Pharmacy Technician Career Overview If you have strong attention to detail, a talent for working with customers and the desire to help people improve their health, a pharmacy technician career could be just the prescription for you. Pharmacy technicians work closely with licensed pharmacists to ensure safe and accurate handling of each prescription. As a pharmacy technician professional, your precision and care in your daily job will serve an important function in the medical field. Your typical duties may vary depending on your state's regulations; however, they will most likely include the following: - Assisting with prescriptions by counting pills
- Measuring medications
- Labeling products
- Verifying prescriptions from doctors
- Maintaining patient records
- Tracking insurance information
- Assisting patients with insurance forms
Pharmacy technicians are not permitted to consult with patients about their medication. Those questions fall under the expertise of the licensed pharmacist. Read the interview with a pharmacy technician professional for more details about a pharmacy technician career.  Pharmacy Technician Career Outlook The need for pharmacy technicians is increasing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there were about 285,000 pharmacy technicians in the US as of 2006. And they expect that number to grow about 32 percent by 2016. This means that pharmacy technician careers are growing much faster than average. There are several contributing factors in the phenomenal growth of pharmacy technician careers, including the following: - The role of the pharmacy technician is growing. Pharmacists are beginning to take a more active role in direct patient care, and as they do, pharmacy technicians to take on some of the duties currently held by pharmacists.
- People in North America are living longer, creating a higher demand for services.
- The health care industry further increases the demand for pharmacy technicians by constantly exploring new medical treatments. Pharmacists will always be looking for qualified pharmacy technicians to assist them.
Where Pharmacy Technicians Work As you start your pharmacy technician career, you will likely find that most employment opportunities exist within the following environments: Retail There are many pharmacy technician career opportunities in retail pharmacies such as you find in your local grocery or drug store. Working for a large retail chain often provides some of the following employee benefits: - Working regular steady hours
- Health insurance
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Promotion opportunities
Working in retail means working with people. If you like an active environment where keeping customers happy and comfortable is important, retail offers some great advancement opportunities. Mail Order Mail order pharmacies are a rapidly growing business, primarily because of lower operating costs and the ability to service a wider range of customers than local retail pharmacies. For the pharmacy technician, this translates into good pay, benefits and the possibility of a flexible work schedule. Perhaps the most solitary of the three workplaces, mail order is great if you like to work independently or behind-the-scenes. The duties of a pharmacy technician working in a mail order facility include: - Receiving mail order prescriptions
- Accurately reading prescriptions
- Determining if they are complete
- Counting the medication
- Labeling the prescriptions
Hospitals and Nursing Facilities In hospitals and nursing facilities, the pharmacy technician becomes more involved in patient care. Pharmacy technicians in health care facilities, such as hospitals and nursing homes, often fill prescriptions for patients and deliver them on a daily basis. They also record their dosages on the patient's chart. If you're the kind of person who likes one-on-one personal care and being an active part of a medical team, working in a hospital or nursing care facility is a great choice.  |
