Pharmacy Technicians

Prepare medications under the direction of a pharmacist. May measure, mix, count out, label, and record amounts and dosages of medications according to prescription orders.

Sample of reported job titles:
Accredited Pharmacy Technician, Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT), Chemotherapy Pharmacy Technician (Chemo Pharmacy Technician), Compounding Technician, OR Pharmacy Tech (Operating Room Pharmacy Tech), RPhT (Registered Pharmacy Technician)

Occupation-Specific Information

Tasks

  • Receive written prescription or refill requests and verify that information is complete and accurate.
  • Maintain proper storage and security conditions for drugs.
  • Answer telephones, responding to questions or requests.
  • Assist customers by answering simple questions, locating items, or referring them to the pharmacist for medication information.
  • Price and file prescriptions that have been filled.

Technology Skills

  • Accounting software:Billing and reimbursement software
  • Data base user interface and query software:Database software
    ,
    Drug compatibility software
  • Electronic mail software:Microsoft Outlook
  • Enterprise resource planning ERP software:Pharmacy management software
  • Inventory management software:Inventory management software
    ,
    Pyxis MedStation software

Occupational Requirements

Work Activities

  • Getting Information:Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Working with Computers:Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards:Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Processing Information:Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Documenting/Recording Information:Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Detailed Work Activities

  • Clean medical equipment or facilities.
  • Enter codes or other information into computers.
  • Enter information into databases or software programs.
  • Enter patient or treatment data into computers.
  • Maintain inventory of medical supplies or equipment.

Work Context

  • Telephone:100% responded"Every day"
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate:98% responded"Extremely important"
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled:97% responded"Every day"
  • Contact With Others:90% responded"Constant contact with others"
  • Electronic Mail:78% responded"Every day"

Worker Requirements

Skills

  • Active Listening:Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Reading Comprehension:Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Speaking:Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Critical Thinking:Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Active Learning:Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Knowledge

  • Customer and Personal Service:Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Medicine and Dentistry:Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
  • Mathematics:Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • English Language:Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Computers and Electronics:Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Education

How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:
  • 42%
    Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
  • 36%
    High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
  • 15%
    Some College Courses

Worker Characteristics

Abilities

  • Near Vision:The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Oral Comprehension:The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression:The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written Comprehension:The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Speech Recognition:The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Interests

  • Conventional:Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
  • Realistic:Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Work Values

  • Relationships:Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
  • Support:Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
  • Achievement:Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Work Styles

  • Attention to Detail:Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
  • Integrity:Job requires being honest and ethical.
  • Dependability:Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
  • Cooperation:Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
  • Self-Control:Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Get yourself a new skill

In this Path

Track1
Analytical Skills
Decision Making
Our lives are but an endless series of making decisions; we as people might have to take hundreds -...
Read more
Salalem
Problem Solving
كلُ مشكلةٍ تشبهُ البابَ الكبيرَ، وبالتأكيدِ هناك حلٌ يمثلُ المفتاحَ الصغيرَ الذي يمكنكَ من فتحِهِ بس...
Read more
Salalem
Track2
Microsoft Office Set
Microsoft Excel
This course is designed to take you from Zero to Hero on Excel, and make your accounting job and req...
Read more
Filtered AI
Microsoft Word
Word is not just for writing plain text; and this is why this course is here to guide you through ev...
Read more
Intellezy Learning