Pharmacy Technician Job Requirements
Pharmacy Technician Job Requirements
This article has you covered on everything to need to know about a Pharmacist and other position which you can venture in as it requirements and responsibilities are outlined for you to have a keen knowledge about.
Pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of a pharmacist to dispense prescription and over the counter medication to customers or health professionals.
They also assemble medicines for prescriptions and provide information about medications. They work in a hospital pharmacy or retail pharmacy under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist.
They take prescriptions over the phone and in person, work with health professionals and customers, help mix medicines, count pills, measure medication, label and give instructions for medicine, and help make payments. Pharmacy techs are the liaison between the public and pharmacists, helping set up consultations and recommendations.
Pharmacy technicians are currently in very high demand and this demand is expected to continue through at least 2018. As pharmacies expand patient care services, the role of and need for pharmacy technicians will also expand.
With the appropriate amount of training and experience, pharmacy technicians may be promoted to supervisory roles, may seek specialization (e.g., oncology, nuclear pharmacy), or may pursue further education and training to become a pharmacist.
Some technicians gain specialized skills in sterile products admixture, pharmacy automation, and health information systems.
Pharmacy Technician Responsibilities:
- Accepting written prescriptions or refill requests from patients and evaluating information for completeness and accuracy.
- Recording medical histories while maintaining confidentiality and compliance with HIPAA regulations.
- Delivering quality customer service to patients, responding to inquiries, questions, or requests, and referring them to the pharmacist for medical information.
- Verifying the accuracy of patient information.
- Counting prescription medication, filling prescriptions, and typing and attaching medication labels.
- Performing inventory audits and purchasing supplies and medication.
- Process patient insurance.
- The pharmacy technician has many duties other than filling prescriptions. They also perform monthly inventory counts, file paperwork, and stock inventory. When an order comes in, the manifest will be checked for accuracy, and then the medications must be stocked on the shelves.
- Every month, the entire inventory has to be checked for expired medications. Medications which are near expiring are shipped back to the pharmaceutical company. Supplies such as pill bottles, bags, and labels have to be ordered. Medications have to be ordered weekly. The shelves have to be organized and cleaned on a regular basis.
- Patient information must be carefully stored or disposed of. Due to privacy regulations, even the trash must be properly packaged and disposed of. The pharmacy technician is responsible for taking care of these duties as well.
Pharmacy Tech Skills You Will Need to be Accepted
As you can see, there’s more to the work of a pharmacy tech than you might expect. So what skills will you need to be successful? Let’s take a closer look at some of the top transferrable skills and abilities you’ll need and how they’re applied.
- Communication: Pharmacy techs communicate with pharmacists and doctors when taking prescription orders. They also have to listen carefully to customers’ needs and questions to potentially direct them to the pharmacist.
- Problem-solving:Pharmacy techs should have the maturity to solve conflicts between patients, insurance companies and co-workers.
- Organization:Pharmacy techs balance duties delegated by pharmacists like stocking shelves, keeping inventory while serving patients and customers.
- Mathematical skills:Filling prescriptions and compounding medications require a strong understanding of necessary math concepts.
- Detail-oriented: Serious health problems can result from mistakes with prescription types, amounts or interactions. Though pharmacists are directly responsible for the safety of the medications, pharmacy techs are the first line of defense for these risks.
Pharmacy Technician Requirements:
- A high school diploma or equivalent.
- A pharmacy technician certification.
- Excellent communication skills.
- The ability to use a computer for day-to-day tasks.
- Basic math skills for counting medications.
- Customer service experience.
- Experience in a fast-paced work environment.
Pharmacy Technician Positions
2. Retail Pharmacy Technician
Job Description:
As a Retail pharmacy Technician, customer service is paramount. Considering that over 3/4 of pharmacy technicians work in retail, interpersonal skills are a must. In a hospital that is also required, though. The technician is the first person a patient will speak with as they drop off their prescription.
Sometimes prescriptions are collected by phone directly from the physician’s office or through special applications and email. The billing information is also taken at this point in the process. Once the information written on the prescription is entered into the computer, the technician will pull the medication from the shelf and dispense it.
Occasionally in a retail setting, a pharmacy assistant will be utilized. Since there is no schooling required to become an assistant, their scope of practice is much narrower than that of a technician. Most of the time they will be responsible for tasks involving paperwork, as well as helping with purchases and putting away the orders of additional medication and supplies
One of the great advantages of this career is the ability to choose virtually any schedule you like – evenings, nights, weekends, or traditional 9 to 5. A lot of technicians work part-time and combine this career with other employment, or (what happens more often), continuing education to transform to a pharmacist or any other healthcare career.
Duties of a Retail Pharmacist.
- Intake of written and electronic prescriptions
- Billing insurance
- Compounding various topical creams/ointments, as well as oral liquids
- Accurately counting and dispensing medications
- Assisting customers with the purchase of their medications
2. Clinical Pharmacy Technician:
Job Description:
A clinical pharmacy technician is a liaison between patients and other pharmacy clinicians. As a technician, your job duties are to ensure that the contact between the pharmacy staff and patients is effective and that the patients receive the correct prescriptions and advice on their care. You may also perform clerical duties such as keeping records, answering phones, and providing customer services, allowing the clinicians to focus on their job.
Requirements for the Position of a Clinical Pharmacy Technician
The qualifications needed for a career as a clinical pharmacy technician start with certification. Shorter training programs can take as little as 15 weeks, but a longer, two-year program can result in an associate degree instead of just a certificate. While a degree is optional, it significantly improves your job outlook. This career requires excellent organizational and computer skills, as well as an in-depth knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry. Experience in the healthcare industry is not crucial, but most employers require a background in some type of customer service.
Job Responsibilities of a Clinical Pharmacy Technician
- Interact with patients, providers, and vendors to produce accurate prescriptions and documentation.
- Explain and document instructions and goals for patients.
- Enter patient, drug and provider data into information systems.
- Calculate dosages, refill dates and inventory amounts.
- As of Mar 24, 2019, the average monthly pay for the Clinical Pharmacy Technician jobs category in the United States is $3,062 a month.
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