from RN to Pharmacy tech

[neatnurse30]

Hi everybody,

I'm an RN for 2.5 years now working on medical oncology floor. The way I see things are done in hospital, and how stressful and disrespectful nursing is, I'm thinking about career change before I get too old. I can't force myself going to hospital anymore. I'm thinking about becoming Pharmacy Technician, because I could use a lot of my knowledge there and not have to deal with patients. Do you know anybody who quit nursing and started a new career and is happy now? What do you know about the job as a Pharmacy Technician?

[Jo Dirt]

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.

Where do you work a couple of shifts a week and make 50K???

I need a job like that.

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

MM, you can make that as a PRN RN in most hospitals working 2 shifts a week.

[Jo Dirt]

MM, you can make that as a PRN RN in most hospitals working 2 shifts a week.

What the &^%*&^is everybody complaining about in the nursing world then???

Sign me up! I'm slaving away 4-5 days a week at a nursing home and don't make that much.

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

If you don't need benefits, then that's the way to go, IMHO. I was very happy working PRN.

[oohnurse]

Do you want to permanently change your career to pharm tech or you want to become pharmacist later on?

ah.. You are not the only one who thinks this way. I used to think this way before.

If you're considering Pharm Tech job as an experience to prepare you for pharmacy schools or pharm school admission, I would say go for it. It is an advantage of knowing more about the profession so that you can have an informed decision. I think you can keep nursing jobs PRN and doing pharm tech part-time somewhere else. You want to save money for school later on.

I am accepted to pharmacy schools starting this fall but I am still working as a nurse on weekends. My job is less stressful now, knowing that this is not my long-term goal and I just have to care for my patients and not caring much about what my boss or co-workers would think of me...

[maxxineo]

Uh, I just went FROM a pharmacy tech in a hospital to being a RN, DO NOT GO BACKWARDS!!! I would just change departments or hospitals or find something else as a nurse. You spent too much time in nursing school to backtrack to being a CPhT

[premedturnednursing]

This was SUCH an enlightening thread! I mean, I had no idea of the abuse that pharmacy techs encounter. Like I said earlier, I never believed it was just about counting pills, but I just didn't think that deep because it is not my environment. And it seems that these courses are popping up all over the place!

Is it mandatory that the pharm tech is to be certified, now, or does it depend on where you live? I had thought about encouraging my son to do it as a side job while completing his bachelor's degree in graphic arts. One of the pharmacists at my hospital is a friend of mine and told me if he got certified, he would make sure my son would obtain a position, but, my son declined, saying he has no interest in any part of medicine.

Again, this makes me think...we may not be administering what we think it is if the circumstances are as horrific as you all are describing. Geez...

When I became a tech way back when, you didn't HAVE to be certified. I did it for about a year and then my employer asked me to go ahead and certify. I know in Texas now you must go through a pharm tech program at a voc. school (which can sometimes cost as much as nursing school) and then take the test to certify AND register in our state. I was looking at a pharm tech prep book just the other day out of curiosity...and they are being quizzed over some of the same stuff I learned in pharm. I was blown away. I was lucky to have a pharmacist who really pushed me to learn what I was doing and why I was doing it even to the point where I could question the pharmacist at times and have a very valid point. So it wasn't ALL bad, lol. I'm glad she pushed me because a lot of it has come bakc to help me in nursing school.

I think you are right...it is important to see how each area of the hospital works together as a TEAM! Things would go so much more smoothly if we all had a bit of understanding about each other's jobs (for example, my biggest pet peeve as a pharmacy tech: nurses thinking (or acting like) their patient is the only one in the hospital....realize the pharmacy is taking care of all patients.........and one more thing: go check the tube station before you call the pharmacy ranting and raving that your med is missing!)

lol

[ramen]

Can anyone give some info about how to switch from pharmacy tech to RN. I mean how many years in school will it take ??

[premedturnednursing]

It depends on how long it will take you to take the required pre-reqs for your program. I was a tech for 8 years....we do not get any sort of credit or anything for that if that's what you are asking.

after that, you can enter a 2 year program, or you can do it all in a four year program. Hope that helps....if not, rephrase your question. It's late and I'm tired. :)

[Kunzieo]

Oh Goodness!

Please do not make such a step without some serious thought!

I am very envious of you right now...I have been a Pharm. Tech for 8 years, and have been trying to get into nursing school for 4 of them!

I do not believe that you would enjoy being a Pharm. Tech.

Others have mentioned many reasons...lack of status/respect, having to deal with irate customers and nurses/doctors, much less pay...

But I think the biggest reason you would be unhappy is because you would not be able to use your knowledge. As a Pharmacy Tech you CANNOT give patients advice or recommendations. You may NOT tell patients which meds to take when, or what the side-effects might be, or whether Tylenol should be taken instead of Motrin, or whether that rash should have hydrocortisone or neosporin put on it...even if you KNOW what the answer is, you are legally bound to NOT answer...but to refer the patient to the pharmacist.

I think it would be very frustrating to have medical knowledge and not be able to use it.

However...if you really are set on it, I would try to get a job in a hospital, not in a retail pharmacy. Pay is better, less angry customers and insurance to deal with...generally better working conditions all-around.

Good luck to you.

[Nursebarebari]

why don't u try a different area like metadone clinic. i hear the stress level is not bad.

good luck!

[Birdbr]

My mom's friend is a pharmacy technician at Walgreens and loves it, but the pay isn't the best. Nursing is a career with many fields, perhaps you would enjoy working in Family Medicine or Obstetrics. Nursing is a great career with a great salary, I wouldn't give it up. There are many fields in it and better promotions.