The pharmacy technician shortage is a significant challenge facing the healthcare industry. It is putting a strain on pharmacists, pharmacy operations and patient care delivery. However, there are two good options for pharmacy decision-makers and other healthcare professionals who are looking to fill their pharmacy technician vacancies: hiring with the intent of training new hires or upskilling existing employees.
To support this effort, National Healthcareer Association (NHA) offers a full pharmacy technician learning solution, including one of the most popular products — PharmaSeer™. NHA customers can use PharmaSeer™'s new pre-assessment tool that evaluates an individual's current knowledge and helps streamline the training process. Let's walk through the options and then explore the significant effect or impact a pre-assessment would have on your day-to-day operation.
Fill Pharm Tech Vacancies by Hiring with the Intent of Training
One option is hiring candidates that have little or no experience but demonstrate promising professional skills. They can then learn the necessary skills to work as a pharmacy technician, which is more time-efficient and cost-effective.
In addition to being more cost-effective, there are other benefits to hiring with the intention of training and upskilling. For example, they may be more adaptable to change and more open to new ideas. Additionally, they may be more loyal to their employer because they are grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow, which is a bonus for retention.
Fill Pharm Tech Vacancies by Upskilling Existing Employees
Another option to fill pharmacy technician vacancies is to upskill existing employees from other departments. Upskilling allows you to train employees who are already familiar with your workplace culture, which can make the transition to their new role smoother and more efficient. It also can provide a career path for a strong employee to learn and grow within your company, strengthening your ability to retain good employees.
Benefits of Either Approach
- Properly trained and skilled, certified pharmacy technician staff members can help to improve patient safety. Employees who are appropriately trained are less likely to make medication errors.
- Upskilling members of your team can help to boost morale and productivity. Employees who feel they are being given opportunities to grow and develop are likely to be engaged and more productive in their work.
- Upskilling existing employees is a great way to retain valuable employees and allow them to advance their careers.
What's the Best Way to Upskill Your Non-Certified Staff?
One option is to provide them with on-the-job training opportunities. This can be done by pairing them with a certified pharmacy technician who can help them learn the ropes. In addition to pairing with a mentor or preceptor, partnering with a learning solution provider that provides all the necessary learning tools and support can help streamline and maximize the learning process.
If demands make it challenging to pair non-certified staff members with certified pharmacy technicians, pharmacy decision-makers should focus on using the NHA Pharmacy Technician suite of products. Within the product suite is NHA PharmaSeer™which includes a pre-assessment for performance benchmarking which helps hiring managers understand the exact amount and specific areas of training needed for an individual.
The pre-assessment results can help identify areas where employees are currently competent or areas that need additional training, which can be used to create a customized training plan within the comprehensive Pharmaseer ™products to help them reach their full potential.
The NHA PharmaSeer™ Pre-Assessment
Benefits of Using Pre-Assessments for Pharmacy Technician Hiring:
- Skills and Competency Evaluation: A pre-assessment allows the employer to evaluate the skills and competencies of the new or existing employee. It helps determine their level of knowledge and expertise in pharmaceutical practices, regulations, and procedures. By assessing their baseline capabilities, employers can identify any gaps and provide targeted training or support to ensure employees can perform their duties effectively.
- Performance Benchmarking: Baseline assessments provide a benchmark for measuring employee performance and growth over time. By establishing a starting point, employers can track the progress of new hires and identify areas where they excel or need improvement. This information can guide performance evaluations and provide appropriate feedback and development opportunities, while also streamlining the learning process.
- Training and Development: Each employee brings unique skills and experiences. Employers can tailor training curricula and development strategies to meet the needs of specific individuals using pre-assessments. By identifying areas where new hires may require additional support or specialized training, employers can design targeted interventions or activities that address specific weaknesses or knowledge gaps. This approach maximizes the effectiveness of training initiatives by tailoring them to the needs of individual employees and saving time and resources.
- Patient Safety and Quality of Care: Pharmacy professionals play a crucial role in ensuring patient safety and providing high-quality care. By conducting a pre-assessment, employers can assess the knowledge and skills of new hires related to medication management, drug interactions, patient counseling, and other critical aspects of pharmaceutical practice. This evaluation helps ensure that employees can deliver safe and effective services to patients.
The NHA PharmaSeer™ pre-assessment is a valuable tool that can help you assess the skills and knowledge of your non-certified staff members.
The pre-assessment will identify the areas where your technicians need additional training. Once you know their strengths and weaknesses, you can direct them to the appropriate areas within PharmaSeer™ to focus on their training. Once they are ready, they can take the NHA ExCPT prep and certification to become fully qualified, and Certified, Pharmacy Technicians,
To learn more about the NHA PharmaSeer™ learning resource that includes pre-assessment, please visit our website or contact us today.
