The pharmaceutical establishment has specialists from different training levels that establish a hierarchy of tasks. Likewise, the pharmacist will be in charge of managing the pharmacy office and responsible for the actions carried out in it, while the functions of the Pharmacy and Parapharmacy Technician at a distance They are purely executive, where they will be in contact with clients to provide them with the most complete service possible.
Main functions of the pharmacy technician
The functions of pharmacy technician jobs are much broader than we can see with the naked eye. Actually, these technicians play a very important role in the patient advice. In addition, they are usually communicative and empathetic people, who always look for the best solution for their clients.
Public care and dispensing of medications
Among the main tasks is to meet the needs of customers, dispense medications, collaborate in sales, as well as provide all the information that the person requests. The most common is to ask about the side effects of drugs.
Taking of vital signs
On many occasions, people go to the pharmacy to find out how the blood pressure is or what the level of oxygen in the blood is. This professional will take care of take the vital signs, in most cases, with the supervision of a doctor.
Advice on parapharmaceutical products
The pharmacy technician also has the ability to advise the client when it comes to parapharmaceuticals. For example, everything that has to do with dietetics, hygiene items, even beauty and cosmetics.
Control and organization of medicines
Also, this technician will have to have a control of stock of medications, organize them correctly and have their facilities in order for the proper functioning of this business.
Perform administrative tasks
Another of his tasks is know digital tools perfectly to quickly manage pharmaceutical prescriptions. Maintaining sales and order controls and maintaining documentation order are also essential.
Although the Pharmacy Technician’s duties are clearly laid out, they may overlap with those of the pharmacist or the pharmacy assistant. Because of the frequent conflation of these fields, it is crucial to clarify the most important distinctions between them.
Difference between Pharmacy Technician and Pharmacy Assistant
Many people use the term pharmacy assistant to refer to the technician, but this is certainly a very frequent mistake. These are totally different Pharmacy jobs in USA. The main difference between the Pharmacy Technician and the pharmacy assistant lies in their training. Thus, the assistant does not need any specific type of training, being able to apply for this position as long as he has the necessary skills to do so.
When it comes to functions, they are much more limited than the technician’s. In this way, its functions are purely logistical, managing the reception and disposal of products in the establishment and taking care of the maintenance of the premises. For this reason, this professional is less and less frequent, as pharmacies increasingly request personnel trained as the Pharmacy Technician who can satisfy the needs of customers.