Pharmacy Technicians | What Do They Do?

Pharmacy technicians help licensed pharmacists dispense prescription medication. They work in retail pharmacies and hospitals.

Pharmacy technicians typically do the following:

Take from customers or health professionals the information needed to fill a prescription
Count tablets and measure amounts of other medication for prescriptions
Compound or mix medications, such as preparing ointments
Package and label prescriptions
Accept payment for prescriptions and process insurance claims
Do routine pharmacy tasks, such as answering phone calls from customers

Pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of pharmacists, who must review all prescriptions before they are given to patients. If a customer's question is about the medication or health matters, the pharmacy technician arranges for the customer to speak with the pharmacist.

Pharmacy technicians working in hospitals and other medical facilities prepare a greater variety of medications, such as intravenous medications. They may make rounds in the hospital, giving medications to patients.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition

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