Essentials of Law and Ethics for Pharmacy Technicians PDF

Preface

While many excellent textbooks deal with pharmacy laws, regulations, and ethics, virtually all of those currently marketed are aimed at the university-level pharmacy student. During my years as a faculty member and as a department chair, the lack of textbooks intended for pharmacy technicians became more and more noticeable, especially after visiting with pharmacy technician faculty and our colleagues at Pharmacy Technician Educator's Council (PTEC) meetings. The standard practice has been to incorporate law and ethics material into other classes, using parts of these university-level textbooks and articles and adding extra lecture time and materials. Very few programs have a stand-alone law and ethics course or even a segment of such a course, which can perhaps be explained by the fact that so few texts have been aimed at this need. Instructors have been forced to "make do" with materials and resources meant for an entirely different group of students.

This book attempts to fill that gap by covering topics of which pharmacy technicians should be knowledgeable in order to practice in a manner that is both legal and ethical. A large part of a technician's duty is to be aware of the law's requirements and restrictions. This awareness takes much of that worry away from the pharmacist, while being exposed to education in ethics frees a person's mind to act in a manner that is loyal to one's own standards and to the expectations and obligations of serving people's health needs. This book brings these together in one resource in a manner that is appropriate to the technician's practice and role.