Top 15 Pharmacy Technician Skills to be best on the Job

Top 15 Pharmacy Technician Skills to be best on the Job

If you desire to be best on your job as a pharmacy technician, you will need to develop certain skills and qualities.

The pharmacy technician is a healthcare practitioner who works under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist, managing the supply of medicines in a community pharmacy, and assisting pharmacists with advisory services.

The job requires great skills, qualities, experience, and some level of education to be highly effective in it.

You will need skills and qualities to effectively pass instructions to patients, review prescription requests, and dispense prescription drugs.

Pharmacy Technician Skills and Qualities

Below are 15 top qualities you need to be good on the job as a pharmacy technician, providing great support to pharmacists and awesome service to patients:

1. Computer Skills. It is necessary for pharmacy technicians to gain knowledge of various computer applications such as Health Vision, Abacus Computer Program, Meditech, Centricity Computer Systems, and BAXA Pump. This will help them pave a way through the electronic system as this becomes paramount on their job.

2. Problem Solving Skills. Pharmacy Technicians should identify problems and make a move towards solving them. They may refer to past information with similar incidence, and evaluate optional solutions to finally make the right decision.

3. Active Listening Skills. Another skill that is so important in this profession is the ability of pharmacy technicians to fully pay attention to what others have to say. This will help them to get the right points and ask relevant questions without unnecessary interruptions.

4. Organizational Skills. It is the duty of the pharmacy technician to make sure that everything in the pharmacy is well arranged. The shelves are to be stocked and in good shape and order. You don’t get confused at the workload when you possess this great skill.

5. Attention to Details. Paying attention to details will help pharmacy technicians to avoid unnecessary mistakes that could rise out of carelessness. In order to shun wrong prescription and health hazard, pharmacy technicians should be able to pay much attention to details of their work, and use these skills well to the advantage of patients.

6. Leadership Skills. Every pharmacy technician should develop great leadership skills and supervise the work of pharmacy assistants. They are to show concern and take charge over problems the assistants may have, and most times they display these skills when dealing with patients.

7. Customer Service Skills. Pharmacy Technicians come across many customers and healthcare professionals on a daily basis. Possession of customer service skills becomes essential especially in the regular phone services. Pharmacy technicians take all information to the pharmacist for further analysis.

8. Administrative Skills. Pharmacy technicians engage themselves in different administrative responsibilities which include inputting and maintaining customer account profiles in computer software databases. They also clean up the store, help to organize inventories and supplies, prepare receipts and other tasks they may be required to do. They need good administrative skills to do these tasks effectively.

9. Pharmaceutical Literacy. Pharmacy technicians should be able to read and interpret pharmaceutical literature and prescription information. They also need to be familiar with pharmaceutical and medical terminologies so as to understand written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents, and be able to translate information for customers.

10. Math Skills. Pharmacy technicians need to measure amounts of medication for prescription, and they are mostly required to handle the distribution details of prescription drugs. When pharmacy technicians are filling prescriptions, it is necessary to get accurate measurements. Therefore, they need math skills in order to excel in calculations and measurements.

11. Monitoring/Assessment Skills. It is necessary for pharmacy technicians to monitor activities and performances of themselves and other individuals. Through proper assessments, they are able to evaluate their efforts and that of their colleagues. Monitoring and assessing the company’s worth and value will help them to find out where the company should improve and take progressive steps.

12. Scientific Aptitude. Every good pharmacy technician needs to get familiar with some science courses such as biology, chemistry, and biochemistry that are so important in their job. Skills learned in these classes can be applied to their daily duties in the office, and they can easily learn new scientific concepts with their past knowledge and experience.

13. Memory. Pharmacy technicians are required to memorize and recall all information when necessary. As new medications are regularly being introduced to the market, pharmacy technicians should be able to learn their names and memorize their pronunciations and functions.

14. Language. It is good for pharmacy technicians to have great listening and speaking skills, and ability to communicate clearly and eloquently in English using excellent oral communication skills. This will help them to communicate effectively with co-workers and customers.

15. Friendly. Pharmacy technicians should learn to be friendly with patients, co-workers and other healthcare professionals. Sometimes the patient may be in a difficult situation and lose the patience to answer you in an amicable manner – but this should not be a reason for your hostility. And remember that your attitude towards your colleagues affects your job condition, so you should be friendly with anyone who comes around you.

Pharmacy Technician Skills for Resume

If you are writing a resume for a pharmacy technician position, you can create the core competence or skills section of the resume by adopting the skills and qualities above.

This will clearly show the recruiter that you have the required skills and qualities to be effective on the pharmacy technician position that you are seeking.

Conclusion:

If you are a pharmacy technician who wants to be best on your job, developing the qualities above will certainly help you to achieve the goal.

Employers who are looking for good pharmacy technicians to hire can use the above skills and qualities as a standard for screening applicants for the job.

Do you have other skills you consider important to the success of a pharmacy technician? Please share them in the comment box below.