Types of Pharmacy Technicians - Guide from Jason Holmes

Now, the working area for a pharmacy technician is not only limited to hospitals or clinics but, the pharmacy technicians also offer their medical services in retail settings, rehabilitation centers and various army centers as well. So, as the working areas differ, the responsibilities of the technicians working in different areas also vary to some extent. Not only this, there are also some specific courses and training programs to train the technicians about those specific fields and how to handle various tasks of that field. The difference in the types of patients also brings variation in the responsibilities given to the technicians.

So, as pharmaceutical field operates in many areas, different types of qualified technicians are also required. However, a pharmacy technician primarily works under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist and his responsibilities include supplying medicines and related products to patients and dispensing health advice and medication wherever required.

The most common working environment for a pharmacy technician includes hospitals and clinics and the technicians employed in these settings are called hospital pharmacy technicians. As per the USPharmD, the primary tasks of a hospital pharmacy technician are to gather, dispense and safely administer medicines. The technician chooses the right products for the patients as per his needs from the medicines supplied by the manufacturer. Then, the technician measures and labels the appropriate amount for the patient as prescribed by the pharmacist.  In case the prescribed product for the patient is not supplied by the manufacturer then the hospital pharmacy technician has also the license to prepare medicinal creams and ointments. The USPharmD has also authorized the pharmacy technician with the job of checking the final labels on medicines before it’s given to the patients.

Next category of the pharmacy technicians are the community pharmacy technicians who work in retail pharmacies under the supervision of pharmacists. The role played by these pharmacists is very similar to those of hospital pharmacists.  The technicians in this field do the job of labeling and dispensing prescribed medicines to the patients on the recommendation of the pharmacist. Not only this, the technician also advises the patient and guides them how to use the medication in an appropriate way.

A pharmacist technician working in a retail pharmacy also guides the customers on how to do the proper usage of over-the-counter products which include cosmetics, toiletries, creams and even photographic supplies. Apart from this, the technician also guides the patients on how to cure small illnesses like colds and common coughs. The community pharmacist technician is also involved in offering medical services to nursing homes by tasks like supplying oxygen for patients with breathing difficulties. 

Then, there are the military and emergency pharmacy technicians whose working conditions are very demanding and they need to be laborious enough to fulfill their responsibilities. The work environment of these technicians mainly includes the relief and humanitarian aid organizations or other military organizations. 

The technicians employed in military and emergency areas may also be given the responsibility to manage the logistics department of these organizations. Some other tasks done by pharmacy technicians employed in this area are almost common for all the pharmacy technicians. The other tasks may include reading physicians' prescriptions to determine the types and amount of drugs to prepare, preparing labels and dispensing medication and determining supplies and organizing shipments of drugs and medications.

Apart from this, pharmacy technicians are also employed in various rehabilitation centers or old age homes in which they offer their services to the needy people. In such centers, they are also sometimes responsible for the security of the patients as they tend to be very fragile.