Career summary

Details for Pharmacy Aides


Description

Record drugs delivered to the pharmacy, store incoming merchandise, and inform the supervisor of stock needs. May operate cash register and accept prescriptions for filling.

Tasks

  • Accept prescriptions for filling, gathering and processing necessary information.
  • Answer telephone inquiries, referring callers to pharmacist when necessary.
  • Greet customers and help them locate merchandise.
  • Unpack, sort, count, and label incoming merchandise, including items requiring special handling or refrigeration.
  • Prepare prescription labels by typing or operating a computer and printer.
  • Operate cash register to process cash or credit sales.
  • Restock storage areas, replenishing items on shelves.
  • Perform clerical tasks, such as filing, compiling and maintaining prescription records, or composing letters.
  • Maintain and clean equipment, work areas, or shelves.
  • Prepare, maintain, and record records of inventories, receipts, purchases, or deliveries, using a variety of computer screen formats.
  • Process medical insurance claims, posting bill amounts and calculating copayments.
  • Compound, package, and label pharmaceutical products, under direction of pharmacist.
  • Operate capsule or tablet counting machine that automatically distributes a certain number of capsules or tablets into smaller containers.
  • Calculate anticipated drug usage for a prescribed period.
  • Deliver medication to treatment areas, living units, residences, or clinics, using various means of transportation.
  • Receive, store, and inventory pharmaceutical supplies or medications, check for out-of-date medications, and notify pharmacist when inventory levels are low.
  • Provide customers with information about the uses, effects, or interactions of drugs.

Interests

  • Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
  • Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Education, training, experience

  • Education - These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
  • Training - Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
  • Experience - Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.

Knowledge

  • Law and Government -Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • Customer and Personal Service -Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Skills

None found.

Related careers

None found.