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Field of Pharmacy. Essential Question: How do the roles/responsibilities of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy aides compare/contrast?. Written by Beverly Tippens. Pharmacists Roles and Responsibilities. In community pharmacies , dispense prescription drugs to individuals.
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Field of Pharmacy Essential Question: How do the roles/responsibilities of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy aides compare/contrast? Written by Beverly Tippens
PharmacistsRoles and Responsibilities • In community pharmacies, dispense prescription drugs to individuals. • Advise patients and physicians etc. on selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications. • Monitor health and progress of patients to ensure safe and effective use of medication. • Compound or mix ingredients to form medications. • Counsel patients on use of prescription and over-the-counter medications. • Advise patients on general health topics.
PharmacistsRoles and Responsibilities • Provide information on products such as durable medical equipment or home health care supplies. • Complete third-party insurance forms and other paperwork. • Hire and supervise other personnel. • Oversee general operation of the pharmacy. • Provide specialized services to help patients with diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure. May be trained to administer vaccinations.
PharmacistsRoles and Responsibilities • In health care facilities, dispense medications and advise the medical staff on selection and effects of drugs. • Prepare sterile solutions to be administered intravenously. • Plan, monitor and evaluate drug programs or regiments. • Counsel hospitalized patients on use of drugs before discharge.
PharmacistsSalary Ranges • Median annual of wage-and-salary pharmacists in May 2006 were $94,520. • The middle 50% earned between $83,180 and $108,140 a year. • The lowest 10% earned less than $67,860 a year. • The highest 10% earned more than $119,480 a year.
PharmacistEducation/Training • Pharmacists must earn a Pharm.D. degree from an accredited college or school of pharmacy. • A license to practice pharmacy is required in all States, the District of Columbia and all U.S. territories. • To obtain a license, a prospective pharmacist must graduate from a college of pharmacy that is accredited by the ACPE and pass a series of examinations.
PharmacistJob Outlook • Employment is expected to increase much faster than the average through 2016. • As a result of rapid growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupation, job prospects should be excellent.
PharmacistWork Facilities • Community pharmacies. • Hospitals. • A small proportion worked in mail-order and Internet pharmacies, pharmaceutical wholesalers, offices of physicians, and the Federal Government.
Pharmacy TechnicianRoles/Responsibilities • Help licensed pharmacists provide medication and other health care products to patients. • Perform routine tasks to help prepare prescribed medication, such as counting tablets and labeling bottles. • Answer phones, stock shelves operate cash registers. • Technicians refer any questions regarding prescriptions, drug information, or health matters to a pharmacist.
Pharmacy TechnicianRoles/Responsibilities • In retail or mail-order pharmacies, technicians receive written or electronic prescriptions from doctor’s offices. They must retrieve, count, pour, weigh, measure and sometimes mix the medication. • The technician prepares the prescription labels, select the type of prescription container, and affix the prescription and auxiliary labels to the container. • Once the prescription is filled, the technicians prices and files the prescription, which must be checked by a pharmacist before it is given to the patient. • Technicians may establish and maintain patient profiles, prepare insurance claim forms and stock and take inventory of prescription and over-the-counter medications.
Pharmacy TechnicianEducation/Training • Most pharmacy technicians receive informal on-the-job training. • Employers favor applicants who have formal training, certification, or previous experience. • Strong customer service skills also are important. • There are currently few State and no Federal requirements for formal training or certification of pharmacy technicians.
Pharmacy TechnicianJob Outlook • Employment is expected to increase much faster than the average through 2016, and job opportunities are expected to be good. • The increased number of middle-aged and elderly people-who use more prescription drugs than younger people-will spur demand for technicians throughout 2006-2016.
Pharmacy TechnicianSalary Range • Median hourly earnings of wage-and-salary pharmacy technicians in May 2006 were $12.32. • The middle 50% earned between $10.10 and $14.93. • The lowest 10% earned less than $8.56, and the highest 10% earned more than $17.65.
Pharmacy TechniciansWork Facilities • Hospitals • Retail Pharmacies
Pharmacy AidesRoles/Responsibilities • Perform administrative duties in pharmacies. • Aides often are clerks or cashiers who primarily answer telephones, handle money, stock shelves, and perform other clerical duties. • Work closely with pharmacy technicians. • Pharmacy technicians usually perform more complex tasks than do aides, although in some States the duties and titles of jobs overlap. • Aides refer any questions regarding prescriptions, drug information, or health matters to a pharmacist. • Pharmacy aides may establish and maintain patient profiles, prepare insurance claim forms, and stock and take inventory of prescription and over-the-counter medications.
Pharmacy AideEducation/Training • Most pharmacy aides receive informal on-the-job training, but employers favor those with at least a high school diploma. • Pharmacy aides begin their training by observing a more experienced worker. • After they become experienced, aides begin to work on their own.
Pharmacy AideJob Outlook • Employment of pharmacy aides is expected to decline rapidly from 2006 to 2016. Job prospects, however, should be good. • Demand for pharmacy aides will fall as pharmacy technicians become increasingly responsible for answering phones, stocking shelves, operating cash registers, and performing other administrative tasks. • In addition, with increased training, many pharmacy aides will become pharmacy technicians, which will result in further declines in pharmacy aide jobs.
Pharmacy AideSalary Range • Median hourly earnings of wage-and-salary pharmacy aides were $9.35 in May 2006. • The middle 50% earned between $7.89 and $11.58. • The lowest 10% earned less that $6.92 and the highest 10% earned more than $14.64.
Pharmacy AideWork Facilities • General medical and surgical hospitals. • Grocery stores. • Pharmacies and drug stores.
Citation: • Bureau of Labor Statistics • U.S. Department of Labor • Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-2009 Edition • Internet: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ • Telephone: 202-691-5700