Home » Choose a Career » Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy Technician

If your looking for a secure career in a fast growing field, then the Pharmacy Technician program could be your answer.

Course Description

Our Pharmacy Technician Career Training Program will give the pharmacy technician the knowledge to achieve the competencies required to gain certification via the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) exam.

The program is delivered via the Internet, with each student receiving the online courseware (which includes over 35 hours of video instruction) along with the study materials (see below), quizzes and a final exam. Each student is supported by our licensed pharmacist instructor who provides feedback and guidance via phone and e-mail.

Pharmacy Technician

Learning Objectives

The goal of this program is to give the pharmacy technician the required skills to understand and perform a necessary competence in general operations of a pharmacy, demonstrate drug dosage knowledge, follow the correct procedures pertaining to accurate drug calculations and measurement and assisting the pharmacist in administrative and customer relations on a daily basis.

Course Breakdown

1 . THE PHARMACOLOGICAL COMPENDIUM

  • Pharmacology
  • Web Research

2.THE PHARMACY TECHNICIAN

  • Describe the origins of pharmacy.
  • Describe the 2 stages of development of pharmacy during the 20th century.
  • Compare and contrast the functions of the pharmacist and the pharmacy technician.
  • Explain the educational and licensing requirements of pharmacist and pharmacy technicians.
  • Identify the duties and work environments of the pharmacy technician.
  • Differentiate among the various kinds of pharmacies.

3. PHARMACY LAW, STANDARDS, AND ETHICS FOR TECHNICIANS

  • Distinguish among statutory law, common law, regulatory law, ethics and professional standards for the practice of pharmacy.
  • Describe the impact of major statutory federal drug laws on the practice of pharmacy in the 20th and 21st centuries.
  • Differentiate between the duties that can be performed by a pharmacist and a pharmacy technician.

4. MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY, DOSAGE FORMS AND ROUTES OF ADMINISTRATION

  • Identify common Latin and Greek word parts used in medicine and pharmacy.
  • Interpret basic terminology by organ system.
  • Interpret abbreviations and symbols used in prescriptions and medication orders.
  • Differentiate between different dosage forms that are commonly prescribed.
  • Understand the common routes of administration and which dosage forms are given by a specific route of administration.

5. THE PRESCRIPTION

  • Explain the difference between a prescription and a medication order.
  • Describe the role of and elements of a patient profile.
  • Identify the required elements of a prescription.
  • Interpret standard prescription terminology.
  • Describe the steps in the dispensing process.
  • Describe the required elements of a prescription label.
  • Identify ways to avoid dispensing errors.
  • Identify guidelines for the safe use of pharmacy abbreviations.

6. DRUG CLASSIFICATION

  • Identify a therapeutic classification for the top 200 drug products.
  • Identify drugs that belong to the same chemical class of drug products.
  • Name a common trade name for the top generic drug products.

7. HOW DRUGS WORK

  • Define the terms- absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion.
  • Identify factors of patient variability that affect ADME.
  • Discuss the different mechanisms of action for drug interactions.
  • Identify a common drug interactions and their categorization.
  • Explain the impact of drug-food interactions.

8. HOSPITAL AND INSTITUTIONAL PHARMACY PRACTICE

  • List the members of the healthcare team within the hospital and the common departments found in a hospital.
  • Understand the origins and purpose of the hospital formulary.
  • Describe the functions of a drug information center.
  • Explain the difference between central pharmacy, satellite pharmacy inpatient pharmacy and outpatient pharmacy.
  • Explain the concept of Universal Precautions.
  • Describe proper aseptic technique, including the use of horizontal and vertical airflow hoods.
  • Describe the equipment and procedures used in preparing parenterals.
  • Describe unit-dose and floor stock distribution systems.
  • Explain the proper procedure for repackaging of medications.
  • Describe proper procedures for handling and disposal of hazardous agents.
  • List institutional pharmacy practice sites other than a hospital.

9. COMMUNITY AND OTHER PHARMACY SETTINGS

  • Identify the major elements of a patient profile.
  • List the required elements for a prescription.
  • List the required elements for a prescription label.
  • Describe the elements of Disease State Management Programs.
  • Identify ways to protect a patients privacy in a community pharmacy.
  • Describe the role of the pharmacy technician in inventory management.

10. EXTEMPORANEOUS COMPOUNDING

  • Compare the terms manufacturing and extemporaneous compounding and describe common situations in which compounding is required.
  • Identify and describe the appropriate use of equipment used for the weighing, measuring, mixing, molding and packaging of pharmaceuticals.
  • Describe the proper technique for weighing pharmaceutical ingredients.
  • Describe the proper technique for measuring liquid volumes.
  • Explain the use of the geometric dilution method.
  • Explain the processes by which solutions, suspensions, ointments, creams, powders, suppositories, and capsules are prepared.

11. The Business of Pharmacy

  • Explain different inventory management systems and concepts including POS systems, backorders, invoices, expiration dates, stocking and storage systems.
  • Describe the use of Material Safety Data Sheets
  • Describe different types of automated dispensing systems and their use in the pharmacy
  • Explain how insurance and 3rd party payors impact the practice of pharmacy.
  • Understand the concepts needed to perform basic business math

12. PHARMACY MATH REVIEW

  • Demonstrate competency in number conversion between different measuring systems used in the practice of pharmacy
  • Calculate dosages based on weight and frequency
  • Understand the relationship between fractions and decimals
  • Determine IV flow rate calculations
  • Compound prescriptions utilizing ration and proportions and allegation methods.

13. PHARMACY COMMUNICATION, JOBS SKILLS AND REVIEW FOR THE PTCB EXAM

  • Identify appropriate methods of communication with colleagues and customers
  • Review for the certification exam

START YOUR APPLICATION TODAY