Pharmacy technicians are some of the most essential professionals in the healthcare services industries. But relatively few people are aware of what they do. They typically work alongside their more familiar counterparts –pharmacists– and perform a wide range of tasks unique to their position. Like pharmacists, pharmacy technicians work in many different settings. They may …
Specializing as a pharmacy technician in intravenous medications (IV Meds) or oncology can provide an exciting, lucrative and critically important career path. This additional training can allow for a career as a specially training pharmacy technician in which you can help contribute to improved patient outcomes and optimal patient care while having a rewarding career …
Read moreHow to Specialize in IV Meds or Oncology as a Pharmacy Tech
The role of the pharmacy technician is very important to any pharmacy. Pharmacy technicians must have working knowledge of pharmacy operations, procedures, HIPAA regulations, and medications. Although there are many resources which offer training for pharmacy technicians, a person can become a pharmacy technician without any training.
Read moreBecoming a Pharmacy Technician Without Any Training
Walgreens is one of the leading national retail pharmacy chains in the United States, employing thousands of pharmacy technicians. Walgreens pharmacy technicians can work in the retail store, the CPO (Central Pharmacy Operation), or they may work in multiple locations. Pharmacy technicians at Walgreens enjoy many benefits including health, dental, and vision insurance, 401K packages, profit sharing, paid vacation and holidays, store discounts, and free flu shots.
Pharmacy technicians are the driving force behind millions of pharmacies all over the world. Their job description includes many important duties and no two days are ever the same. Thanks to the support of pharmacy technicians, the pharmacy can run like a well oiled machine, and the pharmacists can fulfill their responsibilities.
The majority of pharmacy technicians work in retail pharmacies, but the most coveted pharmacy technician position is often in a hospital pharmacy. There is very good reason for this: hospital pharmacy technicians earn about 20% higher salaries than retail pharmacy technicians. Though their duties are similar, there are some key differences between working in a hospital pharmacy and a retail pharmacy. Many pharmacy technicians begin their career working in a retail pharmacy, but after a few years of experience, they may be hired to work in a hospital pharmacy.
Read moreWorking in a Hospital Pharmacy Versus a Retail Pharmacy
I often get asked, “How do I get a job without experience?” I started my young working career as a cashier at a grocery store. At a very young age, I became a front-end manager in charge of hiring, training, and scheduling. Why does this matter? Well, keep reading. When I looked at applications for any position, I looked for two things: education and/or experience. Since experience in this case is not a factor, what else would I look for? The following few paragraphs will address just that.
Read moreHow to Get a Job as a Pharmacy Technician with No Previous Experience
One of the most exciting things about the pharmacy technician career is the fact that it is growing at an alarming rate. With that growth, career advancement opportunities are at an all-time high. Pharmacists, slowly but surely, are beginning to see the benefits of educated and trained pharmacy technicians. The following article will highlight some of those advancement opportunities.
People choose careers for a variety of reasons: money, fame, or recognition. One would not choose to be a pharmacy technician for the above reasons as the wage is not at all reflective of what individuals in that profession do, and fame and recognition just plain do not exist. People are in awe when I tell them that the IV medications they received at the hospital were not made by pharmacists but rather by pharmacy technicians. They are completely unaware that the majority of individuals working in most pharmacies are pharmacy technicians.
Read moreWhy Choose a Low-Paying Pharmacy Technician Career?
People often wonder if being a pharmacy technician is stressful. The simple answer is “yes”. Any job can be stressful when a person is subjected to persistent tension or strain. Pharmacy technicians worry (or should worry) whether or not they have dispensed the wrong medication, if they made a mistake in the patient’s directions, and if the pharmacist caught the mistake. Or, what if he or she did not? Usually, the more demanding the environment, the more stress a person will experience. Stress in the pharmacy depends on a variety of factors: setting, staffing, volume, and management.
Many people hear “pharmacy” and automatically think that the career area is not for them because they did not do well in math or do not like math. Do not get me wrong…the pharmacy profession requires you to employ basic principles of math, but previous success in the subject does not necessarily mean you will be a good technician. Conversely, just because you did not do well in math does not mean that you will not be a good technician.
Read moreI Am Not Good at Math – Will the Pharmacy Technician Career Suit Me?
Working as a pharmacy technician gives an individual a good understanding of the pharmaceutical industry. A person who is a pharmacy technician first tends to be a more prepared pharmacist than a person who becomes a pharmacist without being a pharmacy technician. However, in order to become pharmacist, an individual will definitely need more education. The following article describes a general pathway for a person who wants to pursue a “PharmD” designation in the United States. Requirements for education and licensure may vary from state to state and from country to country.
Read moreI Am a Pharmacy Technician. How Do I Become a Pharmacist?
Pharmacy technicians are essential to the day-to-day operations of any pharmacy, nursing home or hospital. They work in a wide array of settings, and their job duties vary with employment location. This means that the expected salary of a pharmacy technician varies greatly depending on education, experience, and work setting.
In today’s market place, pharmacy technicians can choose from a variety of work environments. Some work closely with patients, while others never see their patients. The choices available to pharmacy technicians allow them to choose their working hours. Some have set schedules, while others may be very flexible. Regardless of the type of pharmacy, all pharmacy technicians must work under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist.
Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians work closely together to deliver medications, advice, and assistance to their patients. The pharmacist relies on the pharmacy technician for many daily tasks, and the technician looks to the pharmacist for guidance. The pharmacist and pharmacy technician are like a right and left hand; they each have their own job, but they work together to get things done.
Read moreThe Difference Between a Pharmacist and a Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy technicians are well respected and enjoy rewarding careers. They work in retail and mail-order pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities. They enjoy clean working environments, fast-paced work days, and great responsibility. Pharmacy technicians work closely with pharmacists. They care for patients by filling prescriptions, working with insurance companies, answering questions, and offering consultations.