As any pharmacy technician will tell you, a typical day behind the counter is intense. Although pharmacy technicians cannot perform all of the tasks that pharmacists do, they do perform many of them during their long, all-day shifts.
Pharmacy technicians, who play an important role in today’s healthcare industry, need a diverse skill set to effectively manage the pharmacy and assist patients with their medication needs while working under the supervision of a pharmacist.
If you are considering a career as a pharmacy technician, here are some of the skills and abilities you’ll need to succeed.
Pharmacy Technician Practice Test (PTCB)
To become a licensed pharmacy technician, you must pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam or PTCE. The test is known as the PTCB Exam since the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board administers it.
The test has 90 multiple-choice questions, and you have 110 minutes to complete it.
Because the questions on this exam are difficult, you should devote a significant amount of time to your preparation.
Question Types On The PTCB Exam
There are four mandatory modules for the PTCB exam in 2022 and pharmacy calculations for technicians sprinkled throughout these modules.
- Medications 40%
- Federal Requirements 12.5%
- Patient Safety and Quality Assurance 26.25%
- Order Entry and Processing 21.25%
PTCB Exam Scoring
A candidate’s raw score (the number of correctly answered questions) is converted to a scaled score. The PTCB exam has a risen score range of 1,000 to 1,600.
Only 80 of the 90 multiple-choice questions for certified pharmacist technicians are scored. Ten of the questions are not cut, but they are not identified.
They are also distributed at random throughout the PTCB exam to prevent the unscored PTCB questions from being placed. These unscored questions will have no impact on your final score, determined by your answers to the remaining 80 scored exam questions.
Official score reports will be available online one to three weeks after the exam date.
After passing the exam, candidates will receive a certificate and wallet card in four to six weeks.
Best Free PTCB Practice Test
Passing the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam is one of the four requirements for becoming a pharmacy technician.
These free pharmacy technician practice test may be useful in preparing for your Pharmacy Tech certification exam:
- Sample PTCB questions from Test-Guide.com are a great way to prepare for your upcoming Pharmacy Technician exams. No registration (or payment) is required for these sample tests. The questions are categorized according to the PTCB test outline and are scored immediately at the final result of the exam.
When you finish the exam, you will be given a score report that contains an explanation for each question you answered wrong.
- PTCB Prep is a comprehensive website with thousands of PTCB exam questions and test-taking tips to assist you in preparing for your big day. This website is a completely free web platform that offers complete PTCB training and testing. The PTCB practice exams are meticulously compiled and based on the actual test format.
6 Tips For Pharmacy Technicians
In our medical system, pharmacy technicians play an important role. They’re frequently tasked with high-level responsibilities that impact our health, such as informing patients about their medications, assisting pharmacists in preparing prescriptions, and cultivating long-term relationships with the communities in which they work.
Here are some suggestions for how pharmacy technicians can make the most of their time behind the counter and help their pharmacies run more efficiently—without burning out or putting their health at risk.
1. Communication Techniques
Strong written and vocal communication skills might differ between patients taking their prescriptions appropriately and deadly misunderstandings.
As a pharmacy technician, it would be ideal if you could modify your communication to fit the demands of various audiences. You must, for example, have a thorough understanding of the technical terms used by pharmacists and other technicians, as well as the ability to translate this language into layman’s terms for patients.
2. Organizational Skills
Because pharmacy technicians work in a fast-paced environment, they must have exceptional organizational skills. Some of the tasks that keep the pharmacy organized are stocking shelves with supplies, maintaining medicine containers in order, affixing printed labels on bottles, and keeping stock data updated.
Millions of people use medication to improve their quality of life. As a result, pharmacies are usually very busy. As a result, patient safety is a priority during medication delivery.
3. Focus and Energy For All Day Long
It’s crucial to remember that to look after the health of others, and you must also look after your own. For example, a pharmacy technician will be on their feet for most of the day, juggling many jobs. As a result, it’s critical to maintain your energy levels. Staying healthy can also help you stay focused throughout lengthy shifts, reducing your chances of making mistakes.
4. Computer Skills
Pharmacy technicians keep track of important information such as patient history, current prescriptions, and details about the composition of specific medications using specific programs.
Pharmacy technicians will have to work with various platforms, applications, and operating systems.
Starting with pharmacy technician education is the best way to ensure your success as a pharmacy technician. Enrolling in a program that includes coursework and practical experience is a perfect way to start.
5. Technical Skills
The technical skills that emerge early in a pharmacy technician’s career are critical to success. As a pharmacy technician, you should be familiar with chemistry, pharmacology, medical terminology, and mathematical calculations. Furthermore, technology supports daily operations in today’s busy pharmacies.
With constant changes in the pharmaceutical industry, you should be aware of the most recent developments in terms of drug names, brands, and procedures. In addition, you must be able to compound sterile and non-sterile products and learn how to use simple automated packaging technology.
6. Skills Inherent to a Pharmacy Technician’s Personality:
- Team Player
- Initiative
- Commitment to learning
- Skilled communicator
- Adaptability/Flexibility
- Accurate and detail-oriented
- Ability to focus and prioritize
- Organized
- Problem Solving/Critical Thinking
- Critical Observation
- Conflict Resolution
- Time management
- Common sense
- Empathy
- Strong work ethic
- Computer skills
Conclusion
To become a great pharmacy technician, you must put in a lot of effort. However, you can still do it if you follow some of the useful tips presented in this article.
Going to school to achieve a formal certification or license as a pharmacy technician is an excellent way to improve your skills and become the best pharmacy technician you can be. You can also test your knowledge with the free PTCB practice test online.
