Learning to Work in a Clinical Environment in Pharmacy Technology
March 8, 2009
•SBC-Cleveland
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Pharmacy technicians can work in retail or mail-order pharmacies and help pharmacists to provide patients with medications and other healthcare products. Pharmacy technicians offer this help to licensed pharmacists by doing the following:
- Preparing prescribed medication-counting tablets and labeling bottles
- Verifying that prescription information is accurate and complete
- Price and filing prescriptions
- Delivering medication to patients
- Answering phones
- Stocking shelves
- Operating cash registers
- Referring questions about drug information, prescriptions, and health issues to the pharmacist
To learn these skills, individuals interested in pursuing a career in pharmacy technology can complete a pharmacy technology diploma. A pharmacy technology program will provide students with the technical and practical pharmacy technology training necessary to pursue work as an entry-level pharmacy technician for a licensed pharmacist.
Pharmacy Technology Courses
To help prepare students to work with licensed pharmacists, pharmacy technology courses teach necessary skills such as preparing and dispensing medications, setting up, packaging, labeling routine orders from stock supplies, and maintaining patient records. Pharmacy technology classes also train students to work as pharmacy technicians in any environment, from a pharmacy to a nursing home to an assisted living facility.
The pharmacy technology classes provided as part of a quality pharmacy technology program include pharmacy computing, medication preparation, quarterly customer service care, and inventory and billing. In addition, some pharmacy technology programs require class and laboratory work in medical terminology, pharmaceutical practice, pharmaceutical techniques, and medication management.
Pharmacy Technology Course Externships
To be best prepared for an entry-level career in pharmacy technology, individuals should look for a pharmacy technology program that includes an externship as part of the curriculum. An externship as part of completion of a pharmacy technology diploma will offer supervised experiences in a clinical environment-experiences that students taking pharmacy technology courses will take with them into the workplace. An externship in pharmacy technology also helps students develop the strong customer service, organizational, and teamwork skills necessary to succeed in a career in pharmacy technology. Plus, an externship can also help open the door to an entry level job once a student has completed his or her pharmacy technology training.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for pharmacy technicians are expected to be good, especially for those professionals who have received pharmacy technology training or who have previous work experience in the field.*
Employers favor pharmacy technicians coming out of pharmacy technology programs to candidates who have only received on-the-job pharmacy technology training. So if you're serious about career training in pharmacy technology that can provide you with the necessary skills to work in a clinical environment, a pharmacy technology training program may be for you.
Sanford-Brown College - Cleveland is close to many locations:
Elyria, OH - approximately 22.3 miles
Lakewood, OH - approximately 8.7 miles
Medina, OH - approximately 20.8 miles
Strongsville, OH - approximately 4.8 miles
Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Pharmacy Technicians, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos252.htm (visited January 13, 2009).