The career of a pharmacy technician holds a lot of promise - with the healthcare industry exploding, an aging population and growing reliance on prescribed medications. Pharmacy Technician Program teaches you the concepts, procedures and calculations needed to assume your new role in a pharmacy setting.
Pharmacy Technicians Have Options in Their Careers
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
A career that is on the rise is that of a pharmacy technician. Pharmaceutical businesses and advances in scientific research have increased the need for more pharmacy technicians. According to the pharmacy association report, there are close to 40,000 job openings in this field every year.
One of the reasons for the increase in the need for pharmacy technicians is because pharmacists want to have more one-on-one, hands-on time with their patients. Therefore, pharmacy technicians assume more responsibility with the prescriptions and medications handed out.
In addition, more people are getting older and living longer, creating an even bigger need for pharmacy technicians to handle the increase in the number of prescriptions. This also creates more of a need for pharmacists to provide excellent patient care and technicians to apply their knowledge and take on more responsibility with pharmaceuticals. Pharmacists need dependable technicians working alongside them. Click here to learn more about how to become a pharmacy technician.
Where can pharmacy technicians find a job? Here are some options:
- Retail: Places like grocery stores or drug store chains are always hiring pharmacy technicians to work for them. A job like this has its perks such as health insurance, savings (401K) plans, a consistent full-time work schedule, and opportunities to move up in the business.
- Mail Order: This is a type of pharmacy business that is growing fast. It's a type of business that doesn't require a lot of overhead costs, which gives the company the ability to pay their pharmacy technicians an attractive salary with benefits and offer a flexible schedule. In this job, technicians check all prescriptions that are submitted through the mail. Then, they count the medication, label the prescription bottle, and mail the filled prescription back to the patient. The only drawback is that they work alone and do not interact with many people.
- Hospitals and Nursing Facilities: Nursing homes and hospitals are another place where pharmacy technicians are needed. They perform the same duties as they would if they were in a drug store, and they get to interact with many different people. They also deliver the medication to the patients in the hospital. This is ideal for pharmacy technicians that enjoy being in an environment where there are lots of people for them to communicate and interact with on a regular basis.
A pharmacy technician career will continue to be in demand as an aging and growing population requires more medications. This will create an increased need for qualified pharmacy technicians to perform such tasks as counting medication, managing the shelves and handling insurance paperwork. Opportunities will exist in many different settings -- creating flexibility, stability and reward for pharmacy technicians nationwide.
Labels: pharmacy business, pharmacy technician career, pharmacy technicians job, responsibility of pharmacy technician
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A Pharmacy Technician is Essential to the Pharmacy
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Everyone needs an assistant to help them complete their day-to-day tasks, and a pharmacist is no different. A pharmacy technician is the pharmacist's "assistant" and helps him or her keep the pharmacy running in an efficient and orderly manner -- from counting medication to answering the phone.
Pharmacy technicians play an important role -- when a prescription is received, the pharmacy technician checks the prescription, completes the insurance information, labels the bottle, measures the medication and pours it. There are additional administrative duties that include: checking on the status of prescriptions, organizing the medications on the pharmacy shelves and ringing up the sale on the cash register. Upon completion of the medical prescription, the pharmacist will double-check the medicine for any errors in measurement, count, or labeling. The pharmacy technician assists the head pharmacist, but the final word always comes from the pharmacist.
The role of a pharmacy technician is a large and important one -- however technicians cannot answer questions about medications and their possible side-effects or compound the actual medicines. This is the responsibility of the pharmacist, who has an extensive educational background and is licensed by the state.
A pharmacy technician can work in a hospital setting, nursing home, or pharmacy. They can set their schedules to work full or part-time. The good news is that this is a career that is on the rise -- the elderly population has increased and more people are taking medications than ever before. Scientific research continues to make breakthroughs in medications and treatments, which in turn increases the need for well-trained pharmacy technicians in pharmacies nationwide.
The job of a pharmacy technician, like many other jobs, is an important one. The necessary skills learned by a pharmacy technician will provide a tremendous help to pharmacists nationwide and keep the pharmacy or medical facility running in a smooth manner -- while effectively meeting the needs of patients. It's a career that helps people on a daily basis and makes a difference every day.
Labels: head pharmacist, pharmacy insurance technician, pharmacy technician, pharmacy technician duty, pharmacy technician job
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Certification & Your Pharmacy Technician Career
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
You want to make the most of your pharmacy technician caree. Your pharmacy technician online course prepares you to sit for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) exam, but you don't know if you should take the extra step. What exactly is certification? And how will it help your career?
Certification is defined as "the process by which a non-governmental association or agency grants recognition to an individual who has met certain predetermined qualifications specified by that association or agency." It is a designation that is earned through preparation and formal testing. Certification is valid for two years. During this time, you must complete 20 hours of continuing education to maintain your certification.
As a certified pharmacy technician, you will be prepared to work with licensed pharmacists and provide even greater patient care and service. Also, you will most likely find that there are greater job opportunities available to you because you are nationally certified. This is because pharmacists trust the PTCB certification and know that if you have earned it, you have a solid educational background as well as understanding of the pharmacy technician career.
The good news is that the pharmaceutical industry needs pharmacy technicians - Employment of pharmacy technicians is expected to increase by 32 percent from 2006 to 2016, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. And today, more employers are requiring certification. You will find that many pharmacy technician job postings require candidates who are either already certified or are currently enrolled in a pharmacy technician program.
Once you pass the national Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination, you can use the designation "CPhT" after your name. A certificate and wallet card will be sent to you six to eight weeks after you take the examination. You earn national certification that is recognized and valid nationwide. Regulations to work in a pharmacy as a pharmacy technician vary from state to state, so you should check your particular state to find out what rules apply to your pharmacy technician career.
With increasing competition in the job market, you should take the extra step to stand out in your pharmacy technician career. Apply the knowledge you learn in your pharmacy technician online course to pass the certification exam. Not only will you add valuable credentials to your resume, but you will open the door to opportunities nationwide.
Labels: certified pharmacy technician, licensed pharmacists, Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, pharmacy technician online course
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