Pharmacy Aides

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Also known as:
Certified Pharmacist Assistant, Pharmacist Aide, Pharmacist Assistant, Pharmacy Assistant, Pharmacy Clerk, Prescription Clerk

See all Health Science Careers.

ABOUT PHARMACY AID CAREERS

Video transcript

A pharmacy is literally a lifeline for the community it serves. This is where people come to obtain the medicine and equipment their health care professionals have prescribed. While prescriptions by law must be filled by a licensed pharmacist, pharmacy aides keep the operation running smoothly.

Applicants for these positions usually need a high school degree and a record clean of drug or substance abuse. They are trained on the job to help with paperwork and supplies, often doubling as cashiers. They may establish and maintain patient profiles, prepare insurance claim forms, and stock and take inventory of prescription and over-the-counter medications.

So in addition being able to work on your feet, you need good communication skills, an ability to make change, and a willingness to do whatever jobs come up - from restocking shelves to filing important medical information. And you can expect to be asked to work evening, nights, weekends, even holidays, because people expect pharmacies to be open when they need them.

SNAPSHOT

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.

Leadership	HIGH
Critical decision making	MED
Level of responsibilities	HIGH
Job challenge and pressure to meet deadlines	HIGH
Dealing and handling conflict	HIGH

Competition for this position	LOW
Communication with others	HIGH
Work closely with team members, clients etc.	HIGH
Comfort of the work setting	HIGH
Exposure to extreme environmental conditions	LOW
Exposure to job hazards	LOW
Physical demands	LOW

Daily tasks

Accept prescriptions for filling, gathering and processing necessary information.

Operate cash register to process cash or credit sales.

Maintain and clean equipment, work areas, or shelves.

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.

Receive, store, and inventory pharmaceutical supplies or medications, check for out-of-date medications, and notify pharmacist when inventory levels are low.

Restock storage areas, replenishing items on shelves.

MAIN ACTIVITIES

Interacting With Computers	Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Getting Information	Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People	Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Assisting and Caring for Others	Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems	Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE

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.
English Language	Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Clerical	Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Sales and Marketing	Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Law and Government	Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Administration and Management	Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Mathematics	Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Medicine and Dentistry	Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

TOP SKILLS

Active Listening	Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Service Orientation	Actively looking for ways to help people.
Speaking	Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Social Perceptiveness	Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Reading Comprehension	Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Judgment and Decision Making	Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Coordination	Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Critical Thinking	Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.