Pharmacy Technician

Beginning with a brief review of the history of medicines and pharmacy practices, students cover the qualifications, operational guidelines, and job duties of a pharmacy technician. An outline of pharmacy practice including office procedures and effective customer service will prepare the student for the technicians’ role. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to discuss the purpose of the pharmacy department; identify the duties and responsibilities of a pharmacy technician; explain the importance of utilizing pharmacy resources and summarize the importance of environmental safety standards, pharmacy safety, and personal safety and hygiene.

Students learn and apply mathematical processes commonly encountered in the course of duty as a pharmacy technician, including problems encountered in the preparation and distribution of pharmaceutical products. Topics include mathematical processes specific to prescription preparation and the business of pharmacy practice. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to solve mathematics problems relating specific to pharmacy practice.

In this course students study therapeutic agents, properties, actions, and effects on the human body and their role in the management of disease, specifically in the management of pharmacy medication therapy. Drug dosages, therapeutic properties, side effects, interactions, toxicities, incompatibilities, over-the-counter (OTC) medications and dietary supplements will be discussed with their possible interactions with prescription, restricted and investigational drugs. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to review patient prescription and medication orders/profiles for safety and accuracy while assisting the pharmacist.

Students continue the study of therapeutic agents, properties, actions, and effects on the human body and their role in the management of disease, specifically in the management of pharmacy medication therapy as practiced in a retail setting. Applying mathematical processes commonly encountered in the course of duty as a pharmacy technician will bridge the concepts between preparation and distribution of pharmaceutical products and prescription preparation. Office equipment, reimbursement methodologies and the business of pharmacy practice is reinforced. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to define various disease processes, patterns, and pathogenic organisms.

This course provides students with an understanding of the history of medicine and pharmacy and the general aspects of pharmacology with an emphasis on the understanding of drug actions, classifications, and formularies. Commonly prescribed drugs will also be covered. Upon completion of the course students will be able to prepare prescriptions and effectively work as an entry-level member of the pharmacy staff.

This course teaches pharmacy technician students entry-level skills performed in institutional pharmacy settings. The main objective is to provide the students with a practical experience in the duties performed by a pharmacy technician in an institutional pharmacy setting. In this hands-on course, topics include: information sources, reviewing and processing prescriptions, application of rules and regulations, institutional pharmacy equipment, sterile compounding, intravenous products and aseptic technique. Chemotherapy and Quality Control and Assurance are additional subject areas that are introduced and reviewed.

Students will prepare for the national certification through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam. A review of drug names, drug classifications, interactions, side effects, and dosages, pharmaceutical calculations, extemporaneous compounding, prescription/medical order interpretation and preparation; and the application of Federal law concepts to the tasks and duties of pharmacists and technicians in the practice of pharmacy.

This course allows the student to apply what they have learned in the program curriculum to practical use in a healthcare facility under the direct supervision of a preceptor on the site. Through the externship experience, the student gain first- hand knowledge of the workplace and perform the assigned duties to meet the expectations in a professional setting. Students are expected to adapt to the work environment and reflect regularly on their learning and observations. The externship work performed, is not to be paid.