Pharmacy assistants may complete certain pharmacy activities under the direct supervision of a pharmacy technician or pharmacist. The Role Clarification of Non-Regulated Pharmacy Employees document outlines appropriate tasks for trained and supervised non-regulated pharmacy employees based on interpretation of the practice framework in an ideal practice setting that includes pharmacy technicians
When it comes to patient care, most activities require professional judgement and for the pharmacy professional to enter into a relationship with the patient. These tasks are more appropriately performed by pharmacy technicians and pharmacists.
Pharmacy assistants are not authorized by legislation to complete certain activities that fall within the pharmacy technician’s scope of practice.
Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians must ensure that all procedures are met when supervising non-regulated pharmacy employees. A pharmacy assistant may not release a prescription to a patient in the absence of a pharmacy professional directly supervising the activities they are performing.
Dispensing is a restricted activity that is considered potentially harmful if performed by unqualified persons. [i] Appropriately trained pharmacy assistants may help provide restricted activities when directly supervised by a pharmacy technician or pharmacist. Non-regulated employees may measure ingredients and physically mix non-sterile compounds that do not require the specialized skills and training of a pharmacy technician or pharmacist.
Compounding is also a restricted activity. Pharmacy assistants may not sterile compound and/or complete the final check of compounded and repackaged drugs. There are other activities that fall within the pharmacy technician’s scope of practice that pharmacy assistants are not authorized by legislation to complete. These include receiving and transferring prescription orders and acting as a witness when a pharmacist destroys narcotic or controlled drugs.
Like other patient care activities, teaching requires the pharmacy professional to enter into a relationship with the patient. Instruction about health care products and devices requires the specialized knowledge and training of pharmacy professionals.
Inventory management activities may be completed by non-regulated employees when the task does not require specialized pharmacy knowledge or judgement to be applied.
Questions about the pharmacy technician’s scope of practice or role of non-regulated pharmacy employees may be directed to info@ptsa.ca
[i] Standards of Practice for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians. Alberta College of Pharmacy. July 2011.
[ii] Government Organization Act, RSA 2000, c G-10. Current to 2019-12-05 according to the Alberta Queen’s printer
