The daily operations of running a pharmacy are helped by pharmacy technicians. They could assist with filling prescriptions, responding to patient inquiries, and making sure that pills don’t interact with other medications. Along with handling cash registers for transactions, they help with billing and insurance duties.
Pharmacy technician jobs are really important in the health sector. Read this article to know more about the jobs and wages in this field.
Also read: The Top 8 Online Degrees That Pay Well
What Is A Pharmacy Technician?
The following job responsibilities are common for individuals in pharmacy technician roles: Receiving and validating patient prescriptions, assisting the pharmacist with filling prescriptions by collections medications, labeling prescription bottles, printing prescription documentation, assisting patients with filing insurance claims and billing questions, and collecting monies owed for prescriptions.
How the Work Goes
Because errors with prescriptions can endanger patients’ lives, a pharmacist’s position is of utmost importance. But there is much more that needs to be done in a pharmacy than simply writing prescriptions. Most pharmacies additionally employ pharmacy technicians so that the pharmacist can concentrate on the most important duties of his or her position. As aides to pharmacists, pharmacy technicians assist with all daily tasks such as billing clients and writing prescriptions.
Pharmacy technicians may be permitted to fill prescriptions, combine ingredients, or take pharmaceuticals from stock, but the pharmacist must still approve the prescription before it is given to the patient. Pharmacy technicians handle the majority of the work involved in engaging with consumers in addition to filling prescriptions. To ascertain the final prescription billing amount, they perform prescription intakes and examine the patient’s health insurance. They also respond to queries from patients.
The pharmacy technician prepares all the required papers and containers for the patient after receiving a prescription. He or she can label the prescription bottles, print up documentation with instructions and information about the medications, and file the prescriptions for pickup so they are simple to find. Additionally, the pharmacy technician obtains any necessary paperwork from the patient, such as identification and signatures for controlled drugs, and notifies the pharmacist when clients have inquiries.
A Pharmacy Technician’s Guide
With only a high school diploma, one can work as a pharmacy technician. While some businesses are ready to train prospective pharmacy technicians on the job, the majority of them prefer to hire from a pool of current drugstore staff. For this reason, finding work as a cashier or stocker at a large pharmacy chain and establishing connections with the staff pharmacists is the simplest method to enter the business with only a high school diploma. When new employment for pharmacy technicians becomes available, the pharmacist could be ready to hire and train you if you have a strong work ethic.
In contrast, obtaining a certificate in pharmacy technology could help ambitious pharmacy technicians advance in their job. Community, trade, and vocational institutions provide these certificate programs, which normally demand a year or less of classroom study. Students in these programs learn the fundamentals of drug compounding and ethics, which minimizes the amount of on-the-job training they will require. Because of this, certified pharmacy technicians frequently have an easier time finding employment in the industry.
Before they may work in the industry, pharmacy technicians must obtain certification in several states. A written test, formal schooling (in the form of a pharmacy technology certificate), and career-long continuing education may all be prerequisites for certification. The National Healthcareer Association (NHA) and the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) both provide opportunities for licensing (NHA).
Pay Information for Pharmacy Technicians
The information below will help you learn more about this profession. The editorial material and recommendations on this page are based on our research, while the income and growth information is based on newly released Bureau of Labor Statistics statistics.
- This is the average national salary for a pharmacy technician $31,680
- This is the average hourly salary for a pharmacy technician $15/Hr
How do Pharmacy Technician Wages Compare to those in other American Jobs?
According to the most recent statistics on employment across the country, pharmacy technicians can earn an average yearly pay of $31,680, or $15 per hour. It is therefore a Salary Above Average. When just starting out or depending on the state you live in, they may make as little as $24,760, or $12 per hour.
Future Growth of Pharmacy Technician Jobs
The aging Baby Boomer demographic will result in a rise in demand for pharmacy technicians during the next ten years. The need for qualified pharmacy technicians will rise as this sizable generation ages and more prescriptions are filled to address health issues.
Regular Work Hours
The majority of pharmacy technician jobs are full-time, although the actual hours performed may vary. Some pharmacies are open in the evenings and on weekends, while others are open around-the-clock. The first, second, and third shifts, as well as weekends and holidays, may all be required of pharmacy technicians.
Common Employers
Most pharmacy technicians are employed by large pharmacies like CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid. Some pharmacy technicians work in hospitals where they help pharmacists prepare and transport prescriptions to hospitalized patients. Others work for supermarkets and department shops with on-site pharmacies.
