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Yakima Valley Community College
Pharmacy Technician Program
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Program Overview |
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Combining convenient on-line instruction,
laboratory simulations, and supervised clinical practice, the
YVCC Pharmacy Technician Program prepares students for a career
as a Pharmacy Technician. Instruction includes core courses
essential to health care professionals as well as specialty
courses in pharmacy technology. A simulation of a pharmacy drug
preparation area in the Allied Health Laboratory allows for
hands-on practice of essential psycho-motor skills. Clinical
practice in hospitals and retail pharmacies provide actual
experiences to prepare students for entry level positions in a
variety of pharmacy settings.
The YVCC Pharmacy Technician Program is 56 credits
in length. Students may complete the course of study in four
quarters of full time attendance. Limited part-time study is
also available. A program application is required, with ten
students accepted annually, using a competitive point system.
Upon successful completion of the program, the graduate will
receive a Certificate in Pharmacy Technician Studies. |
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Career Overview |
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Working under the direction of a licensed
pharmacist, Pharmacy Technicians function as a vital member of
the health care team to assist in providing health care &
medications to patients. Pharmacy Technician duties may include:
stocking and inventory of prescription and over the counter
medications; maintenance of written or computerized patient
medication records; count or pour medications into dispensing
containers; preparation of insurance claim forms; assembling a 24
hour supply of medication for patients; compounding medications;
preparing sterile intravenous medications; and operating
computerized dispensing and/or robotic machinery. |
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Working
Environment |
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Pharmacy Technicians work in clean, organized,
well-lighted, and well-ventilated areas. The nature of the job
requires prolonged periods standing or walking. Heavy items may
need to be lifted or retrieved. Depending upon the location
of employment, hours may include evenings, nights, weekends, and
holidays. |
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Personal
Characteristics |
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The Pharmacy Technician must enjoy performing
precise work, where details can be a matter of life or death.
Pharmacy Technician duties require absolute accuracy & precision
in both the technical & clerical aspects of the job. Therefore,
an essential characteristic of a Pharmacy Technician is the
ability to sustain attention to detail and maintain accuracy even
in stressful or emergency situations. For precision, many
Pharmacy Technician duties require good manual dexterity.
Because Pharmacy Technicians work under the supervision of a
licensed pharmacist, willingness to take direction is essential,
while maintaining the ability to work competently without
constant supervision after instruction has been given. Good
communication and interpersonal skills are also critical for a
Pharmacy Technician, who must interact with other health care
professionals on a daily basis. Finally, the professional
characteristics of dependability, ability to work within legal
and ethical boundaries, and critical thinking skills are
fundamental. |
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Employment
Opportunities |
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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,
“Employment of pharmacy technicians is expected to grow much
faster than average for all occupations through 2010 due to the
increased pharmaceutical needs of a larger and older population,
and to the greater use of medication.” Opportunities for
employment may exist in hospitals, clinics, home health care
agencies, and mail order and retail pharmacies. |
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information about the Pharmacy Technician Program at Yakima
Valley Community College, please contact: |
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Michael Melton
Allied Health Program Assistant
(509) 574-4913
E-Mail: Michael Melton
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