National Pharmacy Technician Certification
Pharmacy Technician Article
Pharmacy Technicians And Pharmacy Assistants
Pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants now perform most of the routine work of acutal prescription filling duties in a modern pharmacy. This seems to be normal for most pharmacies nowadays. An on duty pharrmacist is required to oversee the other workers, but generally spend their time on supervising and dealing with patient care. They also manage the business side of the operation. This gives them time to handle more business in a given day.Pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants both assist the licensed pharmacist in providing medication and healt care to the patients by performing clerical tasks, preparing and then filling prescriptions. While their duties are similiar and can overlap, pharmacy technicians generally have more responsibilities. Supervision by the licensed pharmacist is defined by each state.
All prescriptions are to be checked by the pharmacist and any questions from patients relating to drug information, health matters or the prescriptions are to be referred to the pharmacist, especially if the technician doesn't know the answer.
Pharmacy Technicians generally follow detailed procedures to fill a prescription. The process starts by verifing that the prescription information is accurate, then they either count, pour, retireve, weigh, measure or mix the specific medication. They then prepare and place labels on the containers. The next step is to price and file the prescription. Paperwork inlcudes filing patient insurance forms and maintaining patient history.
In retail pharmacies dealing with the public, pharmacy technicians may inventory and stock both prescription and over-the-counter products, run the cash register and help maintain equipment.
In hospital settings where they don't deal with the public, pharmacy technicians must read the doctors chart orders, prepare and deliver the medicine after it has been checked by a pharmacist, enter information in patient's medical records, prepare a daily supply (labeling and packaging each dose) of medicine for patients, and maintaining inventoris and supplies.
Pharmacy assistants duties are similiar to pharmacy technicians but are used less in hospital settings. In retail settings, they are more likely to work as clerks or cashiers, answer phones, handle money and perform other clerical duties. In hospital settings, they delvier medicines and stock inventory.
Pharmacy technicians and assistants have clean, organized workplaces but spend a good part of their time at work standing up. In retail 24 hour pharmacies, they are generally required to work the odd shifts. This is sometimes beneficial because they may be still going to school to become pharmacists.
National Pharmacy Technician Certification Resources
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