Section 7.015. Pharmacy technicians.

 

(1)  As used in this section, "pharmacy technician" means a non-pharmacist or non-pharmacist intern who, under the general supervision of a pharmacist who regularly coordinates, directs and inspects the activities of the pharmacy technician, assists the pharmacist in the technical and nonjudgmental functions related to the practice of pharmacy in the processing of prescription orders and inventory management. "Pharmacy technician" does not include ancillary persons which include, clerks, secretaries, cashiers or delivery persons, who may be present in the pharmacy.

(2)  A pharmacist may delegate technical dispensing functions to a pharmacy technician, but only under the general supervision of the pharmacist where the delegated functions are performed. Technical dispensing functions include:

(a) Accepting written or electronic prescription orders of the prescribing practitioner or from the prescribing practitioner's agent.

(b) Accepting original oral prescription orders from the prescribing practitioner or prescribing practitioner's agent, if the conversation is recorded and listened to and verified by the pharmacist prior to dispensing.

(c) Requesting authorization for a refill from the prescribing practitioner.

(d) Accepting oral authorization for a refill from the prescribing practitioner or prescribing practitioner's agent, provided there are no changes to the original prescription order.

(e) Accepting a request from a patient to refill a prescription.

(f) Obtaining and entering patient or prescription data into the patient information system.

(g) Preparing a prescription label.

(h) Retrieving medication from stock, counting or measuring medication, and placing the medication in its final container.

(i) Reconstituting prefabricated dosage forms.

(j) Compounding pharmaceuticals pursuant to written policies and procedures.

(k) Affixing a prescription label to its final container.

(L) Placing ancillary information on the prescription label.

(m) Prepackaging and labeling drugs for dispensing by a pharmacist.

(n) Preparing unit dose carts for final review by a pharmacist.

(o) Retrieving and transporting stock medication to and from pharmacist approved areas.

(p) Other technical functions that do not require the professional judgment of a pharmacist.

(q) Transferring the prescription to the patient or agent of the patient, provided that the pharmacist has first provided a patient consultation.

(3)  A pharmacy technician may not do any of the following:

(a) Provide the final verification for the accuracy, validity, completeness, or appropriateness of a filled prescription or medication order.

(b) Perform any of the following tasks:

1. Participate in final drug utilization reviews.

2. Make independent therapeutic alternate drug selections.

3. Participate in final drug regimen screening, including screening for therapeutic duplication, drug-to-drug interactions, incorrect dosage, incorrect duration of treatment, drug allergy reactions and clinical abuse or misuse.

4. Perform any act necessary to be a managing pharmacist.

5. Administer any prescribed drug products, devices or vaccines.

(c) Provide patient counseling, consultation, or patient specific judgment, such as interpreting or applying information, including advice relating to therapeutic values, potential hazards and uses.

(4)  The pharmacist shall provide the final verification for the accuracy, validity, completeness, and appropriateness of the patient's prescription prior to the delivery of the prescription to the patient or the patient's representative.

Cr. Register, April, 2001, No. 544 , eff. 5-1-01; CR 07-099 : cr. (2) (q), r. (3) (d) Register May 2008 No. 629 , eff. 6-1-08.