PHARMACY ASSISTANT DIPLOMA

This course introduces students to basic pharmacy theory including drug development, pharmaceutical dosage forms, routes of administration, storage considerations, interpretation of prescription information, and dispensing procedures. Students will also examine the role of the pharmacy technician in the health care setting.

This course teaches students about the federal acts that govern the practice of pharmacy in Canada, including provincial and federal pharmacy legislation and the proper standards of practice a pharmacy team operates under. The purpose of this is for the student to recognize various regulated substances, including Schedule N, Schedule G and Controlled and Targeted substances. Students will also develop an understanding of the legal requirements that must be met with when filling these types of prescriptions. Students will also learn to recognize medications contained in the 4 NAPRA schedule (I, II, II and U-unscheduled) and understand the legal requirements surrounding the sales of each. 

In this course, students will be provided with a framework of knowledge, enabling them to recognize drug names and drug classes. Students will also learn to understand drug actions and the rationale for treatment. Focus will also be given to drug side effects, allergic reactions and various health issues relating to pharmacology and drugs.

This course will familiarize students with the Kroll pharmacy management software program. The course also covers the topics of prescription filling, drug interaction, third party medical plans and the Alberta Netcare system.

The focus of this course is on developing basic communication skills, especially relating to the medical field. Effective communication assists pharmacy assistants in dealing with the patients they encounter as part of their career. Understanding cultural differences and encouraging diversity can add a new dimension to patient interaction and result in safer healthcare delivery in the pharmacy.

Students will practice different tasks they will be required to perform in this practical work in the pharmacy. In this course, they will be able to submit orders through wholesalers’ portals, receive orders and do other daily on-dispensing tasks.

This course will teach students the different groups of over-the-counter medications and medical supplies, and how they interact within the community pharmacy.

In this course, students will be introduced to dispensing techniques and procedures. The emphasis is on the role of the Pharmacy Assistant in relation to the role and responsibilities of the pharmacist in a retail pharmacy. Students become familiar with the the technical duties of managing a pharmacy so their pharmacist is available primarily for patient care.

Medical Terminology covers the broad base for medical terminology, abbreviations and the systems of the body.  Students will learn to build medical words using the key components, which also include the correct pronunciation and spelling of each term.  Students also gain an understanding of proper utilization of terms to describe medical conditions and disease states.

This course reviews all aspects of compounding prescriptions. The student will prepare various mixtures, creams and ointments, solutions and suspensions. An emphasis on accuracy and preparation of a pharmaceutically elegant product is included.

In this course, students will be introduced to hospital pharmacy and the differences compared to community practice. In addition, students will familiarize themselves with different hospital organizations and the roles and relationships of different health care professionals caring for the patient. The legislation governing hospitals will be discussed. The course will also look at drug distribution, including ward stock, unit dose, etc.

This course provides students with an understanding of the pharmaceutical expressions of strengths and dosages calculations for dispensing. Both the apothecaries’ and metric systems of measurement are reviewed as part of this training.

This course provides students with an understanding of the structure of pharmacy services in Canada, the laws that govern pharmacy practice and the area of pharmacy ethics. Students will also explore the role of the pharmacy assistant in Canada.

This course focuses on the effective writing of resumes and letter, interview skills and cold calling strategies. Additionally, students will be taught the skills for effective networking and marketing of their skills to potential employers. Students learn valuable interview skills through live role-playing exercises. Upon completion of the course, students will learn how to effectively cold call employers, use the hidden job market, use professional social networking sites, and create a cover letter, thank you letter and reference list, all of which they can then use as part of their career search.