Principles of Pharmacy Practice: Role of the Pharmacy Technician Flashcards
Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process
Collect, Assess, Plan, Implement, Follow up
Pharmacy Technician Definition
“An individual working in a pharmacy who, under the direct supervision of a licensed
pharmacist, assists in pharmacy activities that do not require the professional judgment of a
pharmacist.”
Pharmacy Practice Settings
- Retail/community pharmacy
- Hospital pharmacy
- Mail-order pharmacy
- Long-term care facilities
- Correctional facilities
- Nuclear pharmacy
- Military facilities
- Drug manufacturing facilities
General Pharmacy Technician Duties
All technician duties are performed under the direct supervision of a pharmacist
- Most state laws and employers do NOT allow technicians to work in a pharmacy without a
pharmacist present
• Participate in direct patient care
• Answer the phone and screen calls for the pharmacist
• Gather general health information about the patient
• Enter patient information and prescriptions into the pharmacy computer
• Prepare prescriptions or medication orders
• Ensure dispensing equipment is working properly
• Assist with compounding medications
• Order medications and devices from wholesalers and vendors
• Stock pharmacy shelves
• Check for and remove expired medications
• Assist the pharmacist during inventory
• Maintain written and computerized pharmacy records
• Prevent and detect medication errors
Most pharmacy techs work in…
…retail or community settings
Retail technicians…
…focus on outpatient care
Hospital technicians…
…focus on inpatient care and communicate with hospital staff
…prepare parenteral medications (IV drip), which must be sterile. Chemotherapy is dangerous to handle, so special training is required for this role
…usually, meds are prepared for one-day doses/single doses, as patients are often not in the hospital for long
…use med carts, which store medications
…prepare bulk orders
…maintain floor stock
…maintain crash carts (emergency kits)
…deliver meds
…check another technician (TCT)
Long-term care pharmacies…
…are closed door pharmacies
…are similar to community and hospital techs
…use med cards
…maintain emergency med kits
Mail-order pharmacies…
…are similar to retail pharmacies
…won’t have face-to-face interactions with patients. It’s over the phone or by email/fax
Nuclear pharmacies…
…prepare radioactive materials
…requires extensive training
…deliver radioactive meds
…perform quality control checks and maintain equipment
Pharmacist-only duties
- Take new prescriptions or medication orders over the phone from a prescriber
- Counsel patients on their medications or health concerns
- Clarify prescription or medication orders with a prescriber over the phone
- Perform medication use reviews
- Transfer prescriptions to or from pharmacies
- Check the final drug order before dispensing to the patient
Pharmacy intern duties
- Work under the supervision of the pharmacist
- Perform the same tasks as technicians
- Perform many of the tasks delegated to pharmacists
- Specific tasks are determined by each board of pharmacy and pharmacist-in-charge (PIC)
Tasks involved in preparing medication orders
Counting, pouring, labeling, packaging
Pharmacy technician Code of Ethics (according to AAPT and PTCB)
• Ensure the health and safety of the patient
• Be honest
• Maintain high standards of integrity and conduct
• Assist the pharmacist in the safe distribution of good quality medications, medical devices, and
healthcare resources
• Respect the patient and protect their confidentiality
• Stay up to date with pharmacy advancements, new drugs, and regulations
Pharmacy tech qualities and skills
• Good verbal and nonverbal communication
• Ability to minimize stress and balance out duties
• Adapt to change quickly
• Have working knowledge of computers, email, internet, and other electronic devices or
programs
• Maintain professionalism
