In: Education
21 Dec 2009Most states and employers require their technicians to hold a national pharmacy tech training certificate. This qualifies you as a CPhT, in other words, a Certified Pharmacy Technician. You must pass certain examinations to earn this certificate and receive your professional license. Your certificate will show potential, interested employers that you have the necessary skills to work with a pharmacist, manage medicines as well as the daily fare that visit a pharmacy. If you’ve earned your certificate as a licensed pharmacy tech, you’ll find jobs available in a wide variety of places. Hospitals being the most obvious place to find a job - nursing homes, clinics and even retail pharmacies are other places that need pharmacy technicians. Greater responsibilities are required from technicians who serve in health clinics and nursing homes as these they should be capable of understanding the patients’ issues, prepare the proper medicines, make sure that they are right and administer these to the patients. Work as a pharmacy technician can be financially rewarding especially if you’ve amassed some relevant work experience. Because most technicians are paid by the hour, a higher per hour rate is earned in the evenings and weekends. Pay will vary from state to state and location to location. Those with more work experience may also be offered more than the less experienced pharmacy technician. If you’re looking at becoming pharmacy technician as career, there are certain qualities that a good technician should possess. First of all, they should be good communicators because patients need to have clear understanding of their instructions in taking their medication as well as any side effects that they may be at risk of. Other qualities include being alert, organized, efficient and committed to doing their job well. Attention to detail is key in dispensing medication. A pharmacy technician is not only required to prepare and dispense medicines but is also responsible to advise patients about their diet and health. Because of this, it is important to always keep aware of the latest in medicine developments. Working closely with other technicians, pharmacists and pharmacy aids, a pharmacy technician must be able to and willing to work as a team.