from RN to Pharmacy tech

hypocaffeinemia, BSN, RN · Jul 2, 2008

Well, the obvious issue is that you're paid two to three times less as a CPhT.

Neem · Jul 2, 2008

Hi there!

I am suprised to see licensed nurses wanting to step down! from nursing to pharmacy tech work. If you knew what I know (someone who works in that field already) I would suck it up as a nurse and run with the $money! Remember, many of us are trying to get what you already have!

Best of luck!

Neem

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jul 2, 2008

Most pharmacy techs I know work for barely over minimum wage at chain drug stores like CVS, Walgreens, etc... I would consider working for another place than a hospital before I give up altogether. RNs have many more opportunities and I would try and discover those first before throwing in the towel.

premedturnednursing · Jul 2, 2008

Hi...

I was a pharm tech for 8 years, and maybe it was just my facility, but it's not exactly stress free, either. Contrary to popular belief, we don't just count pills. I was an IV tech and I made ALL of the IV fluids for the ENTIRE hospital. Albeit a small hospital, but nonetheless I made them all and was accountable for all of my work including TPNs. I was responsible for checking pharmacist calculations, checking my work for precipitate, etc. Plus, when I left I was making $16 per hour. Why not just switch to another area of nursing? Maybe an area where you do mainly clinical work? I was a tech for so long that I felt like some of my work had migrated into mindless. Plus, I was beginning to train pharmaCISTS that were half my age or the same age which was a little depressing to me and damaging to my pride.

I would just think twice about it. The grass is always greener on the other side.

lvnandmomx3 · Jul 2, 2008

My ex husband is a pharmacy tech. He worked at a good neighbor pharmacy for over a yr and left making $10.50 an hr. He now works at an insurance company doing prior auth started at $14 now making around $16. No where near what nurses make low $30's ro mid $40's. So if money is not important and you are just looking for a little bit less stress (not a whole lot less according to him) then go for.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jul 2, 2008

My ex husband is a pharmacy tech. He worked at a good neighbor pharmacy for over a yr and left making $10.50 an hr. He now works at an insurance company doing prior auth started at $14 now making around $16. No where near what nurses make low $30's ro mid $40's. So if money is not important and you are just looking for a little bit less stress (not a whole lot less according to him) then go for.

Did your ex-husband also experience stress from being a pharmacy tech? I always did wonder about the physical and emotional conditions of their position.

chenoaspirit, ASN, RN · Jul 2, 2008

A friend of mine who I graduated nursing school with used to be a pharmacy tech. She loved it. She constantly says "I wish they would pay me RN pay to be a pharmacy tech" They do make MUCH less money than nurses. If you can live on a pharm tech salary, then I say go for it. If you dont like it, you can always go back into nursing as long as you keep up your license and CEU's. Life is too short to be miserable. Im miserable being a nurse, hoping to later go back to school. But I cant afford to make less money than I make now.

RNperdiem, RN · Jul 2, 2008

Do consider switching to per diem if you are not totally burned out of nursing. Simply working less has done wonders for me. You would earn more than a pharmacy tech working less than full time.

neatnurse30 · Jul 2, 2008

Thank you all who replied to my thread for your opinion. I have to agree with you all saying that switching from RN to pharmacy tech is a step backward. My unit in the hospital is so short of RNs on nights that many times I'm the only RN scheduled and then I have to be in charge every time ( because I'm the only floor nurse) and of course have patients and work with float nurses or other unit nurses or travellers that I don't even know. That really stresses me out.

But when I think how hard I studied for my license and how hard nowadays is to get into nursing school... and I'm currently working prn and have really flexible schedule and just working 2 shifts per week gives me 50 000$ a year I think I just have to find a better unit and stick with it.

premedturnednursing · Jul 2, 2008

Did your ex-husband also experience stress from being a pharmacy tech? I always did wonder about the physical and emotional conditions of their position.

Sorry to jump in, but YES! It is and can be a very stressful job. Especially working for a hospital and then a children's hospital as I did. You have to ALWAYS be on your toes and I was responsible for an awful lot. (I say that as I am going into nursing, lol. I am sure that it is 10x as stressful, lol) But again, it's not just about counting pills as people believe....

as far as physical, i was on my feet for 12 hours a day (like many of you) and I worked in under a laminar flow hood imagine working 12 hours with your hands held out in front of you above your waist for 12 hours. In full sterile garb (gown, mask, bonnet, gloves, shoe covers)....that's what I did...not to mention all the lifting of cases of fluids so you could restock....needle sticks from adding meds and electrolytes to bags...

lvnandmomx3 · Jul 3, 2008

Did your ex-husband also experience stress from being a pharmacy tech? I always did wonder about the physical and emotional conditions of their position.

I would say yes. He himself is a would say no, but he is not the norm....lol He has the oh well attitude about alot of things. He does not let things stress him, but I think alot is denial. But he has stated that in no way would he want to work in a hospital because of the responsibilty of doing the IV's. He did say that his former employer was hard to work for with what they expected of the eployees.