they leave the military.

There are many considerations to keep in mind when considering a career as a military pharmacy technician. This is certainly not a job that will suit everyone and there are some crucial differences to being a military pharmacy technician as opposed to being a pharmacy technician in other occupations. However you will have the opportunity to come home to a job if you ever choose to leave the military as this will make you eligible for employment as a civilian pharmacy technician after additional education is completed if you do decide to leave. This gives you an employment opportunity you may not otherwise have had.

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The American Association of Pharmacy Technicians (which will be referred to as the AAPT from here on out) is an association for pharmacy technicians offering credentialing and resources for members. There are a number of benefits to belonging to the AAPT, and in some cases membership will even be a requirement. Basic information about the AAPT is required by anyone entering the pharmacy technician field.

Brief History Of The American Association Of Pharmacy Technicians (AAPT)

AAPT has the right to declare itself the first Pharmacy Technician Association that ever came into being in the USA. When it started it was non-profit association and it says a lot about the AAPT that it remains a non-profit association right up until this very point in time. In order to maintain this non-profit status the organization is run by volunteer pharmacy technicians. When it began in 1979 it was run entirely by volunteers, a state of being that has not changed up until the present day. This allows individual pharmacy technicians to be members without having to pay fees. The AAPT is dedicated to serving the interests of ALL pharmacy technicians regardless of race, gender, color, or creed. This is done through its Executive Board, Committees, the National Office and its many Chapters which can be found in New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington State. As the role of the pharmacy technician expands, AAPT continues to be an active participant in making decisions which affect changes at all levels of the profession. Consequently it can be viewed as a representative agency for pharmacy technicians as their interests will be represented and in many cases the desired changes that they would like to see will be met. This is one of the primary benefits of membership.

Mission Statement

According to the mission statement that can be found at http://www.pharmacytechnician.com/, the AAPT aims to achieve the following:

“Provides leadership and represents the interests of its members to the public as well as health care organizations.

Promotes the safe, efficacious, and cost effective dispensing, distribution and use of medications.

Provides continuing education programs and services to help technicians update their skills to keep pace with changes in pharmacy services.

Promotes pharmacy technicians as an integral part of the patient care team.”

From the mission statement we can ascertain that this association, like most other associations in the medical profession, exists for the purpose of monitoring those employed within it. In addition the association provides a certain amount of advocacy in that it represents its members to the public in a good light. One the primary aims is to ensure that medications are dispensed safely and accurately by pharmacy technicians at all times as this is in line with the best interests of the general public as well as in line with the best interests of the members of the AAPT. One of the main advantages offered by the AAPTP is the opportunity for members to keep their skills in the field of pharmaceuticals up to date. With increases in qualifications they may also stand the chance to receive promotions and better jobs.

About The Association’s Members

The AAPT represents members of the pharmacy technician industry who work in a large number of different work environments and sub-occupations of the profession.

• The AAPT represents pharmacy technicians practicing in hospitals
• The AAPT represents pharmacy technicians practicing in ambulatory facilities
• The AAPT represents pharmacy technicians practicing in extended care facilities
• The AAPT represents pharmacy technicians practicing in community pharmacies
• The AAPT represents pharmacy technicians practicing as educators

In brief, the association is there to provide for the needs of members in all areas of the pharmacy technician industry. In addition you will be covered by the AAPT if:

• You are a pharmacy technician student
• If you practice in the Veterans Administration Medical Centers
• If you practice in the Armed Forces facilities, and
• If you practice in industry

The association has a number of chapters that are organized at the local level. These are in New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington State. In addition to those chapters there are members of the association in all states across the country. There are also AAPT members to be found in Canada as well as in a number of international locations. There are more than 300,000 pharmacy technicians employed in the US and that number of expected to grow significantly over the coming years.

Benefits Of American Association Of Pharmacy Technicians Membership

There are a number of benefits to belonging to the AAPT. According to the association’s own website, some the main benefits are the following:

• Continuing Education Credits: In many states you are required to provide evidence that you have engaged in continuing education once every few years in order to keep your certification status as a pharmacy technician. The AAPT provides you with a number of continuing education credit opportunities.

• Professional Enrichment: In addition to the requirements of completing continuing education hours and credits, the AAPT also benefits you at a personal level in that those self-same courses can allow you to become more confident in your line of work and be eligible for more job opportunities I professions that offer higher pay packages and benefits.

• Networking Opportunities: AAPT allows pharmacy technicians to get to know each other. This means that, when you need a contact in the industry in certain state or area of the employment market, you will be able to find those contacts very easily through the association. Local chapters allow you to meet other at a local level and form both professional and personal relationships.

• Updates on Current Trends: Being aware of what is happening in your chosen profession is an important way to stay in touch with reality and with what the best pharmacy technician practices are. The association provides updates on these trends.

• Discount Rates to AAPT Sponsored Events: There are a number of events sponsored by the association that you will be able to attend at a markedly discounted rate. The vents are usually open to all pharmacy technicians, but as a member of the American Association of Pharmacy Technicians itself you will not be required to pay the same rate as everyone else.

• Voice in Pharmacy Technician Issues: The American Association of Pharmacy Technicians provides you with an opportunity to voice your opinions on pharmacy technician issues as it represents all of its members in relevant situations.

• Opportunities to Develop Leadership Skills: BU volunteering to help run the association you will learn valuable leadership skills that will boost your resume significantly. This will also help you advance your career and become a person of high standing in the pharmaceutical industry.

• Website Featuring Calendar of Events and Appropriate Links: This is a very useful resource in that it lists events related to pharmacy technicians in general and not only those b hosted by the American Association of Pharmacy Technicians meaning that you won’t run the risk of missing out.

Chapters And Contact Details

As with most associations that are formed in order to administer and monitor a certain segment of the health care profession, the AAPT has a number of different chapters that can be found across the country. There are chapters of the AAPT in 7 states across the US:

NEW YORK

Metro Protech Association of Pharmacy Technicians

Roseanne Grandinetti-Delgado

718/357-2015

Hrd123@man.com

NORTH CAROLINA

North Carolina Association of Pharmacy Technicians (NCAPT)

Alice Foust, Cpht

336/832-0772

Alice.foust@mosescone.com

NORTH DAKOTA/MINNESOTA

Northland Association of Pharmacy Technicians

Angela Buchanan

abuchanan@csmOnDemand.com

PENNSYLVANIA

White Rose Association of Pharmacy Technicians

Doris Gable, Cpht

715/586-4614

Gable717@aol.com

TEXAS

Alamo of San Antonio Association of Pharmacy Technicians

Beverly Miller

210/358-1087

Beverly.Miller@uhs-sa.com

WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State Association of Pharmacy Technicians

Uyen Thorstensen

425/210-9730

Uyen_thorstensen@yahoo.com

As you can see, if you want to join a chapter of the AAPT your options are few and far between as that are only located in a few very specific states across the country. However if you have the opportunity to join this association it is an opportunity that you cannot afford to miss out on because of the many benefits that you will then be eligible to receive once you have joined the fold. The above contact information and the necessary requirements and prerequisites are all you need to apply for membership with the AATP.

Belonging to the American Association of Pharmacy Technicians can make a substantial difference to your life in terms of your career as pharmacy technician. There are a number benefits, both obvious an implied, to having membership in an organization such as this. Throughout the medical profession people are asked to join associations. This is in order to control the profession and ensure that the standard of care is maintained, but it is also aimed at ensuring that professionals are protected and have access to the resources that they need to do their jobs as well as possible.

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Pharmacy technicians today, whether hospital- or community pharmacy technicians, are performing tasks that were once the realm of pharmacists, such as dispensing medication as well as taking prescriptions over the phone. This is a tremendous relief for the pharmacist, who is freed up to attend to other important matters. Highly trained pharmacy technicians are an important component of a  pharmacy team, but in order to take on more responsibilities, they will need more  training and education, and standardization and accreditation are being sought in all states.

Different Working Times For Hospital- And Community Pharmacy Technicians

When it comes to hospital vs community pharmacy technicians, hospital pharmacy technicians won’t only work day times and evenings like a community pharmacy technician, they will will required to work nights, weekends, or holidays, and this means, unlike a community pharmacy, you won’t always be working with the same group of pharmacists and technicians.  There will also be those who come in on a part-time basis.

All Pharmacy Technicians Need To Follow Accredited Programs

The requirements for accredited programs are stringent and students will be required to complete many hours of training and education. The training will thoroughly prepare the pharmacy technician and equip them with skills that are portable and not restricted to one pharmacy type. Programs are becoming standardized and this means that the skills they acquire will be able to be transferred from environment to environment as well as from state to state.

Pharmacy technicians come from a mobile industry, and when techs train under accredited programs, there is that assurance that they all have the same knowledge and training. They are not trained just to be a community pharmacy technician or a hospital pharmacy technician; but they have across-the-board training, and this means that if  you hire one of these pharm techs from an accredited program, you know they will all have all the experience, skills and knowledge that  non-accredited pharmacy technicians will not have. They will all have more or less the same knowledge on vaccines, sterile products, IV preparation, labeling, medicine stocks, preparation of medicines and lotions and much more.

The ASHP, known as The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, is the membership organization, working on behalf of pharmacists who practice in hospitals and health systems, and their job is to improve medication use and also enhance patient safety. Their mission is to advocate for the professionalism of the pharmacy technician workforce, and  The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy also advocates that pharmacy technicians complete an education and training program that must meets minimum standardized guidelines. They also  recommend the use of a single accrediting agency.

Duties Of Hospital vs Community Pharmacy Technicians Much The Same

Some of their duties include packaging and labeling prescriptions, sterilizing bottles and other glassware according to prescribed methods,doing routing pharmacy tasks, counting and measuring medications, mixing and preparing ointments and dealing with prescriptions as well as some administrative tasks.

They work under the supervision of pharmacists, and spend a good deal of time interacting with customers who come in with prescriptions or are looking for advice on over the counter medications. Most pharmacy technicians learn their skills from being in the pharmacy every day and acquiring on-the-job skills. There are no standard training requirements for pharmacy technicians, but some pharmacy technicians want to get training because they realize that when it comes to looking for a job, there are some jobs and some state that require a high school diploma as well as formal training and certification. These education programs are available through a variety of community colleges, hospitals, the military, organizations and vocational schools and can last anything from  6 months to 2 years.

Much Of Their Education Is Gained On-The-Job

The things a pharmacy technician will learn will include things like pharmaceutical terminology,  pharmacy record keeping as well as pharmacy law and ethics. It makes sense that they will need to know the names of medications, their dosage and what they do.  Some training programs will include internships,  where the student gains hands-on experience in a pharmacy. In most States, pharmacy technicians must be also be registered with the State board of pharmacy. Hospital pharmacy technicians are involved in the manufacture and dispensing of medicines. Hospitals get their supplies from the pharmaceutical industry; some of which need to be made in the pharmacy and the hospital pharmacy technician will make up medications, creams, ointments as well as mixtures from raw ingredients.

They have to work in extremely sterile conditions because if any contamination gets into the medicines, it can be fatal for the patient. The pharmacy technician is involved in the labeling of dispensed items and performs accuracy checks on dispensed medicines before the patient gets them. The hospital pharmacy technician also has to monitor and order medicines and keep stocks topped up. They keep a record of expiry dates on medications and dispose of them.

Scope Of Practice Of Pharmacy Technicians Becoming Standardized

When you look at hospital vs community pharmacy technicians you will find that their scope of practice is much the same, and in fact the roles they perform are becoming standardized and inter-changeable.  Community pharmacy technicians work in retail pharmacies under the  supervision of registered pharmacists.  They also label and dispense prescribed medicines. Just like other pharmacy technicians they also advise patients on how to use the medications  in the correct way. They can also offer advise on over-the-counter treatments and supplies like toiletries, cosmetics or baby products and can advise on treatments for simple ailments like colds or minor skin rashes.

They know when they are not able to advise on more serious matters, and will call on the pharmacist to assist in cases like this. Just like the pharmacy technician working in a hospital environment, the community pharmacy technician also keeps records of patients prescriptions on a computer. That is why all pharmacy technicians need to have some administrative skills as well.

Online Training Available For Hospital vs Community Pharmacy Technicians

Most training programs to earn a pharmacy technician certificate take about a year to complete, but there is more advanced study for those students who want to pursue a two-year associate degree or a four-year bachelor’s degree.

If you want to take the pharmacy technician certification, it can benefit you in many ways and can certainly enhance your chances of employment in the future. There are many online schools offering pharmacy technician certification courses and the benefits are that they offer flexible hours  and more affordable fees than regular classes as well. These online courses are particularly useful to those who are far from a college or school where they live. To work as a pharmacy technician in some states,  pharmacy technicians are required to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam and to complete a registration process through their Board of Pharmacy.

There are some states that don’t require technicians to be certified, but voluntary certification is available through s number of private organizations. The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board as well as the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians administer national certification examinations. Technicians will need to be re-certified every two years, which will require 20 hours of continuing education in the two year certification period.

Conclusion

When working as a pharmacy technician, whether you are a hospital pharmacy technician or a community pharmacy technician, you will find  that no two days are exactly the same, but one thing is certain, they will be spending a lot of time on their feet, packing and labeling boxes, checking medication stocks and retrieving supplies from high shelves. Regardless of whether they are working in a hospital setting or a community pharmacy setting, they must be able to work independently, even though they are working under the supervision of an experience pharmacist. They will certainly not be able to be asking the pharmacist for advise throughout the day or night.

A sense of  responsibility is most important as mistakes in measuring medicines can be critical to the wellbeing of customers and patients, and to this end they need to understand how to use proper techniques to ensure that medications are prepared in a sterile environment.  When the pharmacist makes use of medical terms, they need to be familiar with all of the symbols and abbreviations that are used in a prescription order, and for this reason, both the hospital pharmacy technician as well as the community pharmacy technician must have knowledge of coding and billing as well.

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