Chapter 2: The World of Pharmacy & Pharmacy Technicians

What is a profession?

An occupation that requires advanced training in a liberal art or science

Who are technicians?

People skilled in practical or mechanical aspects of a profession

What are 4 options of concentrations for pharmacists?

Clinical services, patient consultation and education, collaboration with physicians, and review of patterns of medication use

What are 4 things pharmacists might review or check over when looking at medications?

That the medication is appropriate for the patient’s condition, the dosage is correct, there are no patient allergies to the medication, and the medication won’t interact with anything else the patient is taking

What are pharmacists responsible for educating the patient on?

The medication, its dosage, and side effects

How do pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists?

Through performing routine tasks that don’t require a pharmacist’s expertise

Is the pharmacist ultimately legally responsible for a pharmacy technician’s actions?

Yes

Do pharmacy technician training requirements vary from state to state or are they the same throughout the US?

They vary

Do pharmacy technician training requirements vary from employer to employer or are they the same?

They vary

Do all, most, some, or no employers require pharmacy technicians to have at least a high school diploma or an equivalent?

Most

What does ADCs stand for?

Automated Dispensing Cabinets

What is an example of a job a pharmacy technician might have that requires a higher level of computer skill?

Computerized narcotic inventory control

What is an example of a job a pharmacy technician might have that requires a high level of math proficiency and working hands-on?

The mixing of IV and sterile products

What is the top priority for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians?

Patient safety

Do technicians have to be trained in a program only?

No; they can be trained either through a program or on the job

Does on the job training cover the same material as a program would?

No; it might be more specialized to that specific workplace and won’t be the same as a program

Which would be more likely to take longer to complete: on the job training or a program?

A program

What are clerkships?

Educational training done in actual practice settings such as local hospitals or community pharmacies

Who are pharmacists?

Professionals who have had advanced training in pharmaceutical sciences

How many years of pre-program do you need to complete to be qualified for a pharmacy program?

2 years

What degree do graduating pharmacists earn?

A doctor of pharmacy degree, which is called a PharmD

Is there another degree than a PharmD degree that pharmacists may hold?

Yes; some older pharmacists might have a bachelors of science (BS) in pharmacy

Do pharmacists also do residencies? If so, how long?

Yes; 1-2 years

What does residency do for pharmacists?

It gives them the opportunity to gain clinical experience

What are fellowships?

Post-graduate training that is similar to residency but focuses more on the research than the clinical practice

How many years does a fellowship normally take?

2-3 years

What is the CCP?

The Council on Credentialing in Pharmacy

What is accreditation?

The process by which an association, organization, or government agency grants public recognition to an organization, site, or program that meets certain criteria that’s determined through initial and periodic evaluations

What is a certification?

A voluntary process by which a nongovernmental agency or an association grants recognition to a person who has met certain qualifications specified by that organization. It’s given to show that the person has a certain level of knowledge or expertise in something

What can pharmacy technicians add after their name when they obtain their certification?

CPhT

What does CPhT stand for?

Certified pharmacy technician

What is credentialing?

The process by which a person gets qualifications in a subject an the process of an organization or institution obtaining, verifying, and assessing an individual’s qualification

What is licensure?

Recognition that a pharmacist has met the minimum requirements established by the state in which they intend on practicing to become a pharmacist

What body licenses pharmacists?

The board of pharmacy

Is there a board of pharmacy for every state or a general US board of pharmacy?

There’s a board of pharmacy for every state

What is registration?

The process of making a list or being added to an existing list

What does “being registered” mean in the pharmacy world?

That a pharmacist has met state requirements and has been put on a state registration of practitioners who are licensed to practice pharmacy in that state

What can pharmacists add to their name after being registered?

RPh

What does RPh stand for?

Registered pharmacist

What are the advantages to taking a pharmacy technician program?

You’ll have more job responsibilities, higher pay, and seniority over technicians who aren’t certified

What does ASHP stand for?

American Society of Health-system Pharmacists

What did the Scope of Pharmacy Practice Project do?

It analyzed the functions, responsibilities, and tasks of pharmacy technicians. This documented what pharmacists and pharmacy technicians do and the knowledge they need to do their job properly

Who were the pharmacy organizations that worked on the Scope of Pharmacy Practice Project?

ASHP, APhA, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, and the NABP

What does APhA stand for?

The American Pharmacists Association

What does NABP stand for?

National Association of Board of Pharmacy

What does PTCB stand for?

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board

Why was the PTCB created?

To establish a national pharmacy technician certification program

Who were the groups that joined the PTCB?

APhA, ASHP, the Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists, the Michigan Pharmacists Association, and NABP later on

What is the test the PTCB came up with?

The PTCE

What does PTCE stand for?

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination

What does JCPP stand for?

The Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners

What does the JCPP do?

They developed a vision of what pharmacy would look like in 2015 and stated that all state boards of pharmacy should authorize certified pharmacy technicians to perform all functions associated with fulfillment of prescription orders in all practice settings under a pharmacist’s supervision

Based off of the PTCB 2016 survey, would people prefer to go to a pharmacy where the pharmacy technician is certified or not certified?

Certified

What requirements do you have to fulfill to be able to take the PTCE?

Have a high school diploma, disclose your criminal background, and follow all PTCB certification policies

What are the specifics of the PTCE?

It’s a 110 minute, closed-book, computer based test. It has 90 questions that are all multiple choice, 80 of which are scored and 10 of which are not

How many domains are the PTCE divided into?

9

The PTCB conducts surveys and updates the PTCE every ___ years.

5

What are the 9 domains of the PTCE?

(1) pharmacology for technicians (2) pharmacy law and regulations (3) sterile and nonsterile compounding (4) medication safety (5) pharmacy quality assurance (6) medication order entry and fill process (7) pharmacy inventory management (8) pharmacy billing and reimbursement (9) pharmacy information systems usage and application

How many years can a technician go before they need to renew their certification?

2 years

How do pharmacy technicians renew their certifications?

By completing at least 20 hours of continuing education; 1 hour needs to be dedicated to pharmacy law and another hour to medication safety

What does ICPT stand for?

Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians

What sort of test did the ICPT create?

The ExCPT

What does ExCPT stand for?

Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians

Who currently offers the ExCPT?

The NHA

What does NHA stand for?

The National Healthcareer Association

How many supervised testing centers are in the US that offer the ExCPT?

Over 600

What are the requirements to take the ExCPT?

Completing a training program offered by a recognized organization

What are the specifics of the ExCPT?

It is a 130 minute test with 120 multiple choice questions

How many areas is the ExCPT grouped into?

4 areas

What are the 4 areas of the ExCPT and their percentages of the test?

(1) overview and laws, 25% (2) drugs and therapy, 15% (3) dispensing process, 45% (4) medication safety and quality assurance, 15%

How many years of work experience do you need to get advanced certifications?

3 years

What are the options of programs you have to choose 4 from to be able to get an advanced certification?

Technician product verification, medication history and medication reconciliation, controlled substance diversion prevention, billing and reimbursement, and hazardous drug management

What are the two routes you can choose from to become a CSPT?

3 years of work experience or completion of a sterile compounding course and 1 year of work experience

What does CSPT stand for?

Certified sterile preparation technician

What are the specifics of the exam to become a CSPT?

It is 2 hours long and has 75 questions

How many years can someone go before they need to renew their CSPT certification?

2 years

What are the 3 areas the NPTA provides certifications for?

Sterile products, chemotherapy and hazardous drugs, and compounding

What does NPTA stand for?

The National Pharmacy Technician Association

How do you get the NPTA certifications?

Through doing home-study modules, passing exams, and attending a 1-2 day training course in Texas

How many states in the US regulate pharmacy technicians?

45 states plus Washington D.C.

How many states in the US include certifications in their pharmacy technician regulations?

23 states plus Washington D.C.

What two organizations are most pharmacy technician training programs accredited by?

ASHP and ACPE

What does ACPE stand for?

Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education

What are the 4 goals of ACPE/ASHP standards?

(1) protect the public (2) guide development of pharmacy technician education and training programs (3) provide criteria for evaluation of new and existing programs (4) encourage improvement of existing programs

What types of institutions are accredited pharmacy technician programs usually located in?

Vocational, technical, and community colleges

What are 3 other places that may offer accredited pharmacy technician programs?

Hospitals, chain drug stores, and military branches

What are the three things pharmacists cover in their exam after earning their PharmD degree?

Pharmacy skills, knowledge, and pharmacy law

What are the 12 specialist areas within being a pharmacist?

Ambulatory care, cardiology, critical care, geriatrics, infectious diseases, nuclear pharmacy, nutrition support, oncology, pediatric, pharmacotherapy, psychiatric pharmacy, and sterile compounding

What is something that is useful for learning about professionalism in the pharmacy world?

The Code of Ethics

What organization adopted the APhA White Paper of 10 characteristics of a professional?

ASHP

Does joining organizations help you appear more professional?

Yes

What are some services offered from joining a pharmacy organization?

Continuing education opportunities, job placement services, career development and training services, subscriptions to pharmacy technician journals and newsletters, online discussion groups and networks

What are the two categories of environments pharmacy practice happens in?

Ambulatory care and institutional settings

What are 3 examples of ambulatory care?

Community clinics, home care, and mail-order pharmacy

What are the 2 main institutional settings for pharmacy practice?

Long-term care facilities and hospitals

What are 6 examples of other pharmaceutical practice spaces that aren’t categorized?

PBMs, managed care, hospice care, research facilities, educational centers, and pharmaceutical industry

What does PBM stand for and what are PBMs?

PBM stands for pharmacy benefit managers. PBMs are organizations that manages prescription medication benefits offered by employers or health plans and processes and pays prescription medication insurance claims for PBM members. They also develop a list of approved medications that doctors can prescribe for PBM members

What is ambulatory care?

It is pharmacy practice that serves patients living in their own homes or similar situations

What are institutional settings?

Places in which patients stay in a facility for long or short-term care

What is the goal of a pharmacy technician?

To ensure that patients receive the best drug therapy needed to maintain or restore their health