Pharmacy Technician

Question 1

All Courses

Answer

Orientation & Student Success Skills

This course will provide a comprehensive orientation to Stenberg College and the program you have enrolled in. As with all new things, there will be some challenges and excitement; this course will explore transitioning as a college student, review learning styles, enhance critical thinking, and familiarize you with the available resources. This course covers student success skills where you’ll learn effective study habits (specifically aimed at improving both reading and writing skills) based on your own personal learning style. Life skills exercises are also integral to the course, teaching communication, accountability, teamwork, self-awareness, and building an understanding of your impact on others.

Clinical Prerequisites Certificates

This course includes all the certification workshops you will be required to complete related to the essential industry-related training and certifications that are mandatory before you begin your Practice Education. Among these are the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System and Provincial Violence Prevention Certification.

Medical Terminology/Anatomy & Physiology

This intensive, fast-paced course introduces medical terminology, anatomy, and physiology. You’ll become familiar with various medical word parts, build fluency in the pronunciation and spelling of these parts, and learn to build and break down medical terms to determine their meaning. Understanding the language of medicine is essential for all health care professionals to function effectively and safely in a health care environment. Students will also develop an understanding of the anatomy and physiology of each body system, which will be used in subsequent coursework.

Pharmaceutical Calculations

In this course, you will learn how to perform the calculations encountered in pharmacy practice. The course includes systems of measurement, conversions, calculation of dosages, various routes of administration, and interpreting physician’s orders. There is a special focus on identifying common medication errors related to calculations.

Pharmacology

This course provides a strong foundation in the principles of pharmacology including pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. Using your knowledge of medical terminology and applying what you learned about the body systems in the previous course, you will learn which prescriptions and over-the-counter medications are commonly used in Canada to treat diseases affecting each body system. The content covered in this course is continually reinforced throughout the program.

Law & Ethics

In this course, you will learn how to apply provincial and federal laws and regulations to practice competently within the professional practice framework. You will also learn pharmacy ethics, the need to take personal responsibility for delivering direct patient care, and the obligation to stay current with changes in regulations or professional pharmacy practice standards.

Professional Practice

In this course, you will develop the necessary communication skills to function competently and compassionately as a health care professional in a pharmacy setting. Basic communication concepts and skills are introduced, and a more in-depth look at a pharmacy technician’s scope of practice is taken to prepare you for the applied courses.

You will be exposed to various issues, including the attitudes, values, and beliefs of successful pharmacy technicians. You will learn about projecting an image appropriate to the pharmacy profession and the necessity of developing effective interpersonal relationships with other health care professionals.

Community Pharmacy Operations and Dispensing

This course introduces students to community pharmacy operations and dispensing. You will learn about the different types of pharmacies, their services, how they operate, and the roles of the pharmacist, pharmacy technician and pharmacy assistant. You will examine common drug plans and their formularies, adjudication challenges, inventory management elements and common business practices in community pharmacies.

You will learn the theory of compounding non-sterile products using correct compounding techniques and apply professional guidelines, standards and legislation, pharmaceutical calculations, and documentation requirements associated with compounding. In pharmacy practices within the scope of practice of pharmacy technicians, you will learn to apply corresponding quality assurance and independent-double-check procedures for preparing non-sterile products.

You will learn to receive a prescription from a patient, collect demographic and other required information to fill a prescription, and list the steps required to prepare the prescription (including retrieval from inventory, adjudication of the prescription, performing required calculations, and ensuring safety procedures are followed). You will also learn to apply the correct auxiliary labels on medication products that are to be dispensed, supply the correct supplemental patient information, inform patients of the storage requirements, apply quality assurance measures, and practice within the regulated scope of a pharmacy technician or pharmacy assistant. You will also learn to appropriately assist clients purchasing non-prescription drugs for self-treatment of common disorders and when to collaborate with a pharmacist and/or refer the patient to the pharmacist for further consultation.

Community Pharmacy Operations and Dispensing Lab

This course introduces students to community pharmacy operations and dispensing. You will apply the theoretical knowledge learned in PTDD120a to simulated lab activities in accordance with the NAPRA competencies and CPTEA educational outcomes.

You will demonstrate your knowledge of law and ethics in pharmacy practice and follow the required legal requirements for filling prescriptions.

You will be expected to demonstrate competency in filling and checking prescriptions before dispensing including non-sterile compounded prescriptions and compliance packaging.

As a student, you will demonstrate the use of different devices to deliver medications and/or monitor health conditions such as glucometers and blood pressure monitors. You will also demonstrate how to teach patients to use these devices using proper communication skills to ensure patient compliance and safety.

Hospital Pharmacy Operations and Dispensing

In this course, you will review the calculations required for preparing sterile medications, learn how to prepare sterile products using the aseptic technique, and learn about the different types of rooms and laminar airflow hoods used to prepare sterile products and labelling of parenteral drugs. Using proper aseptic techniques, you will learn the theoretical concepts of compounding sterile products in a Laminar Air Flow hood. You will also learn to use applicable quality assurance and independent-double-check procedures to prepare sterile products.

You will learn about the different drug distribution systems used to dispense drugs in a hospital environment for patients in various nursing wards, follow proper policies and procedures, and use appropriate equipment and computer systems. You will also learn the legal requirements and procedures for delivering or retrieving narcotics from a nursing ward. You will learn to interpret and transcribe handwritten medication orders from doctors and manually perform order entry of medication orders on medication administration records. You will be required to use your pharmacology knowledge and communication skills and demonstrate your knowledge of law and ethics.

Hospital Pharmacy Operations and Dispensing Lab

In this course, you will develop the skills needed for calculating, mixing, and labelling parenteral drugs. Using proper aseptic techniques, you will learn to compound sterile products in a Laminar Air Flow hood. You will also learn to use applicable quality assurance and independent-double-check procedures to prepare sterile products.

You will learn to dispense drugs in a hospital environment for patients in various nursing wards, follow proper policies and procedures, and use appropriate equipment and computer systems. You will also learn the legal requirements and procedures for delivering or retrieving narcotics from a nursing ward. You will learn to interpret and transcribe handwritten medication orders from doctors and manually perform order entry of medication orders on medication administration records. You will be required to use your pharmacology knowledge and communication skills and demonstrate your knowledge of law and ethics.

Career Search Strategies

This course will teach you to network effectively (online and in-person), search and apply for jobs, and prepare targeted resumes and cover letters. You will receive coaching and individualized instructor feedback on your resume, cover letter, and interview skills.

Entry to Practice Preparation

This course will include a review of key theoretical and practical knowledge. You will receive information on test-taking skills to help you prepare for the licensing exam and write a comprehensive program exam. Finally, you will be asked to evaluate your overall educational experience (clinical and didactic), so the program may be improved in relation to your feedback.

Community Practicum

During your community practicum (also referred to as a Consolidated Practice Experience), you’ll be assigned to a community pharmacy where you’ll be supervised one-on-one by an experienced registered Pharmacy Technician or Pharmacist. This will give you an opportunity to implement your skills and theoretical knowledge in a professional setting.

Hospital Practicum

During your hospital practicum (also referred to as a Consolidated Practice Experience), you’ll be assigned to a hospital pharmacy where you’ll be supervised one-on-one by an experienced registered Pharmacy Technician or Pharmacist. This will give you an opportunity to implement your skills and theoretical knowledge in a professional setting.

Question 2

Additional Certifications

Answer

Personal and Professional Development Skills Certificate

The Personal and Professional Development (PPD) Skills Certificate is a combination of interactive, online modules and synchronous follow-up discussions that apply the general module content to the specifics of your program and future career. In addition to the Soft Skills Development module, you will develop your ability to work with diverse clients, patients, and colleagues through the Gender Diversity and Sexual Orientation; Disability, Neurodiversity, and Accessibility; Anti-Indigenous Racism and Indigenous Gender Diversity; and Anti-Racism modules.

Provincial Violence Prevention Certification

The Provincial Violence Prevention Training Curriculum will teach you to recognize and respond to violent situations and learn about different types of violence and strategies for dealing with the risks in a variety of health care contexts. The Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum has been developed by a team of experts from Worksafe BC, the Occupational Health & Safety Agency for Healthcare in BC, and various BC health authorities and healthcare unions. This training and certification is offered in collaboration with Fraser Health Authority.

Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System

WHMIS provides information about materials in the workplace that can be hazardous, such as cleaning agents, compressed gasses, and flammable materials. Becoming WHMIS certified will demonstrate the ability to identify hazardous materials and handle them properly.

Fit Testing

This theory course will cover the correct use and care of respirators, respirator limitations, donning and doffing procedures, and proper disposal of respirators in accordance with WorkSafeBC OHS Regulation Section 8.7.3.