Professional and Technical Skills Needed as a Pharmacy Technician

Professionalism

Demonstrating the skills, proper judgment, technical qualities, and behavior expected of a trained healthcare professional.

Accountability

Taking personal responsibility for actions, services rendered to patients, and continuously improving quality of care.

De-escalation Protocol

Maintaining professional standards when dealing with difficult clients and involving the pharmacist if a situation becomes unmanageable.

Professional Personal Appearance

Projecting competence to the public through neat, clean, and workplace-compliant attire and grooming.

Pharmacy Attire

Scrubs, laboratory coats, or business professional attire based on specific workplace dress code policies.

Pharmacy Footwear

Comfortable closed-toe shoes or supportive tennis shoes suitable for long hours of standing on duty.

Hygiene and Grooming Standards

Conservative appearance guidelines (e.g., restricted piercings, natural hair tones) designed to maintain sanitary standards and public trust.

Pharmacy Policies and Procedures Manual

The official workplace manual detailing standardized steps for storing, filling, and compounding medications.

Pharmacy Math Applications

Calculating drip rates, solution concentrations, mixing ratios, and sales transactions accurately.

IV Room Mathematics

Specialized calculations used in institutional settings to prepare sterile intravenous mixtures and control drip rates.

Double-Check Protocol

Mandatory quality control process where a supervisor or pharmacist verifies all mathematical calculations before dispensing.

Pharmacology Knowledge

Understanding drug mechanisms, brand/generic names, medical terminology, and standard pharmacy abbreviations.

Multitasking in Pharmacy

Executing multiple operational tasks—such as answering phones, labeling, and filling—efficiently within short timeframes.

Task-Related Professional Skills

Attention to detail, dispute resolution, independent problem-solving, and clear oral/written communication.