Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1982. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 41-42).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1975. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Pharmacists rely on pharmacy technicians to assist with accurately dispensing prescriptions and providing information to clients. Texas does not have regulations for the education or training of pharmacy technicians, which may result in mistakes when dispensing prescriptions, causing significant harm to customers. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was assessing formally and informally trained pharmacy technicians' job performance as perceived by licensed pharmacists/managers. Data were collected via face to face interviews with 9 pharmacy managers in Texas to gain insight into their lived experiences of supervising not formally and formally trained technicians. Audio recorded interview data were transcribed and organized using the NVivo software. The job performance theory was used to help understand and interpret the data. Pharmacists/managers indicated that pharmacy technicians who receive formal training, when compared to those who have been informally trained on-the-job, have more knowledge, better job performance, less need for training and supervision, and greater salary and other job related opportunities. All 9 of the respondents indicated that the State of Texas should develop a formal set of professional standards for pharmacy technicians and require a formal certification training program. The potential positive social change of this study is a better understanding of the job training and performance of pharmacy technicians that can improve services to communities.

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Medication safety is a key contribution to patient safety in health care settings. Health care researchers and scholars frequently report and discuss nurses medication administration practices or medication errors associated with patients safety in hospitals. Yet there are gaps in published reports about how practitioners view the larger phenomenon of medication safety as it unfolds on a hospital unit. Research is needed to advance our understanding of medication safety as it comes together amidst the interrelated elements in a complex hospital environment, and what practitioners identify and associate with medication safety in this context. In this study, medication safety was explored with participants from nursing and pharmacy departments on one Canadian hospital unit. Using a restorative theoretical approach and citizen science methodology, the researcher engaged in critical conversations with practitioner and decision-maker participants (n=68) to explore elements that support and those that present barriers to medication safety through focus groups, photo walkabouts, on-unit observations, and photo elicitation. Themes from the data revealed that (1) unit structures shape medication safety, (2) medication system design affects medication safety, (3) practitioners embed accountability for medication safety into their practice and processes, (4) unit culture influences medication safety, (5) practitioners devise and employ workarounds to circumvent ongoing barriers to medication safety, and (6) participants envisioned, and in some cases implemented, restorations to improve medication safety on their unit. Findings highlight a range of contextual, interrelated supports for and barriers to medication safety that participants discovered and shared knowledge about on their unit. Participants envisioned medication safety improvements that could be implemented at present and in the future. Workarounds, power, and possibilities for medication safety improvements related to current medication system design in health care systems are discussed.

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The United States healthcare system faces immense challenges related to cost, quality, and access. As the pharmacy profession addresses these challenges by shifting toward a practice model centered around direct patient care clinical services, a competent and capable technician workforce is needed to support the roles of pharmacists. Until recently, little focus has been paid to pharmacy technicians or their role as they relate to practice model change. With ongoing pharmacist practice transformation, an approach that ensures uniform technician education, training, registration, and certification is vital to support a practice model designed to transform medication management across the continuum of care. The purpose of this commentary is three-fold: to review the history of pharmacy technician training and practice, discuss current and future technician practice models, and examine workforce development implications.

No description available.

Background: This research explored regulation and professionalism with respect to the current state of professional practice for hospital pharmacy technicians. Since July 2011 pharmacy technicians must register with the General Pharmaceutical Council in order to practise. An acknowledged benefit of registration is professional recognition; however there is a lack of published research about pharmacy technicians’ professionalism with no study found that offers a holistic exploration post mandatory registration. Method: This study utilised a broad discourse analytic approach to examine how pharmacy practitioners talk about the pharmacy technician role, regulation and professionalism, being sensitive to the content of these accounts but also the ways in which they are constructed and the varying rhetorical effects and power. The sociology of the professions provided the theoretical background for this study to examine the notion of professionalism in modern healthcare and whether or not pharmacy technicians are enabled to undertake the professional practice for which they are now accountable. Data were gathered through interviews with pharmacy technicians, pharmacists and Directors of Pharmacy, which were digitally recorded and transcribed prior to discourse analysis. Findings: The findings illuminate gaps in the professional socialisation of pharmacy technicians related to 1) Policy: a lack of appropriate conditions and opportunities for pharmacy technicians to demonstrate professional practice and contribute to current policy implementation, 2) Practice: pharmacy technicians do not have the supportive infrastructure to enable their own professional practice or carry out research, and 3) Education and Training: current qualifications are traditionalistic and not fit for purpose. Discussion: Recommendations are made in relation to these three concerns, including: development of pharmacy technician practice to take responsibility for the supply chain of medicines; review organisational structures, roles and discourses to enable this clear division of labour; the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK promotes the development of a ‘Scope of Professional Practice for Pharmacy Technicians’ to support practice development and clarify accountabilities, and improves promotion of pharmacy technician research activity; and finally, review the content and level of pharmacy technician pre- and post-registration qualifications to address identified gaps and to support a structured career pathway. Findings from this study have already been transferred into practice in terms of: development of national recruitment guidance; establishment of a ‘Professionalism Programme’ for all local pharmacy staff; development of terms of reference for a local pharmacy technician professional forum to enable professional development and leadership; and, the initiation of discussions to develop a national pharmacy technician professional forum in Scotland.