Pharmacy technicians use their training to assist licensed pharmacists by preparing prescriptions and performing clerical tasks. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the occupation should see a 32 percent growth rate during the decade ending in 2020, and the average salary in 2012 for pharmacy techs was $30,430 per year. Securing a job in this quickly expanding field requires formal training beyond high school, and part of that training involves learning basic measurement skills to ensure that prescriptions are properly prepared, as inaccuracies can have serious consequences to a patient's health.
Pharmacy technicians must have basic knowledge of three different systems of measurement. The metric system is the one that is most commonly used for pharmacy measurements. The apothecary system uses Roman numerals, and although it is less common today than in past decades, pharmacy techs will still encounter it occasionally. The avoirdupois system is used only to measure weights, and it is the standard used for weights of patent pharmaceuticals and bulk chemicals. Pharmacy techs must understand all three systems and know how to convert measurements from one system to another. For example, if a compound prescription requires 500 grams of a chemical that is packaged in units of one avoirdupois pound each, the tech must know how to convert from one system to the other.
Basics of Measurement Systems
When measuring weight, pharmacy technicians normally use the metric system and express weights in terms of micrograms, milligrams and grams. However, in both the avoirdupois and apothecary systems, the basic unit is the grain, which is equivalent to 64.8 milligrams. Pharmacy techs are likely to encounter liquid measurements from all three systems. A min is approximately one drop, and 60 min are equal to one fluid dram. Other common units used in fluid measurements are milliliter, cubic centimeter, liter, fluid ounce, quart, gallon and pint. Techs often encounter the terms teaspoon and tablespoon, but these are not the spoons found in a home silverware drawer. Instead, they are standardized units of measurements, with a teaspoon equal to five milliliters and a tablespoon equal to 15 milliliters.
Although pharmacy techs may use a variety of different measuring tools, the most common tool for weighing ingredients is the class A prescription balance. This scale can measure weights up to 120 g, depending on the model, in increments of 0.01 g. Most have a dual scale, showing both grains and grams. For liquids, pharmacy techs use a variety of vessels. Markings on the container indicate whether it is accurate for measuring liquids for mixing or accurate for measuring how much the vessel will hold. For measurement, the containers bear the mark "to delivery," or TD. For capacity, the mark is "to contain," or TC. Prescription bottles are not used for TD purposes, regardless of how they are marked. Examples of TD measurement tools include droppers, pipettes and syringes.
Math Skills Needed in Measurements
Pharmacy techs need basic math skills to ensure the accuracy of their measurements. For example, they need to know how to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions as well as decimals. A pharmacy tech must know how to compute the amount of a chemical needed to make enough doses for the prescription. For example, a prescription may call for a patient to take three tablets daily for 10 days. The tech must therefore know how to compute the ingredients to make 30 tablets, but the recipe might show the ingredients for one tablet or 100.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Pharmacy Technicians -- Job Outlook
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 -- Pharmacy Technicians
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: How to Become a Pharmacy Technician
- O*Net Online: Summary Report for Pharmacy Technicians
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: What Pharmacy Technicians Do
- Atlanta Technical College: Pharmacy Technology
- University of Florida: Basic Math and Measurement Systems
- PharmacyTechnician.net: A Pharmacy Technician's Measurement Conversions
- University of North Carolina, The Pharmaceutics and Compounding Laboratory: Accuracy in Measurements -- Measurement Systems
- University of North Carolina, The Pharmaceutics and Compounding Laboratory: Accuracy in Measurements -- Class A Prescription Balance
- Keith Brofsky/Photodisc/Getty Images