COURSE DESCRIPTION
The Pharmacy Assistant program is approximately 10 months in length (Phase I & II). During this course, initially the students will receive basic instruction in skills required in any health care setting. The students will receive an understanding of the health industry and its various career paths, both traditional and nontraditional. Competency based areas include medical law and ethics, communications, medical terminology, medical math, body system review and pathology of disease, human growth and development including life continuum. Instruction and practice will be provided in basic skills used in most health care settings, including specific skills such as the taking of vital signs, basic patient intake skills, documentation skills, computer input and retrieval skills, understanding of quality control and quality assurance, standard precautions, as well as others. The second phase II of the program the student will meet the requirements for employment as a Pharmacy Assistant. Instruction includes both classroom and clinical training at pharmacies.

COURSE OUTCOMES: At the end of this course the student will be able to assist a licensed Pharmacist to:

1. Retrieve prescriptions or files as necessary.
   
2. Enter data, type labels and maintain patient profiles.
   
3. Perform secretarial tasks such as telephoning, filing, and typing.
   
4. Perform accounting tasks such as record keeping, maintaining accounts receivables, third party billing and posting.
   
5. Count and/or pour medications.
   
6. Fill and label bottles for prescriptions as directed by the Pharmacist.
   
7. Affix auxiliary labels to the container.
   
8. Affix the prescription label to proper container.
   
9. Mix pharmaceutical preparations as directed by the Pharmacist.
   
10. Count stock and enter data in computer to maintain inventory records.
    
11. Clean equipment and sterilize glassware according to prescribed methods.
    
12. Deliver medications and pharmaceutical supplies to patients, or nursing stations.
    
13. Help maintain a clean and orderly pharmacy.
    
14. Perform any other duties supportive personnel are allowed to perform.