Page 21 - CE Fall 2021 Catalog

What Pharmacy Technicians Do?
Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists dispense prescription medication to customers or health professionals. They mainly work in retail pharmacies and hospitals.
Duties
Pharmacy technicians typically:
• Collect information needed to fill a prescription from customers or health professionals
• Measure amounts of medication for prescriptions
• Package and label prescriptions
• Organize inventory and alert pharmacists to any shortages of medications or supplies
• Accept payment for prescriptions and process insurance claims
• Enter customer or patient information, including any prescriptions taken, into a computer system • Answer phone calls from customers
• Arrange for customers to speak with pharmacists if customers have questions about medications or other health matters Pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of pharmacists, who must review prescriptions before they are given to patients. In most states, technicians can compound or mix some medications and call physicians for prescription refill authorizations. Technicians also may need to operate automated dispensing equipment when filling prescription orders.
Pharmacy technicians working in hospitals and other medical facilities prepare a greater variety of medications, such as intravenous medications. They may make rounds in the hospital, giving medications to patients.
Pharmacy Technician Certificate
This comprehensive 75-hour course prepares students to enter the pharmacy field and take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s PTCB exam.
Course content includes: medical terminology specific to
the pharmacy; reading and interpreting prescriptions; and defining drugs by generic and brand names. Students also learn dosage calculations, I.V. flow rates, drug compounding, dose conversions, dispensing of prescriptions, inventory control and billing and reimbursement. One class session will tour a local hospital pharmacy and learning its operations. A textbook is required but is not included.
Instructor: Edwards
221OLER900A | 32 Sessions | $1999.00
Mon & Wed | 8/10-11/10 | 6-8:30 pm Main Campus
Job Outlook Pharmacy Technician
Employment of pharmacy technicians is projected to grow
4 percent from 2019 to 2029, about as fast as the average
for all occupations. The population is aging, and older people typically use more prescription medicines than younger people. Higher rates of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, among all age groups also will lead to increased demand for prescription medications. Advances in pharmaceutical research will allow for more prescription medications to be used to fight diseases. In addition, pharmacy technicians will be needed to take on a greater role in pharmacy operations because pharmacists are increasingly performing more patient care activities, such as giving flu shots. Technicians will need to perform tasks—such as collecting patient information, preparing more types of medications, and verifying the work of other technicians—that were previously done by pharmacists.
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