What Do Pharmacy Technicians Do?
Healthcare careers are attractive for a wide array of individuals. However, for many people, pursuing intensive higher education so they can begin a healthcare career is not an option because of financial or time limits.
One alternative is to become a pharmacy technician, which doesn’t require the same extensive education requirements. What do pharmacy technicians do? Learn all about this field and what you can expect if you decide to pursue it.
What Are the Primary Responsibilities of a Pharmacy Technician?
Pharmacy technicians have several key responsibilities that keep pharmacies running smoothly while also ensuring that patients get the assistance they need.
Dispensing Medications
One of the most important responsibilities pharmacy techs have is to accurately prepare new prescriptions and refill requests for patients. They have to select the appropriate drug, brand, strength, and quantity based on the prescription.
They are also in charge of labeling and packaging prescribed medications as well as tracking inventory. Many pharmacy techs also prepare compounded medications using both sterile and non-sterile processes.
Customer Service
If “What do pharmacy technicians do?” is a common question, so is “Will I interact with patients?” The answer is a resounding yes. You have the chance to answer patient questions related to their prescriptions and to educate them on the appropriate use of the medication. This is a client-facing role, so having great customer service skills is essential.
Inventory Management
Pharmacy techs also manage the pharmacy’s inventory. They keep track of the availability of each medication by regularly performing both electronic and physical audits. They are in charge of ordering more medications when inventory is low and even ordering specialty medications as needed.
Another important aspect of inventory management is keeping track of expiration dates and removing medications that are no longer viable. They also conduct checks for controlled substances to ensure everything is in order.
Administrative Tasks
Pharmacy techs keep the pharmacy running smoothly by performing essential administrative tasks. They include stocking shelves, answering phone calls, keeping patient records up to date, and even cleaning pharmacy equipment.
Additionally, they deal with billing and medical insurance claims. This can involve calling the insurer to verify coverage, updating the insurance coverage in the pharmacy system, and dealing with rejections from the insurer.
Are There Specialized Roles and Duties for Pharmacy Technicians?
Many pharmacy techs choose to specialize in certain roles. This specialization not only offers a more diverse set of tasks, but it can also help you earn a higher salary.
Compounding Medications
A pharmacy technician who specializes in compounding medications can work in compounding pharmacies to offer customized medications. These are medications that aren’t available in standard pharmacies. They can be made with non-sterile or sterile components.
Customized medications are important for patients who require dosages that vary from the standard or when they need a combination of drugs. They’re also important for people who may be allergic to other ingredients in standard formulas.
The pharmacy tech who specializes in this creates, labels, and packages the prescriptions. They often don’t interact with patients as much as standard pharmacy techs.
Working in Specialty Pharmacies
Specialty pharmacies help treat rare or chronic medical conditions. These pharmacies offer a variety of medications that range from cutting-edge injectables and biologic products to oral ones. They also offer immunization services that go beyond the standard options.
Working in specialty pharmacies requires you to stay updated on industry trends, which means ensuring you receive continuing education to maintain certification.
Hospital Pharmacy Technicians
Pharmacy techs who want a fast-paced work environment can choose a hospital setting. These techs manage medications, including IV medications, for the various hospital departments. They have the responsibility of ensuring medications get to where they need to go as quickly as possible.
What Are the Training and Certification Requirements for a Pharmacy Technician?
Becoming a pharmacy tech doesn’t mean needing to spend lots of years in school. Most employers don’t require a degree to work as a tech. You can get an associate’s degree or enroll in an accredited training program. Training programs usually take two years to complete.
Alternatively, you can complete a certificate program. These tend to last one year and offer more focused courses.
Once you complete your degree, finish the training program, or get your certificate, you will need to get practical experience. Training programs make getting experience simpler, but if you choose to get a certificate, you can go for externships.
The next step to becoming a pharmacy technician is to get certification. Most, if not all, employers will require this. You can receive certification from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, allowing you to become a Certified Pharmacy Technician.
To earn a certification, you must have completed 500 hours of experience as a pharmacy technician, or you must complete a recognized training program.
You can also receive certification from the National Healthcareer Association. To qualify, you need to have completed a training program or have 1,200 hours of experience.
Additionally, when considering how to become a pharmacy tech, you can opt to specialize. This increases your job opportunities and can help you get better salaries. Specialization requires completing more training programs and ensuring that you have the right continuing education credits.
How Can RxCe Help You With Your Pharmacy Tech Career?
Becoming a pharmacy tech doesn’t have to be a complex journey. By having an idea of what your goals are, you can plan your career trajectory accordingly.
At RxCe, we make the process even simpler. We offer online courses that help you get continuing education credits that you need to reach your career goals. Our courses come at some of the best rates so that financial strain doesn’t affect your earning potential. With a free trial course, you can get a sense of how we can help you succeed.
