Pharmacy techs in Nebraska are entry-level medical field workers who help pharmacists with completing drug prescriptions and servicing customers in commercial pharmacies, physicians’ offices and hospitals. Holding a certification may not be mandatory in all 50 states, yet the recent tendency among employers has been in direction of just hiring people who have a certification.
Thanks to record demand for new pharmacy technicians in Nebraska, this occupation is extremely desirable among men and women who want an entry-level job in healthcare. As a matter of fact, according to the most current data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there should be a 12% rise in pharmacy tech jobs over the next 10 years.
What do pharmacy technicians do in Nebraska?
In general, pharmacy technicians in Nebraska manage a variety of day-to-day customer support and inventory management duties for the pharmacist. The traditional responsibilities held by most pharmacy technicians are noted below.
Traditional pharmacy technician duties
- Take care of client and patient telephone calls and concerns
- Create and manage patient records
- Help pharmacist in filling prescriptions by weighing, packaging and labeling medicines
- Process payments for prescriptions and insurance policy claims
- Handle all inventory in the local pharmacy
How to become a pharmacy technician in Nebraska.
The four-step process for becoming a pharmacy tech in Nebraska is displayed below.
- Determine whether you plan to become certified
- If you decide to become certified, sign up for a PTCA-approved training program
- Complete the pharmacy tech course and on-the-job training hours, as mandated by state
- Pass either the PTCE (PTCB) or ExCPT (NHA) Exam for certification
Step 1: Determine if you plan to get certified
Your initial step towards becoming a pharmacy tech is deciding whether or not you are planning to get certified. Becoming certified isn’t a compulsory prerequisite to work in every state, but it does offer quite a few added benefits and advantages.
With this being the situation, it is highly recommended that you earn a professional certification if you’re serious about beginning a career in pharmacy. The remaining steps in this guide only apply if you intend to become certified.
Step 2: Find a program accredited by PTAC and sign-up for classes
Finding a Pharmacy Technician Accreditation Commission (PTAC)-accredited training course is the second step if you’ve decided to get certified. The PTAC is a nationally-recognized organization that coordinates pharmacy technician training around the nation with the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).
Why PTAC accreditation matters
Due to the fact that only individuals who finish a program approved by the PTAC are immediately entitled to sit for either of the national certification exams, it’s essential that you attend a training program that’s recognized by this body.
A look at online pharmacy tech programs
As is the case with the majority of distance learning options, online pharmacy tech programs are a desirable option for students who are juggling a number of obligations. These courses can also be well suited for individuals who don’t live close to a school that offers pharmacy tech training.
Be conscious, however, that online courses still require students to complete their internship hours at a actual physical site associated with the program.
Step 3: Finish the program and complete the required internship hours
Completing the accredited program you selected in the previous step is your next order of business. The classroom portion can often be finished in 12 months or less, but completing the required internship hours (sometimes called an “externship”) at a pharmacy can occasionally take more time.
The majority of training programs devote the classroom section of their syllabus to the subject matter that will probably be included in the national certification assessments. The externship, however, will furnish you with the opportunity to put what you learn into use in a functioning, professional environment.
Step 4: Pass the PTCE or ExCPT Certification Exam
There are two nationally-recognized pharmacy tech certification tests – the PTCE and ExCPT. Eligibility to challenge these tests calls for you to first finish a PTAC-accredited course. A passing score on either test will award you the title Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).
Below is a quick description of the two examinations.
Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE)
Offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam, or PTCE as it is often called, is a multiple-choice test accepted throughout the country. The PTCE contains 90 questions administered in a one-hour, 50-minute timed format. Upon passing the test, the pupil gets the CPhT (Certified Pharmacy Technician) certification.
Eligibility to take the test requires the individual having the ability to meet either of the following two prerequisites:
- Completed a PTAC-accredited pharmacy tech program, or
- Obtained equivalent work experience as a pharmacy tech
ExCPT Exam
The second major national certification assessment is the ExCPT, which is sponsored by the National Healthcare Association (NHA). There are 100 multiple-choice questions on this two-hour, 10-minute timed assessment.
You need to be able to satisfy one of the following requirements so that you can can challenge the assessment:
- Completed a PTAC-approved pharmacy technician training program, or
- Obtained equivalent work experience as a pharmacy technician
Pharmacy technician pay in Nebraska
Per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median yearly salary for a pharmacy tech in the United States was $31,750 as of May 2017.
Pharmacy tech compensation in Nebraska varies a bit from the national median, as is displayed in the data table below.
| Location | Pay Type | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Hourly | $10.27 | $14.86 | $21.98 |
| Yearly | $21,370 | $30,920 | $45,710 | |
| Nebraska | Hourly | $10.30 | $14.12 | $19.45 |
| Yearly | $21,430 | $29,360 | $40,450 | |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA MSA | Hourly | $10.49 | $14.77 | $19.68 |
| Yearly | $21,820 | $30,720 | $40,940 | |
| Northeastern Nebraska BOS | Hourly | $10.12 | $14.43 | $21.22 |
| Yearly | $21,050 | $30,020 | $44,140 | |
| Southeastern Nebraska BOS | Hourly | $11.02 | $14.05 | $18.35 |
| Yearly | $22,930 | $29,230 | $38,180 | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD MSA | Hourly | $10.13 | $13.84 | $18.79 |
| Yearly | $21,070 | $28,780 | $39,080 | |
| Lincoln, NE MSA | Hourly | $9.87 | $13.83 | $19.70 |
| Yearly | $20,520 | $28,770 | $40,980 | |
| Western Nebraska BOS | Hourly | $10.54 | $13.58 | $17.59 |
| Yearly | $21,920 | $28,250 | $36,580 | |
| Central Nebraska BOS | Hourly | $10.38 | $13.28 | $18.63 |
| Yearly | $21,590 | $27,620 | $38,750 |