Are you considering to take the Pharmacy Tech program offered by Penn Foster and are wondering about its length? This post will uncover the topic about it. If you want to know everything, you can just read the whole post.
In case the information included in this post is not enough or if you have any question to ask, please visit the official website of Penn Foster at pennfoster.edu or reach out the representative of the Penn Foster by dialing the phone number 1 800 272 4410. In addition to these, it might be also a good idea to visit the communities or forums related to the Penn Foster.
The Length of the Program
At the thing called Penn Foster, there is no pressure about the time. In the other words, there is no set time frame for getting a Pharmacy Technician career diploma. Just like any other programs offered by Penn Foster, this one is also self-paced, meaning everyone is able to complete the program at a variety of paces depending on how much time they have to put into their courses every week.
This self-paced system is clearly useful for those the fill time employers who are studying to make a career change. The reason is that the self-paced online nature of the course allows the students to work at any time and from anywhere as long as there is an internet connection.
In order to get the Pharmacy Technician Professional Diploma awarded by this course, there are a total of ten modules of written study and a hands-on externship that have to be completed. The written parts of the course include the important things that are needed by the students if they want to pass the PTCE. For your information, the course modules include medical law and ethnics, fundamental of pharmacy and pharmacology, bodily systems, HIPPA best practices, current regulations, pharmaceutical math and customer service soft skills training.
It is needed for a candidate to complete an externship before graduating from the program. It is said that each student is required to complete a minimum of 160 hours of training in a community pharmacy.
The Curriculum of the Program
- Pharmacy Technician Orientation
This course will introduce students the practice of pharmacy, including the history of pharmacy, technician riles in some different kinds of practice settings, and pharmacy ethnics and professionalism. Besides, the students will have a chance to explore advancing and emerging chances for the technicians now and in the days after.
- Career Readiness
This course lets the students to study personal, interpersonal, and workplace qualities and skills that are wanted by the employers from the employees. The elements of professionalism, communication strategies, and the ways too be a good leader are examined. The students will also explore the way to work with technology and the way to work well with a team.
- Pharmacology, Drug Class, and Body Systems, Part 1
This one will introduce the students to a lot of body systems, including structure, function, disorders, diseases, and treatments. Apart from that, they can also explore drug delivery systems, drug classifications, drug administration routes, and the meditations for various organ system disorders that are commonly used.
- Pharmacology, Drug Class, and Body Systems, Part 2
As you can guess from its name, this course is the continuation of the previous one, meaning the things that will be learned are the same.
- Pharmacy Practice Law and Regulation
The students will get a chance to explore how law affects healthcare practitioners, the one that affects medical professionals, the basics of the process of litigation and its alternatives, the common law basis for the confidentiality of healthcare information, and the laws regulating healthcare information gathered and maintained by the government agencies.
- Math Calculations for Pharmacy Technicians
The students will be introduced to the pharmacy technician basic math, algebra, and pharmaceutical calculations used in the pharmacy practice.
- Pharmacy Sterile and Nonsterile Compounding
This one will introduce the sterile and nonsterile compounding. The second thing that will be learned is the proper aseptic technique and compliance with USP 797 and 800. In additions, compounding practices and equipment will also be included.
- Pharmacy Management and Operation
The students will be introduced to the pharmacy operations. The differences between pharmacy settings will be discussed, as well as examining the business applications of pharmacy, and reviewing drug information resources, which include the way and the time to use them. Plus, the method to handle medication safely and the steps in error prevention are also the topics.
- Pharmacy Billing and Reimbursement
This course will cover the pharmacy reimbursement process. The third-party healthcare plants, reimbursement systems, and claims processing to see the way medical services are billed in the healthcare institutions will be learned. Some other ones include various health insurance programs, how the funding works, and the kind of patients to cover.
- Pharmacy Management Software
This one will teach you to master the computer and to get the practical skills needed to perform the responsibilities related to the pharmacy technician in the community and institutional pharmacy practices. It includes a series of lab activities that guide you to enter and fill prescription orders, including TPN and IV admixtures.
- Pharmacy Technician Certification Review
This one is made with the intention to strengthen the working knowledge of the concepts that are important fir the pharmacy technician to practice and to prepare for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam.
- Pharmacy Technician Externship
The students will be introduced to the pharmacy technician externship, which includes the externship process and requirements. As a student, you will be provided with hands on training in community and institutional pharmacy practice. The mission of it is to make a competent pharmacy technician by developing the important skill sets through hands on experience. You will practice under the direct supervision of a registered pharmacist. As stated before, it consists of 160 hours of clinical experience in a community pharmacy that is able to be completed in 8 to 12 weeks.
