Pharmacy Technician

Placement into or completion of ENGL& 101

English 101 is a college-level writing course that emphasizes academic writing and major strategies of reading and writing analytically. Writing assignments focus on engaging with and responding to a variety of texts. Instruction encourages students to develop, through revision and reflection, as readers, writers, and critical thinkers. Prereq: Eligibility for ENGL&101.

Placement into or completion of MATH 098

Covers real number system, polynomial, rational, radical, exponential and logarithmic expressions and equations, linear and quadratic graphs, linear systems of equations and intro to functions.

This course covers the terminology surrounding anatomy, physiology, pathology, tests, and treatments. The student will learn basic medical word structure and language. An overview of the body including cavities and regions, anatomical planes and directional terms, divisions of the spine, and individual body systems. Spelling, pronunciation, and listening are practiced. Open to all students in healthcare professions. Contact the Workforce Instruction Division at (206) 934-3790 or Advising at (206) 934-3658 for information and to register. Note: This course replaces AHI 100 Introduction to Medical Vocabulary. Permission required.

This course will review the contributions made by nations of the world to the practice of pharmacy past and present. Course will review the role of professional pharmacy organizations, past and present, to improving the practice of pharmacy and the role of pharmacy personnel. Students will also learn about new drug development, drug distribution, and the role of the pharmacy technician in drug procurement. Course material will cover the types of sites which currently employ pharmacy technicians including an analysis of the role of pharmacy technicians in these various job settings. Current trends which may effect the future direction for pharmacy technicians will also be discussed. Registration limited to students enrolled in the Pharmacy Technician program. Permission required.

Covers mathematics review with an introduction to calculations encountered in pharmacy practice. Registration limited to students enrolled in the Pharmacy Technician program. Permission required.

In this course students will learn common disorders in which consumers seek advice about self-treatment. This course reviews the use of non-prescription drugs for these selected disorders. Students also learn questions to ask consumers which will help the pharmacist determine whether self-treatment is indicated or additional medical care should be sought.. Registration limited to students enrolled in the Pharmacy Technician program. Permission required.

Introduction to sterile products and aseptic techniques in hospital settings. The devices and manipulation techniques necessary to maintain sterility and mechanics of a hospital pharmacy are discussed and practiced in laboratory exercises. Registration limited to students enrolled in the Pharmacy Technician program. Permission required.

Continuation of PHA 140. Focus on the preparation of cardiac and other titerable drips, IV antibiotics, chemotherapy, IVPs and TPNs. Intro to hospital application software. Includes lab. Registration limited to students enrolled in the Pharmacy Technician program. Permission required.

This course will examine communication processes to see how they are influenced by the values, behaviors and beliefs that are defined by culture. It will also explore communication within the pharmacy setting incorporating law.

This course will review the principals of drug action including introduction to pharmaco-kinetics and pharmacodynamics. Students will also study the anatomy and physiology of the nervous system and discuss drugs used in the treatment of disorders of the nervous system. Registration limited to students enrolled in the Pharmacy Technician program. Permission required.

This course is a continuation of PHA 150. Students will briefly study the anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal system, endocrine system, respiratory system. Emphasis will be placed on treatment of diseases of cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and respiratory systems. Students will also discuss treatment of bacterial and viral infections. Registration limited to students enrolled in the Pharmacy Technician program. Permission required.

This course will review the history of computers in pharmacy, current practice applications, and future trends. Legal and ethical issues surrounding information collection and retrieval will also be addressed. The laboratory component of this course is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge needed to process prescriptions using pharmacy software. Students will gain proficiency in the use of ambulatory care prescription processing software. Registration limited to students enrolled in the Pharmacy Technician program. Permission required.

This course is designed to introduce students to the TOP 200 drugs. Skills gained in PHA 160 will be integrated into this course. Students will use pharmacy software to process real prescriptions in the pharmacy lab. Computerized insurance billing and report generation will be explored. Students will be introduced to hospital and nursing home application software. Registration is limited to students enrolled in the Pharmacy Technician program. Permission required.

This course is designed to provide skills required to practice effectively in an ambulatory care practice setting. Students learn to interpret prescription contents, top 100 drugs, inventory control procedures, tasks associated with procurement of pharmaceuticals, to complete and file records for third party reimbursement and requirements for completing and filing prescription records. Registration limited to students enrolled in the Pharmacy Technician program. Permission required.

Introduction to healthcare systems, pharmacy billing, and the contractual relationships between pharmacies, manufacturers, and wholesalers. Course covers basics of US healthcare, insurance overview, and current billing practices. Course will include workshops for practical skill development, such as billing insurance, problem-solving adjudication issues, prior authorization submissions and allocating resources for affordable patient medication costs.

Pharmacy Law and Ethics covers the federal and state laws governing pharmacy practice and the commonly encountered ethical dilemmas in the field of pharmacy. Introduces ethical decision making models and practical problem solving solutions that are utilized in the pharmacy.

The Pharmacy Technician externship is usually split over a two-quarter time frame.

A minimum of 13 credits = 432 externship hours must be completed satisfactorily for certification.

The pharmacy technician practicum is designed to enable students to obtain hands on experience in a pharmacy setting. Students are introduced to all aspects of the pharmacy technicians job at the site in which they have been placed. Students will be placed in at least two different settings (an inpatient setting and an ambulatory care setting). Inpatient settings include: nursing home, inpatient hospital, and home infusion. Ambulatory care settings include: chain pharmacy, independent pharmacy, and outpatient hospital/clinic pharmacy. Registration is limited to students enrolled in the Pharmacy Technician program. Permission required.

This course will cover job hunting skills, resume, and cover letter writing techniques and the interview process. In addition, it will provide the necessary information for the students to complete the national exam.