Definition
Performs technical work to assist a licensed pharmacist in the technical functions of the practice of pharmacy in a state facility; performs related work as required.
Work Examples
Accepts prescription refill authorizations communicated to a pharmacy by a prescriber; contacts prescribers to obtain prescription refill authorizations.
Prepares non-formulary drugs, split doses, drawer medications, and repackaged medications and generates self-administration labels to be used on bulk medications.
Purchases vaccines used in routine and mass inoculations, working with nursing staff to ensure the proper amount of vaccine is ordered; keeps a log of vaccine distributions to other facilities.
Prepares reports that notify nursing personnel of scheduled periodic and non-recurrent medications.
Collects pertinent patient information and pharmaceutical prescriptions from doctors' orders; enters information on computer, calculating expiration dates and quantities to be dispensed.
Prepares injections using aseptic techniques and labeling for administration by nursing and labeling oral medication for self-administration.
Inspects drug supplies provided and controlled by a licensed pharmacy but stored on a crash cart, or in a nursing unit or pharmacy satellite location.
Performs packaging, manipulative, or repetitive tasks relating to the processing of prescription or medication orders in a licensed pharmacy.
Compiles and maintains weekly and monthly pharmacy statistics and generates reports for drugs credit and rebilling.
Competencies Required
- Customer Service – Principles and processes for providing customer services, including customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluating customer satisfaction.
- Mathematics – Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Medicine and Dentistry – The information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
- Law and Government – Laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
- English Language – The structure and content of the English language, including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Administrative – Administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Near Vision – See details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Oral Comprehension – Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Comprehension – Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Speech Recognition – Identify and understand the speech of another person.
Information Ordering – Arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Problem Sensitivity – Tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Category Flexibility – Generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Number Facility – Add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
Perceptual Speed – Quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Active Listening – Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension – Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking – Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Learning – Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Judgment and Decision Making – Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:
One year of full-time technical work experience assisting a pharmacist with pharmaceutical tasks.
A total of one year of education and/or full-time experience (as described in number one), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in a pharmacy technician training program equals one year of full-time experience.
Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes two years of full-time work as a Pharmacy Assistant.
Notes
Within a timeframe determined by the appointing authority at the time of hire, registration as a certified pharmacy technician (CPhT) or pharmacy technician trainee by the Iowa Board of Pharmacy must be obtained and subsequently maintained to continue employment.