PHARMACY TECHNICIAN FAQsCLICK HERE FOR TECHNICIAN RENEWAL QUESTIONS.
Q: How does a new pharmacy technician register with the Board? A: New technicians must register online here. Technicians must register with the Board within 30 days of beginning employment in the pharmacy. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: How does a technician reinstate a registration that has lapsed? A: A lapsed technician registration may be reinstated here. Technician registration number and Social Security Number will be required for log-in/reinstatement. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: When does my technician registration expire? A: On December 31 of each year, although the Board allows a 60-day grace period to renew. (Click here for additional FAQs related to technician registration renewal.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: I am a pharmacy technician; how do I notify the Board of a change in my email address, home address, my name, or my business address? A: If you are a technician registered with our Board, you may change your home address, home phone number, and email address online. Click here to access our technician log-in page. If your business information has changed, you must notify the Board office. To do so, either complete this notification form and fax it to 919.246.1056 or mail it to the Board office. To notify the Board of a name change, please complete this form and mail or fax it to the Board office. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: How do I obtain Board approval for increasing the pharmacist-to-technician ratio at my pharmacy? A: A pharmacist may not supervise more than two pharmacy technicians unless: (1) the pharmacist-manager receives written approval from the Board in advance; and (2) each additional technician is certified. (See G.S. § 90-85.15A.) To request an increase above the 1:2 pharmacist-to-technician ratio, please complete this form in its entirety and submit it to the Board. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: A student enrolled in a pharmacy technician educational program is present in my pharmacy. Does that student count toward the permissible pharmacist:technician ratio? A. Students currently enrolled in community college-based technician training programs typically spend some time at pharmacy practice sites as part of their education. Such students present in a pharmacy solely for educational purposes as part of the technician training curriculum do not count toward the permissible pharmacist:technician ratio. The Board emphasizes, however, that the student must be present in the pharmacy solely for educational purposes. A student who is employed by a pharmacy as a technician does count toward the permissible pharmacist:technician ratio, notwithstanding that the student is also enrolled in a community college-based technician training program. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: What continuing education requirements bind PTCB certified technicians? A: The Board of Pharmacy does not presently require pharmacy technicians to obtain continuing education. PTCB certified technicians, however, must meet PTCB requirements for recertification, which include continuing education. To recertify, you must earn a minimum of twenty contact hours of continuing education in pharmacy-related topics. CE's relating to functions outside the scope of practice for Pharmacy Technicians will not be accepted. At least one of the twenty hours must be in pharmacy law. Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accreditation is not mandatory for attended programs for pharmacy technicians to receive continuing education credit. You may earn a maximum ten of the twenty hours at your workplace under the direct supervision of the pharmacist(s). However, these credits may not be earned by working ten hours at your regular duties. You should arrange with your supervising pharmacist for the completion of specially assigned in-service projects or training. These assignments should be selected with your individual needs in mind and may include computer training, inventory control, IV admixtures, videos, self-study articles from professional pharmacy journals, etc. You may use one college course during your two-year certification period. The college course must be in either a Life Science (Chemistry, Biology, Anatomy, etc.) or Math, and counts as 15 hours of CE. If you are audited, you must submit a grade sheet or official transcript. Your supervising pharmacist records these in-service hours on the PTCB Universal Continuing Education Form (available in PDF format). All other continuing education courses should award their own Certificate of Participation (see Documentation section). A PTCB Universal Continuing Education Form should not be completed for those courses that issue a Certificate of Participation. Each time the PTCB Universal Continuing Education Form is used, the program is considered an in-service project. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: Are volunteer pharmacy technicians required to register with the Board? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: Are pharmacy students required to register with the Board as pharmacy technicians? A: Read the Board's policy on registration of pharmacy students employed as technicians. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: How can I find out about Pharmacy Technician certification? Prescriptions which have been previously prepared may be picked up by patients or their representative. A log of such transactions is kept with the telephone number at which the patient may be reached is available to the pharmacist upon return from break. A telephone call within a reasonable time after prescription pick up shall occur by the pharmacist to review any counseling issues which may be appropriate. Prescriptions may be received by technicians and assembly can occur but pharmacists must check any product and the order before it goes to the patient pursuant to Board rule. Pharmacist-Managers, at their discretion, may develop a policy for Certified (by PTCB) technicians to receive telephone prescription orders. Q: Who is responsible for registering Pharmacy Technicians? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: How do I file a complaint against a pharmacy technician? A: There are several options when filing a complaint:
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