First of all, Show your Pharmacist that we are essential in the practice.   Good Pharmacists who advocate for us are key. There is no doubt we would loose the battle without them.

Moving on, A National Exam and Certification/CE should be required to work in this role in all 50 states.  That exam only being taken at the completion of an accredited education program.  And abolish those shady diploma mills and programs that charge inflated prices and make promises of unrealistic salaries and job growth.

The Pharmacy Technician has the potential to grow into a tried and true Paraprofession.  We lack the recognition as a trained and educated staff member. This will never happen without legislation on state and national levels that regulate their education a training.

Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians have both State and National bodies that oversee their education, training, and licensee.  And while I know little about that profession, it seems that these boards have struck an nice balance to maintain the minimum National standards of the NHTSA and the states still have individual freedom to regulate farther how they see fit.  The Boards of Pharmacy, resisting all lobbies from large corporations, should enact a similar method with stronger minimums. The training programs designed by the large chain pharmacies do nothing more than train their employees just enough to pass muster and are simplistic enough that a tech who relies solely on their training could never advance any farther on that alone. These should not be recognized by the boards as an adequate training model. An organization such as the PTCB needs to be in charge of a uniform testing model, and be enacted in all states.

Speaking of salaries, as much as it pains me to say this, we need to stop using how much we should make as a talking point.  Nobody in this profession is in it because of the money, and we will never become rich doing it.  That’s just reality. The only thing we should be pushing for at this point is a living wage. too many of us hover around or below the poverty line. While it’s unrealistic to imagine a world where every tech who puts on a lab coat will make more than half of what the Pharmacist makes, for the work that we do, we deserve the compensation that will allow us to live. Minimum wage is not a living wage.  Above that we need to move on to our other focus, and not appear greedy to those we are trying to convince.

Activism is the way to obtain it, and apathy will only hurt us.  If you are satisfied punching in and punching out and nothing more, we will never prevail. Join grassroots organizations. Write your congressmen. Attend board meetings and learn how the system works. And GET INVOLVED.

Click here to visit the NPTA blog.

So, for all the Pharmacy Technicians that see this site, we say Thank You.  Tell us how you celebrated today.  Post in the comments, or the forums. Share pictures if you can.  Take pride in your career.

For more information on Pharmacy Technician Day and to learn more about the career, visit The National Pharmacy Technician Association.  You may also watch the video in the sidebar.

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) is proud to announce that over 25,000 pharmacists and technicians have accessed two web-based and podcast continuing education (CE) programs developed in collaboration with the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and funded by PTCB. The two programs, “Pharmacy Technician Roles in Sterile IV Compounding: Challenges, Opportunities, and Competencies” and “Pharmacy Technician Certification: Trained, Tested, Trusted” were developed to meet identified unmet educational needs of pharmacy technicians and pharmacists and are offered free of charge.

Launched in March 2009, “Pharmacy Technician Roles in Sterile IV Compounding: Challenges, Opportunities and Competencies” addresses the role of pharmacy technicians in meeting and exceeding state and national regulations on sterile IV compounding. The program’s faculty highlights the opportunities available for pharmacy technicians in sterile IV compounding, and the impact pharmacy technicians may have on patient safety, regulatory compliance, and efficiency. “Pharmacy Technician Certification: Trained, Tested, Trusted” was launched in 2008. This program provides valuable information about the evolving roles of pharmacy technicians as part of the pharmacy team and an overview about training, certification, and regulation of pharmacy technicians.

These value-added continuing education offerings are posted on the PTCB and ASHP Web sites and feature presentations by Melissa Murer Corrigan, R.Ph., Executive Director and CEO of PTCB who was actively involved in the development of both programs.

“We are excited about the record number of participants who have accessed these online CE programs that address pertinent issues for pharmacy technicians and pharmacy practice,” said Ms. Murer Corrigan. “The success rate of these programs clearly indicates the interest in high-quality CE programs designed to highlight new and evolving roles for well-trained and PTCB certified pharmacy technicians. PTCB has certified over 339,000 pharmacy technicians since 1995.”

In addition to Melissa Murer Corrigan, R.Ph., participating faculty in the two programs include:

* Gay Dodson, R.Ph.; Executive Director/Secretary Texas State Board of Pharmacy;
* Barbara Hintzen, Inpatient Pharmacy Operations Manager, University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview and University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital, Fairview;
* Melissa Madigan, Pharm.D., J.D.; Policy and Communications Senior Manager National Association of Boards of Pharmacy;
* Bruce Scott, R.Ph., MS, FASHP; Chief Pharmacist and Senior Vice President Medco Health Solutions, Inc.;
* Angela Turner Cassano, Pharm.D., BCPS, President, Pharmfusion Consulting, LLC

Both programs provide continuing education credit which is available through ASHP until 2010. ASHP is an accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. The programs and podcasts can be accessed at www.ptcb.org under the Quick Link for Continuing Education.

Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhTs) recertify through PTCB every two years by earning a minimum of twenty contact hours of CE in pharmacy-related topics. At least one of the twenty hours must be in pharmacy law. For more information about recertification or continuing education requirements, please visit www.ptcb.org

The PTCB national Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination (PTCE) is the only certification program endorsed by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).

Chris Jerry still hears the screams of his 2-year-old daughter, Emily, after a medical mistake put her into agonizing pain and led to her death three years ago.

His grief was overwhelming, but it drove him to give meaning to Emily’s death, suffered at the hands of a pharmacy technician who mistakenly gave the toddler a fatal dose of saline solution.

To make sure no other child would suffer the same fate, he and others fought through the labyrinth of the Statehouse to gain passage of a law to govern pharmacy technicians. To hold the people who killed his daughter responsible, they fought for justice in both the criminal and civil courts.

Jerry won on all counts. The law was changed. The pharmacist who failed to supervise the technician was convicted. Jerry and his soon-to-be ex-wife, Kelly, won a $7 million settlement from Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital.

But the money did not take away his pain or make up for what he lost. Jerry’s life went into a downward spiral. His marriage fell apart, and he lost custody of his two children. He got into trouble with drugs and the law as he searched for a way to make something positive out of the tragedy.

Then it came to him – Emily’s Foundation.

Jerry, 41, of Willoughby Hills, decided to use a chunk of the settlement money to start a charity. He hopes the foundation will be active by the end of the summer to push for a national law to govern the work of pharmacy technicians and help prevent medical errors like the one that killed his daughter.

The foundation will also operate a Web site where grieving parents can come together to console one another and offer advice. A spokesman for T.S. Wrobel & Associates of San Francisco confirmed that Jerry hired the firm to form the foundation and to apply for nonprofit status.

Jerry will run the foundation and serve as an advocate for children’s health issues.

“I’ve learned from losing my daughter that there are large bureaucracies in the medical community,” he said. “Children are getting sick and dying because of mistakes and because drug companies are forcing hospitals to cut corners. We will present these kinds of issues and force change by bringing them to the forefront.”

On Feb. 26, 2006, the Jerrys went to Rainbow for what was to be Emily’s final round of chemotherapy to treat her cancer. A grapefruit-sized tumor had been found in her abdomen, but the regimen had been effective and the tumor was gone. Still, doctors were unsure if she needed one final treatment to eliminate any possibility that the tumor might return.

The Jerrys talked it over and decided to have the last treatment on their daughter’s second birthday. The following week they would all go to Disney World and celebrate her birthday and her victory over cancer.

But there would be no celebration.

Katie Dudash, a pharmacy technician, prepared the saline packet to be used in the chemo mixture. She made a new bag from saline concentrate. Dudash told investigators she didn’t know why she just didn’t grab a prepared bag of saline instead of mixing a new one. She said she was distracted because she was planning her wedding.

The saline solution she made was 23 percent salt. It should have been less than 1 percent salt. Emily screamed in pain when the solution was put into her body, then went into a coma.

Emily died March 1, 2006.

The supervising pharmacist, Eric Cropp, lost his license and pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter this May for improperly supervising Dudash. He is to be sentenced on July 17 and faces up to five years in prison. Dudash, who was not charged, agreed to testify if the case went to trial.

Kelly Jerry attended all of Cropp’s court proceedings in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. Chris Jerry did not. He said he feels no anger toward Cropp.

“I feel very sorry for the pharmacist,” he said. “This guy is facing a prison sentence, and I know it was an accident.”

After Emily’s death, Chris and Kelly Jerry’s marriage crumbled. In early 2008, she filed for divorce. It is expected to become final this month.

erry admitted he had trouble coping with the loss of his daughter. Painesville police arrested him late last year for possession of marijuana and resisting arrest. His case was diverted to a mental health court for adjudication.

His wife took out a court protection order against him, which he violated once.

He sought psychological counseling as he searched for a way to work through his turmoil. But he never forgot his daughter’s screams and her pain. So he decided that to help himself he had to begin to help others.

Jerry began counseling families in local hospitals whose children were on life-support systems. He did not offer legal advice but simply was there as one who understands what they were going through.

“I can speak to these people because I have gone through something similar, I know what they need to hear,” he said. “I can relate to them in every way.”

And his work with Emily’s Foundation will give him a purpose.

“God gave me my big mouth and goofy personality for a reason,” he said. “I’m planning on running this full time. I feel like my daughter is watching over me, like my personal guardian angel, guiding me in my efforts.”

Just around 8 years and 9 months ago, I was faced with having to carefully craft a plan for the rest of my life. Sometimes it does not go as planned.

I was soon graduating from college, and was told by my girlfriend that she was pregnant.  And after a day of sheer panic, I had to start thinking.  3 months down the line I would be a graduate. 7 months later I would be a father. It was time to start job hunting.

After doing my final internship, I got my diploma in Multimedia and Web Design.  I had a number of promising offers and job leads in some metropolitan areas, but after talking with my partner, we decided it was best to move to the country where she was raised and have the baby there.  The support of her family was essential to our survival as young parents. I was only 20 years old.

Work there in my field was nonexistent and I was not too keen on the idea of spending 4 hours a day on a train commuting to the city. Especially since i would have an infant at home.  So I took a job managing an independent movie theater while I did freelance work on the side.

The theater gig was great. I got paid to talk about movies to the customers. Often times, i would be discussing a film with a customer who themselves were actors in that very movie.

Of course, with that job came long weekends and holidays. My son’s first Christmas, I worked. Easter, I worked.  You get the picture.  So I began looking for a job that would more suit my need to be home with the family on such important days.

The mother of my son’s babysitter was working for the pharmacy at the time.  One day in conversation I brought up my new job hunt and she suggested I come in for an interview, and I got the job.

I started with the mindset that it was just a paycheck. Punch in, Punch out. Weekends and holidays off. And soon i realized that it takes more than that to do this job right.  And to top it off, I liked it. It was challenging to step into a role with no experience to thrive and succeed.

So for over 5 years I have worked as a Pharmacy Technician, became Certified, and set a new standard within the company on what is expected to be a Pharmacy Technician for our independent chain (to brag a little).  I’ve become to realize the potential for grown in this career and I support techs who want to become certified and work to become more than “just a tech”.  I’ve transferred my love for technology into becoming a respected consultant on our pharmacy’s use of technology and the internet to improve productivity and business. It’s an amazing feeling. Knowing that my work at this company is appreciated and needed.

Taking on this website was another thing. I was an active poster on the PTCB.org message board community, and when that disappeared I wanted to make something to fill that void. I got a degree in this stuff.. i figured i could do something.

I bought some server space and put up forum.cphtlink.com.  Though it is no where near as successful and active as the other deceased message board, it still offered some fun, random, and informative conversation.  Then the main page evolved into a place for me to share an article or two. Some weeks are slow in news, and some are better.  I’d like to thank everyone continues to vist it.

Yesterday, my son turned 8 years old.  I still remember the gamut of feelings while expecting and the highs and lows that followed in fatherhood.  From the first day of school, to the separation of parents and custody.  Getting though personal life challenges and coming to work focused on patient care and customer service.   Becoming a better person and employee is all because of the nature of the job; the need to be focused and together when someone’s life is, for all intents and purposes, in the hands of the pharmacist.  Being part of that team.

I still do my freelance whenever I can, but now when people ask me what I do I proudly include CPhT in my answer.

So I ask the techs that read this…Why did you become a Pharmacy Technician? Leave a Comment, or post on the forums. I always love to hear from others.

And Happy Birthday, Joshua. This kid is my life. I’m lucky to be a single father who gets to spend nearly every free moment with my son. He’s funny, unique, and the best thing that ever happened to me.

NPTA’s Pharmacy Technician Certificate Program™ is comprised of nine online courses and practical hands-on experience obtained through local pharmacy externships. The program, which is self-paced, is equivalent to roughly 750 contact hours and can be completed in six to twelve months, depending upon the student’s schedule.

In particular, students will learn the principles of pharmaceutical care, pharmacy law, community pharmacy practice, institutional pharmacy practice, pharmacy calculations and pharmacology. Upon completion of the program, students will be prepared to work in retail pharmacy environments, such as CVS®, Walgreens® and Rite-Aid®, hospital pharmacies, nursing homes, long-term care facilities and numerous other facilities.

“The pharmacy technician career path is quickly evolving and is in great demand across the United States,” said Mike Johnston, CPhT, Chairman and CEO of NPTA. “This program makes perfect sense for individuals who are looking to get into the healthcare industry and experience greater job opportunity and security, especially in the current economic climate.”

Affordability was a primary goal for NPTA, who wants to ensure that any qualified candidate interested in becoming a pharmacy technician has the opportunity to do so. The tuition for NPTA’s Pharmacy Technician Certificate Program™ is a fraction of the fees charged by career colleges and other online programs. Additionally, NPTA offers an interest-free payment plan for students and provides all textbooks and training materials in the tuition fee.

Since 1999, the National Pharmacy Technician Association has been the leader in pharmacy technician education and training since 1999 and NPTA’s Pharmacy Technician Certificate Program™ will make a huge difference for individuals with limited budgets, time constraints and provides unmatched credibility for entering the profession.

For more information on becoming a pharmacy technician through NPTA’s online training program, go to www.pharmacytechnician.org/institute or call 1-888-247-8700.

The Task Force recommended, and the NABP Executive Committee approved, that NABP amend the Model Act to a recommendation that all boards of pharmacy require pharmacy technicians to be certified by 2015, in accordance with the JCPP Future Vision of Pharmacy Practice.

Technician accountability is vital for a new vision of pharmacy practice and new roles for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Part of ensuring that pharmacy technicians meet such standards is the implementation of a standard measure of competency. Toward this end, under the advisement of the task force and the approval of the Executive Committee, NABP encourages the boards of pharmacy to require certification by the PTCB. These announcements were released at NABP’s annual meeting held last week.

The Task Force’s recommendation to certify all pharmacy technicians using the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) comes at a time when the demand for technician competency through uniform standards has never been greater. A 2007 poll commissioned by PTCB showed that 91% of American consumers surveyed support strong regulations across the country to protect patient safety by requiring that pharmacy technicians be trained and certified.

“The task force’s latest encouragement of this standard reinforces PTCB’s place as the strongest certification program available for pharmacy technicians,” said Melissa Murer Corrigan, RPh, Executive Director and CEO of PTCB. “Having consistent requirements for pharmacy technician certification in every state is an important first step towards meeting the high standard of safety that patients expect and deserve.”

NABP has been at the center of developing, implementing, and enforcing uniform standards for states since 1904. NABP reviewed and approved the PTCE through Resolution 96-1-2000, which was adopted by the NABP member boards at the 96th Annual Meeting in 2000.

PTCB is currently the only certification program endorsed by NABP, the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).
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For more information about certification, and technician standards visit www.ptcb.org and www.pharmacytechnician.org

Cropp pleaded no contest. As part of the plea arrangement, prosecutors dropped a reckless homicide charge. The maximum sentence he could face is five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The death of Emily Jerry has shined a national spotlight on the need for education and training for pharmacy technicians.

For more info read this news artice and visit the NPTA website.

“PTCB certification provides the core skills and nationally recognized credentials necessary for pharmacy technicians to deliver optimal pharmacist support and patient care,” said Kermit Crawford, Senior Vice President, Pharmacy at Walgreens. “Walgreens was the first to get behind PTCB certification and strongly supports the new continuous testing format because it creates daily access to the highest quality exam offered.”

The transition to on-demand, year round exam availability is designed to meet increasing demand from employers, state boards of pharmacy, educators, and pharmacy technicians for greater access to the highest quality exam. PTCB candidate demographics and numbers have expanded steadily over PTCB’s 14 years as the industry leader in certifying pharmacy technicians. In 2008, PTCB tested over 50,000 pharmacy technicians and has certified more than 339,000 CPhTs since inception in 1995, through the examination and transfer process. The PTCB certification program utilizes Pearson Professional Centers for testing, the same centers used by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy for its North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX).

“More and more, state boards of pharmacy are requiring pharmacy technicians to be PTCB certified, and we recognize the need to adjust our format to meet the demand for qualified technicians,” said Melissa Murer Corrigan, RPh, Executive Director and CEO of PTCB. “In the first month of the new format, 6,800 pharmacy technicians have applied for testing. Clearly this is an idea whose time has come, and we are excited to once again break new ground for pharmacy technicians, employers, and patients.”

PTCB’s certification program is widely recognized and trusted throughout the industry for ensuring that pharmacy technicians across the country adhere to the highest standards. The PTCB certification program is the only certification endorsed by the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) and other professional pharmacy organizations. PTCB’s examination is available in all 50 states at over 200 Pearson Professional Centers, internationally at DANTES testing centers, and in Guam and Puerto Rico.