|
|
|
NATURE OF THE WORK
In a nutshell, Pharmacy Technicians help licensed pharmacists provide medication and other healthcare products to patients and perform almost every function in the pharmacy.
A Pharmacy Technician takes care of many of the day-to-day operations of a pharmacy, leaving a pharmacist free for more critical operations. Technicians usually perform routine tasks, such as: helping prepare prescribed medication for patients, counting tablets, answer telephones, receive written prescriptions, verifying written prescriptions, taking refill requests, compounding and mixing medications, preparing IV medications, operating computer and automation systems, affixing auxiliary labels, pricing inventory, preparing insurance claim forms, stocking shelves, ordering supplies, filling orders, controlling inventory, greeting patients, running cash registers, labeling bottles, plus much more. Technicians refer any questions about prescriptions, drug information, or health matters to their co-workers, the pharmacists. The Pharmacist always checks the pharmacy technicians work before it is given to the patient.
HOW DO I BECOME A PHARMACY TECHNICIAN?
In order to become a certified pharmacy technician (CPhT), you must pass the PTCB exam that is given 3 times per year. If you have no experience in pharmacy and want to get started, visit www.rxtechschool.com for information on your training options. Employers, often pharmacists, know that individuals who pass the exam have a standardized body of knowledge and skills. Certified technicians must be re-certified every 2 years. Technicians must complete 20 contact hours of pharmacy-related topics within the 2-year certification period to become eligible for recertification.
WHY PHARMACY AS A CAREER?
- Health services are one of the largest industries in the country, with more than 11 million jobs, including the self-employed.
- About 13 percent of all wage and salary jobs created between 2000 and 2010 will be in health services.
- Nine out of 20 occupations projected to grow the fastest are concentrated in health services.
- Most jobs require less than 4 years of college education.
Good job opportunities are expected for full-time and part-time work, especially for pharmacy technicians.
Job openings for pharmacy technicians will result from the expansion of retail pharmacies and other employment settings, and from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force.
Employment of pharmacy technicians is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2010 due to the increased pharmaceutical needs of a larger and older population, and to the greater use of medication.
The increased number of middle-aged and elderly people-who, on average, use more prescription drugs than do younger people-will spur demand for technicians in all practice settings. With advances in science, more medications are becoming available to treat more conditions. Cost-conscious insurers, pharmacies, and health systems will continue to emphasize the role of technicians. As a result, pharmacy technicians will assume responsibility for more routine tasks previously performed by pharmacists. Pharmacy technicians also will need to learn and master new pharmacy technology as it surfaces. Almost all States have legislated the maximum number of technicians who can safely work under a pharmacist at a time. In some States, increased demand for technicians has encouraged an expanded ratio of technicians to pharmacists. Changes in these laws could directly affect employment.
Eighty percent of patients who visit a doctor, leave with a prescription. Which means, that every day millions of Americans depend on pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to dispense their drug therapies and consult with them about their health care needs. Pharmacy has always been an exciting and rewarding career, and has recently become one of the most pursued fields in the health care industry.
Wage and salary employment in the health services industry is projected to increase more than 25 percent through 2010, compared with an average of 16 percent for all industries. Employment growth is expected to account for about 2.8 million new jobs-13 percent of all wage and salary jobs added to the economy over the 2000-10 period. Projected rates of employment growth for the various segments of this industry range from 10 percent in hospitals, the largest and slowest growing industry segment, to 68 percent in the much smaller home healthcare services.
Source - U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2002-03 Edition
|
|
|
|
