Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy Technician
If you’re looking for a secure career in a fast growing field, then the Pharmacy Technician program could be your answer.
Course Description
Our Pharmacy Technician Career Training Program will give the pharmacy technician the knowledge to achieve the competencies required to gain certification via the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) exam.
The program is delivered via the Internet, with each student receiving the online courseware (which includes over 35 hours of video instruction) along with the study materials (see below), quizzes and a final exam. Each student is supported by our licensed pharmacist instructor who provides feedback and guidance via phone and e-mail.
Learning Objectives
The goal of this program is to give the pharmacy technician the required skills to understand and perform a necessary competence in general operations of a pharmacy, demonstrate drug dosage knowledge, follow the correct procedures pertaining to accurate drug calculations and measurement and assisting the pharmacist in administrative and customer relations on a daily basis.
Course Breakdown
Each student receives 5 books and is encouraged to read the material and complete the associated exercises from the workbook after viewing the videos. Quizzes are designed to verify that the work has been done and the student has mastered the content.
The breakdown of the main course into 200 hours is as follows:
Video lessons: 40-50 hrs (students will play back some portions so the actual time will be higher than 37 hour linear run time)
Quizzes: 5 hours (about 20-30 minutes per quiz)
Self study: 145 hours (from the printed material)
The additional 30 hours are 10 hours from Pharmacological Compendium, 10 hours from the 2 Exam Preps (5 hours each) and 10 hrs from Math Review.
1 . THE PHARMACOLOGICAL COMPENDIUM
(approximate time 10 hours)
- Pharmacology
- Web Research
There is a quiz at the end of the lesson which requires a passing rate of 80% or better.
2. THE PHARMACY TECHNICIAN
(approximate time 6 hrs)
- Describe the origins of pharmacy.
- Describe the 2 stages of development of pharmacy during the 20th century.
- Compare and contrast the functions of the pharmacist and the pharmacy technician.
- Explain the educational and licensing requirements of pharmacist and pharmacy technicians.
- Identify the duties and work environments of the pharmacy technician.
- Differentiate among the various kinds of pharmacies.
PRESENTATIONS
History of Pharmacy (20 minutes)
Pharmacy Environments and Duties (24 minutes)
Pharmacy References (18 minutes)
5 hrs self study (Ch 1-2 The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Prospective Press Books and the exercises in The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Workbook and Cert Review)(Prospective Press Books)
There is a quiz at the end of the lesson which requires a passing rate of 70% or better.
3. PHARMACY LAW, STANDARDS, AND ETHICS FOR TECHNICIANS
(approximate time 8 hrs)
- Distinguish among statutory law, common law, regulatory law, ethics and professional standards for the practice of pharmacy.
- Describe the impact of major statutory federal drug laws on the practice of pharmacy in the 20th and 21st centuries.
- Differentiate between the duties that can be performed by a pharmacist and a pharmacy technician.
PRESENTATIONS
Application of Pharmacy Law and Practice (90 minutes)
Pharmacy Law and Ethics (66 minutes)
Labeling (16 minutes)
5 hrs self study (Ch 3 & 12 The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Prospective Press Books and the exercises in The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Workbook and Cert Review)(Prospective Press Books)
There is a quiz at the end of the lesson which requires a passing rate of 70% or better.
4. MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY, DOSAGE FORMS AND ROUTES OF ADMINISTRATION
(approximate time 26.5 hours)
- Identify common Latin and Greek word parts used in medicine and pharmacy.
- Interpret basic terminology by organ system.
- Interpret abbreviations and symbols used in prescriptions and medication orders.
- Differentiate between different dosage forms that are commonly prescribed.
- Understand the common routes of administration and which dosage forms are given by a specific route of administration.
PRESENTATIONS
Dosage Forms (33 minutes)
Medical Terminology (21 minutes)
Routes of Administration (24 minutes)
25 hrs self study (Ch 4, 7 & 8 The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Prospective Press Books and the exercises in The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Workbook and Cert Review)(Prospective Press Books)
There is a quiz at the end of the lesson which requires a passing rate of 70% or better.
5. THE PRESCRIPTION
(approximate time 7 hours)
- Explain the difference between a prescription and a medication order.
- Describe the role of and elements of a patient profile.
- Identify the required elements of a prescription.
- Interpret “standard prescription” terminology.
- Describe the steps in the dispensing process.
- Describe the required elements of a prescription label.
- Identify ways to avoid dispensing errors.
- Identify guidelines for the safe use of pharmacy abbreviations.
PRESENTATIONS
The Prescription (115 minutes)
5 hrs self study (Ch 5 The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Prospective Press Books and the exercises in The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Workbook and Cert Review)(Prospective Press Books)
There is a quiz at the end of the lesson which requires a passing rate of 70% or better.
6. DRUG CLASSIFICATION
(approximate time 13 hours)
- Identify a therapeutic classification for the top 200 drug products.
- Identify drugs that belong to the same chemical class of drug products.
- Name a common trade name for the top generic drug products.
PRESENTATIONS
Drug Classifications (148 minutes)
Pharmaceutical (Chemical) Drug Classes (33 minutes)
10 hrs self study (Appendix A The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Prospective Press Books and the exercises in The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Workbook and Cert Review)(Prospective Press Books)
There is a quiz at the end of the lesson which requires a passing rate of 70% or better.
7. HOW DRUGS WORK
(approximate time 11 hours)
- Define the terms- absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion.
- Identify factors of patient variability that affect ADME.
- Discuss the different mechanisms of action for drug interactions.
- Identify a common drug interactions and their categorization.
- Explain the impact of drug-food interactions.
PRESENTATIONS
How Drugs Work (72 minutes)
10 hrs self study (Ch 10 & 11 The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Prospective Press Books and the exercises in The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Workbook and Cert Review)(Prospective Press Books)
There is a quiz at the end of the lesson which requires a passing rate of 70% or better.
8. HOSPITAL AND INSTITUTIONAL PHARMACY PRACTICE
(approximate time 13 hours)
- List the members of the healthcare team within the hospital and the common departments found in a hospital.
- Understand the origins and purpose of the hospital formulary.
- Describe the functions of a drug information center.
- Explain the difference between central pharmacy, satellite pharmacy inpatient pharmacy and outpatient pharmacy.
- Explain the concept of Universal Precautions.
- Describe proper aseptic technique, including the use of horizontal and vertical airflow hoods.
- Describe the equipment and procedures used in preparing parenterals.
- Describe unit-dose and floor stock distribution systems.
- Explain the proper procedure for repackaging of medications.
- Describe proper procedures for handling and disposal of hazardous agents.
- List institutional pharmacy practice sites other than a hospital.
PRESENTATIONS
Hospital and Institutional Pharmacy (82 minutes)
Sterile Compounding (78 minutes)
10 hrs self study (Ch 16 The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Prospective Press Books and the exercises in The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Workbook and Cert Review)(Prospective Press Books)
There is a quiz at the end of the lesson which requires a passing rate of 70% or better.
9. COMMUNITY AND OTHER PHARMACY SETTINGS
(approximate time 12 hours)
- Identify the major elements of a patient profile.
- List the required elements for a prescription.
- List the required elements for a prescription label.
- Describe the elements of Disease State Management Programs.
- Identify ways to protect a patient’s privacy in a community pharmacy.
- Describe the role of the pharmacy technician in inventory management.
PRESENTATIONS
Community Pharmacy and Other Pharmacy Settings (127 minutes)
10 hrs self study (Ch 15 & 17 The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Prospective Press Books and the exercises in The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Workbook and Cert Review)(Prospective Press Books)
There is a quiz at the end of the lesson which requires a passing rate of 70% or better.
10. EXTEMPORANEOUS COMPOUNDING
(approximate time 12 hours)
- Compare the terms manufacturing and extemporaneous compounding and describe common situations in which compounding is required.
- Identify and describe the appropriate use of equipment used for the weighing, measuring, mixing, molding and packaging of pharmaceuticals.
- Describe the proper technique for weighing pharmaceutical ingredients.
- Describe the proper technique for measuring liquid volumes.
- Explain the use of the geometric dilution method.
- Explain the processes by which solutions, suspensions, ointments, creams, powders, suppositories, and capsules are prepared.
PRESENTATIONS
Extemporaneous Compounding (104 minutes)
10 hrs self study (Ch 9 The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Prospective Press Books and the exercises in The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Workbook and Cert Review)(Prospective Press Books)
There is a quiz at the end of the lesson which requires a passing rate of 70% or better.
11. THE BUSINESS OF PHARMACY
(approximate time 13 hours)
- Explain different inventory management systems and concepts including POS systems, backorders, invoices, expiration dates, stocking and storage systems.
- Describe the use of Material Safety Data Sheets
- Describe different types of automated dispensing systems and their use in the pharmacy
- Explain how insurance and 3rd party payors impact the practice of pharmacy.
- Understand the concepts needed to perform basic business math
PRESENTATIONS
The Business of Pharmacy (126 minutes)
Business Math in Pharmacy (48 minutes)
10 hrs self study (Ch 13 & 14 The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Prospective Press Books and the exercises in The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Workbook and Cert Review)(Prospective Press Books)
There is a quiz at the end of the lesson which requires a passing rate of 70% or better.
12. PHARMACY MATH REVIEW
(approximate time 47 hours)
- Demonstrate competency in number conversion between different measuring systems used in the practice of pharmacy
- Calculate dosages based on weight and frequency
- Understand the relationship between fractions and decimals
- Determine IV flow rate calculations
- Compound prescriptions utilizing ration and proportions and allegation methods.
PRESENTATIONS
Pharmacy Math Review – Part 1 (138 minutes)
Pharmacy Math Review – Part 2 (101 minutes)
Pharmacy Math Review – Part 3 (51 minutes)
Pharmacy Math Review – Part 4 (124 minutes)
40 hrs self study (Ch 6 The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Prospective Press Books and the exercises in The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Workbook and Cert Review)(Prospective Press Books and The Pharmacy Technician Series: Pharmacy Calculations)
There is a quiz at the end of the lesson which requires a passing rate of 70% or better.
13. PHARMACY COMMUNICATION, JOBS SKILLS AND REVIEW FOR THE PTCB EXAM
(approximate time 14 hours)
- Identify appropriate methods of communication with colleagues and customers
- Review for the certification exam
PRESENTATIONS
Competency as a Pharmacy Technician (50 minutes)
Preparing for the Certification Exam (29 minutes)
Certification Review – Drug Information (185 minutes)
Certification Review – Math (203 minutes)
Certification Review – Law and General Information (76 minutes)
5 hrs self study (Ch 12 The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Prospective Press Books and the exercises in The Pharmacy Technician – 4th Edition (Workbook and Cert Review)(Prospective Press Books)
There is a quiz at the end of the lesson which requires a passing rate of 70% or better.
FINAL EXAM
The final examination has 125 Multiple Choice questions requiring a 75% passing rate.
14. PHARMACY MATH REVIEW
(approximate time 10 hours)
There is a quiz at the end of the lesson which requires a passing rate of 70% or better.
15. Review for the PTCB Exam I
(approximate time 5 hours)
There is a quiz at the end of the lesson which requires a passing rate of 70% or better.
16. Review for the PTCB Exam II
(approximate time 5 hours)
There is a quiz at the end of the lesson which requires a passing rate of 70% or better.
Course Code: PHT
