What are a Pharm Tech's duties?

[BRUINGOLD]

I recently found a job opening for a Pharm Tech at the hospital (hopefully, I get the job!) and I was wondering what exactly a Pharm Tech does?

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[Dr JPH]

Pharm Tech in a hospital is much different than retail.

In the hospital you can usually count on blister packaging meds, mixing IV bags, stocking med carts, stocking machines in different parts of the hospital, delivering pharmaceutical supplies to the floors, and if you are lucky...running like hell through the halls to get an IV bag to the trauma room. That's always exciting.

There is also inventory, stocking, and compounding (nitro patches and whatnot).

It's not as people-oriented as retail. You learn a lot, it's just a bit different than what you would learn at Rite Aid, for instance.

Best of luck.

 

[tlh908]

Just a suggestion - if you work in a large hospital try not to work first shift. In my experience in hospital pharmacy the best way to really learn is to work 2nd shift when there are not as many employees around. You are responsible for more and that means you have to learn more. On first shift it took some people years until they did compounding because there were so many people! While on second shift I compounded all the time, even PCA's and epideruals within months.

To me hospital pharmacy is more exciting than retail because the drugs you mix make a large difference, unlike refilling a Viagra order in retail.

Another cool thing about hospital pharmacy was refilling the OR areas - it was always cool to put on the gowns and wonder through the OR area. Once while refilling the pyxis in open heart they were in the middle of an operation - I was able to watch through the window which was cool......

 

[Dr JPH]

I agree with tlh. Retail sucks. Good money for the pharmacists, but the techs get ragged on and blamed for every mistake.

Unless you were good...like me. Then it was ok.

 

[BRUINGOLD]

Hi guys, thanks for all the info! It's helpful for me to get an idea of what I'd be doing. I will try and get the 2nd shift, I checked off that I was willing to work either one. It sounds really interesting. I am applying to Pharmacy School so this will also be a good learning experience for me. Working in a hospital setting seems much more exciting than straight retail. When I was applying for Walgreens, the job description bascially said I'd be working the computer, phone and cash register.

 

[2badr]

Originally posted by BRUINGOLD
Hi guys, thanks for all the info! It's helpful for me to get an idea of what I'd be doing. I will try and get the 2nd shift, I checked off that I was willing to work either one. It sounds really interesting. I am applying to Pharmacy School so this will also be a good learning experience for me. Working in a hospital setting seems much more exciting than straight retail. When I was applying for Walgreens, the job description bascially said I'd be working the computer, phone and cash register.

Do you have to take the certification exam for pharm techs? I know it is required here.

 

[INevrLearn]

Its going to be required for ALL techs (except interns) by I THINK 2004.

 

[tlh908]

I think the tech certification is different for each state. For example here in PA techs do not need to be certified and won't need to be certified for a long time yet. However, some hospitals require certification as their own standard.

The hospital I worked at had a really good tech training program. Basically anyone without any pharmacy knowledge could be made a good tech in about a month. But this was expensive for the hospital and I can see why they would want certified techs first.....

 

[2badr]

Is there a particular review book that any of you would reccommend for the pharm tech certification exam?