Getting prepared to work in a healthcare facility will take plenty of familiarizing around different environments. For example, each department in a hospital will have its own sets of tools and medical devices for healthcare professionals to use and oversee. Although pharmacies aren’t dealing with urgent, life-threatening situations, pharmacy technicians handling them must be as precise as a surgeon’s incision. This is why it’s vital to familiarize yourself with the right tools you’ll encounter through your everyday responsibilities.
A Pharm Tech’s Arsenal
Pharm techs utilize different tools to prepare, categorize, and present medication to paying customers. These devices are necessary to help them be as precise as possible when aiding people in recovering and managing their illnesses.
In this article, we’ll share five tools you should recognize as you hold your post at a pharmacy.
1. Tube filling Machines
Besides coding operations in labs, tube filling machines are also helpful in various pharmacy operations. They can function as small-batch processors easily adjustable to reduce spilling or skipping.
Since these are precise devices, it’s necessary to have extensive knowledge of switching their settings and integrating numerous accessories. You’ll need to learn how to use tube cleaning mechanisms, tube transfer devices, and other tools to get the right volume of output for specific materials.
2. Automatic Bottle Filling Machines
Packaging is an essential process in the pharmaceutical industry, not just for giving the right dosage but also for protecting medicine’s long-term storage. These tools make it easier for pharmacy technicians to prepare products for patients and increase the reliability of their purchases.
3. Computer-Operated Dispensing Equipment
Besides packaging equipment, modern pharmacies also have computer-operated dispensing equipment. With the help of these programmable devices, serving clients as a pharmacy technician is much easier. This is a great benefit to pharmacies handling busy populations.
Keep in mind that computer-operated dispensing equipment may have more than one function. For this reason, you must remember the proper inputs necessary for each process. Mastering these adjustments will be integral to becoming a certified healthcare professional.
4. Lab Balances
No pharmacy will be complete without a lab balance. Although they’re used in lab applications for research, they’re also necessary to count tablets, prepare prescriptions, and other measuring procedures.
Lab balances come in different types, from precision balances to analytical balances. Additionally, their measuring capacity can vary from micro to ultra-micro settings. Since procuring medicine to follow prescriptions is a precise practice, you need to effectively handle and read these measuring devices.
5. Emulsifiers
Emulsifiers are useful in the preparation of various products in the pharmaceutical industry. It aids in the formation and stabilization of emulsion, allowing an efficient preparation of dispersion for prescriptions. As an aspiring pharmacy technician, you must know your way around emulsifiers to understand how it contributes to preparing medicine ready for paying customers.
Conclusion
Pharmacy technicians play an essential role in a patient’s treatment, which is why an incredible amount of trust is placed on their shoulders. Without a precise and accurate prescription, patients cannot start their road to recovery. While this may feel like a considerable weight of responsibility, your education can save you the trouble of committing mistakes in the workplace.
Your journey to become a healthcare professional starts with getting a quality education. At Northwest Suburban College, our students learn the ins and outs of being a certified pharmacy technician. Call us now at 847-290-6425 to learn more about our pharmacy tech programs!
