Pharmacy Technicians Can Master Professional Integrity

My passion for health care and desire to meaningfully assist individuals drew me to a career as a pharmacy technician. I enjoy combining my technical expertise with direct patient interaction, and being a pharmacy technician can be fulfilling. In health systems, medical facilities, managed care, and other environments, technicians support and help pharmacists. However, a pharmacy technician’s responsibilities have evolved alongside the broader medical field. Advanced pharmacy technicians now participate in decision-making and patient care discussions on equal footing with physicians, nurses, and pharmacists.

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I am now a pharmacy technician at a private clinic, where individuals seeking treatment for various ailments often come for assistance. I and a team of other technicians recalculate patient doses after verifying an initial calculation. After the nursing team has given the patient their treatment, we are their last line of defense. At one point, a physician’s order said the dosage should not be taken as prescribed. At the time, I did not know that this new route of administration was part of a trial. I made the decision not to combine the medication before asking for further information. Once I received written instructions on how to create it correctly, I felt much more comfortable. I believed I was risking the patient’s safety or even losing my job if the medication was administered incorrectly. In this example, my actions were motivated by my comfort level, prudence, and conviction to speak up without criticizing or correcting a colleague.

In addition, pharmacists and other health care professionals have a moral duty to prioritize patient care. The American Association of Pharmacy Technicians and the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board have established codes of ethics that technicians must adhere to. Following pharmacy legislation is one responsibility, and another is having a moral obligation to the public. Lastly, technicians must comply with all organization policies and procedures. Whether administering vaccinations, working on prior authorization, or keeping an eye on the work of other professionals, technicians work closely with their teammates. When providing patients with the finest treatment possible, technicians are the backbone. However, technicians are occasionally ignored when giving feedback to a medical team. In these situations, assertiveness is imperative to provide patients with excellent care.

Pharmacy technicians should follow several key guidelines when speaking up and wanting their opinions heard. Technicians must be brave and self-assured, express their views while acting professionally, and be passionate but humble.

A career as a pharmacy technician can be gratifying. Technicians assist pharmacists in hospitals, medical facilities, managed care organizations, community pharmacies, and other settings. However, the duties and nature of a pharmacy technician’s work can change as the medical field evolves. Pharmacy technicians are increasingly stepping up as leaders in health care, working alongside physicians, nurses, and pharmacists to provide the best possible patient care.