Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy Seminar provides a communications platform for students to become familiar with the role of a pharmacy technician. During the first week the learner is introduced to the Pharmacy Technician Handbook and fall term course work, followed by an orientation in using message boards and chat groups. Thereafter weekly check in chat sessions provide a forum to present topics related to the work of the pharmacy technician and pharmacist in a pharmacy setting.

Prerequisites:

Acceptance into the Pharmacy Technician Program.

This course is available via Distance Education.

In this course the provincial and federal laws governing the dispensing of pharmaceuticals and the roles and functions of the pharmacist will be reviewed as will the context of practice for both the pharmacist and the pharmacy technician. Also included will be exposure to the professional ethics of both the pharmacist and pharmacy technician and an overview of the functions of the College of Pharmacists in regulation of their practice. Third party billing plans will be discussed from the perspective of determining claim processes used by each agency.

Prerequisites:

Acceptance into the Pharmacy Technician Program.

This course is available via Distance Education.

Beginning with number systems, decimals, and fractions, the fundamentals of pharmaceutical math concepts are used to perform calculations. Emphasis is on the metric system, in keeping with health care standards in Canada. Also included are ratios and proportions, dilutions and concentrations, percentage strengths, milliequivalents, and conversions among systems such as Apothecary, Avoirdupois and household measurements.

Prerequisites:

Acceptance into the Pharmacy Technician Program.

Corequisites:

This course is available via Distance Education.

This is part one of a two-part course, which provides an introduction to general principles of pharmacology. It includes an overview of body systems that will enhance the understanding of drug actions. An emphasis is placed on learning brand and generic drug names used in common medical conditions. Common drug interactions and side effects are included.

Prerequisites:

Acceptance into the Pharmacy Technician Program.

This course is available via Distance Education.

This course begins with an overview of the history of the pharmacy across time to bring context to the role of the pharmacist and pharmacy technician in the modern day pharmacy. It then focuses upon the language used in the pharmacy, including Latin abbreviations and terms and the appropriate use of medical terminology. Drug forms, dosages, routes and timing of drug administration, and interactions of drugs are thoroughly explained.

Prerequisites:

Acceptance into the Pharmacy Technician Program.

This course is available via Distance Education.

This course is an introduction to retailing in the Canadian environment. The course will include: consumer behaviour, retail marketing factors, retail location, retail image, store design and layout, retail product assortment, retail pricing and promotion, customer service and loyalty, handling customer complaints. Inventory management techniques such as inventory levels and pricing; an overview of electronic commerce and financial evaluation strategies are integrated within the course material. PTEC 106 Merchandising Concepts supplements the retail portion of Pharmacy Practice II.

Prerequisites:

Acceptance into the Pharmacy Technician Program.

This course is available via Distance Education.

This is part two of a two-part course, which is a continuation of pharmacology general principles. It includes an overview of body systems that enhances the understanding of drug actions.

Emphasis is placed on learning brand and generic drug names used in common medical conditions. Common drug interactions and side effects are included.

Prerequisites:

This course is available via Distance Education.

Pharmacy Practice II is an introductory course that uses a body systems approach to study over-the-counter-drugs and herbal products.

Learners are also introduced to the home health care market where knowledge of specialty products and medical devices is an asset to working in a community pharmacy.

Prerequisites:

This course is available via Distance Education.

This introductory course presents the theory portion of sterile product preparation. Topics include aseptic principles, the aseptic environment, parenteral solutions, cytotoxic agents, documentation and quality assurance as recommended by the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists.

Prerequisites:

Successful completion of PTEC 104; PTEC 105; PTEC 109

This course is available via Distance Education.

The focus of this lab course is the application of theory and practical hands-on skills performed by pharmacy technicians in sterile product preparation. Performance skills are evaluated in product preparation in vertical and horizontal air flow hoods, equipment maintenance, handling hazardous products and quality assurance documentation.

Prerequisites:

Successful completion of PTEC 104; PTEC 105; PTEC 109; PTEC 113.

This is a laboratory based course. In a simulated community pharmacy setting, computer and dispensing technical skills are practiced. Learners maintain patient profiles, prescription and narcotic files.

Prerequisites:

PTEC 105 with a B+ or better, and successful completion of PTEC 100, 104, 106, 107, 108, 109, and 110.

Corequisites:

This course reviews all aspects of the compounding process from equipment use and maintenance to the correct formulae preparation of mixtures such as creams, ointments, solutions and suspensions. Lab sessions include preparing compounds, labelling and presentation of products. Emphasis is placed on accuracy and the preparation of a safe pharmaceutically elegant product.

Prerequisites:

PTEC 105 with a B or better, and successful completion of PTEC 100, 104, 106, 107, 108, 109, and 110.

Corequisites:

This course is a hands on introduction to a patient management pharmacy software system. Software functions include: updating and creating patient, drug, doctor, mixture profiles; new prescriptions, refills, part fills; prescription transfers to other pharmacies and third party billing procedures.

Prerequisites:

PTEC 105 with a B or better, and successful completion of PTEC 100, 104, 106, 107, 108, 109, and 110.

The Practicum is 140 - 160 hours in each a community and hospital pharmacy, comprising of work experience under the supervision of a preceptor pharmacist. The Practicum experience is aimed at facilitating the transition from student to the role of a pharmacy technician. Students will receive orientation to relevant policies and procedures with each pharmacy. Practicum experience will vary depending upon the pharmacy. Community experience may include front store merchandise maintenance, customer service and other related duties. Dispensary duties may include: data entry pf patient, drug, doctor profiles, third party billing, filling prescriptions and preparing compounds. Hospital experience may include admixture preparation, compounding, inventory control, drug distribution, packaging and computer entry tasks.

Prerequisites:

Successful completion of all Pharmacy Technician theory and lab courses.

This course is available via Distance Education.