A career as a pharmacy technician allows you to be part of a growing industry, while assisting pharmacists as they help sick or injured patients feel better. To learn how to become a pharmacy technician in Kansas, read below.
Pharmacy Technician Requirements
According to the Kansas Board of Pharmacy, anyone working as a pharmacy technician in Kansas must be registered and licensed with the board. To be registered, you must fill out and submit an application for registration, along with the required registration fee. Within 30 days of registration, you must pass (with 75% or better) a state-authorized test, which is given by the employer. The registration certificate must be visibly displayed to the public in the area in which the pharmacy technician is employed. Registration must be renewed every two years. You do not need to take another test for renewal.
Is Any Prior Education or Training Required?
Prior education is not required to begin working as a pharmacy technician in Kansas. The pharmacy technician receives on-the-job training from a pharmacist who has been licensed for at least two years, and the pharmacist keeps track of all training. Once the pharmacy technician is registered with the board, his or her training must be completed within six years of the date he or she was hired as a pharmacy technician.
The aspiring pharmacy technician may also get help preparing for the state test from the licensed pharmacist. There are several colleges in Kansas that offer pharmacy technician training programs for those who want to complete a formal training program.
Are Pharmacy Technicians Required to be Certified?
Pharmacy technicians in Kansas are not required to be certified, although it does offer benefits, particularly when seeking employment.
How Can a Pharmacy Technician Become Certified?
Pharmacy technician graduates can obtain voluntary certification by passing a computer-based certification exam through an accredited certifying organization, such as the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). To be eligible for NHA certification, one must be at least 18 years of age and must have completed an approved training program. To maintain certification, it must be renewed and requirements must be met according to the requirements set by the certifying agency.
Is Continuing Education Necessary?
Although the Kansas Board of Pharmacy does not have continuing education requirements to remain registered, the PTCB and the NHA have requirements to maintain their certification. The PTCB and the NHA have the same continuing education requirements, which must be met every two years. The pharmacy technician must complete 20 continuing education credits. Of the 20 hours, at least one hour must be in the topic of pharmacy law.
Pharmacy Technician Salary
The median annual wage for pharmacy technicians in Kansas was $28,100, as of May 2012. This information came from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which also reported that those in the lowest 10% earned $20,500, while those in the top 90% earned $38,000. The wages varied throughout the state. Pharmacy techs working in Kansas City earned an average of $28,200, while those working in Wichita and Manhattan earned about $26,400 and $24,800 respectively.
Pharmacy Technician Job Duties
Pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists in many of their daily duties and also complete clerical and customer service tasks. They may answer the phone, write down prescriptions, measure and calculate medication, label and fill bottles, process insurance and Medicare claims, collect payment from customers and direct customers to a licensed pharmacy when they have drug-related questions.
Pharmacy technicians also enter patient information into the computer system. While the majority of pharmacy technicians work in pharmacies, some may work in grocery stores, and many also work in hospitals. Where a pharmacy technician works may dictate some of his or her duties.
What Tasks is a Pharmacy Technician Legally Allowed to Perform?
Pharmacy technicians must perform their daily duties under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist. While they may assist with getting prescriptions ready, they can’t do the actual dispensing of the medication. They can talk to the customers but must not counsel them on medications or answer questions regarding the medication. They cannot legally discuss the medication prescription with the physician or medical facility. Nor, can they alter the prescription.