Welcome to the ISHP Technician Corner
ISHP believes that Pharmacy Technicians are important members of the pharmacy team and should be recognized and rewarded accordingly. All Pharmacy Technicians, regardless of your place of practice, are cordially invited to become ISHP Technician Members. Your $25.00 annual dues will help ISHP to help you reach the highest levels of pharmacy technician practice. Here’s how:
- Expand your career opportunities.
- Continuing Education programs specifically for Pharmacy Technicians.
- Reduced member-rates for Technicians at ISHP meetings and programs.
- State partner with the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).
- State partner with the ASHP Technician Initiative for standardized education, training, registration, and certification of Technicians.
- Annual “Technician of the Year” Award at the Fall Meeting
- Technician scholarships.
- Technician Lottery twice a year for a free “full meeting” registration for technicians who have maintained their membership for 3 consecutive years.
- Opposes the move to eliminate the Technician ratio.
- Strong support for Technician Certification.
- Supports changing Idaho law so that minors and felons cannot become pharmacy technicians.
- Supports the SARMC “Tech-Check-Tech” pilot project.
- Your home for networking with other pharmacy technicians.
- Easy online membership application (Online Application) and meeting registration (Event Calendar and Meeting Registration).
New Idaho Technician Registration, Ratio and Certification Rule
The Amendments to Rule 251 passed the 2009 Legislature and became effective at the end of the 2009 legislative session. All pharmacy supportive personnel "behind the counter" must be registered and certified pharmacy technicians, subject to certain exceptions, after July 1, 2009. Click here for answers to Frequently Asked Questions. Click here to read the full Rule.
ISHP was involved in reviewing and commenting on the various permutations of the rule over the months. ISHP led the efforts to include mandatory certification and minimum standards for technicians, and strongly supported the proposal to require that all supportive personnel should be registered by the Board. ISHP is a member of the Idaho Pharmacy Leadership Council and presented surveys and testimony before the Board. ASHP also sent a letter to the Board. Read more below.
Idaho Proposes Training, Certification Requirements for Pharmacy Technicians
ASHP News Brief 10/23/2008
A proposed rule by the Idaho Board of Pharmacy would require pharmacy technicians and technicians-in-training to register with the board and complete a national certification exam, making it the latest in a growing number of states working to improve technician requirements to enhance patient safety.
ASHP sent a comment letter this week to the board in support of the certification and registration requirements. The Society suggested the board mandate completion of an ASHP-accredited education and training program as a prerequisite to certification by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). The board’s proposed rule requires certification by PTCB or the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians.
ASHP endorsed a provision that would enable a pharmacist-in-charge to operate the pharmacy at a staffing level judged to be in the best interest of the public and current staff.
The proposed rule, which would amend the state’s Pharmacy Practice Law, will go before the board for further consideration later this month. If approved by that body, it would go before the state legislature for approval early next year, and could take effect in July.
The board worked with the Idaho Pharmacy Leadership Council to draft the proposed rule. The council includes two members of the Idaho Society of Health-System Pharmacists, an ASHP state affiliate.
The Idaho affiliate is one of 17 that has partnered with ASHP on its Pharmacy Technician Initiative, which advocates for state laws that require, as a prerequisite to registration by the state board of pharmacy, completion of ASHP-accredited pharmacy technician training and certification by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board.
Certification Matters
for Safe and Effective Patient Care and Service.
The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) was established in 1995 to create a single, national certification program for pharmacy technicians. PTCB’s nationally-accredited certification program delivers high quality exam and recertification services. Since 1995, PTCB has certified over 320,000 pharmacy technicians.
PTCB Practice Tests
American Association of Pharmacy Technicians
National Pharmacy Technician Association
ASHP 2008 Technician Initiative
ASHP 2008 Technician Initiative Website
ASHP Technician Training Progam Accreditation
ASHP 2003 White Paper on Pharmacy Technicians
ISHP 2006 Proposed BOP Rule Change Re: Technician Certification
ISHP/SARMC 2008 Tech-Check-Tech Pilot Project
Tech Lectures (Tech CE)