Pharmacists' Attitudes toward Technician Certification: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background:

Pharmacy technicians have become increasingly important in the delivery of pharmacy care. As pharmacy technicians continue to advance their roles, it is important to understand facets of their training and education that could enhance their contributions to effective pharmacy operations.

Objective:

To explore pharmacists' attitudes toward technician certification. Specifically, to describe (1) pharmacists' experiences in working with technicians who are certified and those who are not certified, (2) pharmacists' perceptions of the association between certification and technicians' competence and professional demeanor, and (3) strengths and opportunities for improvement in technician certification.

Methods:

An exploratory, qualitative approach using focus groups was employed. Sixteen pharmacists were enrolled across 2 focus groups, with each session lasting approximately 90 minutes. Digitally recorded and transcribed transcripts were content analyzed in an iterative process. A phenomenologic perspective was employed to capture the essence of participants' perspectives.

Results:

A content analysis of the transcripts revealed 3 main themes: benefits of technician certification, pharmacist reliance on support staff, and barriers to certification. The general perception was that certification benefits the profession; however, pharmacists would like to see more standardized criteria in education and training for technicians prior to them sitting for the certification examination.

Conclusions:

The benefits of certification are likely to be observed on a daily basis in practice. Further research is needed to more critically evaluate how certification contributes to improving organizational effectiveness and improving patient care.