Saturday 9 November 2013

Pharmacy Tech Schools: Because Your Choice Matters

By Mose Farris


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 principal responsibility of a pharmacy technician is to help licensed pharmacists in preparing medications for patients, as well as furnishing them with necessary health care products. They are also typically in-charge of medicine inventory and placing labels on them. Customer support can also be included in their work, as well as other clerical and pharmacy-related duties and responsibilities.

Pharmacy technicians may work in a pharmacy which has retail or mail-order setting, and will generally involve varying work that depends on the state they are currently in and the laws that govern it. They can be sent prescriptions by a doctor and will be required to study them to make sure they are accurate and complete before the prescription is assembled. After which they will now assemble the prescription while making sure they make precise measurements and dosage of the medication they are preparing.

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.

One of the advantages of being a pharmacy technician is its work environment; clean, well-organized, has excellent ventilation and lighting. An individual must be physically and mentally fit to efficiently perform their tasks and responsibilities. Working hours can have graveyard shifts, and working days can include weekends or holidays, especially on hospitals and other similar establishments that are open 24-hours a day.

A great number of pharmacy technicians usually partake in an on-the-job training, and some prefer getting an official pharmacy technician training from a competent pharmacy tech school. Those getting formal training are much more preferred by employers who have insufficient resources to give training. In the United States, there is currently just a minor or no Federal laws governing certification of pharmacy technicians prior to getting work.

Formal pharmacy technician training, like regular education programs, will involve classroom and laboratory work, study in different areas like pharmaceutical and medical terms, calculations, recording, techniques, pharmacy law and ethics. They will also need to become well-versed in medicine names, its functions and proper dosage. Most pharmacy technician training programs have internships in order for them to have an actual experience in their field. Once they complete their training, the pharmacy tech school will be able to award them with a certificate, diploma or an associate's degree, all of which will depend on the type of program they undergo.

To have a better chance of success in this industry, one must posses great skills in customer support and working with a group because they will be interacting with patients, professionals and co-workers most of the time. They will also benefit from having a good foundation in reading, spelling and mathematics. It is important that a technician is very observant, can work with initiative, responsible, organized, alert and has passion for work. Equally important is having precision in skills and actions since we are dealing with human lives here, and we can't compromise anything.

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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