R156-17b-601. Operating Standards - Pharmacy Technician and Pharmacy Technician Trainee

  In accordance with Subsection 58-17b-102(56), practice as a licensed pharmacy technician is defined as follows:

  (1) A pharmacy technician may perform any task associated with the physical preparation and processing of prescription and medication orders including:

  (a) receiving written prescriptions;

  (b) taking refill orders;

  (c) entering and retrieving information into and from a database or patient profile;

  (d) preparing labels;

  (e) retrieving medications from inventory;

  (f) counting and pouring into containers;

  (g) placing medications into patient storage containers;

  (h) affixing labels;

  (i) compounding;

  (j) counseling for over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements under the direction of the supervising pharmacist as referenced in Subsection 58-17b-102(56);

  (k) accepting new prescription drug orders left on voicemail for a pharmacist to review;

  (l) performing checks of certain medications prepared for distribution filled or prepared by another technician within a Class B hospital pharmacy, such as medications prepared for distribution to an automated dispensing cabinet, cart fill, crash cart medication tray, or unit dosing from a prepared stock bottle, in accordance with the following operating standards:

  (i) technicians authorized by a hospital to check medications shall have at least one year of experience working as a pharmacy technician and at least six months experience at the hospital where the technician is authorized to check medications;

  (ii) technicians shall only check steps in the medication distribution process that do not require the professional judgment of a pharmacist and that are supported by sufficient automation or technology to ensure accuracy (e.g. barcode scanning, drug identification automation, checklists, visual aids);

  (iii) hospitals that authorize technicians to check medications shall have a training program and ongoing competency assessment that is documented and retrievable for the duration of each technician's employment and at least three years beyond employment, and shall maintain a list of technicians on staff that are allowed to check medications;

  (iv) hospitals that authorize technicians to check medications shall have a medication error reporting system in place and shall be able to produce documentation of its use;

  (v) a supervising pharmacist shall be immediately available during all times that a pharmacy technician is checking medications;

  (vi) hospitals that authorize technicians to check medications shall have comprehensive policies and procedures that guide technician checking that include the following:

  (A) process for technician training and ongoing competency assessment and documentation;

  (B) process for supervising technicians who check medications;

  (C) list of medications, or types of medications that may or may not be checked by a technician;

  (D) description of the automation or technology to be utilized by the institution to augment the technician check;

  (E) process for maintaining a permanent log of the unique initials or identification codes that identify each technician responsible for checked medications by name; and

  (F) description of processes used to track and respond to medication errors; and

  (m) additional tasks not requiring the judgment of a pharmacist.

  (2) A pharmacy technician trainee may perform any task in Subsection (1) with the exception of performing checks of certain medications prepared for distribution filled or prepared by another technician within a Class B hospital pharmacy as described in Subsection (1)(l).

  (3) The pharmacy technician shall not receive new prescriptions or medication orders as described in Subsection 58-17b-102(56)(b)(iv), clarify prescriptions or medication orders nor perform drug utilization reviews. A new prescription, as used in Subsection 58-17b-102(56)(b)(iv), does not include authorization of a refill of a legend drug.

  (4) Pharmacy technicians shall have general supervision by a pharmacist in accordance with Subsection R156-17b-603(3)(s).

  (5) A pharmacy technician trainee shall practice only under the direct supervision of a pharmacist and in a ratio not to exceed one pharmacy technician trainee to one pharmacist.