Pharmacy Technician

Taught by our professionals in Graduate Employment Services, this course is designed to train students to research and how to obtain their desired career goals. Topics covered include: current employer expectations in the selection process, winning resume styles, interview skills and techniques, and successful strategies to develop and conduct their personal career search. Enriched academy will provide the students with the tools they will need to be financially aware and able to manage their expenses and debt once completing their program. Enriched academy will provide the students with the tools they will need to be financially aware and able to manage their expenses and debt once completing their program.

This course teaches the students the fundamentals regarding the pharmacy as a business. Students examine the supply of stock, purchasing decisions, ordering, space and personnel management in both the hospital and retail setting. Non-medicinal products such as homeopathic, naturopathic remedies, and various appliances sold in a community pharmacy are also studied. Clinic development is a major component of this course.

In this course, the emphasis is placed on communicating with pharmacy personnel, other healthcare professionals, and customers. Students learn to improve their written and verbal communications skills, the importance of effective listening skills, and strategies for handling difficult situations. Confidentiality is also stressed.

During this course, the students will learn the fundamentals of dispensing prescriptions. They will learn how to interpret prescriptions, analyze directions for patient use to calculate quantities, prepare labels, price, maintain accurate patient profiles, and ensure that all record keeping required by legislation is accurately maintained. Students are exposed to a very hands-on approach to filling prescriptions.

In this course, students will learn the processes of compounding utilizing the tools required to prepare a variety of extemporaneous mixtures including liquids, suspension, ointments, and creams. Accuracy in calculations, weighing and measuring is stressed. Also, emphasis is placed on accurate records and documentation.

In this course, students are exposed to various practical scenarios they could be exposed to on-the-job to better prepare students for their role. Students learn to think critically, analyze, react to, and resolve real-life situations, problems, and ethical dilemmas. Students will also develop an understanding of the structural elements of intra and interprofessional collaboration within and among professions.

This course will provide the student with an understanding of the body. Students will acquire the basic knowledge of anatomy and physiology as each body system is studied. Topics include Cells and Tissues, Blood Cells, Skin and Body, Membranes, Musculoskeletal, Nervous, Cardiovascular, Lymphatic and Immune, Respiratory, Endocrine, Digestive, Urinary, and Female/Male Reproductive Systems.

Fundamentals of Pharmacology I

This course takes the student through the general concepts of pharmacology and defines drug classifications as related to their functions and action on various body systems. The student will become familiar with therapeutic classifications as defined in the Ontario Drug Benefit Formulary according to ASHP outline.

Fundamentals of Pharmacology II

Students expand on the knowledge gained in Fundamentals of Pharmacology II. Students learn about the mechanism of action, possible reactions, and interactions of various drugs. Students become familiar with therapeutic uses and gain the ability to identify cautions, side effects, and drug interactions.

The student will be familiarized with hospital organizations and the roles and relationships of different health care professionals. The legislation governing hospital operations will be presented. The course includes a detailed review of drug distribution systems including ward stock, unit dose, etc. Emphasis is placed on accurate dispensing techniques, including methods of checking work for accuracy.

In this course, the student will develop a general understanding of the law system within Canada. Students acquire a full comprehension of the federal acts that govern the practice of pharmacy in Canada, federal and provincial legislation, and proper standards of practice.

This course introduces the student to all aspects of the retail pharmacy including generic and brand names, schedule N and G drugs, health care in Ontario, drug plans, managed care, pharmaceutical care, privacy legislation, guidelines for the practice of pharmacy, the role of the pharmacist, regulated pharmacy technician, and pharmacy assistant. Students learn about confidentiality, written and verbal prescription orders, fraud, forgery, and standards of practice.

This course is designed to introduce students to the classification of drugs, routes of administration, and dispensing techniques. Topics include oral dosage forms, topical, optic, ophthalmic, IV and more. Students will gain an understanding of their usage, stability, storage conditions and correct handling of each and will become familiar with the different therapies that can be used and how the appropriate form of drug is chosen for each disease state.

Upon completion of this core course, students will have gained a full understanding of the mathematics involved in the preparation of a prescription. Careful attention to accuracy prepares the student for the proper measuring and calculations for dispensing. The student will understand short forms and symbols, metric measures, as well as, imperial measures and their conversion. Experience is gained through the practice on various equipment and materials used for measuring in the dispensary.

In this course, students are trained on today’s industry based dispensary software systems. This training provides the student with the knowledge to prepare all basic prescription filling requirements utilizing Kroll software system.

In this course, students learn the theory and step-by-step preparation of aseptic technique. Students will produce products commonly encountered in a health care facility. Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to identify routes of administration, solutions, packaging, labelling, types of parenterals, products, solvents, and alternate vehicles. Students will gain the knowledge and technical skills to prepare sterile products with care and accuracy.

This course offers the student the opportunity to gain added experience to the materials learned in class and in the lab. This internship requires satisfactory completion of all skills related to a community pharmacy setting as outlined by the CPTEA and NAPRA standards.

The hospital field placement portion of the Pharmacy Technician program is designed to provide students with an opportunity to integrate their studies with related work experience. Students are oriented to hospital policies and procedures and exposed to the duties expected of a hospital pharmacy technician. This internship requires satisfactory completion of all skills related to a hospital pharmacy setting according to the CPTEA and NAPRA standards.

Students are introduced to various care settings such as acute care facilities, retirement and long-term care homes and the unique practice in a long term care pharmacy and their role in these settings. Students will become familiar with the standards for pharmacies providing services to LTC homes including clinical services, packaging, distribution, prescription record management, and drug destruction.

Students are provided with an extensive review of core subjects including legislation, pharmacology, anatomy, product preparation, compounding, math jurisprudence and ethics. Students will use previously learned pharmacy knowledge and apply problem-solving and critical thinking skills to identify and solve daily problems in pharmacy practice. Students practise in a simulated environment to prepare them for the national Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) licensing exam. This course will be facilitated by various members of the program faculty.