Rule 4729:3-3-03 | Registered pharmacy technicians.
(A) A registered pharmacy technician shall wear a name tag or badge which contains the designation "Registered Pharmacy Technician." The required designation may be added to an existing name tag or badge. The name tag or badge and the required designation shall contain lettering of a legible size.
(B) A registered pharmacy technician may, under the direct supervision of a pharmacist, engage in the following activities at a location licensed as a terminal distributor of dangerous drugs to the extent that the activities do not require the exercise of professional judgment:
(1) Accepting new written, faxed or electronic prescription orders from a prescriber or a prescriber's agent but shall not include verbal orders;
(2) Requesting refill authorizations for dangerous drugs from a prescriber or prescriber's agent, so long as there is no change from the original prescription;
(3) Entering information into and retrieving information from a database or patient profile;
(4) Preparing and affixing labels;
(5) Stocking dangerous drugs and retrieving those drugs from inventory;
(6) Counting and pouring dangerous drugs into containers;
(7) Placing dangerous drugs into containers prior to dispensing by a pharmacist;
(8) Non-sterile drug compounding in accordance with the required training in paragraph (D) of this rule;
(9) Sterile drug compounding in accordance with the required training in paragraph (E) of this rule;
(10) Packaging and selling a dangerous drug to a patient or patient representative;
(11) Sending or receiving electronic prescriptions between pharmacies accessing the same prescription records in a centralized database or pharmacy computers linked in any other manner;
(12) Stocking automated drug storage systems, floor stock, and crash carts at a location licensed as a terminal distributor of dangerous drugs if either of the following applies:
(a) The terminal distributor utilizes barcode administration for restocking the drugs and develops and implements a quality assurance program to ensure the accuracy of the personnel stocking the dangerous drugs; or
(b) For restocking automated drug storage systems only: a pharmacist verifies the final dispensing of a dangerous drug removed from the automated drug storage system.
(C) A registered pharmacy technician may:
(1) Engage in remote entry of prescriptions in accordance rule 4729:5-5-25 of the Administrative Code; or
(2) Engage in remote entry of medication orders in accordance with rule 4729:5-9-02.15 of the Administrative Code.
(D) In order to perform non-sterile drug compounding, a registered pharmacy technician shall complete the following training requirements prior to compounding non-sterile preparations:
(1) Training shall comply with the requirements set forth in the United States pharmacopeia chapter <795>, as defined in rule 4729:7-1-01 of the Administrative Code.
(2) If preparing non-sterile hazardous compounded drugs in accordance with rule 4729:7-2-03 of the Administrative Code, the training shall also comply with the applicable requirements set forth in United States pharmacopeia chapter <800>, as defined in rule 4729:7-1-01 of the Administrative Code.
(3) If preparing non-sterile radiopharmaceuticals in accordance with rule 4729:5-6-03 of the Administrative Code, the training shall also comply with the applicable requirements set forth in United States pharmacopeia chapter <825>, as defined in rule 4729:5-6-01 of the Administrative Code.
(4) Non-sterile drug compounding training shall be obtained through completion of a site-specific, structured on-the-job didactic and experiential training program and shall not be transferable to another practice site, except between practice sites under common ownership and control.
(5) When the responsible person or a pharmacist designated by the responsible person is satisfied with the employee's knowledge and proficiency, the responsible person or the responsible persons designee will sign the documentation records to show that the employee was appropriately trained in accordance with this rule.
(6) Ensuring registered pharmacy technicians are properly trained shall be the responsibility of the terminal distributor of dangerous drugs and the licensee's responsible person.
(7) All training requirements set forth in this paragraph shall be appropriately documented and made readily retrievable for immediate inspection by an agent of the state board of pharmacy. Documentation shall be maintained by the terminal distributor of dangerous drugs for a minimum of three years.
(E) In order to perform sterile drug compounding, a registered pharmacy technician shall complete the following training requirements prior to compounding sterile preparations:
(1) Training shall comply with the requirements set forth in the United States pharmacopeia chapter <797>, as defined in rule 4729:7-1-01 of the Administrative Code.
(2) If preparing sterile hazardous compounded drugs in accordance with rule 4729:7-2-03 of the Administrative Code, the training shall also comply with the applicable requirements set forth in United States pharmacopeia chapter <800>, as defined in rule 4729:7-1-01 of the Administrative Code.
(3) If preparing sterile radiopharmaceuticals in accordance with rule 4729:5-6-03 of the Administrative Code, the training shall also comply with the applicable requirements set forth in United States pharmacopeia chapter <825>, as defined in rule 4729:5-6-01 of the Administrative Code.
(4) Sterile drug compounding training shall be obtained through completion of a site-specific, structured on-the-job didactic and experiential training program and shall not be transferable to another practice site, except between practice sites under common ownership and control.
(5) When the responsible person or a pharmacist designated by the responsible person is satisfied with the employee's knowledge and proficiency, the responsible person or the responsible persons designee will sign the documentation records to show that the employee was appropriately trained in accordance with this rule.
(6) Ensuring registered pharmacy technicians are properly trained shall be the responsibility of the terminal distributor of dangerous drugs and the licensee's responsible person.
(7) All training requirements set forth in this paragraph shall be appropriately documented and made readily retrievable for immediate inspection by an agent of the state board of pharmacy. Documentation shall be maintained by the terminal distributor of dangerous drugs for a minimum of three years.
(F) A registered pharmacy technician shall be permitted to perform sterile compounding in accordance with this rule if all the following apply:
(1) The registered pharmacy technician is in the process of studying to obtain technician certification from an organization that has been recognized by the board;
(2) The registered pharmacy technician shall not engage in sterile drug compounding at the location licensed as a terminal distributor of dangerous drugs for longer than eighteen months from the date the technician completed the required sterile compounding training in paragraph (E) of this rule.
(3) A terminal distributor of dangerous drugs that permits a registered pharmacy technician to engage in sterile drug compounding shall develop and implement a process to ensure the registered pharmacy technician does not exceed the time limitation established in paragraph (F)(2) of this rule. The terminal distributor of dangerous drugs shall be accountable for a registered technician found to be in violation of this paragraph.
(G) A terminal distributor of dangerous drugs and the licensee's responsible person shall be responsible for the implementation of policies and procedures for additional training appropriate to duties and responsibilities performed by a registered pharmacy technician as well as an ongoing quality assurance plan to ensure competency.
Last updated March 7, 2024 at 7:45 AM
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