Pharmacy Technicians Course. LaGuardia Community College

Pharmacy Technicians Course. LaGuardia Community CollegeInstructor: Milan TopalovFall Session, 2012

Instructor CredentialsEducation:

St. Johns University, Jamaica, N.Y. : Bachelor Degree in Chemistry cum laude. Awarded 1997 . Curriculum included organic synthesis, functional group analysis, and other chemical theory study.

St. Johns University, Jamaica, N.Y.: Pharm.D in Pharmacy, cum laude. Awarded in 2006. Curriculum included required NYS pharmacy study: pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, therapeutics, pharmacy law.

Professional Licensure: NYS licensed Pharmacist (RPH): licensed October 2006

Employment History:New York Presbyterian Hospital at Columbia / Cornell 622 W. 168th Street, New York, N.Y. 10032 Title: Pharmacist Duties as Pharmacist: medication review and order entry, drug information consultation for MD and RNsupervision of pharmacy personnelIV admixture preparation Omnicell and Pyxis experience Held: January 2008- Present. Flushing Hospital Medical Center, Flushing NYTitle: Pharmacy Intern. Held between December 2002-October, 2006Title: Pharmacist. Held between October 2006-December 2007Duties as Pharmacist: medication review and order entry, drug information consultation for MD and RNsupervision of pharmacy personnelIV, TPN, and chemotherapy admixture preparation (limited experience)

History of PharmacyBabylon around 3,000 BC provides the first example of the pharmacy practice. Pharmacists were priests, doctors, and philosophersAncient Egypt had two classes of pharmacy workers: echelons and fabrication chiefs. Papyrus Ebers is a collection of over 700 unique drugs.Terra Sigilata or sealed earth was the first trademarked medicinal agent.Hippocrates was a greek physician who lived during Plato's time. Physicians today profess the Hippocratic oath to do no harm.

Late in the eighth century, Arabs separated the professions of medicine and pharmacy.Americas Pharmacy HistoryJohn Winthrop, governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, was consider Americas first pharmacist.Philadelphia Hospital was founded in 1751.University of Pennsylvania College of Pharmacy formed in 1821.American Pharmaceutical Association formed in 1852.United Pharmacopoeia published in 1820 became Americas first official drug compendium.American Council on Pharmaceutical Education in 1932 established education standards for the pharmacy profession.Definition of Pharmacy TechnicianA pharmacy technician is an individual who is trained to perform certain tasks related to providing pharmacy services to patients in an institutional setting and customers in a community setting.A pharmacy technician is an important part of the pharmacy team who directly assists the pharmacist in the provision of pharmaceutical related care.The expanding role of the pharmacy technician has enabled the pharmacist to spend more time in providing clinical services to patients.Duties performed by a pharmacy technicianThe duties performed by a pharmacy technician vary according to the state that the technician is employed.The duties typically involved the physical act of medication preparation.Technicians in most states can:Provide purchaser services and place orders for medications to suppliers.Physically fill and handle automated dispensing cabinets (i.e pyxis and omnicell)Assist in Inventory management.Count, pour and label medications for patientsUnit dose medications from manufacturer s to institutional generated packaging.Duties performed by a pharmacy technician (continued)In NY state a pharmacy technician is allowed to accept written prescriptions presented to the pharmacy by patients and gather patient specific information.A pharmacy technician is allowed to key personal prescription data into a computerized system; however a licensed pharmacist must initial and approve the entries.A pharmacy technician is allowed to handle issues dealing with pharmacy third party payers.

Duties that a pharmacy technician cant provide.In NY state, a pharmacy technician can not provide counseling to patients or provide drug information to other health care professionals (i.e MDs and RNs).In NY state, a pharmacy technician can not accept oral orders for prescriptions from health care providers authorized to prescribe drugs (MD, NP, PA)A pharmacy technician is not permitted to compound medications like creams, ointments, and parenteral agents. (This is in NY ; however, others states differ)All these duties are the responsibilities of the pharmacist or a pharmacy intern.In general, any issue that involves professional judgment requires the pharmacist. Performing these duties can leave you open to legal liability.

Requirements to be a pharmacy technician18 years of age.High school diploma or GEDNo Felony convinctionThe above requirements will allow you to be able to take the PTCE which is the Pharmacy Technician Certification Boards (PTCB) exam The above requirements will allow you to be able to take the ExCPT which is given by Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ICPT).The website for the PTCB is www.ptcb.orgThe website for the ICPT is www.nationaltechexam.org

Certification versus Licensing: difference between a pharmacy technician and a pharmacistA license is granted to a pharmacist by the state in which he/she is employed. A certification is granted by a nongovernmental agency that indicates an individual has obtain a certain level of competency in the field in which the certification is granted.States and employers recognize these agencies and often attach highest priority to these individuals possessing certificationMany states require these certifications to allow individuals to be registered as pharmacy technicians. Some employers require these certifications for consideration in employment. The Pharmacist: background informationA pharmacist is an individual licensed to dispense, compound, and provide drug related advise on medications.A pharmacists can work in a community/retail setting, hospital or institutional setting or in the pharmaceutical setting for drug companies like Pfizer or Sanofi Aventis. Opportunities in these areas exist for the pharmacy technician as well.To be a pharmacist requires:Six years of study in a college of pharmacy to include organic chemistry, physiology, pharmacology and therapeutics among other course work9 months of internship (part of six year program)Graduation from the program with a PharmD. DegreePassage of the NAPLEX examPassage of the Jurisprudence (Pharmacy Law)exam for the state in which applicant of the license wishes to practice.Registration with the state in which the applicant wishes to practice.45 CE credits every 3 years to be able to renew registration. License is permanent unless its revoked for professional misconduct.NY state board of Regents and the office of professionsEvery person that holds a professional license in NY state has their professional record open to inspections by a citizen of the state.This list includes pharmacists, doctors, lawyers, accountant, nurses etc.The list, called on line verification, can be accessed at:http://www.nysed.gov/COMS/OP001/OPSCR2

Pharmacy Technicians in the hospital settingDuties includes: ordering of medications from suppliers, filling orders, labeling medications, unit dosing, filling of ADC with legend drugs and controlled substances.At New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center.Pharmacy technicians are paid between $39,000 to $42,000 per year not including overtime.Pharmacy technicians are 1199 union members.Pharmacy technicians receive 4 weeks paid vacation/year, 12 paid sick days/year, 8 paid holidays/year, and 4 personal days/year. In addition, full time technicians are eligible for a union pension, life insurance, full medical and dental coverage.Pharmacy technician receive good pay for their efforts.PTCB certification is required at NYPWith great rewards come great responsibilitiesA pharmacy technician is a rewarding career and can open the doors to other opportunities. (1199 provides CE credits free of charge and offers tuition assistance for individuals wishing to pursue future studies)However, with these benefits comes responsibilities. You will be entrusted with peoples medications and you will be handling medications that are controlled substances in the United States (i.e Narcotics like Vicodin, Percocet, Xanax, and stimulants like Concerta and mixed amphetamines like Adderall etc)In some states you will be allowed to compound medications into IVs.Mistakes made can be costly and can leave you open to legal liabilities.Legal Cases involving Pharmacy Technicians (and Pharmacists)Rx for errors: Drug error killed their little girlArticle reported in US Today in February, 2008 about 2 year old Emily Jerry in a Cleveland Ohio hospital.http://emilyjerryfoundation.org/emilys-story/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iru56ZO9tKc

Emily Jerrys Case 2 year old girl was diagnosed with a curable tumor in the abdominal region of her body in 2005. The cure became the curse.A pharmacy technician had prepared Emilys chemotherapy medication using 23.4% solution of sodium chloride instead of the normal 0.9% sodium chloride solution. The pharmacist who was supervising the technician had also missed the error. The baby received the chemotherapy agent and within a few hours was on life support. She died on March 1, 2006.

In August 2006, an Ohio grand jury indicted the pharmacist on charges of reckless homicide and involuntary manslaughter "in the death of Emily Jerry.Ohio state board of pharmacy revoked his license.Unlike the pharmacist, the pharmacy technician did not face disciplinary charges; however she no longer works at the hospital and now holds a non pharmacy related job at CVS.Congressman, Rep. Steven LaTourette, R-Ohio. introduced Emilys Act into congress which would mandate certain educational requirements for all pharmacy technicians and provide for restrict legal penalties for misconduct.

Legal CasesInside a pharmacy where a fatal error occurred USA Today article published in 2008.Case concerned a 46 year old man with a prescription for methadone in 2001. He had the prescription filled at a walgreens in Florida. He received his prescription and began taking his medication which is a pain killer for pain. Within a day he was found dead in the shower by his wife. An autopsy performed determined the cause of death as a methadone overdose.A legal case was brought against the Jacksonville, Florida walgreens. The plaintiff team determined the cause as a pharmacy technician who keyed the directions for use incorrectly and the pharmacist who was too busy to catch the error. The case was settled out of court.Other cases of Pharmacy errorshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPt6ANGnK7sHttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JWstD9ov6o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G52rBOQwNc8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxrkQOQLSU8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEbf9bliOus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gmy2ZR0anLcPharmacy Technician Certification BoardPTCBs examination, called PTCE (Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam)PTCB is the pharmacy technician certification board, which began in 1995 under the organization of the American Pharmacist Association, American Society of Health System Pharmacist, the illinois Council of Health System Pharmacist, and the Michigan Pharmacist Association.Provides a nationally recognized standard for pharmacy technicians Pharmacy Technician Certification ExamThe PTCBs exam that test and certifies a candidates competency as a pharmacy technicianTo qualify to take the exam you must be:18 years of age or olderPossess a high school diploma or GED ( a foreign diploma equivalent may apply)at a minimumNo felony convictions No previous criminal charges dealing with drugs (misdemeanors also) or misconduct as defined by the NABPOnce you pass the exam you may use the acronym CPhT after your nameCertification is valid for 2 years at which time renewal is requiredCompetency areas test by the exam:Assisting the Pharmacist in serving patients (66%)Maintain medication and inventory control system (22%)Participation in the administration and management of pharmacy practice (12%)As of November 2013, the competency areas have been slightly modified; however on balance most of the previous material remains the sameVisit this page for more detailsTo renew a certification you must pay a fee and take 20 hours of CE CreditThe Structure of the Exam90 questions10 questions are polling questions that do not count towards your score and are meant to gauge questions difficult in reference to future examsTime to complete: 1 hr. 50 min (with some extra time to complete a tutorial and exit survey)The ResultsPass/fail score is reported to you immediately on the test terminalNumerical score and certificate is mailed to your homeCandidates who fail the exam are given a total of 3 trys to pass the exam within the given application

Application processApply online: PTCB application here The PTCB will ask you to set up an accountOnce your application is approved you must pay the application fee of $129You will receive an authorization to test notification to schedule an exam date and time. You must schedule a date and time within 90 daysWhat is bring with you to the test?YouGovernment issued photo ID (drivers license)Candidates who dont bring ID forfeit all fees and will not be permitted to testA erasable scratch board will be provided Handheld and on computer calculators are providedAll personal property (include cellphone) will be secured at lockers at the test siteExam offered year roundHow is the exam graded?Uses the modified Angoff methodPanel Experts estimate the difficulty in each question and estimate the percentage of pharmacy technician that can answer the question correctly. More difficult questions are weighted more heavily to the overall score.Each exam is the compared to other exams so that several exams of slightly fluctuating difficulties can be scaled relative to each other. This is called Statistical Equating (SE)SE produces a scale from 300 to 900 for the exam with 650 be the passing gradeFor more information please view the PCTB website for their guidebookConclusionsYou as a pharmacy technician have a wonderful career opportunity. You also have a great deal of responsibility. It is your right to receive adequate supervision by your pharmacist. Be proactive and protect yourself.Education is an important part of everyones career path. Make it a part of yours.Good Luck