Pharmacy Technician Professional

Hours: 400 / Access Length: 12 Months / Delivery: Online, Self-Paced

Course Overview:

This program prepares students to be professional Pharmacy Technicians dedicated to assisting Registered Pharmacists in quality pharmacy operational procedures. Graduates are equipped to assist the Pharmacist filling prescriptions according to doctor’s orders. Pharmacy Technicians also participate in ordering products and inventory control, as well as billing and receiving payments. Trained graduates that pass this course are eligible to sit for a national certification exam.  Once students pass the course and certification exam they can submit an application to participate in an internship program with national affiliation partners like CVS and Walgreens, or local pharmacy operations near their residence. This internship is what many employers in this industry want to see that tells them the student is job ready for this high demand job.

State regulations will vary by state, and this course does not specifically prepare students to meet all states’ regulations.  Potential students are highly encouraged to research what the regulations are in the state that they intend to work in.

Students will:

• Explain the role of the pharmacy technician and identify the elements that make up the pharmacy.
• Explain the role of math in the pharmacy and identify pharmaceutical measurements and dosage calculations.
• Explain basic medication safety and identify the different types of drug and drug references associated with them.
• Explain the role of the community pharmacy and identify the activities that occur within the community pharmacy.
• Explain non-sterile compounding and identify the procedures associated with non-sterile compounding.
• Identify the services, structure, procedures and techniques that are part of an institutional pharmacy.
• Identify the sterile procedures and practices that are the responsibility of a pharmacy technician.
• Identify the career options available to pharmacy technicians and identify the steps necessary to obtain employment.

This course prepares a student to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) certification exam.

Testimonial

"I absolutely LOVED this Pharmacy Technician program. I was skeptical at first because I’ve never had an online class. The curriculum was very understandable and informative. I appreciate all the support. I would recommend ProTrain to anyone wanting to succeed. Thank you for everything and especially for giving me an opportunity to further my education."

Jessica Jones

Course Outline:

Pharmacy Technician Career Prep Curriculum:

Lesson 1: Overview of the Pharmacy and the Role of the Pharmacy Technician

In this lesson, you will learn about the pharmacy and the role of the pharmacy technician. You will learn about the laws, regulations, and standards governing pharmacies and the legal obligations of pharmacy technicians.  You will also learn the basic concepts of pharmacology, including drugs and their sources, the national drug code, and the regulation of drugs. Finally, you will learn about the role of the pharmacy technician as part of the pharmacy team, as well as the importance of communication in the pharmacy. Upon completion of this lesson, you will have a thorough understanding of the pharmacy and the role of the pharmacy technician.

Lesson 2: Pharmacy Math, Dosage Calculations, and Drug References

In this lesson, you will learn about pharmacy math and dosage calculations.  You will receive a basic math review to ensure you are prepared for pharmacy calculations.  Then, you will learn about dosage forms, routes of administration, and dispensing medications. You will also learn about pharmaceutical measurements and calculations. In the second section, you will learn about the different types of drugs and the drug references associated with them. Upon completion of this lesson, you will be fully prepared to perform basic math and dosage calculations as part of a pharmaceutical team.

Lesson 3: Pharmacy Practice Settings

In this lesson, you will learn about the various pharmacy practice settings. You will receive an overview of the community pharmacy and the specific activities that occur in a community pharmacy, including the business practices in the community pharmacy. From there, you will learn about the institutional pharmacy and how it differs from the community pharmacy. The lesson will provide an overview of the institutional pharmacy and describe the structure, services and personnel that comprise an institutional pharmacy. You will also learn about the specific techniques and procedures that are part of an institutional pharmacy.

Lesson 4: Compounding

In this lesson, you will learn about compounding. You will learn the rules and standards that apply to compounding, and you will also learn the techniques and procedures for compounding. Upon completion of this lesson, you will understand how to properly perform the procedures associated with compounding and you will be prepared to apply this knowledge to a pharmacy setting.

Lesson 5: Pharmacy Management and Medication Safety

In this lesson, you will learn about pharmacy management practices and basic medication safety.  You will learn the skills necessary to properly manage a pharmacy, including inventory, billing, insurance, and ordering.  You will also learn proper drug storage procedures.  In the second section, you will learn about medication safety and error prevention, including the various medication errors and their causes, reporting strategies, and error tracking.

Lesson 6: Therapeutic Agents: Nervous - Cardiovascular System

In this lesson, you will learn about the therapeutic agents that are used with the following body systems: Nervous, Endocrine, Musculoskeletal, and Cardiovascular. In each section, you will learn about the body system and the conditions associated with it. You will also learn about the drugs used to treat conditions in each body system.

Lesson 7: Therapeutic Agents: Respiratory - Reproductive System

In this lesson, you will learn about the therapeutic agents that are used with the following body systems: Respiratory, Gastrointestinal, Renal, and Reproductive. In each section, you will learn about the body system and the conditions associated with it. You will also learn about the drugs used to treat conditions in each body system.

Lesson 8: Therapeutic Agents: Immune - Hematological System

In this lesson, you will learn about the therapeutic agents that are used with the following body systems: Immune, Eyes/Ears/Nose/Throat, Dermatological, and Hematological. In each section, you will learn about the body system and the conditions associated with it. You will also learn about the drugs used to treat conditions in each body system.

Lesson 9: Over-the-Counter and Complementary Medicine

In this lesson, you will learn about over-the-counter and complementary medications.  You will learn about the different types of medication and the conditions they treat.  You will also learn how to manage and distribute these medications.

Healthcare Professional Perspectives on HIV and AIDS Curriculum:

Lesson 1: HIV Infection and AIDS

In this lesson, you will learn about HIV infection and AIDS.  You will learn about the etiology, epidemiology, and transmission of HIV.  You will also learn about the history of HIV and the evolution of the virus.  HIV will be discussed from a national and global perspective to provide a thorough overview of the scope and impact of the virus.  Upon completion of this lesson, you will have a broad understanding of the history and extent of the virus.

Lesson 2: HIV Diagnosis and Progression

In this lesson, you will learn about HIV diagnosis and prevention.  In the first section, you will learn about HIV screening, testing and counseling.  You will learn about the different types of tests available and the ways in which patients receive test results and post-diagnosis counseling.  In the second section, you will learn about the pathogenesis of HIV.  Upon completion of this section, you will have a thorough understanding of HIV diagnosis and progression.

Lesson 3: Prevention

In this lesson, you will learn about prevention and intervention strategies that are used to reduce the spread of HIV.  The first section of this lesson will provide an overview of the prevention strategies used by individuals to reduce the risk of acquiring the virus.  The second section of this lesson provides information regarding the broad-scale intervention strategies used with individuals to prevent the spread of the infection through groups.

Lesson 4: Managing HIV

In this lesson, you will learn how to manage HIV in HIV positive patients.  In the first section, you will learn about patient experiences living with HIV to gain a better understanding of the challenges these individuals face.  In the second section, you will learn how to work with patients to help them manage their infection.  You will learn about basic medical management of HIV, as well as medical case management.  Upon completion of this lesson, you will be fully prepared to help patients manage their infection.

Lesson 5: Working with Caregivers

In this lesson, you will learn how to work with caregivers to ensure patients receive adequate care and treatment.  Formal and informal caregivers encounter significant challenges in meeting demands of caregiving to persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH).  This lesson discusses stigma, caregiver burden, and grief related to loss as these relate to caregivers of PLWH.  Global strategies for addressing these caregiving issues include: (1) identifying important caregiving problems and skills, (2) developing effective coping strategies, and (3) using community resources to assist caregivers.

Lesson 6: Special Populations

In this lesson, you will learn about the issues facing HIV positive members of special populations.  Over the course of the HIV epidemic the disease has disproportionately affected members of vulnerable (minority) populations, including racial, ethnic, gender, and sexual minorities. Persons from ethnic and gender minority groups face multiple challenges when seeking health care. Challenges faced by minorities are often contextually based and require nurses and other health care providers to examine complex interrelationships between person and environment. In addition to the groups mentioned above, incarcerated individuals who are HIV positive face special challenges regarding care and treatment.  This lesson will address the concerns faced by members of these special populations and provide strategies for working with them.

Lesson 7: Women, Children, and the Elderly

In this lesson, you will learn about HIV and its impact on women, children and the elderly.   These groups face unique challenges, issues, and considerations with respect to HIV/AIDS, and it is important that health care providers are aware of their special needs. This lesson will provide strategies for working with these groups that will ensure they receive the proper level of care and adequate treatment.

Medical Terminology Career Prep Curriculum:

Lesson 1: Medical Terminology Basics

This lesson will help you be able to Identify the four-word elements used to build medical words. You will also learn how to divide medical words into their component parts and apply the basic rules to define and build medical words. You will learn how to interpret pronunciation marks so you can pronounce medical terms presented in this chapter.

Lesson 2: Body Structures

One of the most important parts of the course is understanding the organization of the body. While each person is unique in their own right, the way we are assembled as humans (in a general sense are nearly the same). For this lesson, upon understanding the different levels, planes, and regions of the body, participants will learn how to properly pronounce terms related to a body structure. Documenting health care activities will conclude this part of the course through the assigned activities provided.

Lesson 3: Integumentary, Digestive and Respiratory Systems

The third lesson of the course begins the comprehensive review of the major parts of the body. In this case, the first three (3) in focus are the integumentary, digestive, and respiratory systems. Better put, this lesson will provide comprehensive details and knowledge to understand medical terms specific to one's skin, digestive, and breathing systems. Anatomy and physiology reviews are included in the reading material so participants can not only comprehend terminology but also view where it is often located in these parts of the body. Additional supplemental materials located in the back of the text are available as additional study aids and reference for this and other core portions of the course.

Lesson 4: Cardiovascular, Blood, Lymphatic and Immune Systems

Continuing the discussion of core body systems, the fourth lesson reviews more specific systems which blood commonly flows through. This includes cardiovascular systems such as the heart, lymphatic systems, and more. Similar to other course lessons that focus on body systems, one will need to comprehend the aforementioned knowledge plus an understanding of various diseases or body issues that may result when malfunctions may occur. As mentioned in the previous lesson, additional supplemental materials located in the back of the text are available as additional study aids and reference for this and other core portions of the course.

Lesson 5: Musculoskeletal, Urinary, and Reproductive Systems

The fifth lesson of the course continues the focus of core body systems that medical professionals must understand in order to properly convey and use terms correctly. This lesson goes into great detail about musculoskeletal, urinary, and reproductive systems. These body systems are often dependent on others working properly and failure of those having issues or deficiencies will likely cause these to do the same or at worse fail. Participants should pay particular focus to the reproductive systems and their respective terms as they only apply to their gender and at times, it can be easy to confuse their respective terminologies. As part of a major reoccurring theme for the course, additional supplemental materials located in the back of the text are available as additional study aids and reference.

Lesson 6: Endocrine Systems

The second to last part of the course focuses on an ever-increasing medical base within the United States and the world - endocrinology. Endocrine systems provide the necessary functionality to help keep equilibrium within one's body and nutrients (e.g. glucose and insulin) to keep that balance in place. Hence, thyroid and diabetes care increasing in need, medical professionals must have a strong grasp of common terminology used in this space so that it can be communicated properly and effectively to patients and other medical personnel. To aid in the learning experiences in this important section of the course, additional supplemental materials located in the back of the text are recommended to be used in conjunction with required reading assignments.

Lesson 7: Nervous System and Special Senses

In the final lesson, participants will learn about one body system and special senses. You will be able to locate the major organs of each and describe their structure and function. You will also better understand how each relates to others in the body. You will also learn how to pronounce, spell, and build words related to all both. You will gain an understanding of diseases, conditions, and procedures related to each one as well. You will learn about pharmacology related to the treatment of disorders in each.  One is encouraged to apply cumulative learning experiences to the comprehension of terms learned here as well as additional resources that immediately follow this chapter in the text.

All necessary materials are included.

Certification(s):

This course prepares a student to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) certification exam.

System Requirements:

Internet Connectivity Requirements:

• Cable, Fiber, DSL, or LEO Satellite (i.e. Starlink) internet with speeds of at least 10mb/sec download and 5mb/sec upload are recommended for the best experience.

NOTE: While cellular hotspots may allow access to our courses, users may experience connectivity issues by trying to access our learning management system.  This is due to the potential high download and upload latency of cellular connections.   Therefore, it is not recommended that students use a cellular hotspot as their primary way of accessing their courses.

Hardware Requirements:

• CPU: 1 GHz or higher
• RAM: 4 GB or higher
• Resolution: 1280 x 720 or higher.  1920x1080 resolution is recommended for the best experience.
• Speakers / Headphones
• Microphone for Webinar or Live Online sessions.

Operating System Requirements:

• Windows 7 or higher.
• Mac OSX 10 or higher.
• Latest Chrome OS
• Latest Linux Distributions
  

NOTE: While we understand that our courses can be viewed on Android and iPhone devices, we do not recommend the use of these devices for our courses. The size of these devices do not provide a good learning environment for students taking online or live online based courses.

Web Browser Requirements:

• Latest Google Chrome is recommended for the best experience.
• Latest Mozilla FireFox
• Latest Microsoft Edge
• Latest Apple Safari

Basic Software Requirements (These are recommendations of software to use):

• Office suite software (Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice)
• PDF reader program (Adobe Reader, FoxIt)
• Courses may require other software that is described in the above course outline.