Pharmacy Tech: One Shift At a Time

With more than 3 billion drugs ordered or provided to patients every year, it’s no wonder Pharmacy Technicians are so busy. Whether you work as a Pharmacy Tech in a hospital or at a retail center, you have an important, demanding job. How do you handle your shifts? Let Charter College know. Here’s what we see:

Retail Setting: Most Pharmacy Techs find employment in retail pharmacies. Is that where you work? If so, you’ll need to learn the computer system your store uses. You’ll scan or read prescriptions and input data, adhering closely to company protocols. You’ll work with the pharmacist and other store personnel to provide customers and patients the best care possible. In retail, you’re also probably super busy performing lots of tasks that go beyond handling prescriptions. You may also need to:

·         Greet customers and obtain patient information

·         Answer questions or pass them along to the pharmacist

·         Operate a cashier system

·         Process insurance claims

·         Take inventory and stock shelves

·         Maintain files and keep the pharmacy clean

·         Answer phones and help out in other areas of the store

Your hours are probably set weekly, but many retail pharmacies have closing hours so you don’t need to worry about a midnight shift. Most are open late, but not all night.

Hospital Setting: Hospitals are open 24/7 which means if you work there, your shift could run the range.  A graveyard shift may not be your first choice, but as a Hospital Pharmacy Tech, you have a better chance of earning more. That’s probably why hospitals look for Techs with some experience under their belt when they hire. Hospitals will also expect you to have even more in-depth knowledge of:

·         Medication varieties and medical terminology

·         Compound medication creation

·         IV fluids and nutritional mixtures

·         Patient charts and hospital personnel

Unlike a retail setting, in a hospital setting you probably won’t be dealing directly with patients. And you’ll be busy filling hundreds of prescriptions every day. That’s because you’re not just working for a few patients, but rather the whole facility. Doctors and nurses will look to you to fill the prescriptions for all their patients.

Whether you want to work at a hospital or other healthcare facility, or in retail, start with Pharmacy Training that teaches you what you’ll need to know to be good at your job. The Pharmacy Technician Schools of Charter College can teach you:

·         Pharmacy operations

·         Fundamentals of pharmacy calculations

·         Drug distribution systems

·         Preparation of sterile dosage forms

·         Pharmacy law and ethics

·         Customer service

And you can complete our Pharmacy Techician program in as little as 10 months. Does this sound like the career path for you? Give us a call at 888-200-9942 to find a school in your area.