COURSE SYLLABUS GUIDE
COURSE TITLE AND NUMBER
Pharmacy Technician
Health Occupations II-Spring
CREDIT HOURS: 4 (If taken for Dual Credit)
Semester:
Spring 2006
Instructor:
Mrs. Johnson
Office
Number:
Office
Hours:
Office
Phone:
E-Mail
Address:
Tech Room (Roper)
Monday through Friday
9 to 3 PM
737-5208 x4185
health4u@ltlink.com or
johnsonli@tfsd.k12.id.us
Course Description
Examination of the qualifications, operational guidelines, and job duties of a pharmacy
technician. Topics include definitions of a pharmacy environment, the profile of a
pharmacy technician, legal and ethical guidelines, job skills and duties, verbal and written
communication skills, professional resources, safety techniques, supply and inventory
techniques, and introduction to common pharmacy reference materials.
Learning Objectives
Unit 1: Introduction to Pharmacy and a Pharmacy Technician Career
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Define pharmacy.
Define pharmacist.
Define pharmacy technician.
Identify significant historical events that influenced pharmacy practice.
Identify career options for the pharmacy technician.
Identify the role of the technician, pharmacist and other members of the pharmacy
team in each career setting.
Unit 2: Medical and Pharmaceutical Terminology and Abbreviations
1. Recognize and define pharmaceutical or medical terms commonly used in
pharmacy and pharmaceutical literature.
Unit 3: Interpreting Prescriptions and Medication Orders
1. Recognize and define Latin terms and abbreviations commonly used in pharmacy.
2. Accurately interpret signas of prescriptions and medication orders.
3. Identify and label the parts of a prescription: inscription, superscription,
subscription, and signa.
4. Identify how a prescription may be received in a pharmacy.
5. Identify information required on a prescription.
6. Identify information required on a medication order.
7. Identify the differences between a prescription and a medication order.
Unit 4: Federal Pharmacy Law, Ethics and Patient Confidentiality
1. State and briefly discuss the purpose of the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906.
2. State and briefly discuss the purpose of the Sherley Amendment.
3. State and briefly discuss the purpose and the three main sections of the Food,
Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938.
4. Identify the role of the Food and Drug Administration as outlined by the Food,
Drug and Cosmetic Act.
5. State the Federal Legend.
6. State and briefly discuss the purpose of the Durham-Humphrey Amendment.
7. State and briefly discuss the purpose fo the Kefauver-Harris Amendment.
8. State and briefly discuss the purpose of the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act.
9. State and briefly discuss the purpose of the Controlled Substances Act.
10. Identify the five types or schedules of controlled substances.
11. Identify the organization responsible for enforcing the Controlled Substances Act.
12. State and briefly discuss the purpose and specific examples of types of exceptions
of the Poison Prevention Packaging Act.
13. State and briefly discuss the purpose of the Orphan Drug Act.
14. State and briefly discuss the purpose of the Prescription Drug Marketing Act.
15. State the purpose of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1990.
16. Identify specific points that should be covered by the pharmacist when counseling
a patient according to OBRA.
17. State and briefly discuss the purpose of the FDA Modernization Act.
18. Discuss patient confidentiality as it pertains to pharmacy.
19. Discuss the need for a Code of Ethics for Pharmacy Technicians and other health
care providers.
20. Discuss the responsibility of health care providers in maintaining patient
confidentiality.
Unit 5: Pharmacy Organizations and Accreditation
1. Discuss the benefits of active involvement in and the differences between local,
state and national technician and pharmacy organizations.
2. Identify the four areas of focus of the advisory committee.
3. Identify the qualifications of practicum training sites.
4. Identify the qualifications of the Program Director.
5. Identify the qualifications of the preceptors.
6. Given a list, identify the objectives of the pharmacy technician-triaing program.
Unit 6: Technician Certification
1. Discuss the value of and process of obtaining technician certification.
Unit 7: Sources of Information
1. Given specific information and/or a description of a drug, select and identify the
appropriate reference to use.
2. Given a list of references, select the reference(s) most commonly used in a drug
information section of a pharmacy.
3. Describe the function of a drug information section of a pharmacy.
4. Given a specific drug information question, select the appripriate reference(s)
used to find the answer.
Unit 8: Job Search
1. Identify methods for conducting a job search.
2. Identify appropriate and inappropriate questions for a job interview.
3. Prepare a cover letter and resume for a pharmacy technician job.
Unit 9: Top 120 Drugs
1. Given the brand name of a product identify the generic name, and vice versa, for
the Top 120 Prescription Medications
Exams, Quizzes and Assignments
Exams
Quizzes
Exam 1 = 100
points
5 Examinations will be given over computer
Exam 2 = 100
lessons, assignments, and reading assignments, points
and will comprehensively assess the student's
Exam 3 = 100
knowledge of concepts, principles, techniques
points
and procedures as related to the instructional
Exam 4 = 100
material.
points
Final Exam =
200 points
4 Quizzes will be given over the Top 120 Drugs
(30 drugs on each quiz). There will be no routine
retests given. If a student misses a quiz, they
must contact the instructor about a retest or an
optional assignment to replace the quiz grade.
Quiz 1 = 25
points
Quiz 2 = 25
points
Quiz 3 = 25
points
Quiz 4 = 25
points
Practice Setting Paper - The student will write a
paper over the pharmacy practice setting that
most interests them. Late papers will be subject
to a loss of 10 points for every day late. Paper
should be submitted via email as a word
document attachment.
Paper = 50
points
Resume and Cover Letter - The student will
prepare a resume and write a cover letter to apply
for a pharmacy technician position. Late resumes Resume and
and cover letters will be subject to a loss of 10
Cover Letter =
points for every day late. Resume and cover
50 points
letters should be submitted via email as a word
Assignments document attachment.
Patient Confidentiality Assignment - The student
will complete a written assignment involving case
studies involving patient confidentiality issues.
The assignment should be submitted via email as
a word document attachment. Late assignments
will be subject to a loss of 10 points for every day
late.
Patient
Confidentiality
Assignment =
50 points
Job Search Assignment - The student will identify
Job Search
two pharmacy employers in the Twin Falls area
Assignment =
that they are interested in learning more about.
50 points
The student will provide detailed information
about the employers obtained from the internet or
personal contact. The assignment should be
submitted via email. Late assignments will be
subject to a loss of 10 points for every day late.
Grading
A 90 - 100%
B 80 - 89%
C 75 - 79%
D 60 - 74%
F 59% and below
SCANS Competencies
In 1990, the U.S. Department of Labor established the Secretary's Commission
on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) to examine the demands of the
workplace and whether our nation's students are capable of meeting those
demands. The Commission determined that today's jobs generally require
competencies in the following areas:
A. Resources: Identifies, organizes, plans and allocates resources
B. Interpersonal: Works with others
C. Information: Acquires and uses information
D. Systems: Understands complex interrelationships
E. Technology: Works with a variety of technologies
This course, Introduction to Pharmacy, incorporates the SCANS competencies in
the following ways:
1. Resources
A. Manages time for completing assignments
B. Selects appropriate references for given drug information
2. Interpersonal
A. Negotiates to arrive at a decision when determining methods and
references in the ordering of pharmaceuticals and devices
B. Participates as a member of a team when completing group
assignments
3. Information
A. Acquires and evaluates information presented in lectures
B. Organizes and maintains information required for passing examinations
4. Systems
A. Understands systems used for answering drug information questions
B. Understands systems used for securing pharmaceuticals
5. Technology
A. Uses computer to complete assignments
B. Uses computer references for answering drug information questions
6. Basic Skills
A. Demonstrates ability to read assignments and textbook
B. Demonstrates ability to write when completing assignments that must
be turned in
C. Demonstrates ability to listen to lectures
7. Thinking Skills
A. Demonstrates creative thinking when preparing assignments, such as
job interviews and resumes
B. Demonstrates ability to make decisions when answering drug
information questions, and selecting ordering methods
C. Demonstrates ability to solve problems when interpreting prescriptions
and medication orders
8. Personal Qualities
A. Demonstrates responsibility through attendance
B. Demonstrates responsibility through assignment completion in a timely
manner
C. Demonstrates self-management when completing assignments
D. Demonstrates integrity and honesty when completing assignments.