Pharmacy Technician Course Curriculum

The comprehensive curriculum of Blackstone’s online Pharmacy Technician course covers a broad range of topics.

Unit I: Blackstone’s Skills for Success

Chapter 1

Discusses learning styles and intrinsic and extrinsic motivation; explains the difference between visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners and field dependence and field independence.

Chapter 2

Discusses the importance of finding a place to study, setting realistic goals, and avoiding distractions and procrastination.

Chapter 3

Covers learning strategies, including the SQ3R; explains how to take notes, use memory tricks and references, and prepare for multiple-choice tests.

Unit II: Introduction to Computers, Keyboarding and Office Technology

Chapter 1

Covers how computers are used in the office today, the different types of computers, and the parts of a computer system.

Chapter 2

Covers basic keyboarding skills using Blackstone’s Online Typing Tutor.

Chapter 3

Covers the Internet, the World Wide Web (WWW), URLs, the different types of Internet connections, search engines, email, and other uses for the Internet.

Chapter 4

Covers other types of office technology, including office telephones and the different types of telephone calls; fax machines; photocopiers; multipurpose machines; transcribers; digital cameras; and wireless communication.

Unit III: Anatomy & Medical Terminology 1: An Introduction

Chapter 1

Explains how medical terms are constructed and analyzed to determine meaning; discusses types of medical terms; explains the function of combining vowels and how terms are pluralized.

Chapter 2

Covers prefixes relating to number, size, color, negation, position and direction, as well as those with the same meaning or opposite meaning.

Chapter 3

Covers common roots and combining vowels as well as suffixes which indicate the word’s part of speech; also discusses suffixes related to pathologic conditions, diagnoses, and surgical incisions.

Chapter 4

Introduces the body cavities, body planes, and directional terms.

Unit IV: Anatomy & Medical Terminology 2

Chapter 5

Discusses the anatomy and physiology of the skeletal system, including the bones; the axial and appendicular skeletons; and the joints and ligaments; also provides a list of relevant medical terms.

Chapter 6

Covers the muscular system, including the types of muscles and their functions, and related diseases and disorders; lists relevant medical terms.

Chapter 7

Provides an overview of the integumentary system, including the skin, hair and nails; discusses diseases and disorders as well as lists relevant medical terms.

Chapter 8

Covers the respiratory system—including the nose, pharynx and lungs—as well as diseases and disorders related to this system; lists relevant medical terms.

Unit V: English and Written Communication

Chapter 1

Covers the parts of speech including nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.

Chapter 2

Covers the parts of a sentence including the subject, predicate, direct object, indirect object, subject compliment, phrase, and clause.

Chapter 3

Covers pronoun/antecedent agreement and pronoun usage; explains how pronouns are used in sentences; covers subject/verb agreement.

Chapter 4

Covers sentence types and sentence punctuation.

Chapter 5

Covers fundamentals of written communication including using active versus passive voice, writing unified and coherent paragraphs, and writing topic sentences for paragraphs. Discusses common types of business communication including business letters and memorandums.

Unit VI: Time & Stress Management

Chapter 1

Discusses determining personal values through assessment activities and making decisions based on personal values.

Chapter 2

Covers creating new habits and patterns of behavior.

Chapter 3

Explores setting realistic goals and objectives to achieve desirable outcomes.

Chapter 4

Discusses prioritizing activities, projects and to-do items.

Chapter 5

Covers effective planning and scheduling.

Chapter 6

Explores how to analyze and deal with interruptions.

Chapter 7

Introduces the use of daily TimeLogs.

Chapter 8

Covers tips and tools to use in personal and work settings that assist with time management.

Chapter 9

Explores how self-esteem influences productivity.

Chapter 10

Provides tips for controlling stress at home and in the workplace.

Unit VII: Anatomy & Medical Terminology 3

Chapter 9

Covers the cardiovascular system, including the structure of the heart, function of blood vessels, and related disorders and diseases; lists relevant medical terms.

Chapter 10

Discusses the function and parts of the urinary system, including kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra; covers related diseases and disorders as well as medical terminology.

Chapter 11

Introduces the digestive system, including the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestines, and accessory organs; covers related diseases and disorders as well as medical terminology.

Chapter 12

Covers the peripheral and central nervous systems, their function, related diseases and disorders, and medical terminology.

Unit VIII: Anatomy & Medical Terminology 4

Chapter 13

Discusses the glands that make up the endocrine system as well as related diseases and disorders; also lists relevant medical terms.

Chapter 14

Provides an overview of the anatomy of both the eyes and the ears (the sensory system); covers related diseases and disorders as well as medical terminology.

Chapter 15

Covers the blood, lymphatic, and immune systems and their functions; discusses relevant diseases and disorders as well as medical terminology.

Chapter 16

Provides an overview of both the male and female reproductive systems; covers related diseases and disorders as well as medical terminology.

Unit IX: Fundamentals of Pharmacy Practice

Chapter 1

Discusses the history of the pharmacy practice through the 20th century, including how the role of the pharmacy technician evolved and the future of medicine and pharmacy practice.

Chapter 2

Provides an overview of the pharmacy profession; discusses pharmacy practice settings and characteristics of a good pharmacy technician; and introduces career development, including registration/licensure, certification, professional organizations, and career opportunities.

Chapter 3

Covers the communication process, including types and methods of communication, barriers to communication, and interaction with customers and patients.

Chapter 4

Provides an overview of criminal, civil, and administrative law; regulatory agencies; pharmacy law; and ethics, including ethical theories and the professional code of ethics.

Chapter 5

Covers terminology and abbreviations, including dangerous abbreviations and drug names.

Unit X: Community and Institutional Pharmacy

Chapter 6

Discusses retail pharmacies, including staff, organization of retail pharmacies, regulatory agencies, prescriptions, job responsibilities, Over-the-Counter medications, medical equipment, and patient confidentiality.

Chapter 7

Provides an overview of health-system pharmacies, including hospital staff, organization of health-system pharmacies, regulatory agencies, policies and procedures, dispensing systems, medication orders, and job responsibilities.

Chapter 8

Covers technology in the pharmacy, including computers, automation and robotics, personal digital assistants, telepharmacy, and how patient confidentiality applies.

Chapter 9

Discusses inventory management, including purchasing systems, the ordering and receiving processes, and returns; covers insurance billing, including types of insurance, collecting insurance data, transmitting prescriptions, and troubleshooting.

Chapter 10

Covers an introduction to compounding, including equipment and supplies, compounding facilities, quality assurance, dosage forms, veterinary compounding, and medication flavoring.

Chapter 11

Provides an overview of sterilization, aseptic techniques, equipment and supplies, routes of administration, and sterile products.

Unit XI: Pharmacy Calculations

Chapter 12

Discusses basic math skills, decimals, fractions, Roman Numerals, ratios and percentages; includes practice problems.

Chapter 13

Provides an overview of measurement systems, including the metric system; international units; milliequivalents; apothecary, avoirdupois and household systems; and converting measurements and temperature; also provides practice problems.

Chapter 14

Covers dosage calculations, including number of doses, quantity to dispense, quantity of ingredients, correct days supply, multiple dosages, and pediatric dosages; includes practice problems.

Chapter 15

Discusses concentrations and dilutions; includes practice problems.

Chapter 16

Covers alligations; includes practice problems.

Chapter 17

Discusses parenteral calculations, including basic dimensional analysis, flow rates, drop factors, and TPN Milliequivalents; includes practice problems.

Unit XII: Pharmacology

Chapter 18

Discusses dosage formulations and routes of administration; covers sources of drugs, drug nomenclature, medication errors, and extended-release dosage forms.

Chapter 19

Provides an overview of the body and drugs, including pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, drug distribution and metabolism, and addiction.

Chapter 20

Covers the various drug classifications.

Unit XIII: Creating an Effective Workplace Environment

Chapter 1

Discusses the various types of knowledge, types of goals used in the workplace, different means of providing feedback, incentives common to the workplace, and the different roles exhibited in the workplace.

Chapter 2

Explains techniques that promote effective nonverbal communication, listening and speaking. Explains proper technological communication techniques.

Chapter 3

Explores the concept of culture, the importance of cultural diversity in the workplace, and overcoming barriers caused by diversity.

Chapter 4

Covers attributes of successful teamwork, the role of the team leader, and overcoming barriers to effective teamwork.

Unit XIV: Critical Thinking Skills

Chapter 1

Provides an introduction to the critical thinking process, explores the importance of critical thinking skills and characteristics of critical thinkers, and describes a method to use for critical decision making.

Chapter 2

Covers schema, inference, and judgment and how these apply to critical thought.

Chapter 3

Discusses metacognition, the process of thinking about thinking, and how it builds critical thinking skills.

Chapter 4

Explains how consequences, assumptions, stereotypes, connotation and impulsive thinking affect critical thought, as well as how to identify strong conclusions to critical issues.

Chapter 5

Provides analyses of persuasive strategies that help develop arguments, including ethos, pathos and logos.

Chapter 6

Explores how to interpret and use three main critical theories—Marxist, Feminist and Deconstruction.

Chapter 7

Covers deductive reasoning, establishing premises and validity in critical thought, and interpreting and creating syllogisms.

Chapter 8

Defines emotional intelligence and explains its role in the critical thought process.

Unit XV: Body Systems, Diseases and Pharmaceutical Treatments

Chapter 21

Discusses the skin, including anatomy, diseases and conditions, and pharmaceutical treatment of various skin diseases.

Chapter 22

Discusses the eyes and ears, including anatomy and physiology of the eye, diseases of the eyes, eye infections and pharmaceutical treatment, eye disorders, drugs and lubricants for the eyes, the ear, and disorders and diseases of the ear.

Chapter 23

Discusses the gastrointestinal system, including anatomy and physiology of the digestive system, digestion, disorders, nutrition, and food allergies.

Chapter 24

Discusses the musculoskeletal system, including anatomy of the muscles, the bones, musculoskeletal disorders, skeletal muscle relaxants, and spastic diseases.

Chapter 25

Discusses the respiratory system, including function and anatomy; respiration; diseases and conditions; treatment of allergies; cystic fibrosis; and asthma, COPD, and treatments.

Chapter 26

Discusses the cardiovascular, circulatory, and lymph systems, including anatomy, function, and diseases of the heart; coronary artery disease and treatment; and cholesterol.

Chapter 27

Discusses the immune system, including the body’s defense mechanisms, types of infectious organisms, HIV/AIDS, autoimmune diseases, gram staining, methods of transmission of pathogens, anti-invectives, drug resistance, vaccines, and cancer.

Chapter 28

Discusses the renal system, including anatomy and physiology, diseases, conditions and treatments.

Chapter 29

Discusses the endocrine system, including anatomy, hormones, endocrine glands, estrogen replacement therapy, testosterone hormonal replacement, glandular disease states, endocrine system disorders, and abnormalities of the adrenal gland.

Chapter 30

Discusses the male and female reproductive systems and sexually transmitted diseases.

Chapter 31

Discusses the nervous system, including anatomy, neurons, peripheral and central nervous systems, blood-brain barrier, diseases and disorders, stimulants, ADHD and ADD, migraine headaches and cancer pain.

Unit XVI: Special Topics in Pharmacology

Chapter 32

Discusses pediatric and neonatal patients, including pharmacological differences, medication administration, medication errors, common childhood illnesses, respiratory diseases and cardiovascular/blood disorders.

Chapter 33

Covers geriatric patients, including physiological factors, nutrition, diseases, disease-drug interactions, noncompliance, polypharmacy and Medicare Part D.

Chapter 34

Provides an overview of biopharmaceuticals, including the FDA approval process, genetic engineering, stem cell research and the political climate.

Unit XVII: Professional Development and Medicolegal Ethics

Chapter 1

Discusses how to maintain a professional appearance through attire and good grooming habits, as well as attitude and self-esteem; covers verbal and nonverbal communication, proper introductions, and business etiquette.

Chapter 2

Discusses medicolegal ethics in healthcare; covers the code of ethics; discusses aspects pertaining to the healthcare record including the purpose of ownership, how to correct mistakes, and the importance of timeliness.

Chapter 3

Guides allied health students through the HIPAA guidelines, discussing the Privacy and Security Rules, Protected Health Information, access control, de-identified information, and work area security.

Unit XVIII: How to Find a Job as a Pharmacy Technician

Chapter 1

Covers job search correspondence including resumes and cover letters.

Chapter 2

Discusses job-search techniques such as networking and using online employment search engines.

Chapter 3

Discusses job interviews; explains how to dress for an interview, what to bring to an interview, what to expect during an interview; discusses common questions asked during an interview and how to follow up after an interview.