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Request free information from any of the pharmacy technician programs below. Get on the road to becoming a pharmacy assistant quickly and easily and start earning what you're worth in this rewarding career field. Pharmacy technicians work very closely with a licensed pharmacist, providing help with prescriptions. Technicians can receive on-the-job training to further develop skills learned in formal education and through certification programs. The technician performs many tasks to help the pharmacist, and they also help the patient stay informed about their medications.
A pharmacy technician must have training in many areas to know about pharmaceutical procedures, laws, and ethics. Many hospitals and technical colleges offer education programs targeted toward pharmacy technology and science.
Pharmacy technicians have many important responsibilities. They need to know the location, quality, and quantity of poison antidotes, as well as the phone number for the poison control center. Technicians are often responsible for recordkeeping and should know the names, effects, and uses of drugs and treatments. They are also trained in other important jobs, such as answering patients’ questions, reviewing patients’ charts, and delivering the medicine as ordered by the pharmacist and physician.
One of the most important responsibilities is counting pills and making the labels for a patient’s medicine. They should also be able to recognize the types of drugs being used and which ones cause reactions.
The pharmacy technician is trained to work directly with the pharmacist and sometimes has to work many hours. They are expected to work nights, weekends, and holidays if needed. A technician working for a hospital tends to work more hours than a technician working at a pharmacy. Hospitals need a pharmacy’s assistance 24 hours a day, meaning that a pharmacist and a technician are needed many hours each day.
People’s life spans have increased, and this has created more jobs for pharmacy technicians. Today more than ever drugs are being used to prolong life. More than one technician is usually needed to fill prescriptions and answer a patient’s questions. Many times technicians are responsible for answering phones and talking to doctors. They also check and fill called-in prescriptions before a pharmacist checks and approves the medications. With such increasing responsibilities, more pharmacy technicians are needed than ever before.
Many retail stores have pharmacies and employ technicians. Sometimes, they sell over-the-counter drugs and other health-related items. Technicians in one of these stores should be able to stand on their feet for many hours and be prepared to help many people each day.
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