- Home
- Free Job Descriptions
- Pharmacy Assistant
Pharmacy Assistant
Job Description
This pharmacy assistant job description sets out the duties, responsibilities and skills
for the role in a clear and easy-to-use format.
The full job description includes:
- a concise summary of the general purpose of the position
- a comprehensive list of
the main job tasks and duties
- a description of the qualifications, education and experience generally required to perform this job
- the key competencies that ensure success in this role
Duties will vary depending on whether the pharmacy assistant works in a retail or hospital pharmacy, however all the core functions are listed here. Select those that apply to your position.
Pharmacy Assistant Job Description
General Purpose
Assist licensed pharmacists in the preparation and dispensing of medications and other pharmaceuticals to inpatients, healthcare providers, outpatients and customers.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
Duties performed under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist:
- assist in the preparation and dispensing of medications
- assist in the preparation of extemporaneous pharmaceuticals
- accurately count and pour medications from stock containers
- repackage and label products and extemporaneous doses
- receive and input prescription orders into system
- liaise with healthcare providers to ensure accuracy of prescription information
- release refill medications and over-the-counter products in accordance with existing procedures
- request new prescriptions from physicians where necessary
- provide patients and customers with necessary information about their prescriptions, medications and products
Patient data management:
- collect, organize and maintain patient information and profiles
- input details into prescription/patient/pharmacy data management system
- maintain confidentiality of patient data
Inventory management:
- monitor and maintain inventory of medicines and pharmaceutical supplies
- place orders for required inventory
- receive and record medications and pharmaceutical products
- process charges
- package and label medications and pharmaceutical products
- stock shelves
Payments:
- prepare billing details for medications
- collect and process payments
- complete sales transactions for prescription and over-the-counter medications and other pharmaceutical products
- process insurance claims
General Duties:
- maintain work area in an organized and hygienic manner
- keep pharmacy equipment clean and in good working order
- ensure products and shelves are kept neat and tidy
- adhere to quality assurance standards at all times
Qualifications, Education and Experience
- High School Diploma
- Associate's Degree preferred
- Certification as a Pharmacy Technician often required, particularly for hospital pharmacy assistants/technicians
- knowledge of sterile product preparation
- knowledge of drug regulations
- knowledge of medical and pharmaceutical terminology
- knowledge of generic and trade names of commonly prescribed medications
- experience with administrative and clerical procedures and systems
- familiar with relevant computer applications
Key Skills and Competencies
- attention to detail and accuracy
- excellent verbal and written communication skills
- strong customer-service orientation
- planning and organizational skills
- sound judgment and decision-making
- confidentiality
- team work
What is the difference between a pharmacy technician and a pharmacy assistant?
There are a number of common duties and responsibilities but the pharmacy technician may be more involved in preparing prescriptions while the pharmacy assistant may be more involved in administrative tasks.
The roles are very similar but the pharmacy technician usually has added responsibilities such as signing authority on new and refill prescriptions.
Requirements for a pharmacy technician vary from state to state and are generally more demanding than those of a pharmacy assistant.
Pharmacy assistant resume
Use this pharmacy assistant job description to write a powerful resume. This clear and concise pharmacy assistant resume secures you the job interview.
Pharmacy assistant job interviews
Retail Job Interview Questions
Pharmaceutical Sales Interview Questions
Latest Update - Pharmacy Assistant Salary
ZipRecruiter reports that the average pharmacy assistant salary for job postings in the United States as of March 2023 is $34,500 per year.