SCHOOL OF DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACY TECHNICIAN PROGRAMME

SCHOOL OF DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACY TECHNICIAN PROGRAMME

OBJECTIVES

1. To train suitably qualified persons in the basic knowledge of handling simple medicines for use at grass root level under the supervision of a registered pharmacist.
2. To train suitable persons to the level of rendering effective assistance to registered pharmacists.
3. To ensure that the pharmacy technician graduates have acquired requisite knowledge as stipulated in the Pharmacy Technician Training Programme.
4. To guide the colleges/schools of Health Technology on the application and examination procedures.
5. To assess knowledge, skills and attitudes acquired by the Pharmacy Technicians in order to assist registered pharmacists in the course of their practice.
6. To ensure uniformity in assessment of knowledge, sills and attitudes acquired by the Pharmacy Technician in accredited colleges/schools of Health Technology in Nigeria.
7. To define eligibility criteria for Pharmacy Technician students for National Pre-Certificate Examinations (NPCE).

ADMISSION GUIDELINES

Entry Requirements for New Students

In order to improve the quality of the output from the colleges/schools of Health Technology, Council has reviewed the entry qualification as follows:

For admission, a candidate must should have at least five (5) credits which must include English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics in any of GCE, WAEC, SSCE, NECO or NABTEB at not more than two (2) sittings.

Duration of programme

The programme shall last three (3) years, comprising the first one and half years for classroom and laboratory teaching, the next six months for practical experiences (four months in hospital and two months in the Community Pharmacy setting) and the last one year for classroom and laboratory teaching.

Admission Quota

1. Admission quota for students into existing Pharmacy Technician training institutions shall be maximum of 25 pharmacy technician students per session. This is already reviewed by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria with a view to increase to 50.
2. Admission into the programme shall be annually.

Indexing procedures

Colleges/schools shall verify their students’ entry qualification(s) from the appropriate Examination Board not later than six months after admission and present the students for indexing by Council using the approved form (Appendix III) and paying the prescribed fees.

REGISTRATION AND ANNUAL PERMIT

A qualified Pharmacy Technician shall apply, using the approved form, immediately after the release of the relevant approved examination results, for registration with the Council to obtain a Certificate of registration and be issued an annual permit.

Annual permit is issued annually to Pharmacy Technicians to qualify them to work in that particular year.

The certificate of registration and annual permit are issued, subject to payment of the prescribed fees as may be determined by Council from time to time.

The Council shall maintain a register of all Pharmacy Technicians who have been dully registered and given annual permit.

ELIGIBILITY FOR DIRECT ENTRY INTO THE UNIVERSITY.

The Pharmacy Technician training curriculum has been reviewed to include basic Science courses taught at the 100 level in the university. Students who meet the NUC requirement for direct entry can be admitted in the University.

ROLES OF PHARMACY TECHNICIAN

Hospital Pharmacy setting

The Pharmacy Technician is expected to perform the following roles in the hospital under the supervision of a registered pharmacist:

1. Assist in store management and inventory control.
2. Record prescription order, interpret and dispense.
3. Counseling of patients.
4. Packaging and labeling.
5. Help in extemporaneous preparations.
6. Provision of drug information/health tips to different units in the hospital.
7. Supply drugs to wards, assist in unit dose dispensation.
8. Perform administrative function as assigned by the pharmacist.
9. Assist in documentation.
10. Seek assistance or refer situations to the pharmacists that falls beyond the scope of his/her practice or personal competencies.
11. Assist in billing and re-imbursements in the hospital (NHIS).
12. Ensuring the cleanliness of the environment.

Community Pharmacy setting

Community pharmacies are encouraged to engage the services of Pharmacy Technician under the monitoring and supervision of a registered pharmacist to perform the following duties:

1. Assist in store management and inventory control.
2. Record prescription order, interpret and dispense prescription.
3. Counseling of patients.
4. Packaging and labeling.
5. Help in extemporaneous preparations.
6. Provision of drug information/health tips to the community.
7. Perform administrative functions as assigned by the pharmacist.
8. Keep drug inventory.
9. Assist in documentation.
10. Seek assistance or refer situations to the pharmacists that falls beyond the scope of his/her practice or competence.
11. Assist in billing and re-imbursement in the hospital (NHIS).
12. Ensuring the cleanliness of the environment.
13. Assist in organization of the community health talk.
14. Re-enforce the availability of the pharmacy for discussion or recommendations.
15. Help to manage the pharmacy environment to ensure safety, cleanliness and integrity of drugs.
16. Recognize and work within scope of practice and limit.
17. Help document problems reported by the patients for pharmacy vigilance use.