For those looking for an interesting profession in the medical services field, becoming a pharmacy technician or ‘PT’ can be a great option for the right person.It is a detail-oriented job in a growing industry, so there are many opportunities available all the time and estimations are that job availabilities will continue to increase over the next few years.Before deciding that becoming a PT is the job for you though, it is important to have a good understanding of the pharmacy technician job description in order to decide if this is the type of work desired.With a good knowledge of what this profession requires in regard to jobs performed, interested students should be able to enroll in school or training in confidence that this is what they want to do afterward.Pharmacy Technician Job DescriptionAlthough there are numerous setting where PTs can work such as hospitals, retail pharmacies, outpatient and inpatient centers and more – all of which will have some specific duties – their main job is to provide assistance to the registered pharmacy on duty. Most of the time this includes tasks such as:- Receiving prescriptions to be filled, either from retail customers or from hospital staff, for their departments;
- Counting, packaging and labeling prescriptions;
- Dispensing medications to customers in retail environments;
- Dispensing medications to patients and/or nursing staff in hospital environment;
- Accept payment for prescriptions;
- Overseeing medication inventory;
- Keeping medication inventory records;
- Ordering and stocking medications;These duties usually make up the bulk of what a pharmacy technician does, although in retail PTs usually handle other retail duties as well, such as general stocking and straightening, customer assistance throughout the store, and even discussing with customers the use of their medications.In specialty settings like compounding pharmacies, duties would likely include assisting in mixing medication formulas like ointments, syrups and other medicines that are sometimes specially prepared, then shipped to retail locations, or to patients themselves.Working at a compounding pharmacy especially requires the hand of a skilled technician who is very detailed, since this involves understanding medication dosages and mixing prescription strengths.Then, there are also positions at companies that manufacture medicines where job duties include things like quality control and packing and shipping medicines to hospitals, retail stores and other pharmacies that sell medications.Differences in Pharmacy Technician RolesAlthough many times a “pharmacy technician” job will get lumped under that one title, there are actually different classes of PT. There are positions where the technician works very closely with the licensed pharmacist and can do more detailed and technical jobs like compounding and delivery of medications to hospital patients or staffs, and then there are positions where the technician mostly sells already-prepared prescriptions to customers, and other more routine tasks.In some places such as the US, these positions are not always recognized as being different, but based on schooling and certification, they can be very different. A schooled PT holds the title of Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) and usually qualifies to apply for more technical jobs in the field.Those without their CPhT many times will only be considered for the less-qualified, retail positions. In the UK and some other countries, there are specific job titles that mark the differentiation:PTs are those who have fulfilled the higher schooling and job experience requirements while Pharmacy Dispensers are those who are qualified for mostly selling medications to patients in a more retail setting. Technicians are able to give medication advice to customers as well while Dispensers are not.Salary Differences Depending on Pharmacy Technician Job DescriptionBased on the differences in pharmacy technician roles, there are generally differences in salary as well.The less skilled positions – while they can still command a respectable salary that is considered at least average by most healthcare professions on this level – earn between 25 and 50 percent less than the skilled, certified pharmacy technicians, with salaries that can reach as high as the upper $50,000 per year or more.This is something that potential pharmacy technicians should definitely consider when trying to decide on which schooling to take.With this look at what a current pharmacy technician job description entails, it is hopefully easy to see that while the bulk of job duties any pharmacy technician should expect to perform are similar, there are some definite differences.Based on job experience, schooling and position held, some pharmacy technicians will perform more exact tasks, so their need to take their position very seriously is paramount.Also, depending on the job, amount of time spent working with the public directly will vary. Understanding all of this can be a good aid in deciding which type of schooling to enroll in, and what type of professional position is favored.
Understanding Pharmacy Technician Job Description – Is It Right for You?
Commercial Truck Financing – How is the System Structured?
First there are the captive finance companies. Think of them as the financing arms of all the major manufactures. They exist solely to provide financing to the public in an effort to sell their trucks. In the past they have been somewhat liberal in their underwriting criteria and like the mortgage industry perhaps too liberal. This relaxed underwriting of the past has caused serious defaults today. This has resulted in a subsequent tightening of credit. The end result is the selling of less trucks and trailers; customers have a harder time getting financing. Nonetheless, the captive financing company will always be part of the commercial truck financing game.Second are the independent financing companies. They are not tied to the manufactures in any way. They exist to make a profit from financing commercial trucks and other equipment. They can be a welcome alternatives for several reasons. First they can be someone to turn to if a good credit customer is “tapped out” with the captives. This means they have already financed trucks with the captive financing companies and they don’t want to do anymore for the customer (at least for now). These “A” credit sources are competitive on rate with the captives and, using different independent sources, a customer can finance an unlimited number of trucks. Independents are great for other reasons too. Say a customer wants a TRAC lease with different parameters than what the captives are offering. They can search for an independent that can tailor a TRAC lease for that customer. This is invaluable for the more sophisticated customer that has tax structure as their main objective. Here’s another one, we have customers calling us all the time that may only work nine months out of the year. They need financing that can offer skip payments. This way the customer can make nine payments a year instead of twelve; taking three months off of making their payments. One last one that hits home with us, the customer with bad credit. A captive financing company generally works only with people with good credit. For the customer with bad credit, their choices are limited. Thanks to independent financing companies (like ours) that specialize in customer with bad credit; these customers can get the financing they need to start or grow their business. Think of independent financing companies as offering financing products that can accommodate almost any need.The third financing arm for commercial truck financing is the in-house financing program. Usually offered by the smaller vendor, in-house financing offers benefits for both dealer and customer. By offering financing in-house the dealer is able to move more inventory than if he didn’t. This is important because a smaller dealer doesn’t always have a captive finance program. And with credit tightening up the independent financing companies are becoming less important. The dealer can act like an independent financing company by offering all the same products while keeping the benefits of earning interest on the trucks they sell. The bad side, of course, is they also suffer in the case of defaults where the customer stops making payments. The benefits to the customer is they have a one stop shop where they can finance a truck at the same place they are purchasing it from. Downside is they are limited to their inventory.This information will help you become a more educated consumer. By know who the players are you can better approach how to finance that commercial vehicle. Good luck!
Diet, Nutrition and Healthy Living
Diet and nutrition products have helped countless individuals maintain a healthier lifestyle, by providing essential vitamins and minerals in an otherwise poor diet. Diet and nutrition is important for everyone but it is especially important for runners, or for those who exercise vigorously. If you are dieting, you are ill, or you are regularly eating a fast-food diet, you should be especially concerned about what you and your family are getting as proper diet and nutrition from your food.Nutrition is important for everyone because food gives our bodies the nutrients they need to stay healthy, grow, and work properly. In 2005, the government’s revised Dietary Guidelines for Americans introduced the term “nutrient density,” which sounds complicated but simply refers to how much nutrition a food provides. Nutrient density is especially important when overall nutrition and health is considered.Experts believe these nutritional substances may help prevent heart disease, fight certain cancers, ward off dementia, and even slow certain aging processes. And so if you are like many of us, not quite hitting the entire food pyramid, you might be trying to outwit your body by giving it nutritional supplements to make up for the sins of food-group omissions.Even the results of the best diet supplements are improved by proper nutrition and regular exercise, because when people eat healthy foods and exercise, they feel better, have more energy and are less prone to health problems. Health and nutrition products can help ensure that adequate levels of nutrients provide your body what it needs to stay healthy.Nutritional snacks can be very important to our overall health and nutrition. When you snack, you can fill in nutritional gaps, if you boost your intake of fruits and vegetables. This helps you keep your mood on an even keel, and helps with appetite suppression and weight control. However, snacking can be a bad thing too, and can definitely contribute to weight gain. If you’re searching for a villain in America’s obesity epidemic, most nutritionists tell you to put one picture on the wanted poster: a cold, bubbly glass of soda pop.Good nutrition is one of the ways the body restores itself to health. Restoring and maintaining good nutrition is a key principle in the management of diseases like Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Diet and nutrition concerns of patients with inflammatory bowel disease are extremely common, and appropriate. Because IBS, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis are diseases of the digestive tract, it is only natural that you will have many questions about diet and nutrition, if you have been diagnosed with one of these disorders. As research continues, we will learn even more about the relationship between nutrition and IBS, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis, and how to treat and or avoid them altogether.As you can see, good nutritional habits and adequate caloric intake are very important. However, it’s desirable to also maintain intake of at least some dairy products because they represent such a good source of nutrition, particularly calcium and protein, contributing to even more good nutrition. And, good nutrition quite simply equates to good health.In summary, while diet and nutrition may not play a role in causing IBS, and some other digestive diseases, maintaining a well-balanced diet that is rich in nutrients can help you to live a healthier life. As stated earlier, if you are dieting, ill or eating a fast-food diet, you should be concerned about what you and your family are getting as a proper diet and nutrition from your food.Or, maybe you feel as though you are just missing something while trying to sift through all the information out there about diet and nutrition. Either way, it is up to each of us to learn all we can about diet and nutrition, and then to apply that knowledge to our own lives. Good nutrition puts us on the path to good health, and good health is something we all should desire in order to live and be happy.