Pharmacy Tech Module 1

📘 Module One: Introduction to Pharmacy Technician

🏛 1. History of Pharmacy

• Evolved from ancient healers → modern pharmacists.

• Key names: Hippocrates, Galen, and the apothecary system.

• Growth of drug regulations and standardized practices.

💼 2. Role of a Pharmacy Technician

• Main duties:

  • Assist pharmacists in filling prescriptions.

  • Label and package medications.

  • Handle inventory and insurance claims.

  • Provide customer service.

• Not allowed to:

  • Give medical advice.

  • Counsel patients.

  • Take new verbal prescriptions.

🏥 3. Work Settings

• Retail Pharmacy (CVS, Walgreens).

• Hospital Pharmacy (inpatient meds).

• Mail-Order/Compounding (custom meds or large orders).

🗣 4. Communication Skills

• Use clear and professional language.

• Communicate effectively with:

  • Patients

  • Pharmacists

  • Doctors

  • Insurance companies

• Follow HIPAA (protect patient info).

⚖ 5. Pharmacy Laws and Ethics

• Know these agencies:

  • FDA – regulates drug safety & approval.

  • DEA – controls narcotics & scheduled drugs.

  • OSHA – workplace safety.

• Controlled Substances Act (CSA): Drugs categorized into Schedules I–V:

  • I = illegal/high abuse (ex: heroin).

  • V = low abuse, common (ex: cough meds).

• Ethics = doing the right thing, avoiding med errors.

📖 6. Basic Medical & Pharmacy Terminology

• Rx = prescription

• Sig = directions

• po = by mouth

• bid = twice daily

• tid = three times daily

• Know brand vs. generic drug names.

🧠 Study Tips:

• ✨ Make flashcards for abbreviations & drug schedules.

• 💬 Quiz yourself on what techs can/can’t do.

• 🧾 Memorize what each agency (FDA, DEA, OSHA) does.

💊 Medication Therapy vs Medication Management

Know the difference—they sound similar but aren't the same!

🧪 Medication Therapy (MT)

Also known as Medication Therapy Management (MTM).

🔹 What it is:

A service provided by pharmacists to help patients get the most benefit from their medications.

🔹 Goals:

• Improve therapeutic outcomes.

• Prevent/reduce medication errors.

• Educate the patient on proper use.

🔹 What it includes:

• Reviewing all medications a patient takes (including OTC & supplements).

• Checking for drug interactions or duplications.

• Making sure meds are working correctly.

• Ensuring the patient understands how to take them.

🧠 Remember:

Pharmacy technicians assist in this process, but only pharmacists can perform MTM.

📋 Medication Management

This refers more to the daily organizing, storing, and giving of medication—especially for patients who take many meds.

🔹 Who needs it:

• Elderly patients

• People with chronic illnesses

• Patients with complex med routines

🔹 What it involves:

• Tracking doses and refill dates

• Setting up pill organizers

• Checking for adherence (did they take it?)

• Reminding patients to take meds

🔹 Tech’s Role:

• Help organize and label meds

• Prep meds under supervision

• Track inventory/refills

• Report issues to pharmacist

✅ Key Differences:

🔁 Quick Recap:

• MTM = therapy review + counseling (pharmacist job)

• Medication management = handling meds safely (tech & patient role)

🧠💊 Adherence Aids & Devices

Helping patients stay on track with their meds!

📌 What is Adherence?

Adherence = how well a patient follows their prescribed medication routine (like taking the right dose at the right time).

If they forget, skip, or take it wrong, it can mess up their treatment 🫠

💡 Adherence Aids = Tools that help patients remember & manage their meds better

🔹 Common Adherence Aids/Devices:

🧑🏽‍⚕️ Tech’s Role:

• Recommend the right device (based on patient needs).

• Educate patients on how to use them.

• Keep track of patients’ refill schedules.

• Let the pharmacist know if someone keeps missing doses.

🧠 Quick Tips:

• Match the aid to the patient’s lifestyle.

• Techs can’t diagnose or prescribe, but they support adherence big time.

• Adherence = better outcomes = healthier patients = 💯

✅ Product Verification

AKA: Making sure the right meds go to the right patient, the right way.

This is crucial in pharmacy work—one mistake can be dangerous 😬

🔍 What is Product Verification?

Product verification is the process of checking that the filled prescription:

• Is correct (right drug, strength, dosage form)

• Matches the original prescription

• Has the correct label and packaging

💡 Usually done by a pharmacist, but technicians assist in preparing for this step!

🔹 Steps in the Product Verification Process:

1. Compare the filled med to the original Rx

   • Check drug name, strength, dosage form, quantity

2. Check the NDC number

   • Every drug has a National Drug Code (like a fingerprint)

   • NDC on the bottle should match the Rx

3. Verify the label

   • Patient name ✅

   • Drug name/dose ✅

   • Instructions ✅

   • Refills ✅

4. Visual Inspection

   • Is it the right color/shape pill?

   • Is the bottle sealed? Not damaged?

5. Double-check expiration dates

   • Expired meds = 🚫 never dispense

📦 Tech’s Role in Product Verification:

• Pull the correct medication off the shelf

• Count and bottle the correct amount

• Print the label and apply it neatly

• Prep everything for the pharmacist to verify

❗Techs DO NOT do the final check (that’s the pharmacist’s job), but they’re key to getting it right!

🧠 Pro Tips for Study:

• Memorize the 6 Rights:

  1. Right Patient

  2. Right Drug

  3. Right Dose

  4. Right Route

  5. Right Time

  6. Right Documentation

• Practice reading NDC numbers and matching labels

• Know common med forms (tablet, capsule, suspension, etc.)

📦 Pharmacy Inventory Management

Inventory = keeping track of all the meds and supplies in the pharmacy so you never run out or overstock 💊

🔹 Why It Matters:

• Prevents medication shortages

• Reduces waste from expired products

• Keeps the pharmacy running smooth

• Makes sure controlled substances are accounted for

📋 Key Inventory Terms:

🔐 Controlled Substances Inventory

• Must be counted daily or weekly (depends on state law)

• Logged in a separate, secure record

• Stored in a locked cabinet

• Follow DEA rules (Schedule I–V drugs)

🔄 Tech’s Inventory Duties:

• Count and restock shelves 📦

• Rotate stock (first expiring = first out)

• Report low inventory or expired meds 🚫

• Receive and check deliveries

• Label, scan, and shelf new meds

• Dispose of expired/damaged meds properly (especially narcotics)

🛒 Ordering Systems:

• Manual: techs fill out re-order forms

• Automated: system tracks med usage and orders automatically

• Wholesalers: like Cardinal or McKesson, supply meds to the pharmacy

⚠ Watch For:

• Look-alike / sound-alike drugs (LASA meds)

• Expired meds or broken seals

• Overstocking low-turnover meds (wastes $$)

🧠 Study Tips:

• Flashcard drug schedules (esp. for inventory logs)

• Practice reading expiration dates & rotating meds

• Know who you report to if there’s a discrepancy (🗣 the pharmacist)

🧊🗃 Medication Storage

Goal: Keep meds safe, effective, and in the right condition so patients don’t get expired or damaged products.

🔹 General Storage Guidelines:

🧯 Other Storage Rules:

• Keep away from heat, light, and moisture unless label says otherwise.

• Store meds in original containers (especially light-sensitive drugs in amber bottles).

• Meds should be clearly labeled and separated by type (OTC, legend, controlled substances).

• Hazardous drugs go in a special area with PPE precautions (think chemo meds 💀).

• Controlled substances stored in a locked, secure cabinet (usually steel + alarmed 🔒).

⚠ Special Storage Labels to Know:

• "Protect from light" = needs amber container or lightproof box

• "Keep refrigerated" = needs to be logged on a temperature chart daily

• "Shake well" = suspensions that settle over time

• "Do not freeze" = freezing ruins the med (like insulin!)

🧑🏽‍⚕️ Tech Responsibilities:

• Rotate stock: earliest expiration gets dispensed first (FIFO)

• Check for expired, damaged, or open meds regularly

• Log refrigerator temps daily

• Report weird storage conditions (like a broken fridge or power outage)

• Know emergency med storage protocols (ex: EpiPens in schools or ambulances)

🧠 Quick Study Tip:

Make flashcards for:

• Temp ranges 📈

• Storage labels 📎

• Hazardous vs non-hazardous med zones 🧪

❌ Expired vs Recalled Medications

They both need to be pulled from stock—but for different reasons!

🗓 Expired Medications

These meds have passed their expiration date, meaning:

• They may not work anymore 😵

• Could become unsafe or less effective

• Illegal to dispense to patients

🔹 What Pharmacy Techs Do:

• Check expiration dates during daily/weekly checks

• Use FIFO (first in, first out) so older meds get used first

• Pull expired meds & place in a designated bin (not the trash 🚫)

• Log expired meds for proper disposal (esp. for controlled substances)

📣 Recalled Medications

These are meds that the manufacturer or FDA pulls off the market because:

• They’re contaminated 🦠

• Incorrect labeling (wrong strength or missing info)

• Safety issue found after release

🔹 3 Recall Classes to Know:

🔹 What Pharmacy Techs Do:

• Check the recall notice (FDA or supplier will send it)

• Identify & pull affected lot numbers (use the NDC + lot number)

• Quarantine recalled products — don’t dispense them

• Follow proper return or disposal instructions

• Document everything and notify the pharmacist

🧠 Quick Recap:

💡 Pro Tip:

Always double check expiration dates + lot numbers when:

• Stocking shelves

• Filling prescriptions

• Receiving shipments

🗑💥 Medication Disposal

Disposal = safely getting rid of expired, damaged, or unused meds.
Can’t just throw them in the trash like gum wrappers 🚫🗑

🔹 Why Proper Disposal Matters:

• Protects people (no one accidentally takes bad meds)

• Protects the environment (no flushing = no water pollution)

• Keeps pharmacy DEA & OSHA compliant 💼

🧪 Types of Meds Needing Disposal:

• Expired meds

• Recalled meds

• Damaged or contaminated meds

• Returned or unused prescriptions

• Controlled substances (special handling 🔒)

🔥 Methods of Disposal:

1. Reverse Distribution

• Pharmacy sends meds back to an authorized third-party company

• They handle destruction legally

• Used for: expired, damaged, or recalled meds

2. DEA Take-Back Programs

• National or local events where patients can bring unused meds

• Techs may educate patients about these events 🧍🏽‍♀️📦

3. Incineration

• 🔥 High-heat destruction in a controlled facility

• Used for hazardous and controlled meds

• Requires DEA form 41 for Schedule II substances

4. Drug Disposal Systems (like Rx Destroyer)

• Chemical neutralizers for small amounts

• Often used for liquids or partial pills

🔐 Disposing of Controlled Substances

Controlled = special steps:

• Must be logged in a disposal record

• Requires a witness

• DEA Form 41 is used for destruction

• Stored in a secure bin until pickup

• Handled by a reverse distributor

🧼 Sharps & Hazardous Waste

• Needles, syringes, chemo drugs = NEVER regular trash

• Go in red sharps containers or yellow hazardous bins

• Labeled with biohazard symbol ☣

🧠 Tech Tips:

• Never throw meds in regular trash or flush them (unless label says it's okay)

• Always wear gloves and follow PPE protocols

• Report med spills, broken pills, or disposal mistakes to the pharmacist ASAP

• Double check if the med is non-returnable or a hazardous drug

📝 Remember: