Training program in compounding for pharmacy technicians through a digital platform and simulation techniques.

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Continuing Education
• Digital Health

Background:

• Tertiary hospital pharmacy services require specialized skills for drug compounding.
• Effective training programs are essential for pharmacy technicians to ensure safe and efficient practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a novel compounding training plan for Pharmacy Assistant Technicians.
• To evaluate the efficacy of a digital training platform and simulation techniques in pharmacy compounding education.

Main Methods:

• Development of two distinct training programs: one for sterile and one for non-sterile drug compounding.
• Integration of e-learning modules, practical simulation workshops, supervised on-the-job training, and pharmacist-led examinations.
• Continuous evaluation through an accredited Continuing Education Commission and a satisfaction survey on the e-learning platform.

Main Results:

• The program, running for three years, has trained 21 technicians, with 19 successfully qualified.
• Overall satisfaction with the e-learning platform was high, with 62.5% of surveyed technicians reporting satisfaction or high satisfaction.
• The training has been instrumental in delegating compounding tasks to qualified pharmacy technicians.

Conclusions:

• The established compounding training program is effective and crucial for task delegation in pharmacy services.
• Digital technology and simulation are vital components for successful pharmacy technician training.
• Specialized compounding training should be integrated into the core pharmacy technician curriculum.