2023-2024 College Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Pharmacy Technician
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Program Description
The Pharmacy Technician program at Central Community College - Grand Island provides the training needed to begin a high demand career in a growing healthcare field. The program will provide educational opportunities and key fundamentals that are essential to practice in a pharmacy setting. Students will be prepared to work in retail, hospital, and/or home health environments. Pharmacy technicians play a critical role in pharmacy operations. Patient safety, organized work systems, and quality assurance practices are key traits of a technician, all of which will be characteristics of program graduates.
The curriculum is based on the Standards and Guidelines of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)/ Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). Successful graduates will receive a diploma or an Associates of Applied Science degree. Students take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) at the end of the program giving them the opportunity to be Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) certified. Upon passing the exam, students become Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhT).
The program is offered online, allowing access to coursework in a setting most conducive to students. One day per week on campus is required to fulfill hands-on laboratory practice. Our newly renovated program space allows students to practice hands on skills, just as they would in a variety of pharmacy settings in the field.
Central Community’s Pharmacy Technician program is seeking accreditation by American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)/Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), 7272 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814. (301)657-3000.
Training schedule consists of 600 clock hours and includes didactic, simulated, and experiential training. Experiential activities are performed in at least two different types of contemporary pharmacy settings and are supervised by a pharmacist. Graduates will earn a Pharmacy Technician Diploma of 34 credits. Students may work towards an Associate of Applied Science Degree, which consists of 61 credits.
Note: The pharmacy technician program is offered at the Grand Island Campus.
Student Learning Outcomes
Pharmacy Technicians will be prepared to:
- Demonstrate ethical conduct and effective communication in all job related activities relevant to the pharmacy technician’s role.
- Process and handle medications and medication orders while utilizing current technology to ensure safety and accuracy of medication dispensing.
- Prepare medications requiring compounding of sterile, non-sterile and chemotherapy/hazardous products.
- Initiate, verify, apply, and assist in the billing, payment, purchasing, and reimbursement policies of pharmacy services.
- Demonstrate patient and medication safety practices within the pharmacy technician’s roles.
Admissions Information
Admission to the pharmacy technician program is selective. Applicants are required to have a college application on file in the registrar’s office. Applicants must provide proof of one of the following: a minimum ACT score of 18 or above in all subcategories, or an ACCUPLACER, COMPASS, ASSET evaluation showing no prescriptive courses required, or college transcripts showing completion of no less than 12 hours of college level mathematics, English, or health science based course(s) with a cumulative GPA of 2.0.
Enrollment is limited to 16 students annually. All students meeting academic eligibility and completing all pharmacy technician application requirements will be accepted into the program on a first-come-first- served basis. The applicant must complete an admissions interview with the program director. For more detailed information on the admissions process, please contact the program director.
Notes:
- Immunizations are required, see program director for the specific immunizations needed.
- Additional program costs will be required for uniforms, student-in practicum insurance, a background check, drug test and CPR Training.
- A minimum grade of 2.0 is required for all pharmacy technician program required courses.
- Students are required to complete a background check and drug testing (at student’s expense). Admission to the program is contingent on the results of the check.
- Required to earn a “C” or above for all courses needed for graduation including general education courses.
Associate of Applied Science
Diploma
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