Many people now prefer to obtain their certificates and diploma online since the out break of COVID-19 that kept many people indoors. Today we want to consider the top best online pharmacy technician schools. Before then, let us consider what Pharmacy technician program entails.
Pharmacy Technician Program
A pharmacy technician is an allied health professional who performs pharmaceutical tasks under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist.
A Pharmacy technician is an allied health professional who performs pharmaceutical tasks under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist.
Though state laws vary, duties typically include:
- Receive written prescription or refill requests and verify that information is complete and accurate.
- Enter patient or drug information into computer to process prescription or refill request; review data entered for accuracy
- Maintain proper storage and security conditions for drugs; store drugs in refrigerated cases as specified on packaging.
The responsibilities of a pharmacy technician may include:
The responsibilities of a pharmacy technician may include, but are not limited to:
- Filling and dispensing medications in accordance with pharmacy policies and procedures.
- Maintaining inventory control of the drug supply. This includes receiving new products; monitoring par levels; controlling expiration dates; and disposing of outdated, defective or damaged drugs.
- Preparing insurance claims for reimbursement of prescriptions.
- Participating in quality assurance programs by performing tasks such as recording temperature readings for refrigerated items or counting controlled substance inventories.
- Communicating with patients regarding delivery status of their prescription orders, as well as any questions they might have concerning their order’s preparation or billing issues.
Preparing prescription requests by retrieving, counting, pouring, weighing, measuring and mixing medications
Pharmacy technicians prepare prescription requests by retrieving, counting, pouring, weighing, measuring and mixing medications. They process requests and maintain records of drugs administered to patients. In addition to the duties listed above, pharmacy technicians employed in a retail setting may be asked to perform clerical duties and handle basic customer service tasks such as answering phones and greeting customers.
Compounding medications
Compounding is a highly specialized area of pharmacy that involves preparing medications that are not commercially available. A compounder is a pharmacist or pharmacy technician who specializes in compounding. Compounding pharmacies only write prescriptions for their patients, so people who go to these pharmacies will fill their prescriptions from the same place each time. Compounding allows pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to prepare medications in forms that are not commercially available, but are prescribed by doctors.
Many people have trouble swallowing pills, so having a medication in another form such as a liquid may help them take their medicine regularly as prescribed. Some patients with allergies can’t take the inactive ingredients (the “fillers”) found in many commercial drug products because they cause an allergic reaction or other side effect. Compounders can customize medications without the offending ingredient(s).
Maintaining records of controlled substances in the pharmacy
When you’re a Pharmacy technician, it is your duty to ensure that the medications required for patient treatments are always available. This means that you should be able to check whether or not there are any shortages in supplies and place orders accordingly. You also have to make sure that the medications being used by patients aren’t expired.
In addition to this, you will also be responsible for maintaining records of controlled substances in the pharmacy, which can only be handled by licensed pharmacists. You should know where to find information on controlled substances, as well as how to handle expired medications. Since these tasks require extreme attention to detail and a lot of focus from Pharmacy technicians, they often resulted in burnout among employees when they aren’t given enough breaks throughout their shift shift
Processing health insurance claims
As a pharmacy technician, you’re required to know the ins and outs of health insurance. That includes knowing what types of health insurance plans are available and how to process claims correctly. If a claim isn’t processed correctly, there could be financial implications for the customer or your employer. In some cases, it could mean that the customer has to pay out of pocket or they might receive less than they should have received in their reimbursement.
Not only do you need to know how to process the claim correctly, but you also need to know the importance of confidentiality and privacy when dealing with personal information. It’s important that all personal information is kept private and secure at all times.
When processing a claim, you will usually get a form from either your employer or the insurance company. This will include boxes for customer information (name, address, phone number), patient information (the name of whoever is using the insurance), insurance company name as well as policy number, reason for filling prescription and other details such as doctor’s name.
Ordering pharmaceuticals and supplies from approved vendors
As a pharmacy tech, you will be in charge of ordering pharmaceuticals and supplies from approved vendors. You’ll work with the pharmacist to verify the order and maintain a record of its status. Once the order arrives, you’ll update your inventory records and make sure all items are stored properly.
Receiving, verifying and recording incoming pharmaceuticals
Personal qualities and skills needed include:
- being able to read, write and speak English
- having good attention to detail
- being able to follow instructions
- being able to work well as part of a team
- being able to use your initiative
- being able to cope with the physical demands of the job
Labeling, compounding and delivering medications to patients or units within the facility.
- Labeling, compounding and delivering medications to patients or units within the facility.
- Labeling includes prescriptions, dosage information and patient information. Compounding refers to measuring out and mixing ingredients, while delivery can involve transporting medications from the pharmacy to different areas of the hospital.
Many of the duties of a pharmacy technician are similar to those carried out by healthcare assistants or nursing assistants
The responsibilities of a pharmacy technician are similar to those carried out by healthcare assistants or nursing assistants. In fact, pharmacy technicians often work with nurses and nursing assistants in hospitals. The duties they carry out together include dispensing medications, checking prescriptions, stocking supplies and maintaining records. Other responsibilities of a pharmacy technician may include:
- dispensing drugs prescribed by a licensed pharmacist
- greeting patients at the reception desk
- receiving prescriptions from patients and their families
- accepting payments for medications
Online Pharmacy Technician Schools
With a wide array of online pharmacy technician schools available, you can find one that fits your needs. These programs are available at certificate and associate degree levels. If you’re looking for a shorter program duration and lower cost, consider a certificate program.
Associate degrees in pharmacy technology offer the same training as certificates but take longer to complete and cost more. This level of education may be helpful to those interested in furthering their education or advancing their careers with supervisory roles or working in specialized areas such as research or sales.
A review of the popular online pharmacy technician schools
Your career as a Pharmacy Technician is just a click away. With online pharmacy technician schools available to you, completing your education has never been easier. We have compiled a listing of the top online pharmacy technician programs that allow you to study at your own pace and receive the same quality education as students who are able to attend traditional classes.
Below is our list of popular online pharmacy technician programs:
- [Online Pharmacy Technician](www.pharmacytechnicianonlineprograms.net/)
- [Ashworth College Pharmacy Tech Program](www.ashworthcollege.edu/)
- [Rasmussen College Pharm Tech Degree](www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/health-sciences/pharmacy-technician/)
- [Penn Foster Career School](www.pennfoster.edu/programs-and-degrees/healthcare-and-medical/pharmacy-technician/)
Penn Foster College: This is one of the most affordable online pharmacy tech programs.
Penn Foster College is a good choice for students who want to enter the workforce quickly with an accredited certificate under their belt. The program covers all the necessary topics like patient care and pharmacy software, but it also offers sales, inventory and management training—and since this is a self-paced course, you have the freedom to learn on your own schedule.
There are seven major class categories covered in this online program: Introduction to Pharmacy Technology, Pharmacy Medical Terminology and Anatomy & Physiology, Introduction to Pharmaceutical Calculations and Prescription Processing Techniques, Laws and Ethics of Pharmacy Technology, Pharmacy Compounding Fundamentals (with lab work), Pharmacy Customer Service Skills (with lab work) and Patient Care Skills (with lab work).
For those who choose not to complete all of the coursework for certification or licensing purposes, there’s also the option of taking individual courses for general knowledge.
Rasmussen College: This college offers an associate of applied science degree in pharmacy technician.
Rasmussen College
- This college offers an associate of applied science degree in pharmacy technician. Courses include pharmacology, medical terminology and reimbursement systems.
- The program consists of 87 credits and takes about two years to complete.
- Tuition is $399 per credit hour and academic support is offered online 24/7.
- Rasmussen College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and has been since 1968.
Purdue University Global: This program offers a fully asynchronous degree in pharmacy technology.
Purdue University Global is an adult education school with over 40 years of experience. You can complete the program in as little as 10 months, and tuition for the program is $10,890. As a Purdue Global student, you will be able to access career services like resume review and interview tips throughout your experience.
The school offers a fully asynchronous degree in pharmacy technology that does not require any on-campus meetings or formal attendance requirements. Some programs may require you to complete some on-campus requirements such as internship hours or hands-on labs; however, most of your work will be completed online with no campus visits required.
St. Petersburg College: The fully accredited program offers an associate degree in pharmacy technology.
Because of its accreditation by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), St. Petersburg College is a good choice for students who want to earn an associate degree in pharmacy technology. You’ll take 64 credits over two years, and while some courses are required to be completed on campus, many can be finished online.
The program culminates in a 200-hour practicum, which you will complete at an approved site close to where you live. The college has many agreements with local employers.
Madison Area Technical College: This offering is an on-campus program but it is available to students in all 50 states completely online, with the exception of clinical experiences and externships, which are done locally.
This hybrid program, offered in conjunction with the University of Wisconsin, is available to students in all 50 states completely online, with the exception of clinical experiences and externships, which are done locally.
Cedar Valley College: Cedar Valley offers a certificate program as well as an associate of applied science in specialized business degree in pharmacy technology that are taught online, but can be completed at a location convenient to the student’s home or work.
Cedar Valley College: Cedar Valley offers a certificate program as well as an associate of applied science in specialized business degree in pharmacy technology that are taught online, but can be completed at a location convenient to the student’s home or work. The certificate program is taught over five semesters, and students complete two clinical externships. Students meet for classes one day per week, which is nice for those with personal obligations outside of school. Students who want to get into the field more quickly can enter the certificate program since it requires only one year of coursework and one year of externships before they are qualified to take their certification exam.
Those seeking an associate degree may prefer the specialized business degree in pharmacy technology because it also allows them to complete their general education requirements without having to attend another institution. The coursework they need to learn how to become a pharmacy technician is completed through this college’s pharmacy technology program, and they do not need books or other materials since all of the resources needed are available online. This program can be completed in as little as two years if students enroll full time, which may appeal to those who want to finish their education quickly.
Conclusion
Completing your pharmacy technician training online has a number of benefits. It allows you to learn at your own pace without being confined to a physical classroom. This format also lets you maintain full- or part-time employment while increasing your career prospects by earning a credential.
In addition to reduced costs and flexible scheduling, online programs have larger class sizes, which means more opportunities for discussion and asking questions via email or chat rooms. But there are drawbacks as well—you may need to identify the best online pharmacy tech degrees on your own because guidance counselors often lack the expertise needed in this field, and the peer support of campus life is absent from distance learning programs.
