A pharmacy technician is a person who is a member of the pharmacy crew and works under the control of a certified pharmacist. He is responsible for helping the pharmacist do related work which usually includes providing medication and health care products to patients. Before an individual can work as a pharmacy technician, he must receive qualified pharmacy technician training from a legitimate pharmacy tech school, not to mention having other important qualities in order to work efficiently as one.
The primary job of pharmacy technicians is to assist licensed pharmacists in administering patients with medication and health care products. They are also regularly responsible for helping in the preparation of prescribed medication, inventory of medicine and labeling them. They can also be tasked with customer support and other related pharmacy operations.
Pharmacy technicians can either work in retail or mail-order pharmacies, in which will involve different duties and responsibilities, depending on the state they are in and the regulations that apply. When they are sent prescriptions from the doctor's office, they must review the prescription for completeness and accuracy before preparing it. They will then prepare the prescription by acquiring the particular medication, preparing exact measurements and dosages of the medicine and may also mix them.
In a hospital or nursing home setting, pharmacy technicians may be tasked with extra duties like reviewing patient's records and medicine preparation. Once a pharmacist verifies the accuracy of a prescription, the technician will be the one to deliver it to the patient. He will then record pertinent information in the records of the patient. They can also be tasked with supplying medication for patients in a 24-hour period.
Pharmacy technicians have the privilege of a clean and organized working environment, often in areas with proper ventilation and lighting. Their work will involve some physical and mental tasks and requires that the person be in good health and shape. They will usually work in the same hours as duly-licensed pharmacists, and may work on night shifts, weekends and even holidays, specifically on hospitals and other establishments which are open for 24 hours.
Majority of pharmacy technicians receive on-the-job training, but can also undergo formal pharmacy technician training at a licensed pharmacy tech school although technicians that undergo formal training are more preferred by employers. In the US, there are presently little or no Federal laws regarding pharmacy technicians being required to undergo formal training or receive certification before working.
As with regular education programs, formal pharmacy technician training will require classroom and laboratory hours and be educated properly about pharmaceutical and medical terms, as well as its recording, calculations, techniques, laws and ethics. It is also paramount that they have a good understanding of medicine names, its attributes and safe dosage. The program will also have internships, which can provide students with vital experience and exposure in the field. After going through the training, a diploma, certificate or associate's degree can be granted by the pharmacy tech school to a student, whichever is appropriate.
In order to perform well in the pharmaceutical technology industry, a technician must have sound customer service and teamwork skills since they will be interacting with patients, professionals and co-workers a lot. They will also need strong reading, spelling and mathematical skills which they will need regularly in their work. A good pharmacy technician is keen with details, can work independently, responsible, organized, alert and dedicated in his work. Another very important characteristic of a pharmacy technician is being precise in his actions since the work involves health and lives of human beings and can't afford being reckless as there can be life and death situations he may be involved in.
The role of pharmacy technicians is expected to expand and diversify in the next few years since duties of pharmacists are also increasing, and they are more in need of assistants to help them perform related duties. Pharmacy technicians are capable of earning a decent salary, with those who are certified are most likely to receive more. This is why it is a good idea to look for a reputable pharmacy tech school and undergo proper pharmacy technician training in order to get the most out of your chosen career.
The primary job of pharmacy technicians is to assist licensed pharmacists in administering patients with medication and health care products. They are also regularly responsible for helping in the preparation of prescribed medication, inventory of medicine and labeling them. They can also be tasked with customer support and other related pharmacy operations.
Pharmacy technicians can either work in retail or mail-order pharmacies, in which will involve different duties and responsibilities, depending on the state they are in and the regulations that apply. When they are sent prescriptions from the doctor's office, they must review the prescription for completeness and accuracy before preparing it. They will then prepare the prescription by acquiring the particular medication, preparing exact measurements and dosages of the medicine and may also mix them.
In a hospital or nursing home setting, pharmacy technicians may be tasked with extra duties like reviewing patient's records and medicine preparation. Once a pharmacist verifies the accuracy of a prescription, the technician will be the one to deliver it to the patient. He will then record pertinent information in the records of the patient. They can also be tasked with supplying medication for patients in a 24-hour period.
Pharmacy technicians have the privilege of a clean and organized working environment, often in areas with proper ventilation and lighting. Their work will involve some physical and mental tasks and requires that the person be in good health and shape. They will usually work in the same hours as duly-licensed pharmacists, and may work on night shifts, weekends and even holidays, specifically on hospitals and other establishments which are open for 24 hours.
Majority of pharmacy technicians receive on-the-job training, but can also undergo formal pharmacy technician training at a licensed pharmacy tech school although technicians that undergo formal training are more preferred by employers. In the US, there are presently little or no Federal laws regarding pharmacy technicians being required to undergo formal training or receive certification before working.
As with regular education programs, formal pharmacy technician training will require classroom and laboratory hours and be educated properly about pharmaceutical and medical terms, as well as its recording, calculations, techniques, laws and ethics. It is also paramount that they have a good understanding of medicine names, its attributes and safe dosage. The program will also have internships, which can provide students with vital experience and exposure in the field. After going through the training, a diploma, certificate or associate's degree can be granted by the pharmacy tech school to a student, whichever is appropriate.
In order to perform well in the pharmaceutical technology industry, a technician must have sound customer service and teamwork skills since they will be interacting with patients, professionals and co-workers a lot. They will also need strong reading, spelling and mathematical skills which they will need regularly in their work. A good pharmacy technician is keen with details, can work independently, responsible, organized, alert and dedicated in his work. Another very important characteristic of a pharmacy technician is being precise in his actions since the work involves health and lives of human beings and can't afford being reckless as there can be life and death situations he may be involved in.
The role of pharmacy technicians is expected to expand and diversify in the next few years since duties of pharmacists are also increasing, and they are more in need of assistants to help them perform related duties. Pharmacy technicians are capable of earning a decent salary, with those who are certified are most likely to receive more. This is why it is a good idea to look for a reputable pharmacy tech school and undergo proper pharmacy technician training in order to get the most out of your chosen career.
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We offer relevant resource information on becoming a pharmacy technician in one easy location. Visit www.pharmacytechnicianreviews.org to gain an understanding on what it takes to become a pharmacy tech, where you can find work as well as the favorable qualities you must possess in order to be recognized as a good technician.