Pharmacy Technician – Advanced Level

Certificate of Completion 

Program Code:  3P39948

This program prepares students for licensure and employment as an advanced-level pharmacy technician at a community and institutional pharmacy. The certificate program exceeds the State Board of Pharmacy’s registration requirements and meets American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) accreditation advanced level standards.

Plan of Study

List of Courses

Goal and Objections

After completion of the Pharmacy Technician Program – Entry Level, the goal of this program is to prepare students for practice as Advanced-level pharmacy technicians, in a broad range of advanced roles, under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist, at a community and institutional pharmacy. Students will acquire additional knowledge, skills, behaviors, and abilities beyond those of the Entry-level pharmacy technician, needed for such advanced practice. 

Program Objectives

This program will provide students with the knowledge and skills to:

• Demonstrate capability to manage or supervise pharmacy technicians applying supervisory skills related to human resource policies and procedures.
• Apply critical thinking skills, creativity, and innovation.
• Demonstrate the ability to effectively and professionally communicate as necessary to serve the needs of patients and practice.
• Describe investigational drug process, medications being used in off-label indications, and emerging drug therapies.
• Support wellness promotion and disease prevention programs.
• Prepare compounded sterile preparations and moderate and high-level non-sterile products per current regulations.
• repare or simulate hazardous drug preparations per current regulations.
• Initiate, verify, and manage the adjudication of billing for complex and/or specialized pharmacy services and goods.
• Process, handle, and demonstrate administration techniques and document administration of immunizations and other injectable medications.
• Verify measurements, preparation, and/or packaging of medications produced by other healthcare professionals.
• Perform point-of-care testing to assist pharmacist in assessing patient's clinical status.
• Participate in the operations of medication management services.
• Participate in technical and operational activities to support the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process as assigned.
• Obtain certification as a Basic Life Support Healthcare Provider.
• Describe major trends, issues, goals, and initiatives taking place in the pharmacy profession.

Program Goals

• Provide students with knowledge of advanced practice pharmacy technician career opportunities including knowledge and skills required
• Provide students the necessary advanced theory and hands-on practice needed to demonstrate proficiency before completing the program, so they are prepared to obtain an advanced-level position at a pharmacy
• Prepare students to adequately function in a supervisory position at a community or institutional pharmacy setting
• Prepare students to appropriately interact with patients and other health care professionals in medication management services

Essential Standards and Technical Functions

Cognitive Ability:

• Apply critical thinking for collecting, analyzing, interpreting and integrating information and knowledge in order to safely and accurately process provider orders and promote positive patient outcomes and professional behavior.
• Demonstrate ability to follow policies and procedures required by clinical and academic settings.
• Demonstrate ability to organize and prioritize tasks.
• Demonstrate ability to function effectively under stress and time constraints.
• Demonstrate awareness of, and ability to work with, diverse populations.
• Demonstrate ability to follow policies and procedures required by clinical and academic settings.

Communication Ability:

• Demonstrate ability to speak, read, comprehend, and write English at a level that meets the need for clear and effective communication with instructors, peers, other healthcare professionals, and patients.
• Demonstrate ability to adjust non-verbal and verbal language appropriately to meet the needs of the multilingual and culturally diverse patients, families, and colleagues.
• Demonstrate the ability to use technology and software to communicate effectively in the workplace, with professionals and patients. 

Interpersonal/ Intrapersonal Skills and Behavior

• Demonstrate emotional and psychological stability to function under stress and to adopt to ever-changing situations.
• Follow the Professional Code of Ethics as prescribed by the APhA and APTA/NPTA.

Visual Ability:

• Demonstrate visual acuity for reading, evaluating, and processing prescriptions, labels, and packages of all types.

Auditory Ability:

• Demonstrate hearing acuity to communicate and interact with patients, pharmacists, and other health care professionals in a variety of settings.

Tactile Ability:

• Demonstrate tactile ability for preparation and compounding of sterile and non-sterile products.
• Demonstrate ability to put on, wear and remove Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE.

Olfactory Ability:

• Demonstrate olfactory ability to detect unusual odors/smells in the environment.
• Strength and Mobility:
• Demonstrate physical abilities and strength to perform clinical and administrative duties.
• Demonstrate strength to lift heavy objects.
• Demonstrate ability to move in tight quarters.
• Demonstrate ability to freely walk, stand, sit, squat, balance, climb, reach, grip, lift, pull, and push as needed in the performance of clinical duties.

Motor Skills:

• Demonstrate gross and fine motor abilities to effectively prepare, package, carry, and deliver medications in a timely manner.

Physical Endurance:

• Demonstrate physical endurance to complete assigned periods, the required shift, and assigned tasks.

Environmental Tolerance:

• Demonstrate ability to work in the pharmaceutical environment.
• Demonstrate sensitivity and ability to protect self and others from environmental risks and hazards.
• Demonstrate ability to tolerate prolonged periods of time amidst artificial lighting, air conditioning, dust and odors, residue from cleaning products, noise, and congested workplace.
• Demonstrate ability to wear Personal Protective Equipment, or P.P.E., for extended periods of time during work, educational study, and labs.
• Demonstrate awareness that the health care environment may contain latex and other allergens, including but not limited to medication (topical and ingestible), chemical, and mundane; tolerance of such allergens in the workplace must also be demonstrated.