Pharmacy Technicians assist licensed Pharmacists and give medication or other health care products to patients. Pharmacy Techs typically do routine tasks to prepare prescribed medication, like counting pills and labeling the bottles. Technicians will as well perform administrative tasks, such as tending the phones, stocking shelves, and working the cash registers. Pharmacy Technicians refer any queries in regard to prescriptions, drug info., or health matters to the head pharmacist.

Pharmacy technicians that are employed in retail or mail-order pharmacies will have differing responsibilities, depending on the state rules and regs. Technicians get written prescriptions or requests for prescription refills from the patients. They may also get prescriptions transferred electronically from the hospital or doctor office. The tech will verify the info on the prescription is complete and accurate. To ready the prescription, technicians must retrieve, pour, count, measure, take weight and occasionally mix the meds. They will then prepare the labels, choose the type of medication container, and stick the prescription labels to the bottle. When the prescription is finished, technicians price and file the prescription, also it must be inspected by a pharmacist before giving to the patient.

Technicians may establish and maintain patient profiles and records. They may prepare insurance forms. Also they might stock and take inventory of prescription drugs and over counter medications.

In assisted living facilities, nursing homes and hospitals, pharmacy technicians have additional responsibilities, which include reading patients’ records and preparing the appropriate medications. Once the pharmacist inspects the prescription to be accurate, the pharmacy technician will bring it to the patient. The technician then photo copies the details regarding the prescription into the patient’s profile. Technicians may also put together a 24 - 48 hour supply of medicine for each patient. They would pack and label all prescriptions individually. The completed packages then are put in the secure meds cabinets for the patients until the head pharmacist inspects them for accuracy, and then the medication will be given to the various patients.

Pharmacy aides work together along side pharmacy technicians. They can be cashiers or clerks and will often answer the phones, handle the money, help stocking shelves, and do other clerical jobs. Pharmacy technicians will typically do more complex jobs than pharmacy aides, but in some states their duties might overlap.

Pharmacy technicians work in an organized, well lit, well ventilated and very clean environment with the greater portion of their workday spent on their feet. They might be asked or required to perform heavy lifting of boxes or to use ladders to get supplies from the high shelves. Technicians work close to the same hours the pharmacists work. This might include holidays, weekends, nights and evenings, especially in offices that are open 24 hours like retail pharmacies and some hospitals. While their seniority grows, technicians will often acquire greater control over the hours they work. And for greater flexibility they will find many opportunities for part-time work in the hospital and the retail offices.
 

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