Our Pharmacy Technician course curriculum is developed by professionals who know exactly what it takes to thrive in this growing field. It's one of the many things that sets Ashworth College apart from other pharmacy technician schools online.
Learning at Ashworth
The goals and values of Ashworth College; time management; creating a realistic weekly and monthly study schedule; the nature and purpose of assessments; how to study effectively to prepare for and take an online examination; developing the skill sets necessary for success in the twenty-first century.
Introduction to Allied Health
Introduction to the basic operations of allied health careers and the legal and ethical issues students may encounter while working in the different venues available for these fields.
History of Pharmacy
Câu lạc bộ VIP bùng nổThe origins of pharmacy and the development of the pharmacy profession up to the twentieth century; the evolution of both the pharmacist and the pharmacy technician; the history of legislation that affects the practice of pharmacy; roles and duties of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
Medical and Pharmaceutical Terminology
Câu lạc bộ VIP bùng nổThe benefits of familiarization with medical terminology; common medical terms and symbols used in pharmaceutical documentation and prescription orders.
Regulatory Laws and Professional Standards
The evolution of pharmaceutical practice into a professional career; major professional pharmaceutical societies; the need for pharmacy regulation and standard practice; regulation of controlled substances.
Trade Names and Generic Names
Câu lạc bộ VIP bùng nổThe difference between trade and generic names of prescription drugs; process for creation of drug names; FDA evaluation of trade names; top 200 generic and trade names.
Dosage Forms and Routes of Administration
Câu lạc bộ VIP bùng nổOral/enteral administration, including pills, tablets, capsules, softgels, and liquids; inhalational administration, including aerosols; parenteral administration, including subcutaneous, intramuscular, and intravenous routes; syringes and needles; large- and small-volume parenteral solutions; topical administration, including patches, creams, foams, gels, lotions, and ointments; and administration by insertion, including suppositories.
Pharmacologic Classes
World Health Organization (WHO) and chemical name drug classifications; United States Adopted Name (USAN) Council stems for generic terms.
Systems of Measurement
Câu lạc bộ VIP bùng nổRoman numerals; Celsius and Fahrenheit temperature scales and conversions; household measures; the metric system; household and metric conversions.
Ratios, Proportions, Decimals, and Percents
Câu lạc bộ VIP bùng nổNumbers as both symbols and measurements; explanations of and worked examples for ratios and proportions; relationship among and conversions for decimals, fractions, and percents.
Antibiotics, Antifungals, and Antivirals
Examples of antibiotics, antifungals, and antiviral drugs encountered in the pharmacy, their mechanisms of action, and their respective names, classes, and categories.
Anesthetics, Narcotic Pain Relievers, Psychiatric Drugs, and Drugs for CNS Disorders
A description of drugs that affect the central nervous system, including general and local anesthetics, opiates, antipsychotics, antidepressants, anxiolytics, hypnotics, and antiepileptics.
Respiratory and Gastrointestinal Drugs
A description of the drugs that affect the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems, including corticosteroids, beta-agonists, cholinergic antagonists, methylxanthines, leukotriene modifiers, antacids, H2 antagonists, and proton-pump inhibitors.
Renal, Urinary, and Cardiovascular Drugs
Câu lạc bộ VIP bùng nổA description of the drugs that affect the renal, urinary, and cardiovascular systems, including antibiotics, alpha-blockers, antispasmodics, diuretics, antihypertensive drugs, calcium channel blockers, nitrates, antiarrhythmic drugs, and lipid-lowering drugs.
Muscle Relaxants, Nonnarcotic Analgesics, Hormones, and Topicals
Câu lạc bộ VIP bùng nổA description of the nature, uses, and side effects of medicinal drugs in the classes of muscle relaxants, nonnarcotic analgesics, hormones, and topicals.
Chemotherapy and Miscellaneous Pharmaceutical Products
Câu lạc bộ VIP bùng nổChemotherapeutic and biologic drugs as well as substances such as vitamins, herbs, and antidotes.
Community Pharmacy Operations
Câu lạc bộ VIP bùng nổRetail versus institutional pharmacy operations; pharmacy as both a business and a profession; typical business day operations.
Interpreting and Processing Prescriptions; Patient Charts
Reviewing prescriptions for completeness; processing new prescriptions and refills; pharmacist reviews; maintaining electronic records of patient medications.
Third-Party Payments
Câu lạc bộ VIP bùng nổPrescription insurance plans; receiving insurance information; processing third-party insurance claims; resolving unpaid drug claims.
Merchandise Handling and Inventory
The importance of inventory control for pharmaceutical businesses; purchasing and short lists; receiving incoming merchandise; returning expired or overstocked merchandise.
Hospital Pharmacy Practice
Common hospital pharmacy settings; types of patients; role of the pharmacist and pharmacy technician; equipment, technology, and best practices in the hospital pharmacy setting.
Infection Control and Preparing Sterile IVs
Protecting patients and healthcare providers from infectious diseases; techniques used to prepare sterile intravenous products.
HIPAA Regulations, Pathogens in the Pharmacy, and Employment Preparation
Privacy versus security; protected health information in the pharmacy setting; the HIPAA Privacy Rule; OSHA standards; universal precautions; CDC hygiene guidelines; using personal protective equipment; certification preparation; career options; writing resumes and cover letters; preparing for interviews.
Pharmacy Technician Laboratory Simulation
Laboratory simulations for community pharmacy practice, institutional pharmacy practice, and aseptic technique.
Pharmacy Technician Certification Preparation
Review of eight categories of pharmacy technician duties in preparation for the certification exam. Students receive worked examples of realistic sample questions and have the opportunity to take a practice test to assess their readiness to take the certification exam.
Externship
Students will complete 160 hours of externship in a retail pharmacy under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. They'll be required to demonstrate proficiency in the areas of personal and interpersonal skills; foundational skills; processing and handling of medications and medication orders; nonsterile compounding; procurement, billing, reimbursement, and inventory management; patient and medication safety; technology and informatics; regulatory issues; and quality assurance.
Students learn the fundamentals of pharmaceutical dispensing and are prepared to take the Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) certification exam delivered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), and the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). Program topics include dosage forms, routes of administration, measurements and calculations, infection control, medication safety, prescription reading, and pharmacology. Students will complete a 160 hour externship in a retail pharmacy setting. A student of the Pharmacy Technician program must attain the age of 18 years prior to enrollment and have a High School diploma or its equivalent prior to graduation.
Câu lạc bộ VIP bùng nổ
After completing the Pharmacy Technician program, students will be able to:
In the Pharmacy Technician Career Diploma program, you gain valuable career guidance through your externship experience. But that's not all. Ashworth College also helps you develop the confidence you need to reach for your career goals because we integrate job search prep into your studies. With the online tools at the Ashworth College Central Network, you’ll get step-by-step guidance as you create polished, professional resumes and letters. After you graduate, you’ll keep your Ashworth College Central Network account so you can revisit the tools any time you need to make a good impression on a potential employer. Learn more about it at the Career Services page.
