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Utah

By Janet McGregor Liles, MSHS, CPhT | Program Director and Instructor, Pharmacy Technology
Arkansas State University-Beebe , Beebe, AR

Utah statute requires a pharmacy technician licensure, completion of a criminal background check, attainment of a specified training requirement and the successful fulfillment of a national pharmacy technician exam requirement to practice within the state.

To be a newly licensed pharmacy technician in Utah, an individual must first apply as a pharmacy technician trainee through the Board of Pharmacy within the UTAH Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL).  While in trainee status, a person must be enrolled in a board-recognized training program, be 18 years of age or older, and complete a background check. Once a person has successfully completed the required training program, attained national certification, and submitted fingerprints, the trainee becomes recognized as a licensed pharmacy technician in Utah. Persons completing and meeting such requirements while working as a licensed pharmacy technician in good standing in other states, districts, or territories of the United States who have practiced at least 1,000 hours while licensed may be granted fulfillment of requirements thus satisfying Utah licensing specifications.

Once all prescribed licensing requirements are met, Utah pharmacy technicians shall complete at least 20 continuing education hours for each two-year renewal cycle to maintain certification and board specifications. Notably, the hours must include six hours of live or technology-enabled participation at lectures, seminars, or workshops; one hour of pharmacy law or ethics; and two hours in vaccine-related topics (if engaging in the administration of vaccines).

Current Responsibilities and Roles

Within the operating standards of the applicable Utah statutes, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy technician trainees may perform tasks associated with the physical preparation and processing of prescription and medication orders.  These tasks include receiving written prescriptions, taking refill orders and authorizations, entering and retrieving information into and from a database or patient profile, preparing labels, retrieving medications from inventory, counting and pouring into containers, placing medications into patient storage containers, affixing labels, compounding, counseling for over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements under the direction of the supervising pharmacist, receiving new prescription drug orders when communicating telephonically or electronically, transferring prescriptions under specific circumstances and performing checks of certain medications prepared for distribution filled or prepared by another technician within a Class B* hospital pharmacy. Pharmacy technicians or pharmacy technician trainees are part of the personnel responsible for recording patient medication profile information. Licensed pharmacy technicians may serve as one of the witnesses for the authorized destruction of prescription drugs in Class B Pharmaceutical Administration Facilities.

Utah technicians apply ‘Tech check Tech’ concepts to medications prepared for distribution to an automated dispensing cabinet, cart fill, crash cart medication tray, or unit dosing from a prepared stock bottle. The technicians performing medication checks shall have at least one year of experience working as a pharmacy technician and  six months of experience at the hospital where the technician is authorized to check medications. These technicians shall only check steps in the medication distribution process supported by sufficient automation and technology, such as barcode scanning, drug identification automation, checklists, or visual aids, as well as those steps not requiring the professional judgment of a pharmacist. A pharmacy technician trainee may not perform checks of medications within a Class B* hospital pharmacy.

According to state statute, Utah pharmacy technicians may receive electronically generated prescriptions from an authorized prescriber. Additionally, technicians may transfer valid remaining refills for legend medications at the patient request.

Pharmacy technicians used in a Class A** or Class B* Remote dispensing pharmacy shall be physically or electronically supervised by a pharmacist from the supervising pharmacy. Such pharmacy types are limited to staffing by no more than two licensed pharmacy technicians when being remotely supervised by a pharmacist not physically present in the pharmacy. In this setting model, pharmacy technicians must have at least 500 hours of pharmacy technician experience.

Pharmacy technicians who will administer a prescription drug or device shall complete the appropriate training prior to engaging in administration.  Individuals engaging in the administration of prescription drugs or devices shall maintain documentation that they obtained their required training and complete at least two hours of continuing education related to their administration of prescription drugs or devices. The “Vaccine Administration Protocol: Standing Order to Administer Immunizations and Emergency Medications” serves as the guideline or standard for pharmacist administration of vaccines and emergency medications, and for pharmacy intern or pharmacy technician administration pursuant to delegation by a pharmacist.

Conclusion

Utah Division of Professional Licensing, with its progressive leadership, has provided a broad scope of practice for its state’s pharmacy technicians and pharmacy technician trainees. From being allowed to counsel patients for over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements under the direction of the supervising pharmacist, practicing tech check tech in specific practice settings, and administering immunizations and emergency medications to having a voting seat on the Utah Board of Pharmacy, Utah provides pharmacy technicians opportunities to develop and excel in the pharmacy profession.

* Class B pharmacy: (a) means a pharmacy located in Utah: (i) that is authorized to provide pharmaceutical care for a target population of patients in an institutional setting with unique healthcare service needs; and (ii) whose primary purpose is to provide a physical environment for patients to obtain health care services; and (b) (i) includes closed-door, hospital, clinic, nuclear, and branch pharmacies; and (ii) pharmaceutical administration and sterile product preparation facilities.

** Class A pharmacy means a pharmacy located in Utah that is authorized to perform retail operations. These pharmacies require a pharmacist-in-charge or a remote dispensing pharmacist-in-charge. Examples of Class A pharmacies include retail pharmacies, mail service retail pharmacies, and remote dispensing pharmacies.

References

National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (2023). Survey of Pharmacy Law. 

Utah Pharmacy Board:

Published: March 2024