Chapter 2
The Foundation of
Pharmaceutical Care
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Overview
• A profession is an occupation or career that
requires specialized education, ongoing
training, and knowledge
• Pharmacy professionals are concerned with
matters that are vital to the health or well-
being of their patients
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The Profession of Pharmacy
• Pharmacy is the art and science of dispensing
and preparing medication and providing drug-
related information to the public
• In order to afford minimum patient risk,
pharmacy technicians should assist in
providing information that is truthful, accurate,
and understandable
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Educational Requirements
• Two career paths in pharmacy:
– pharmacist
– pharmacy technician
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The Pharmacist
• In 1992, a majority of pharmacy colleges voted to
change the type of professional degree awarded to
the Pharm D (Doctor of Pharmacy) degree
• The Pharm D degree requires 2 years of
undergraduate study plus 4 years of graduate study
• The state boards of pharmacy are overseen by the
National Association of Boards of Pharmacy
(NABP)
(continues)
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The Pharmacist
• Major roles:
– Initiating, adjusting, or renewing medication
orders/prescriptions based on knowledge and expertise
– Utilizing drug lists recommended by pharmacy and
therapeutics committee
– Monitoring dosages for continuing clientele
– Dispensing nonprescription medications
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Pharmacy Tech Education
• Three degree programs:
– Certificate – less than a year of study, just foundational
knowledge
– Diploma – a year of skills-based training
– AS (Associate of Science) degree – 2 years of more
broadlybased study
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The Pharmacy Technician
• Major roles include:
– Clerical and technical tasks
– Outpatient prescription dispensing
– Purchasing, billing, and inventory control
– Repackaging products
• Regardless of their titles, pharmacy
technicians perform many nondiscretionary
duties
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Certifying as a Pharmacy Tech
• Passing a standardized national exam, the
Pharmacy Technician Certification
Examination (PTCE)
• The ExCPT is also recognized by many states
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Continuing Education
• Education does not end with completion of formal
training
• The amount of medical knowledge is said to double
every 5 years
• Continuing education classes, seminars, and
workshops enhance pharmacy knowledge
• Continuing education units (CEUs) are required to
maintain the pharmacy technician’s certification
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The Role of the Pharmacy
• Maintain community trust
• Ensure safe and reliable services
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Providing Services to the
Community
• Community-related activities include:
– Health fairs and fundraisers promoting support groups
– Available assistance for specific diseases
• A pharmacy practice should maintain high
standards of medication dispensing, the
distribution of proper information, and the
offering of fair prices
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Responsibility to
Those Being Served
• Developing methods for standardizing and
controlling medicinals is vital
• Drug control is the most important goal for
medication that may be used by patients
• Drug control ensures optimal safety by
providing knowledge, understanding,
judgment, procedures, skills, controls, and
ethical standards
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Control of the Drug-Use Process
• The FDA controls quality by overseeing the
formation, manufacture, and distribution of
pharmaceutical products
• Quality control must be built into the
manufacturing process itself
• Responsibility for auditing a pharmacy’s quality
control falls to its own quality control unit,
sometimes referred to as assay and control
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Professional Organizations
• American Association of Colleges of
Pharmacy (AACP) — represents all pharmacy
colleges and schools in the United States
• American Association of Pharmaceutical
Scientists (AAPS) — represents
pharmaceutical scientists in all disciplines
• American Association of Pharmacy
Technicians (AAPT) — promotes certification
(continues)
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Professional Organizations
• American College of Clinical Pharmacy
(ACCP) — provides resources for clinical
pharmacists
• Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education
(ACPE) — accredits pharmacy education
programs
• American Pharmacists Association (APhA) —
advocates the interests of pharmacists
(continues)
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Professional Organizations
• American Society of Health-System
Pharmacists (ASHP) — represents pharmacists
practicing in hospitals and similar institutions
• National Pharmacy Technician Association
(NPTA) — enhances personal and
professional growth
(continues)
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Professional Organizations
• Pharmacy Technician Certification Board
(PTCB) — offers the PTCE exam
• Pharmacy Technician Educators Council
(PTEC) — prepares people for careers as
pharmacy technicians
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
United States Pharmacopeia
• The USP is a nonprofit organization that sets
standards for drug product identity, strength,
quality, purity, packaging, and labeling
• It is also referred to as the United States
Pharmacopeial Convention
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Code of Ethics
• Encourages respect and fair treatment of all
patients
• Basic principles include:
– Health, safety, high professional standards
– Patient autonomy, values, dignity, rights
– Improvement of professional knowledge/skills
– Fair, reasonable, ethical practice to achieve maximum
patient benefits
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Job Opportunities
• Increased pharmaceutical needs of a larger and
older population make pharmacy technician
employment prospects extremely favorable
• Pharmacy technicians are assuming more
responsibility for routine tasks previously
performed only by pharmacists
Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.