Pharmacy Tech Do’s and Don’ts

1. Pharmacy Tech Do’s and Don’ts Assisting the Pharmacist

2. The Role of the PT • Continues to evolve as the job description for the PT continues to be defined. • The dispensing function once the domain of the Pharmacist now has become the primary function of the PT. • It allows the Pharmacist to engage in the counseling of patients and monitoring drug therapy.

3. Do’s : 1. Receive prescription orders and ensure that the prescription or medication order is complete and accurate. (See sig worksheet) • Receive refill requests from patients over the phone and ensure refill is available or if not a doctor is called to authorize refill(s) • Prescription orders can be delivered in person, by fax, or by phone order. • All means of prescriptions must have a physician’s signature. • If a doctor cannot call in a prescription, a representative if the doctor such as a nurse may call it in. • Procedures for accepting prescription orders are stated in the Pharmacy Procedures Manual and should be reviewed in the beginning of one’s employment.

4. Do’s 2. Input prescription order into the computer and ensure entry of data is correct and corresponds to the prescription order. • Computers are used to input information and will provide the patients record or profile and insurance information. • Each pharmacy is required to complete one computer back up a day to ensure records are kept up. • The first step in inputting information derived from the prescription is to make sure that the patient has a patient profile with all the demographics of the patient. • Should an “alert” arise from the computer, the PT is directed to the Pharmacist with the problem who then accepts the prescription or makes the necessary changes.

5. Do’s 3. Retrieve, count, pour, weigh, measure, and mix medications and ensure correct medication, strength, and quantity. • New roles find PT’s involved in the actual dispensing functions. • Filing the prescription orders requires 3 checks: • The first check would be when the medication is pulled form the shelf. The PT should have the original prescription and label verifying the correct med, dosage and strength is being pulled off the shelf. • The second check: Once the med has been pulled, the PT needs to do a second check before counting the medication or filling the prescription order to ensure correct med, dosage form, and quantity to be counted or poured. • The third check would be after the label is attached to the container or prescription bottle. This is the final check to ensure accuracy that the correct med, dosage form, and quantity were correctly filled. • This may seem like overkill but safety issues dictate that the PT checks at least three times before the Pharmacists final check.

6. Do’s 4. Compound and or reconstitute medications and ensure all measurements are accurate and recipe is followed accurately. • Reconstitution is when the PT is filling a powder container with a specific amount of liquid (usually distilled water) to a specific volume. An example of this kind of mix is Amoxicillin. • In compounding, the PT follows a recipe to make a product such as a solution, suspension, ointment, cream, etc. • This type of work is under the guidance of the Pharmacist and is only done if the Pharmacist feels that PT is capable.

7. Do’s 5. PT’s should select an appropriate prescription container whether it is vials or bottles. Never use a bottle or vial that is too big for the volume needed. 6. PT’s should affix a prescription label and auxiliary label(s) on containers. Auxiliary labels provide additional information such as “take with food or milk,” “avoid sunlight,” or “may cause drowsiness.” 7. Price prescriptions-if proper information entered into the computer in the patients profile, the computer should do the correct pricing for the medication received.

8. Do’s 8. File prescription hard copies-The filing of the original written prescriptions is important to ensure that if it is needed in the future for reference, the prescription can be easily found. • Filing prescriptions are done by prescription number or serial number. • Other than Schedule II (C II) drugs being filed separately, all other drugs including Schedules III-V may be filed with regular prescriptions but must have a red “C” stamped on them. 9. Establish and maintain patient files to ensure up to date information in computer profiles. • Upon receipt of a new prescription order from a new patient, it is up to the PT to ensure that the profile information is entered into the computer system. • Patient profile should include all the patients demographics, allergies, health conditions, other medications they are taking, insurance plan, and other pertinent information.

9. Do’s 10. Prepackage and label medications 11. Replenish stock 12. Inventory management to ensure that stock inventory is not over or under need of the pharmacy setting. • In most cases each medication should have an established “par” level in which the amount of drug has an well-known turnover rate and there is never too much or too little of a drug available. 13. Other: • Clerical-Must be able to work with a cash register and able to type within a reasonable rate of speed. • A PT must be able to meet the Pharmacist and the customer needs and is able to get familiar with where OTC drugs are located throughout the pharmacy shelves.

10. Don'ts • A PT cannot accept new oral prescriptions or medication orders from a prescriber. • A Pt cannot make a final interpretation of a prescription or any medication order. • A PT cannot counsel a patient. • See the Technician Liability Handout • See Code of Conduct handout.

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