When will I get certificate for pharmacy assistance?

[abeautifulday]

Hey guys,

I just applied to get the certificate for pharmacy assistance yesterday and you guy know how long will I have the certificate because I also applied to volunteer for a hospital. I am looking forward to getting the certificate to volunteer and work as a pharmacy assistant.

Plus, any of you knows how many hours to volunteer or work as a pharmacy assistant when you apply to a pharmacy? I know working as many hours as I can is the best, but any reference number of volunteer/working hours looks competitive on your application?

Thank you

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[PharmLife4Me]

When you say "pharmacy assistant" are you talking about a pharmacy technician or what?

 

[88888888]

No idea what this is..

 

[saladbar]

No idea what this is..

a pharmacy assistant is basically a person who plays the role of doing half of what the pharmacist does. so if the pharmacist counts 25 pills but the prescription says 50, the assistant will count the other pills. if the pharmacist is counseling, the assistant can step in the middle and finish off the counsel.

 

[Digsbe]

a pharmacy assistant is basically a person who plays the role of doing half of what the pharmacist does. so if the pharmacist counts 25 pills but the prescription says 50, the assistant will count the other pills. if the pharmacist is counseling, the assistant can step in the middle and finish off the counsel.

I've never heard of this, but I do know it's illegal for anyone other than the pharmacist or an intern under supervision to counsel patients. In other words, you cannot counsel unless you are the licensed pharmacist or a student enrolled in pharmacy school working under supervision. Techs, clerks, and general staff cannot counsel or finish a counselling session and if they do so they put the pharmacy up for heavy fines and actions. I've never heard of a "pharmacy assistant" nor do I know of any place that has an assistant that does half of the pharmacist work or finishes it out. Typical workflow is techs counting, entering, and selling with the pharmacists verifying, doing the healthcare work like DURs, immunizations, and counselling with them filling in where techs are as time permits or areas are needed.

 

[owlegrad]

Where do I sign up for one of these assistants?

Actually that "assistant" description sounds a lot like an intern.

Sorry OP, I have no idea what you are describing. Maybe it would help to know what state you are in? The laws are different in each one.

 

[syl0sim]

Are you talking about Pharmacy Assistant?
There is a pharmacy assistant in Washington State... I was one before I started pharmacy school. It depends on which place you work or volunteer at, but pharmacy assistants can only run cashier and count pills (and I guess stick the prescription label on the vial). And if working/volunteering at hospital they can do delivery to inpatient, etc.

When I was volunteering at an outpatient hospital the pharmacist and the techs told me technically by Washington State pharmacy law, pharmacy assistants are not allowed to grab the bottles from the shelf (for example you were already counting from the bottle pharmacist/tech gave you but there's not enough) but assistants can stock the bottles on the shelf.
I also heard some places won't allow assistants to count narcotics.

OP -
I'm not sure if you are in Washington State or not, but I think it took me about a month when I first got my pharmacy assistant license maybe about four years ago.

 

[abeautifulday]

Are you talking about Pharmacy Assistant?
There is a pharmacy assistant in Washington State... I was one before I started pharmacy school. It depends on which place you work or volunteer at, but pharmacy assistants can only run cashier and count pills (and I guess stick the prescription label on the vial). And if working/volunteering at hospital they can do delivery to inpatient, etc.

When I was volunteering at an outpatient hospital the pharmacist and the techs told me technically by Washington State pharmacy law, pharmacy assistants are not allowed to grab the bottles from the shelf (for example you were already counting from the bottle pharmacist/tech gave you but there's not enough) but assistants can stock the bottles on the shelf.
I also heard some places won't allow assistants to count narcotics.

OP -
I'm not sure if you are in Washington State or not, but I think it took me about a month when I first got my pharmacy assistant license maybe about four years ago.

Thank you for your information
Yes, I am talking about the Pharmacy Assistant in Washington State. I applied a week ago and hopefully I will get it soon. I am so excited to volunteer in the hospital. What pharmacy school are you going to?

 

[abeautifulday]

When you say "pharmacy assistant" are you talking about a pharmacy technician or what?

I am taking about Pharmacy Assistant in Washington State which technically under Pharmacist and Pharmacy Tech. Pharmacy Assistant certificate is only 4 hours HIV/AIDS training and then you can work as a pharmacy assistant in Washington State.

 

[Mur7ay]

a pharmacy assistant is basically a person who plays the role of doing half of what the pharmacist does. so if the pharmacist counts 25 pills but the prescription says 50, the assistant will count the other pills. if the pharmacist is counseling, the assistant can step in the middle and finish off the counsel.

Lol