pharmacy technician

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Job Description: Pharmacists ensure that medications are used appropriately, and that they bring about the best results. Their responsibilities include professionally interpreting and reviewing the prescription orders written by doctors, dentists, and other authorized health care providers, and also for giving out the medications accurately to patients. The main goal of pharmaceutical care is to improve the quality of patients? lives by the use of medications that have been prescribed in order to accomplish specific results.

Pharmacists are highly educated in the form, uses, and interactions of certain medicines and also in how those medicines affect normal body functions. They keep thorough patient medication records, which contain important health information. Pharmacy technicians give advice to patients on the proper use of medications, and they also are important sources of information to physicians and other health care providers.

The majority of the duties of a pharmacy technician are to maintain, dispense, count, package, and carefully label medications for patients.

Potential Work Locations:

- Retail Pharmacies

- Community Pharmacies

- Health clinics

- Hospitals

- Doctor?s Offices

- Pharmaceutical Companies

Educational Background:

In order to become a pharmacy technician, you should take math, chemistry, and biology courses in high school. After receiving your high school diploma, you should complete a program specifically for pharmacy technicians. These programs are offered at community colleges and also at technical institutions and they can take anywhere from five months to two years to complete. Pharmacy technician programs usually include some on-the-job training as well. When a student graduates fro...

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... to work nights and weekends.

r Their work can get pretty repetitive.

r Giving out the wrong medication, or improper dosages can potentially be fatal to patients. Pharmacy technicians must be willing to take on this risk and do their work as carefully and accurately as possible.

Current Employment Trends: The employment trend for pharmacy technicians is currently very good. Approximately 82% of graduates get a job once they finish their education. In some areas of the country there is competition for certain positions.

The elderly population are important consumers of medical services and medicines. Since the amount of elderly Canadians is in the process of growing, the demand for pharmacy technicians will also grow.

Other Related Careers:

- Biological Tech

- Health Records Professional

- Medical Lab Tech

- Pharmacist

- Pharmacologist

- Phlebotomist

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