Important Aspects of Being a Pharmacy Technician in the Medical Industry
The medical industry encompasses more careers than just doctors and nurses. In reality, the healthcare industry comprises four core sectors. These are:
- managed health care
- equipment and distribution,
- biotechnology
- pharmaceuticals
In the pharmaceutical sector, one of the most recognizable professions is pharmacists. Did you know that pharmacists work with pharmacy technicians to provide the best care?
Let’s look into the role and importance of pharmacy technicians in the medical industry.
What is a Pharmacy Technician, and Why Are They Essential?
Pharmacy technicians work together with registered pharmacists in dispensing medicine. They are primarily responsible for supplying medication for over-the-counter prescriptions. They also have a hand in assembling medications requested as prescriptions.
Pharmacy technicians are also involved in one of the essential responsibilities of client consultation and education. People approach pharmacy technicians to ask anything about the drug as an expert. Be it about proper consumption, correct dosage, and correct intake for common symptoms.
Pharmacy technicians are under the supervision of registered pharmacists. There are limits to what they can and cannot do. If you are interested in taking on this path, here are the ideal traits that you should have and develop.
Their role in the field is indispensable. Pharmacy technicians fill in the gaps to ensure no mistakes, as pharmacists tend to do several tasks at once. Minor errors in dosage and intake of the wrong medicine are critical to one’s life.
Essential Traits of a Pharmacy Technician
1. Grit and Determination
To succeed in any profession, one must have the drive and determination to push through with it. This determination is needed in the medical field, where other people rely on your competence.
As a pharmacy technician, you need to prove your determination years before earning your license. It is required when you study in an approved pharmacy technician education program. Moreso, when you start preparing for the licensure exam by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).
The licensure exam will be the make or break of your career. Channel that grit and determination by going through practice tests before the actual exam day to ensure success. There are detailed PTCB practice tests that will help you in this journey. Keep your eyes on that license, and, for sure, you will be an excellent pharmacy technician.
And once you are already in the field, your determination to help your clients must always shine through. You must be proactive in learning about new drugs and medication to provide the correct information to confused patients.
2. Willing to Learn
Your willingness to learn is a twin of your determination to serve your clients. Aside from learning during the education program, you must always be willing to learn during the job.
Always keep in mind that you will be working under the wing of registered pharmacists and senior pharmacy technicians. Your willingness to learn must go beyond understanding and memorizing facts and dosages. You must also be willing to learn how to deal with different people.
Many products are also released within a year. It is part of your responsibility to learn about them, especially if the pharmacy you work for dispenses them. This is even a more pressing responsibility when working in hospital pharmacies. Learning continues to be a challenge as you dedicate years to the medical industry.
3. Meticulous
An ideal pharmacy technician should also be meticulous and keen on details. Attention to detail is a necessary trait for this field because a bit of a mistake can place life at risk. On top of that, most manuals that come with medicine packages are in the very fine print.
One’s attention to detail also comes in handy when dealing with customers. Keep in mind that there will be customers who will try to fake their prescriptions. Some do this to hoard regulated drugs like certain types of antibiotics.
As a pharmacy technician, you must always take proper caution before dispensing particular drugs. Handing them out to those who faked their prescriptions may place their lives in danger. If unsure, you can always probe the customer. Ask critical questions, such as the details of their condition and the frequency of their intake. These details may break their front if they are faking.
If all else fails, consult your attending pharmacist or senior pharmacy technician.
4. Patience
Patience is always a welcome trait in any profession, especially for pharmacy technicians.
When you decide to work in retail, you’ll deal with different types of people every day. You’ll be facing customers who know what they want exactly. There will also be the undecided ones because they don’t even have a proper prognosis.
For the latter, your patience is essential in guiding them to consult a doctor first or dispense them with a safe amount of medicine. Client education is an integral part of your work that requires your patience and endless understanding. How you treat them may be the only missing push before they finally visit the doctor to have an in-depth consultation.
5. Multi-Tasking Ability
Lastly, model pharmacy technicians should be multi-taskers. Most of the time, work can be demanding. There are days when you need to operate the counter face customers and do inventory during downtime. You might also need to squeeze in some minutes for client consultation and education.
Within a day, you are demanded of different roles as a pharmacy technician. Sooner or later, you will get the hang of it, but sometimes the process can be a little too much. But, don’t forget that you are not alone. You are working under competent pharmacists and senior technicians.
Final Thoughts
Pharmacy technicians are invaluable in the medical industry. They help ensure that the healthcare industry systems continue to turn without a hitch. And like any profession, it isn’t easy to be one.
To be in a field that directly affects the health and wellness of people, there are certain traits and academic requirements that are needed. Do you think you have what it takes to be an excellent licensed pharmacy technician?
