Ill. Admin. Code tit. 68, § 1330.215 - Minimum Standards for Approved Work Experience Pharmacy Technician Certification

A pharmacy technician certification program shall meet the following requirements:

a) This Section applies to pharmacy technicians licensed beginning January 1, 2024.

b) The curriculum must include at least 500 hours of supervised experience.

c) The work experience training under subsection (b) must be completed by the pharmacy technician's 2^nd renewal.

d) Curriculum must include didactic and practical experience for each area of instruction.

e) A graduate shall be competent in:

1) The knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors beyond those of a pharmacy technician;

2) Functioning in a variety of pharmacy practice settings; and

3) Self-management and the management of the pharmacy.

f) The curriculum must include the following areas of instruction:

1) Knowledge and Skills:

A) Ethics;

B) Conflict resolution;

C) Customer service;

D) Communication with individuals, staff, and other healthcare professionals;

E) Self-management skills; and

F) Problem solving.

2) Continuing Competency:

A) Continuing education;

B) Pharmacy technician's role and other occupations' roles in the healthcare environment;

C) Basics in anatomy, pharmacology, and physiology relevant to pharmacy technician role;

D) Pharmacy technician's role in the medication-use process;

E) Infection control procedures;

F) Protocols for vaccine administration;

G) Common allergies; and

H) Hygiene, personal protection equipment (PPE), cleaning and maintaining equipment.

3) Medication Orders:

A) Medication storage;

B) Medication ordering;

C) Recordkeeping;

D) Medication labeling;

E) Special handling procedures;

F) Prescription entry and interpretation;

G) Generic/brand names;

H) Compounding sterile preparations per applicable, current USP chapters;

I) Moderate and high level non-sterile compounding as defined by USP (e.g., suppositories, tablets, complex creams);

J) Chemotherapy/hazardous drug preparations per applicable, current USP chapters;

K) Billing for complex and/or specialized pharmacy services and goods;

L) Purchasing pharmaceuticals, devices, and supplies;

M) Inventory control of medications, equipment, and devices;

N) Administration of immunizations and other injectable medications;

O) Current technology/automation related to safety and accuracy of medication dispensing; and

P) Dosage forms.

4) Patient Care:

A) Pharmacy technicians' role under the Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners' Pharmacists' Patient Care Process;

B) Patient and medication safety practices;

C) Emergency patient situations;

D) Medication reconciliation process;

E) Medication management services;

F) Measurements, preparation, and packaging;

G) Point of care testing;

H) Patient confidentiality;

I) Error prevention;

J) Safety event reporting; and

K) Different insurance plan types, coupons, and prior authorizations.

5) Regulatory Knowledge:

A) Review of State and federal laws pertaining to processing, handling, and dispensing of medications, including controlled substances;

B) Review of State and federal laws pertaining to pharmacy technicians;

C) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements;

D) USP requirements, including USP 795 and 797 training;

E) The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP);

F) The Joint Commission;

G) Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS);

H) Look-Alike/Sound-Alike (LASA) High Alert;

I) Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA);

J) Facility maintenance; and

K) Medication disposal.

g) Graduates must be competent in providing appropriate life support measures including Basic Life Support (BLS) and automated external defibrillators (AED), for medical emergencies that may be encountered in pharmacy practice.

h) All programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) meet the minimum curriculum criteria set forth in this Section and are, therefore, approved.

Notes

Ill. Admin. Code tit. 68, § 1330.215

Added at 48 Ill. Reg. 10225, effective 6/28/2024