2. Pharmacy Practice for the CPhT: Understanding the Pharmacy Team

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65 Terms

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What are the four main pharmacy team roles?
Pharmacist, pharmacy technician, pharmacy intern, and pharmacy clerk.
2
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Which pharmacy team member is responsible for clinical decision-making and oversight?
The pharmacist.
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What is the main role of a pharmacy technician?
Provide technical, administrative, and operational support under pharmacist supervision.
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What is a pharmacy intern?
A pharmacist-in-training who performs authorized clinical and technical tasks under pharmacist supervision.
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What is the main role of a pharmacy clerk?
Provide nontechnical customer service and front-end support.
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What is a pharmacist responsible for checking about a patient's medication therapy?
That it is safe, appropriate, and effective.
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Which team member evaluates whether medications are appropriate for a patient's condition?
The pharmacist.
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Which team member evaluates drug interactions and resolves clinical concerns?
The pharmacist.
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Who should handle patient questions about medication side effects or how to take a medication?
The pharmacist, or an authorized pharmacy intern under supervision.
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Can pharmacy technicians independently provide medication counseling?
No; they must refer counseling questions to the pharmacist.
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Can pharmacy technicians independently make clinical decisions?
No.
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Who supervises pharmacy technicians and pharmacy interns?
A licensed pharmacist.
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What degree is earned through the standard modern U.S. pharmacist education pathway?
Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD).
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What authorizes a pharmacist to practice in a jurisdiction?
The pharmacist license required by that jurisdiction.
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Is specialty board certification required for general pharmacist practice?
No; specialty board certification is optional.
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What is the difference between pharmacist licensure and specialty board certification?
Licensure authorizes practice; specialty certification demonstrates advanced expertise.
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What does CE stand for?
Continuing education.
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Why do pharmacists complete continuing education?
To maintain licensure and stay current in pharmacy practice.
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What does MTM stand for?
Medication Therapy Management.
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Which team member provides clinical oversight of Medication Therapy Management?
The pharmacist.
21
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Who sets state-specific pharmacy technician education, registration, and practice requirements?
The state board of pharmacy or applicable state regulatory authority.
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Are pharmacy technician requirements identical in every state?
No; requirements vary by state.
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Where should a technician check current state registration and scope-of-practice requirements?
The state's board of pharmacy or applicable regulatory authority.
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Are national certification and state registration or licensure the same thing?
No; they are separate credentials or authorizations.
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Does national certification automatically authorize a technician to practice in every state?
No; applicable state requirements must also be met.
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What does PTCB stand for?
Pharmacy Technician Certification Board.
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What does PTCE stand for?
Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam.
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What does CPhT stand for?
Certified Pharmacy Technician.
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What is the difference between PTCB and PTCE?
PTCB is the certifying organization; PTCE is its certification examination.
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What does pharmacy technician certification demonstrate?
That the technician meets the certifying organization's knowledge and qualification standards.
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What types of tasks do pharmacy technicians perform?
Technical, administrative, and operational tasks within their authorized scope.
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What information-related tasks can technicians perform during prescription processing?
Check for complete information and enter prescription and patient data into the pharmacy system.
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Does checking a prescription for complete information authorize a technician to make clinical judgments?
No; clinical concerns must go to the pharmacist.
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What medication preparation tasks commonly fall within a technician's role?
Counting, measuring, labeling, and packaging medications.
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What happens after a technician prepares a prescription in the workflow described in the notes?
It is staged for pharmacist verification.
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Can every pharmacy technician transfer prescriptions?
No; authority depends on state law, credentials, prescription type, and pharmacy policy.
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Can technicians request refill authorizations?
Where permitted by state law and pharmacy policy.
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What medication ordering tasks can technicians perform?
Order stock, track deliveries, and resolve shipment discrepancies.
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What inventory management tasks can technicians perform?
Monitor stock, check for expired or damaged products, and maintain proper storage.
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What guidance determines proper medication storage?
Manufacturer instructions and applicable regulatory requirements.
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What should technicians do with expired or damaged stock?
Handle returns or coordinate proper disposal according to pharmacy procedures and regulations.
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What pharmacy records may technicians maintain?
Prescription records, inventory transactions, and other operational records.
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Why must pharmacy records be accurate and organized?
To meet regulatory requirements and support audits and inspections.
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What insurance-related duties can technicians perform?
Process claims, verify eligibility, and help resolve billing and reimbursement issues.
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What patient questions can technicians generally help answer?
Nonclinical questions about pickups, refill status, insurance, and pharmacy procedures.
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What should a technician do when a patient asks which medication would best treat a symptom?
Refer the patient to the pharmacist.
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What should a technician do when a patient asks whether two medications are safe to take together?
Refer the question to the pharmacist.
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What should a technician do when a patient reports a possible medication side effect?
Refer the concern to the pharmacist.
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What determines a pharmacy intern's permitted duties?
State law, the intern's training level, and required pharmacist supervision.
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Can pharmacy interns counsel patients?
Yes, when authorized and under the required pharmacist supervision.
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Can pharmacy interns assist with clinical review and prescription verification?
Yes, within their authorized scope and under pharmacist supervision.
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Can pharmacy interns administer immunizations?
When permitted by applicable law and training requirements, under required supervision.
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What other clinical activities may pharmacy interns participate in?
Medication therapy management, medication reconciliation, and chronic disease management.
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Can pharmacy interns perform technician-level duties?
Yes; they may assist with prescription entry, labeling, inventory, and customer service.
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Does pharmacy intern status allow independent pharmacist practice?
No.
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What are other names for pharmacy clerks?
Pharmacy assistants or cashiers.
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What training do pharmacy clerks typically receive?
On-the-job training.
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What are common pharmacy clerk duties?
Greeting customers, handling payments, answering phones, filing paperwork, and restocking front-end merchandise.
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Do pharmacy clerks generally perform clinical or medication preparation tasks?
No; their role generally involves nontechnical duties.
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Who should receive a clinical question first presented to a pharmacy clerk?
The pharmacist.
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Who can help a clerk with a technical workflow question?
A pharmacy technician or pharmacist, as appropriate.
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What determines a clerk's access to secured pharmacy areas and medication-handling duties?
Applicable law, pharmacy policy, and the clerk's assigned role.
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What is scope of practice?
The duties a person is legally authorized to perform in their role.
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Does a job title alone determine every task a pharmacy employee may perform?
No; applicable law, credentials, training, supervision, and pharmacy policy also matter.
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What is the difference between education, licensure or registration, and certification?
Education prepares someone for a role; licensure or registration provides applicable state authorization or recognition; certification demonstrates that certifying standards are met.