Pharmacy technicians are medical professionals who work alongside pharmacists to help and support patients and make sure they get the best care.
Pharmacy technicians can work in places like community (retail) pharmacies; hospital pharmacies; pharmaceutical production or sales in the pharmaceutical industry; prisons; and primary care, education, military, or veterinary practices.
There are different roles for pharmacy technicians in each place, and each state has its own regulations on what a pharmacy technician can do.
NATIONAL DIPLOMA
The entry requirement into National Diploma Pharmaceutical Technology program is as follows:
HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA
The minimum entry requirement into Higher National Diploma in Pharmaceutical Technology is as follows:
The National Diploma in Pharmaceutical Technology obtained from an accredited programme, with at least lower credit or pass
Or
In addition to (a), (b) and (c) above, the candidate must have acquired not less than one year post ND cognate work experience
In exceptional cases, ND diplomats with a pass (CGPA of 2.0-2.49) in the ND examination with two or more years of cognate experience in the specific field may be considered for admission into the HND programme.
Pharmacy technicians are supervised by pharmacists. They’re responsible for the overall efficiency and safety of pharmacy operations. Their time is usually split between using their technical skills for prescriptions and providing customer service.
They help patients fill or order prescriptions and discuss any concerns with the pharmacist. They also make sure that everything runs smoothly in the pharmacy, including phone and technical operations, customer care, and communication between other workers.
Depending on where the pharmacy technician works, they may have different duties:
Hospital-based pharmacy technicians
Pharmacy technicians in a hospital may work with IV medications (medicine delivered through a needle and tube in a patient’s vein) and do more laboratory preparation such as sterilizing (deep cleaning).
Pharmacy technicians may also maintain drug-dispensary machines (automated vending machines that give out medicine) that nurses use for patients at a moment’s notice.
Retail pharmacy technicians
Pharmacy technicians in a traditional pharmacy (such as at a grocery store or drugstore) will mostly handle customer service and speak with patients who need medication or advice.
They will often answer questions about taking medications, like dosage and timing. A pharmacy technician might not have all the answers, but if they get stuck, they can ask the pharmacist for help.
Mail-order pharmacy technicians
These technicians work in an office-like environment, fulfilling prescriptions from a workstation. They may be responsible for maintaining patient databases, filling medicines, and taking inventory.
