Overview
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The Pharmacy Technician Profession
The need for Pharmacy Technicians continues to grow with demand expected to increase substantially through 2030. Technicians work under the supervision of a registered pharmacist in hospitals, home infusion pharmacies, community pharmacies and other healthcare settings. This high demand for pharmacy technicians is the result of a multitude of factors including the constant availability of new drugs, the national shortage of registered pharmacists, the establishment of certified pharmacy technicians, and the aging population. Approximately 400,000 technicians will be employed by the year 2022 to meet our nation’s growing healthcare demands
The Pharmacy Technician Program
This comprehensive course will prepare students to enter the pharmacy field and take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s PTCB exam. Course content includes pharmacy medical terminology, reading and interpreting prescriptions and defining generic and brand names drugs and much, much more! Program also includes a clinical externship at a local healthcare provider! This program will prepare students to enter the pharmacy field and to pursue certification including the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s PTCB exam. This course covers the following key areas and topics:
- Pharmacy calculations
- Medical terminology specific to the pharmacy
- Skills to read and interpret prescriptions
- Review of the top 200 drugs
- Skills to identify drugs by generic and brand names
- Dosage calculations, I.V. flow rates, drug compounding, and dose conversions
- Dispensing of prescriptions, inventory control, and billing and reimbursement
Pharmacy Technician Detailed Course Information:
- The history of pharmacy and healthcare
- Pharmacy technician role and responsibilities
- Pharmacy technician certification and registration process
- Types of pharmacies including the hospital pharmacy, retail practice, long-term care
- practice, mail order pharmacy, home care pharmacies, and others
- Drug regulation and control
- Pharmaceutical terminology and related anatomy
- Parts of the prescription and labeling; Pharmacy calculations and math review
- Pharmacy measures and abbreviations; Routes and formulations
- Parenterals and compounding
- Basic biopharmaceutics
- Aseptic technique and the handling of sterile products
- Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN)
- Basics of IV solutions and calculating 24-hour supply of IV solutions
- Factors affecting drug activity
- Information and pharmacy resources
- Inventory management and financial issues
- Brand names and generic drugs; Drug names and drug classes
Certifications
Education and National Certifications
- Pharmacy Technicians should have or be pursuing a high school diploma or GED
- There are no state approval and/or state requirements associated with this program.
- National certification:
- Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) national technician certification exam
Externship
Although not a requirement, once students complete the program, they have the ability to participate in an externship and/or hands on practicum so as to practice the skills necessary to perform the job requirements of a professional in this field. Students will be assisted with completing a resume and/or other requirements necessary to work in this field. All students who complete this program are eligible to participate in an externship and will be placed with a participating organization near their location.
NOTE: In order to take an externship, one must successfully complete and pass the national certification exam.
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Certificate of Completion