If you are organized and like working with people, consider a pharmacy technician career. Pharmacy trainees help pharmacists pack and classify medications.
They ensure that all medicines include the proper drugs and that consumers receive the right prescriptions when they pick them up. Pharmacy techs verify doses and medical profiles in practically every process daily.
They oversee pharmacy quality and safety. These technicians are essential to pharmacies but also work in grocery stores, hospitals, and general market stores.
Pharmacy techs need a bachelor’s degree and training to apply. Chemists need medical, chemical, or similar degrees. The position may need hospital or clinic internships and training.
As per the report by Statista, the job market for pharmacy technicians is expected to expand by 6 percent between 2022 and 2032, outpacing the growth rate for all job sectors, indicating a robust demand for professionals in this field.
Students learn how to mark and package medicines under the supervision of a full-time chemist.
Role Of A Pharmacy Technician
Retail, hospital, and nursing home pharmacies employ pharmacy technicians. GED or high school graduation and training are required for pharmacy technologists. Some states require certification tests. Here we will discuss the duties of a pharmacy technician:
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- Medicine preparation and distribution:
Medicine preparation and distribution are a pharmacy technician’s key duties. This comprises accurate medication measurement, mixing, counting, labelling, and packaging. Since pharmacists ensure drug quality, pharmacy technicians must follow their orders.
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- Keeping patient records:
Pharmacy technicians store patient data. This includes entering patient data into the computer system, tracking refill requests, and verifying insurance and benefits.
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- Shelves for stock:
Pharmacy technicians stock medications, supplies, and other products. Put everything back on the shelves, check their placement, and refill if needed.
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- Managing inventory:
Pharmacy technologists often manage stock. To do this, they must order and stock new drugs and track the ones they have and need to replace. Pharmacy technologists must also record all prescriptions and returns.
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- Knows the laws:
Pharmacy technicians must understand medications and answer questions about dose, side effects, and interactions.
They must know legal and moral regulations for delivering drugs. This entails staying current on HIPAA and state and federal medication distribution legislation. They must also identify and correct prescription errors and preserve proper deal records.
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- Helping customers:
Besides their other duties, pharmacy technicians may serve customers. This involves helping consumers fill out paperwork, answering questions, and advising on medicine doses and side effects.
Pharmacy techs may need to phone insurance providers to verify medicine coverage and approval.
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- Workplace safety and cleanliness:
Pharmacy techs ensure workplace safety and cleanliness. This includes cleaning and disposing of hazardous materials in the drugstore.
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- Pharmacy student and new hire training:
They may teach new hires how to distribute medications and serve customers. They may demonstrate how to utilize computers and other pharmacy technologies.
Above all were the main responsibilities of pharmacy technicians.
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Pharmacy Technician Job Description
These are common pharmacy technician duties. Here we will discuss the job description of a pharmacy technician:
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- Prescription preparation
Among their duties, pharmacy technologists prepare patient prescriptions. You must choose the proper drug, brand, form, strength, and volume when ordering drugs.
Pharmacy techs meticulously count and place pills, capsules, and tablets in the appropriate cases. These medicines’ containers have indications indicating how to use them and when they expire.
Pharmacy techs can blend raw materials or reassemble drugs. Patients may receive lotions and ointments in addition to pills and tablets.
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- Request prescriptions
Most pharmacy techs handle doctor’s prescriptions and refill requests. The doctor’s office makes these patient-specific requests. The pharmacy tech must verify the electronic or written prescription for accuracy and completeness. If so, they must update the pharmacy database.
It includes the order date, prescriber information (name, license number, signature, and other vital information), and patient information (name, age, known allergies, medical problems, and more).
Pharmacy technicians also evaluate the patient’s preferences, such as safety caps, and whether the recommended drugs are appropriate. Before filling the order, they phone the patient and doctor to confirm any questions.
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- Prescription prices
Pharmacy techs may decide on drug costs. To determine prescription drug prices, they may research. They may also examine the patient’s insurance for updates or discounts and apply the savings.
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- Assessing medication interactions
Pharmacy techs must comprehend medication interactions. When using multiple medicines, they may not work well together.
It is crucial to keep precise records of each patient’s medications and check for drug interactions and warnings before giving them out. Some drug interactions can be fatal. This is the only way to inform and protect patients.
Pharmacy technicians consider a patient’s age, weight, allergies, other medications, and other circumstances to determine the best prescription.
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- Patient interaction
On the job, pharmacy technologists talk to patients. Pharmacy technologists serve patients in these ways most often:
– Answering prescription questions
– Educating patients on drug use, including frequency and dosage
– Helping people buy medicines
– Answering drugstore calls and assisting with over-the-counter medication searches.
People with more extensive prescription questions should visit the chemist. They serve consumers and have more skills in this work. Pharmacy technologists are friendly, compassionate, helpful, and good at communicating with patients.
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- Pharmacy inventory management
Pharmacy technologists must also manage stock. To keep track of the pharmacy’s inventory, review physical and digital records to see what drugs are available.
Ordering low-level and speciality medications is also required. Taking expired medications is also part of it. They also count controlled substances every day.
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- Medication insurance claims processing
Pharmacy techs process health insurance claims for medicines. Medical insurance claims require discovering the patient’s insurance company and details, calling to check coverage, processing the prescription through the insurance, and updating the pharmacy system.
Health insurance companies may deny prescription drugs, which the pharmacy tech must address. The tech may suggest a different drug or find discounts with the chemist and physician.
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- Proper drug storage
Pharmacy techs must store pharmaceuticals properly, including keeping some out of the sun. To keep storage conditions good, they examine them every day.
They properly manage prescriptions to ensure safety and quality. Some drugs need a temperature-controlled environment or something else. Locking some medicines prevents unauthorized access.
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- Pill and prescription bottle packaging and labeling
Pharmacy techs must also label and package pharmaceutical bottles. You normally enter the proper information and directions onto the label, print it, and stick it on the right bottle or container when packaging and naming things.
Pharmacy technicians can produce individual bottles and large shipment boxes with multiple drugs. They can correctly label these boxes. Making sure each sticker has the correct drug name, dosing strength, volume, and production and expiration dates is crucial.
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- Preparing new pharmacy staff
Experienced pharmacy technicians may train novice technicians and helpers. New hires may learn how to process insurance claims, label medications, assemble and store them, buy supplies and prescriptions, and talk to consumers.
Pharmacists may also participate in interview panels and review resumes to assess abilities and expertise.
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Skills Required for a Pharmacy Technician
Here we will discuss about skills required for a pharmacy technician:
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- Organizational skills
Pharmacy technicians are all the same in terms of specialism and skill level. They all assist with arranging and storing prescription drugs. A pharmacy technician with a level two or three speciality should be able to manage their inventory and request refills as necessary.
Laboratory and benefits manager pharmacy techs also consider how to arrange pharmaceuticals and chemicals, both as a necessary aspect of their work and for the benefit of their clients.
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- Assisting clients
Depending on their area of expertise, various pharmacy technicians may require varying degrees of customer service expertise. A typical day for a pharmacy technician working in a clinic, retail store, or hospital could involve a lot of client service.
Certain pharmacy technicians, such as private and lab technicians, may not interact with consumers at all since their primary responsibility is maintaining order and supplies.
Related Article:- Career Prospects of a Pharmacy Technician in Connecticut
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- Medical Expertise
Pharmacy technicians typically know enough about medicine to converse about and comprehend how the medication functions because they operate with pharmaceuticals.
They are well-versed in medicine, so they can discuss prescriptions with clients and address any concerns they may have regarding adverse effects.
In addition, they are aware of the medications that clients can and cannot use concurrently. Some pharmacy technicians – like laboratory pharmacy technicians – may be even more knowledgeable about science and medicine because of the more intricate methods in which they must keep and identify items.
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- Understanding of chemicals
Some pharmacy technicians work in labs organizing, storing, and shipping chemicals to other labs and pharmacies. Pharmacy technicians can identify which medications they cannot share by knowing about them.
Certain temperature ranges are necessary for certain compounds to remain pure or solid. Additionally, lab pharmacy technicians are skilled in moving substances around without causing any instability or reactions.
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- Meticulous
Because they are meticulous about details, pharmacy technicians can distinguish between different medications. For example, pharmacy workers with sufficient expertise in filling bottles can determine which medications fit into each bottle by simply observing them; they do not need to consult the labels or package numbers.
Additionally, they process, identify, and keep track of every medication that enters the pharmacy. Chemist technicians ensure that the correct patients receive their prescriptions as part of their work as customer service representatives by paying great attention to detail.
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- Collaborative
Chemist technicians collaborate to minimize the amount of time they must spend working alone, enabling them to deliver medications to clients as soon as feasible. Depending on where they work, certain pharmacy technicians might need to collaborate more than others on particular days.
For example, hospital pharmacy technicians operate in a busy environment where pharmacists collaborate to provide patients’ medications as soon as feasible, depending on the urgency of the prescription.
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Conclusion
The role of a pharmacy technician is multifaceted and vital to the healthcare industry. They serve as the backbone of pharmacy operations, ensuring that patients receive the correct medications and guidance necessary for their health and well-being. For those who are organized, enjoy working with people, and have a passion for healthcare, a career as a pharmacy technician offers a fulfilling path with diverse opportunities in various settings.
If you’re looking to embark on this rewarding journey, AIHT Education stands out as the best pharmacy technician training institute in Connecticut. With comprehensive training and hands-on experience, AIHT Education equips aspiring pharmacy technicians with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in this field and make a positive impact on patient care. Start your career with confidence by choosing AIHT Education, where your success in the world of pharmacy begins.
FAQs
1) What duties are often performed by pharmacy technicians?
Technicians assist chemists with pharmaceutical preparation, inventory, and prescription processing. They may help consumers, provide drug information, and handle administrative tasks. They must appropriately distribute medication, clean the workplace, and respect rules and ethics.
2) What is the role and responsibility of a pharmacist?
Ensuring drug distribution is legal, giving patients the proper medications, and answering queries regarding side effects are the main responsibilities of the pharmacist.
3) What is skill of pharmacy technician?
Essential skills include accuracy in dispensing medications, strong organizational abilities, excellent communication for customer interactions, and proficiency with pharmacy software. They must also understand pharmaceutical terminology and possess basic math skills for handling prescriptions.
4) What are the responsibilities of a pharmacy assistant?
Pharmacy assistants support pharmacists by managing inventory, handling customer inquiries, processing transactions, and maintaining a clean and organized work environment. They also assist with administrative tasks such as filing paperwork and managing patient records.
5) What is the daily life of a pharmacy technician?
Daily tasks involve preparing and dispensing medications, managing inventory, processing insurance claims, and providing customer service. They work closely with pharmacists to ensure prescriptions are filled correctly and may also assist with administrative duties.
6) What are the requirements to become a pharmacy technician?
Requirements typically include a high school diploma or GED, completion of a pharmacy technician training program, and passing a certification exam. Some states may have additional requirements such as background checks or continuing education credits.
