National
| Median wages (2008) |
$13.32 hourly, $27,710 annual |
| Employment (2006) |
285,000 employees |
| Projected growth (2006-2016) |
Much faster than average (21% or higher)
|
| Projected need (2006-2016) |
178,000 additional employees |
29-2052.00 - Pharmacy Technicians
Prepare medications under the direction of a pharmacist. May measure, mix, count out, label, and record amounts and dosages of medications.
Sample of reported job titles:
Pharmacy Technician, Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT), IV Certified Pharmacy Technician, Pharmaceutical Care Associate
Tasks
- Receive written prescription or refill requests and verify that information is complete and accurate.
- Establish and maintain patient profiles, including lists of medications taken by individual patients.
- Maintain proper storage and security conditions for drugs.
- Answer telephones, responding to questions or requests.
- Prepack bulk medicines, fill bottles with prescribed medications, and type and affix labels.
- Mix pharmaceutical preparations according to written prescriptions.
- Clean, and help maintain, equipment and work areas, and sterilize glassware according to prescribed methods.
- Price and file prescriptions that have been filled.
- Assist customers by answering simple questions, locating items or referring them to the pharmacist for medication information.
- Receive and store incoming supplies, verify quantities against invoices, check for outdated medications in current inventory, and inform supervisors of stock needs and shortages.
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Tools & Technology
Tools used in this occupation:
| Filling or sealing auger dose machines — Automatic unit dose-strip packaging machines; Tube filling and crimping machines |
| Laboratory balances — Equal-arm balances; Single-beam balances; Torsion balances; Unequal-arm balances |
| Laboratory blenders or emulsifiers — Blending/agitating machines; Total Parenteral Nutrition TPN compounders |
| Laboratory mills — Benchtop colloid mills; Colloid mills; Grinding and shearing colloid mills |
| Sterile or aseptic processing or filling machines — Automatic bottle filling machines; Computer-based dispensing equipment; Semi-automatic sterile solution transferring devices |
Technology used in this occupation:
| Accounting software — Billing and reimbursement software |
| Data base user interface and query software — Database software; Drug compatibility software |
| Inventory management software — Cardinal Health Pyxis CII Safe |
| Label making software — Label-making software |
| Medical software — Compounder software; Patient record maintenance software; Pharmaceutical software; Prescription processing software |
