Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Exam

1. Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Exam Brooke Shiotani, Kim Pong, Jennifer Seo, Chris Nomura, Helen Louie, Derek Kuniyoshi, David Thompson

2. Pharmacy Technician Facts • Responsibilities have gone beyond “counting and pouring” • There is a ratio of 3:1 technicians to pharmacists • Currently there is no standardized certification to become a technician

3. Problem Definition • We found two main problems within the field of pharmacy technicians • No board verified standard level of knowledge • Pharmacy technician is not considered a professional career

4. Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Examination • Is a national certification • It certifies that an individual has met certain criteria laid out by the PTCB • Drug knowledge • Mathematics • Management of pharmacy practice • Inventory control • Other basic pharmacy knowledge • Technician receives credentials (CPhT)

5. THE LAW • WAC 246.901.060 • “To become certified as a pharmacy technician, an individual must: 1) Complete an approved pharmacy technician program; 2) Apply to board for certification. The application must include a notarized statement of program verification signed by the program director; 3) A new pharmacy technician must pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) within 3 attempts not to exceed 24 months beyond the date of birth after obtaining the license.”

6. White Paper on Pharmacy Technicians • Why is it important to have competent pharmacy technicians? • Reduce workload for pharmacists • Increases quality of pharmaceutical care • Increases patient safety

7. White Paper cont. • PTCB benefits • Professional Identity • Technicians remain longer in practice • Improve staff morale • Reduce medication errors • Higher productivity • Higher patient satisfaction • Salary increase

8. Higher Pay Rates for CPhTs From: Murer, Melissa “Charting a New Course” 2002

9. States and the PTCB • Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, Texas and Wyoming utilize PTCB certification • Washington and other states recognize the PTCB but do not require it

10. Stakeholders • Pharmacy Technicians • Pharmacists • Washington Board of Pharmacy • Pharmacies • Pharmacy Technician Schools • PTCB • Patients

11. Alternatives

12. Conclusion • Lack of verified standard level of knowledge for technicians is a problem • Proposal is to require technicians to pass the PTCB exam • Benefits include: • Increasing the competency of technicians • Reducing medication errors • Improving morale • Create stable working environment

13. Resources • Rouse, Michael J. “White paper on pharmacy technicians 2002: Needed changes can no longer wait.” American Journal of Health System Pharmacists 60 (2003):37-51. • Pharmacy technicians: sesquicentennial stepping stone summits 2002. APhA; p 5 • Career. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved December 1, 2003, from Merriam-Webster Online. http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary • Washington State Board of Pharmacy. Electronic references. Retrieved December 4, 2003 from http://www.leg.wa.gov/wac/index.cfm?fuseaction=Section&Section=246-901-060. • Frequently Asked Questions. PTCB. Retrieved December 3, 2003, from PTCB online. http://www.ptcb.org • Long T. Current and future development with pharmacy technicians. Paper presented at APhA Annual Meeting. Washington, DC; 2003 Mar 19 • Guidebook to certification. PTCB. Retrieved December 3, 2003, from PTCB online. http://www.ptcb.org • http://www.abhes.org/states.2000.asp. Accessed 12/1/03. • McRee, Tina. Pharmacy Technicians in California: Snapshot of an emerging profession. 2003: UCSF Center for the Health Professions. Available from: http://www.calendow.org/pub/publications/RXT.pdf. Accessed 12/2/03. • Murer, Melissa. Charting a New Course PTCB 2002. Presented at 37th ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting