Hospital CPht

[Da Alchemist]

I tried searching google on what pharm tech do in hospital setting. I couldnt find any info. Can anyone share what their job at the hospital is like?? what is the daily routine? who do u guys talk to the most? i understand there are no customers. In retail u talk to the customer all day. Even with the CPht certification do you still need some other training to work in a hospital?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[lozthegreat]

Where I work, there is 3 shifts. One shift answers phones, fills scripts, pretty much helps the pharmacist. The second shift is filling/unloading pyxis machines. You are walking around alot and never have to answer any phones, which is nice. Also, this shift packages pills in unit dose packaging. The third shift is strictly IV room. You coumpound IVs, injections, etc.

On talking, we only talk to nurses, sometime doctors. So there is no nasty customers, but nurses can be a pain too.

For qualifications, I needed to pass a math exam (the IV room shift requires you to do proportion math) and a generic/name brand test. Thats all

Hope this helps.

 

[Da Alchemist]

what math exam? doesn't the ptcb exam have enough math problems already to test math skills? the nurse yell at you? how about the doctors? what do you do when the nurse try to boss the pharmacy around?

 

[PossiblyCrazy]

I posted this on some other thread.

The following are some tyoical shifts at the hospital where I work:

As far as a hospital Technician:

Many different jobs. All technicians rotate into different shifts during the week

1. Central Pharmacy: Technician grabs label off of printer that the pharmacists have verified, gets med from stock room/refrigerator/iv room, places med on counter for pharmacist to check. Tech goes on hourly rounds in his/her section of hospital to deliver patient meds into pyxis machines/refrigerators. The technician also loads everyday meds into pyxis machines and not just patient specific.

2. Pyxis fill: Technician spends the day with other technicians restocking the pyxis machines throughout the hospital, restocks pyxis fill area, etc..

3. IV: Technician makes IV medications for patient specific and for refill of everyday meds.

4. Chemotherapy: Technician makes chemo

There are a few more shifts, but the above are the typical.
Also, the tech is obvously always under pharmacist supervision/verification.

Hope this helps.

 

[lozthegreat]

--" what math exam? doesn't the ptcb exam have enough math problems already to test math skills? the nurse yell at you? how about the doctors? what do you do when the nurse try to boss the pharmacy around?"

I did not take a ptcb exam. I was certified through the hospitals training. The math exam was alot of conversions. Check with your hospitals, (i think each state varies.)

As far as bossy nurses go, I just give the phone to a pharmacist when it happens..

 

[Da Alchemist]

chemotheraphy??

 

[PossiblyCrazy]

Chemotherapy. A hospital tech can also get licensed to make IV chemotherapy bags for cancer patients. Of course, pharmacists come up with standard drug therapy and doctors prescribe the orders/alter standards, but as soon as the doctor orders the chemo medication for the patient the pharmacists verifies it and then the tech actually makes it. Of course, a pharmacist can make it too, but a licensed tech will usually do it.

I'm sure there are technicians licensed to make chemotherapy bags outside the hospital also, probably in private offices somewhere....I'm sure there are others that could elaborate.

On second thought... Are you asking what chemotherapy is? If so, that's a long answer, but the most basic answer is that chemotherapy meds are typically used for cancer patients.

 

[Da Alchemist]

yea i know what chemotheraphy is. I just didnt understand the relation between pharmtech and chemo. pharmtech hospital job sounds fun. way better than retail. so you got licensed meaning you have to take another exam just for chemotheraphy?

 

[PossiblyCrazy]

yea i know what chemotheraphy is. I just didnt understand the relation between pharmtech and chemo. pharmtech hospital job sounds fun. way better than retail. so you got licensed meaning you have to take another exam just for chemotheraphy?

Seriously though, I am sorry if I insulted you..if I did..

I am actually not "trained" in chemo. In RI, once you are licensed as a tech in a hospital you can get trained in chemo to make the bags. I work only every other weekend as a tech so I haven't had the time to get trained yet. I plan on doing it this summer.

It is fun. I actually have never worked retail, so I can't relate. I have to say one of the best perks of hospital is that you get around the hospital, so you are moving around alot.