This course will help students develop their teamwork skills and gain a better understanding of the role of the pharmacy technician as a member of the health care team. The course will serve to improve student’s critical thinking skills and broaden their knowledge of patient care communications. Students will have the opportunity to interact with students and faculty from other health profession programs as well as other members of health care providers including pharmacists, nurses and other health care professionals. Students will gain the knowledge, skills, and values required to work with other health care professionals through a collaborative learning approach within and across their disciplines.

Jurisprudence is designed to provide the student with an understanding of the legislation and standards that govern the pharmacy profession.
This course will introduce the student to the important role that they will play in a career as a Pharmacy Technician. They will also become familiar with provincial and federal laws, regulations, standards of practice and ethical principles.

This comprehensive course includes everything covered in Emergency First Aid and CPR as well as a wide range of other first aid topics that will provide participants with advanced knowledge and skills required to prevent further injury.
** This course is taught by a St. John’s Ambulance or Red Cross certified trainer. There is both an online and in-person component to this module. **

This course will review the use of Kroll®, a pharmacy software in dispensing medications. Students will become familiar with the various features of the software. Students will be able to enter the required information for patient profiles and look up particular patient profiles. Students will also be able to create new drug files or update existing drug files and doctor information, adjust and add third-party billing information and learn the theory of adjudicating a prescription. Students will also practice and learn the principles of prescription filling, starting with prescription verification to dispensing to the patient.

Community Pharmacy will teach dispensing procedures commonly used in the community pharmacy settings with an emphasis on the pharmacy technician’s role. Students will be familiarized to dispensing procedures commonly encountered in a community pharmacy setting.

Students will learn and work on the technical duties of a community pharmacy so that the pharmacist is available primarily for clinical patient care. The student will learn how to fill a prescription in a laboratory setting from intake of the prescription to dispensing. Pharmacy equipment and dispensing techniques will be explained, demonstrated and practiced in the lab. Students will learn how to utilize key aspects of the pharmacy technician’s role in the community pharmacy, including but not limited to, receiving a verbal prescription, counselling on medical devices and patient interviewing.

Students will become proficient at preparing pharmaceutical preparations and doing the necessary documentation to meet and maintain current standards.

The student will review and practice the various mixing techniques and standards of commercial manufacturing and learn the necessity of compounding. The student will become proficient at the use of balances to accurately weigh ingredients to compound. A variety of dosage forms will be reviewed with emphasis being placed on the knowledge that is needed to accurately prepare compounds. The student will be expected to calculate, measure, and weigh various compounding ingredients. Proper and timely cleaning and maintenance of compounding equipment will be stressed.

This course is designed to provide students with a chance to learn the basic principles of microbiology and the reasons why reducing microbial contamination in a pharmacy are necessary. Students will learn how to control microbial contamination by using both chemical and physical means. Students will learn basic principles of infection control. Students will also learn aseptic techniques in preparation of pharmaceutical products. Students will be introduced to basic microbes such as bacteria (pathogenic and non-pathogenic), viruses and fungi and the diseases they cause.

Students will learn how to control microbial contamination in the pharmacy environment and apply these techniques and standards to the preparation of intravenous admixtures and parenteral hospital compounding. Students will become familiar with the equipment used in parenteral compounding such as vials, ampoules and needles. Students will learn how to manipulate these products and using the proper technique.

Students will learn the various types of drug distribution systems in hospitals and institutional settings and the procedure for managing drug inventory. Students will become familiar with the process of receiving drugs and record keeping, as well as the drug delivery systems that may be used in long-term care facilities. Students will be introduced to provincial formularies and central supply lists.

Students will write a series of final exam in the last week of the Pharmacy Technician program, prior to leaving from practicums. The examination will include both written and practical exams. The practical exam includes all skills taught throughout the program, including but not limited to compounding as well as an observed structure practical exam (OSPE).

Practicum (on-the-job) experience is an essential component of the Pharmacy Technician training experience. It provides real world practical training in a pharmaceutical setting, allowing the student to gain a better understanding of employer and customer needs and expectations. The practicum is divided into two components, five weeks of practicum in a community pharmacy setting and the four weeks in an institutional (hospital) pharmacy setting. Successful completion of both components is a mandatory criterion for graduation.

Practicum (on-the-job) experience is an essential component of the Pharmacy Technician training experience. It provides real world practical training in a pharmaceutical setting, allowing the student to gain a better understanding of employer and customer needs and expectations. The practicum is divided into two components, five weeks of practicum in a community pharmacy setting and the four weeks in an institutional (hospital) pharmacy setting. Successful completion of both components is a mandatory criterion for graduation.