Pharmacy Technician

Assists Florida licensed pharmacist in the performance of his/her professional services.

Under the direction of a licensed pharmacist a pharmacy technician may select drugs from a stock area, prepackage and label unit, and multiple dose packages.

The pharmacy technician may prepare the medication order. The technician will review the original order, compare it to the computer label, select the appropriate medication and strength, package and label the medication. Said prepared medication will be set aside along with the original order or request to be checked by the pharmacist before releasing for delivery to the patient care unit.

Both the technician filling and the pharmacist checking said order will initial the order and label.

The pharmacy technician may prepare and label the drug and IV additives. The licensed pharmacist verifies all ingredients and labels.

To provide a double check, the pharmacy technician may fill cassettes and initial the unit dose cassette filling record sheet. The pharmacist will check the filling and initial the unit dose filling record sheet.

The pharmacy technician may issue departmental stock drug refill requests under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist.

Technicians will be responsible for following established procedures in the processing of routine work within the pharmacy. This includes the correct charging and crediting of orders, removing discontinued medications from cassettes, returning medications to stock, etc.

Pharmacy technicians may deliver controlled substances and other legend drugs to institutional patient care areas under the direction of the pharmacist.

Technicians may assist in the preparation of products in the pharmacy, such as IV additives or bulk compounding of admixture parenteral, but the pharmacist must interpret and identify all orders first. Completed records and documentation of the processing must be reduced to writing prior to performing these tasks. Also the pharmacist will be responsible for the direct supervision of the assignment, and conducting in-process and final check and affix name or initials to the record form.

This check may include the examination of ingredients prior to admixture, verification of syringes/volumes after admixture, etc.

In addition to order processing, the technician is responsible for ordering and reordering supplies and medications as they are utilized. Orders should reflect the needs of the facility.

Technicians are responsible for general housekeeping within the pharmacy, ensuring that supplies, equipment and work areas are clean and free of clutter.

Medications and supplies are transported to the patient care units by the technicians on a regular basis to ensure timely patient care.

Technicians are expected to communicate with nurses, aides and other healthcare professionals in a professional and courteous manner.

Incoming telephone calls should be answered by the third ring. Technicians should be aware of the phone at all times and be prompt to answer. The exception would be when working within the hood during IV preparation. Telephone conversations should begin with identification of the department as well as the individual, e.g. “Pharmacy Department, Good morning, this is pharmacy technician name.”

The pharmacist on duty may assign additional tasks that are not contrary to, or in any way conflict with the Florida Board of Pharmacy Rules.

Ability to give and carry out oral and written instructions.

Get along with people of all backgrounds.

Ability to sit, stand and walk frequently.

Ability to supervise and instruct.

Be able to lift, carry, and use hands and fingers skillfully, safely and easily.

Light work:
Exerting up to 20 pounds of force frequently. Requires walking or standing to a significant degree and requires sitting a minimal amount of time.

Inside:
Protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes.

Be able to apply principles of rational systems to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Interpret and direct a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic or schedule form.

Be able to compute standard measures, discount, weights, portions, ratios, prices, volumes as are common in the process and delivery of pharmacy services.

Reading:
Read and understand…