Is Pharmacy Technician worth while?

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Specializes in Travel ICU.

I am transitioning from Active Duty USAF to the Reserves, so that I can attend school full time. I have been excepted for a Pharmacy Tech position in Phoenix, on the other hand I'm on a waiting list for a Medical Tech slot in Delaware (An EMT on the C130's, but could be quite a while). I want to know, will education/experience as a Pharmacy Tech will be relevant towards nursing school? My goal is to return to Active Duty as a nurse, however, at this moment I want to maintain time in service. I'm just unsure if it is worth taking the Pharm position, and start school right after. Or, start school and take the Med Tech slot when it/if becomes available.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

I think it would absolutely help you. Nurses have to know a lot about pharmacology, drug interactions, actions, contraindications, etc, and you'd learn a lot of that about a lot of meds as a tech (and pick up on more while working). Pharm is one of the hardest sections for many students, myself included, so having that area nailed down will REALLY help.

Honestly, I think you're good either way.

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Specializes in ICU.

Yes, it will help you. I was a pharmacy tech for a retail chain store and a private company that delivered meds to nursing homes. Not only do you learn a ton about the drugs and people say pharmacology is one of the hardest classes but I can read a doctors handwriting pretty well, I know the different abbreviations such as PO, BID, QD, and so on. I also understand interactions of differing drugs and worked closely with pharmacists. I did lots of data entry and learned what the different drugs are used for and all of their uses. I also counted pills and have a general understanding of which ones are once a day as opposed to twice a day and why. What things like ER and SR on the different drugs mean. So yes it is very, very helpful. I'm not really too worried about pharmacology due to my previous years experience as a tech. I would go for it.

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Specializes in Travel ICU.

Thank you for the input, I appreciate it :)

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