As a Registered Pharmacy Technician who works in a pharmacy-related education field, I often get asked: “what is the difference between pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants?”
In Alberta, pharmacy technician is an accredited diploma program that has specific, regulated admission requirements. This program is overall longer in duration and contains more intense content. The pharmacy technician profession is licensed, so graduates must complete specific requirements to become a registered pharmacy technician (RPhT) officially. Upon completing the program and becoming a registered and licensed pharmacy technician, graduates must register with the Alberta College of Pharmacy (ACP) and complete two PEBC exams (MCQ and OSPE), a Jurisprudence and Ethics exam and they must complete their Structured Practical Training. Upon completing these requirements, the ACP will provide the new technician with a practice license, stating that the member is now a pharmacy technician ready to work in Alberta. Pharmacy technicians must also have a minimum of one million in liability insurance due to their scope of practice.
Unlike the pharmacy technician (PT), pharmacy assistant (PA) is not an accredited profession in Alberta. Thus, graduates do not need to complete any form of examinations nor register with the Alberta College of Pharmacy, nor have liability insurance. While a pharmacy assistant program, like the one offered at Heritage College, is an asset for becoming a pharmacy assistant, formal education in the field is not required. Upon completing a pharmacy assistant program, graduates receive a diploma, and they have become pharmacy assistants, ready to begin their new career in pharmacies.
Because of this difference in education and certification, the scope of practice of each profession differs. Pharmacy technicians can perform the following vital tasks in pharmacies:
- gather and document information required to provide pharmacy-related services
- create patients records, receive a verbal order from a prescriber for a schedule 1 drug
- document changes to prescriptions as a result of authorization from the original prescriber
- transfer prescriptions that can legally be transferred to another pharmacy.
- complete a final check on a new prescription or refill prescription
- conduct a final assessment on blister packs
- answer questions from patients about schedule 3 drugs, health care products, aids or devices that do not require therapeutic knowledge, clinical analysis or assessment
- counsel patients on the use of health care products, aids or devices
- perform sterile compounding
- be a preceptor for a pharmacy assistant student, a student pharmacy technician, or a provisional pharmacy technician
In comparison to pharmacy technicians, pharmacy assistants are the first face the patients see. They receive the prescriptions and gather the information required to create patient profiles. Pharmacy assistants also:
- process prescriptions
- handle phone calls
- fill and label prescriptions
- handle non-sterile compounding,
- fill blister packs
- refer patients to the pharmacist when needed
- assist patients with prescription pickup
- send and receive pharmacy drug orders and supplies.
Both pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants play a vital role in pharmacy. Each profession’s scope of practice is essential for the pharmacy’s operation and success. Both occupations go hand in hand, and work is divided between each member of the pharmacy depending on the scope. The pharmacy assistants will receive the prescription, process it, fill it, label it, and pass it on to the pharmacy technician to perform the final check. Then, the pharmacy technician will pass it on to the pharmacist for patient counselling to occur. This mechanism allows for lower wait times for patients, better organization of pharmacy work, and improved customer service. Collaboration between a complete pharmacy team is required for the smoothest and best outcomes for the employees, their patients, and the community at large!
