Training Pharmacy Technicians
Hello everyone, I am going to present to you, the increasing importance of education and training for pharmacy technicians. The field of pharmacy has been evolving over the previous few years, leading to an increase in responsibilities set for pharmacists. Eventually, the roles and responsibilities of pharmacy technicians have also increased as they move up the ladder to take on the responsibilities that were previously made for pharmacists. The nature of pharmacy technicians’ roles has evolved significantly to make the technicians more essential in the functionality of pharmaceutical facilities hence a need for training.
The roles of pharmacy technicians have, in the past, been limited to clerical and cashier jobs. Also, the ratio of technicians to pharmacists has been maintained low, with the technicians being viewed as mere support staff in the pharmacies (Melo, Molino, Ribeiro & Romano-Lieber, 2017). However, the limits have been removed, and technicians now form an integral part of the success of a pharmacy. Therefore, educating and training pharmacy technicians are essential in making the field of pharmacy successful and productive. Besides, the services offered in the pharmacy depend on the efficiency of the technicians. Moreover, pharmacy roles present people with serious challenges that need proper strategies.
Pharmacy technicians are trained on various strategies of solving challenges associated with the pharmaceutical practice. The training offered equips the technician with skills that help him to overcome the challenges that they face during their workout. Besides, an untrained technician may subject the pharmacy to risks associated with poor quality services (Lengel, Kuhn, Worley, Wehr & McAuley, 2018). Moreover, the roles of a pharmacy technician are sensitive and require sufficient training to make the technicians conversant with the clients’ expectations. For example, pharmacy technicians are expected to make prescriptions for clients who need training and experience. Besides, wrong prescriptions may be disastrous. Moreover, the pharmacy technician is involved in administrative roles in the pharmacy and should, therefore, have leadership and public relationship skills.
Training is essential for pharmacy technicians as it equips them with administrative and public relations skills. Pharmacies are profit-making facilities that rely on their clients to remain sustainable in business. The administrative roles given to the technicians place them closest to the clients, and crucial skills are required to maintain the loyalty of the clients. According to Schafheutle, Jee and Willis, (2017), the loyalty of the clients depends on the treatment obtained upon their visit to the facilities. Also, the general image of the pharmacy is crucial for the success of the business. The treatment given to the clients plays a crucial role in the maintenance of a positive business image. Generally, the technicians are responsible for ensuring that the image remains positive and should, therefore, be trained. Moreover, licensed technicians are more responsible because the pharmacy is assured of the quality of their services.
Licensing of pharmacy technicians is done after successful training. A licensed technician is more reliable because the pharmacy is assured of the quality of their services as well as the roles they can play as seen by Rosado, John, Puaar and Bates (2015). Training, therefore, offers an avenue for assessing the efficiency of a technician before licensing them. Also, training saves pharmacies from additional costs of having to employ more personnel where the existing technicians cannot undertake roles that require training. Furthermore, untrained pharmacy technicians leave more responsibilities for the pharmacist who should be engaging in additional activities. Generally, training of pharmacy technicians is essential in ensuring that the quality of services offered is maintained high and that the facility remains effective.
References
Lengel, M., Kuhn, C. H., Worley, M., Wehr, A. M., & McAuley, J. W. (2018). Pharmacy technician involvement in community pharmacy medication therapy management. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 58(2), 179-185.
Melo, D. O. D., Molino, C. G. R. D. C., Ribeiro, E., & Romano-Lieber, N. S. (2017). Training of pharmacy technicians for dispensing drugs in Primary Health Care. Ciencia & saude coletiva, 22(1), 261-268.
Rosado, H., John, C., Puaar, D., & Bates, I. (2015). An analysis of the initial education and training standards for pharmacy technicians and views on their fitness for purpose. UCL: London, UK.
Schafheutle, E. I., Jee, S. D., & Willis, S. C. (2017). Fitness for purpose of pharmacy technician education and training: the case of Great Britain. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 13(1), 88-97.