The Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Canada: Roles, Demographics and Attitudes

Transcription

1 The Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Canada: Roles, Demographics and Attitudes Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants Part II - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacists (Owners and Managers) March 2007 Prepared for: Moving Forward: Pharmacy Human Resources for the Future Prepared by: Funded by the Government of Canada's Foreign Credential Recognition Program.

2 How to cite this document: Management Committee, Moving Forward: Pharmacy Human Resources for the Future. The Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Canada: Roles, Demographics and Attitudes. Ottawa (ON). Canadian Pharmacists Association; (2007)

3 The Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Canada: Roles, Demographics and Attitudes Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants Part II - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacists (Owners and Managers) Prepared for: Moving Forward: Pharmacy Human Resources for the Future Prepared by: Vision Research March 2007 The Moving Forward initiative is funded by the Government of Canada's Foreign Credential Recognition Program. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada.

4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report was made possible by the following contributors: Moving Forward Co-Chairs Kevin Hall Winnipeg Regional Health Authority Fred Martin West Prince Pharmacy Management Committee Zubin Austin Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada Patty Brady Human Resources and Social Development Canada Janet Cooper Canadian Pharmacists Association Tim Fleming Canadian Association of Pharmacy Technicians Dennis Gorecki Association of Deans of Pharmacy of Canada Paul Kuras Canadian Pharmacists Association Allan Malek Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores Linda Suveges The Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada National Advisory Committee Members Pharmacy Technician Working Group Danuta Bertram Winnipeg Regional Health Authority Anne Marie Burns Ottawa Hospital Rock Folkman Canadian Pharmacy Technician Educators Association Susan James Ontario College of Pharmacists Colleen Norris The Glebe Apothecary Allan Samuelson College of Pharmacists of British Columbia Margaret Woodruff Humber College Project Consultants Vision Research Project Manager Heather Mohr Canadian Pharmacists Association Ken Wou Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists 2007 Canadian Pharmacists Association

5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants Executive Summary Overview of Moving Forward: Pharmacy Human Resources for the Future...5 A. Introduction Approach and Methodology B. Findings Respondent Profile Gender Age Distribution by Province Where Employed Community Size Hours Worked Years as a Pharmacy Technician Future Plans Technical Training Certification Education When Completed Education Current Job Current Tasks Number of Staff at Pharmacies Job Satisfaction Workload Responsibility Compared to Level of Training Incentives for Upgrading Foreign-Trained Individuals Incidence of Foreign Training Foreign-Trained Pharmacy Technicians Foreign-Trained Pharmacists Working Relationships and Use of Skills Responsibilities Future Technician Training and Responsibilities Likelihood of Taking Future Community College Training Accreditation of Community College Programs Certification of Pharmacy Technicians Regulation of Pharmacy Technicians Summary of Reactions to New Initiatives C. Conclusion Appendix - National Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants Survey Questionnaire The Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Canada: Roles, Demographics and Attitudes

6 Part II - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacists (Owners and Managers) Executive Summary Overview of Moving Forward: Pharmacy Human Resources for the Future..52 A. Introduction Approach and Methodology B. Findings Respondent Profile Gender Distribution by Province Where Employed Community Size Years as Pharmacist Level of Education Role in Primary Workplace Current Job Number of Staff Pharmacists and Technicians Technicians with Community College-Level Training and Certification Satisfaction with Pharmacy Technicians Work Load Level of Responsibility Current HR Practices Sources for Hiring Pharmacy Technicians Job-Specific Training or Education Requirements Hiring Conditions Incentives for Attracting Qualified Technicians Foreign-Trained Individuals Training/Work Outside Canada/USA Technician Training & Responsibilities Accreditation of Technician Training Programs Certification of Pharmacy Technicians Support for Technicians Who Seek Certification Regulation of Pharmacy Technicians Support for Technicians Who Want to Become Regulated Pharmacy Technicians C. Conclusion Appendix National Pharmacist (Owners and Managers) Survey Questionnaire Canadian Pharmacists Association

7 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants The Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Canada: Roles, Demographics and Attitudes Executive Summary Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants The Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA), on behalf of Moving Forward: Pharmacy Human Resources for the Future, retained Vision Research to undertake a survey of both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians across Canada. Part 1 of this report presents the results of the survey of pharmacy technicians and assistants. The intent of the survey was both to develop a clear sense of the current profile of pharmacy technicians across Canada (numbers, distribution across jurisdictions and work settings, responsibilities, aspirations), and to measure the interest in and resistance to possible future directions for pharmacy technicians in relation to pharmacists. At its heart, this study explores the question: how might the role of pharmacy technicians evolve to better meet their career goals and to allow pharmacists to make fuller use of their skills and knowledge all in the interest of enhancing patient care? A questionnaire was sent via and mail to a representative sample of 3000 pharmacies across Canada asking recipients to have the senior-most manager or owner (pharmacists) complete the questionnaire and share a second, different questionnaire with the pharmacy technicians on their staff. In addition, participation in the online survey was promoted by CPhA and its partners representing pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to those members for whom addresses were available. In all, 2087 completed questionnaires were received from pharmacy technicians. Since this is the first such study of the pharmacy technician workforce, it is difficult to assess the extent to which the sample of participants in representative of the pharmacy technician population as a whole. There is no baseline profile of the profession against which to compare the respondent profile, nor is there an exact measure of the total number of pharmacy technicians with which to calculate a response rate and commensurate confidence interval. For these reasons, care should be taken in extrapolating the findings to the overall population. Profile of Respondent Technicians This survey provides the first national profile of pharmacy technicians in Canada. The pharmacy technician workforce is mostly female (94% of respondents are women), with an average age of 38.7 years. 43% of responding technicians work in hospitals and other related facilities, 37% in chain or franchise community pharmacies and 16% in independent community pharmacies. Pharmacy technicians come to their jobs with a wide range of education and technical training; some (16%) have only a high school education and no formal pharmacy training, while about two in 10 (20%) report having some university education. A very small The Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Canada: Roles, Demographics and Attitudes 1

8 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants proportion (2%) have trained and worked abroad as either pharmacists or pharmacy technicians. The vast majority (62%) of respondents report having technician training from a career college or community college. This wide range of technical training and educational attainment reflects in part the variety of training programs for pharmacy technicians currently available in the different provinces and territories of the country. A substantial proportion of pharmacy technicians have been out of school for some time. More than half (55%) completed their education and training at least 10 years ago. Of those with only a high school education, three-quarters (77%) completed it more than 10 years ago. The characteristics of the pharmacy technician respondents in this study were substantially different depending on their work setting. Those working in chain or franchise stores tended to be younger, have fewer years of work experience, were more likely to have graduated from a private career college or been trained by their employer, and were more likely to be in larger cities or metropolitan areas. Those in independent community pharmacies were more likely to have no technical training other than on-thejob, be older, have considerable work experience, and live in small communities. Hospital technicians were more likely to live in larger cities, to have completed a one-year community college program and have the most experience working as pharmacy technicians. Current Jobs To the extent that these functions were permitted in their jurisdictions, pharmacy technicians are now performing a number of functions involving collection of patient information, verification and preparation of prescriptions, and release of products under certain circumstances. Those working in community settings were much more likely to be performing these functions than those in health care institutions. Hospital technicians, however, often prepare automated dispensing equipment, replace ward stocks or have responsibility for narcotics. Many package products in unit dosage packages or prepare sterile preparations. Three-quarters (74%) of hospital technicians participate in a tech-check-tech routine where they verify the accuracy and completeness of products prepared by other technicians; half as many (37%) technicians in community settings do this. About four in 10 technicians in both settings (47% and 44% respectively) were responsible for supervising other technicians. The survey also provided some insight on the question of how many pharmacy technicians are currently working in Canada, and the ratios are somewhat lower than expected. Survey respondents reported an average (mean) of 2.5 full-time technicians and 2.1 part-time technicians per community pharmacy (chain and independent). Assuming the average part-time technician works half a regular workweek, this yields an average of 3.4 technician Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) per community pharmacy. In contrast, the survey showed an average (mean) of 15 full-time technicians and 7.5 parttime technicians per hospital pharmacy (including long-term care facilities). Assuming the average part-time technician works half a regular workweek, this yields an average of 18.5 technician FTEs per hospital pharmacy Canadian Pharmacists Association

9 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants To help develop a ratio of technicians to pharmacists, we also asked respondents how many pharmacists worked in their pharmacies. Technician respondents reported an average of 3 pharmacist FTEs per community pharmacy, for a ratio of 1.13 technician FTEs per pharmacist FTE in community settings. In hospital settings, technicians reported an average of 14 pharmacist FTEs, for a higher ratio of 1.32 technician FTEs per pharmacist FTE in a hospital setting. Job Satisfaction Pharmacy technicians reported being quite satisfied with a number of job-related factors, including their professional relationships both with pharmacists and with other technicians and with opportunities to use their skills. Most technicians (60%) felt that they had the right amount of responsibility given their education, training and experience, although this was less true for technicians who were already certified. However, certain differences emerged between the opinions of hospital- and communitybased technicians. For example, 85% of community technicians were satisfied with the way their technical tasks are shared with pharmacists, while only 69% of hospital technicians are similarly satisfied. One notable contrast to technicians overall satisfaction trends was related to opportunities for job or career growth. Less than half (48%) of technicians were satisfied with this aspect of their job. Workloads may also be an issue, with 45% of technicians indicating they have too much or much too much to do. While many respondents were unaware of the specifics of their employers pay policies, it would appear that they did not currently receive much support from their employers to pursue technical upgrading. Wages generally reflected years of experience rather than type of training or certification. Less than a third of technicians said their employers either provided in-house courses for them (32%) or would pay for technical courses provided by others (31%). Internationally Trained Technicians Just over 2% of technicians responding to the survey had received their training outside North America. More than half of these (60%) had trained and practiced as pharmacists in some other country. These former-pharmacists are more likely to be working in community settings than in health care institutions, and more likely to be working parttime than full-time. Compared to all technicians, those who had been trained abroad were less comfortable with their professional work relationships. Those who had trained as technicians were at least as satisfied with opportunities to use their skills, the amount of responsibility given their skills, and their opportunities for career growth. However, those who had trained as pharmacists in other countries and were now working as technicians were somewhat less satisfied in all these dimensions. Changes to Training and Utilization of Technicians Technicians appear to want national educational standards. 85% of technician respondents expressed support for national accreditation of community college programs. More than 70% of technicians expressed support for possibly requiring all pharmacy technicians to graduate from an accredited program. The Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Canada: Roles, Demographics and Attitudes 3

10 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants Pharmacy technicians are highly interested in moving towards regulation, even though it may require additional training and expanded duties. More than eight in 10 (84%) pharmacy technicians expressed interest in becoming a regulated pharmacy technician, of which an impressive 54% state they would be very interested. Certification of pharmacy technicians, whether voluntary or mandatory, was also positively received. 70% of pharmacy technicians supported voluntary certification, while 62% supported mandatory certification. Overall, technicians were generally supportive of most of the initiatives explored in the survey. Next Steps The findings generated by this research present many opportunities for more in-depth exploration on pharmacy technicians attitudes and intentions regarding their future. Moving Forward will be conducting focus groups to investigate some of these areas in the spring and summer of Visit pharmacyhr.ca for more information Canadian Pharmacists Association

11 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants Overview of Moving Forward: Pharmacy Human Resources for the Future One of the most urgent crises facing Canada s health care system today is the appropriate management of health human resources ensuring the right skills in the right place at the right time. Pharmacists are a high priority health human resource at many levels with patients, drug supply management, health institutions, the health system and the population. Pharmacists have a key role to play at all these levels in ensuring pharmaceuticals are used appropriately, safely and provide optimal benefits. Serious challenges are facing the pharmacy sector s efforts to optimize the management of its available human resources. These include the rapid evolution of the pharmacist s role in health care delivery, pharmacist shortages, complexities in integrating international pharmacy graduates, and a complete lack of data on pharmacy technicians. A failure to address pharmacy human resource challenges will compromise the ability of the profession to respond to these new demands and its ability to fully address the safe and appropriate use of drugs in Canada. There is, therefore, an urgent need to understand the factors contributing to these human resources pressures and strategize potential solutions. A collaborative of eight national pharmacy stakeholders has received funding from the Foreign Credential Recognition program of Human Resources and Social Development Canada to undertake a pharmacy human resources study. The collaborative includes the Canadian Pharmacists Association (secretariat for the project), the Association of Deans of Pharmacy of Canada, the Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada, the Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores, the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Technicians, the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities and the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada. This study, Moving Forward: Pharmacy Human Resources for the Future, is an in-depth examination of the factors contributing to pharmacy human resources challenges in Canada. It will offer recommendations to ensure a strong pharmacy workforce prepared to meet the current and future health care needs of Canadians. Through a 30-month long series of investigations and consultations, Moving Forward will: Develop a comprehensive understanding of the pharmacy workforce in Canada and the factors that influence its structure and the skills and competencies of its members; Identify and analyze the short- and long-term human resource planning challenges facing the pharmacy sector, including those specific to international pharmacy graduates, and Offer recommendations for and solutions to these challenges. The optimal management of pharmacy human resources requires more than just information; it requires planning. The recommendations developed through this study will be used by stakeholders at local, regional, provincial, territorial and national levels to develop their pharmacy human resources management plans. The findings contained in part 1 of this report represent the results of Moving Forward s landmark National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants, and provide a foundation of evidence for further research regarding the changing role of the pharmacy technician. The Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Canada: Roles, Demographics and Attitudes 5

12 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants A. Introduction Approach and Methodology Vision Research was retained by the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA), on behalf of Moving Forward: Pharmacy Human Resources for the Future, to undertake a survey of both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in Canada. The project had two main objectives: 1) to quantify, for the first time, the pharmacy technician workforce in Canada, and 2) to gain national qualitative knowledge on workforce attitudes and opinions surrounding the current and future role of the pharmacy technician. The project used a two-step methodology, whereby pharmacists were approached directly (using both mail to a representative sample of 3000 pharmacies, provided by Dendrite, and direct to CPhA members whose addresses the association had on file) and indirectly (by issuing invitations to all provincial licensing bodies and national and provincial stakeholders with pharmacist members). In a covering letter sent in early September 2006, pharmacists were asked to both have the most senior manager or owner complete a questionnaire designed for them, and pass a second questionnaire on to the pharmacy technicians on their staff. Though there were some questions repeated between the two questionnaires, the differences in the research instruments and in the populations surveyed called for the findings to be interpreted and reported on separately. Where appropriate, however, we do compare and contrast certain findings. Respondents (both pharmacists and technicians) were given the option of completing a printed questionnaire and submitting it via fax or mail to Vision Research, or visiting a secure website where they could enter their responses online. The survey was in the field for 10 weeks, until mid-november A number of reminder messages were sent directly via fax (again using a Dendrite list) and , and the CPhA and partner organizations (of pharmacists and technicians) promoted participation in the survey to their members. In all, 2087 completed questionnaires were received from pharmacy technicians. Since this is the first such study of the pharmacy technician workforce, it is difficult to assess the extent to which the sample of participants is representative of the pharmacy technician population as a whole. There is no baseline profile of the profession against which to compare the respondent profile, nor is there an exact measure of the total number of pharmacy technicians with which to calculate a response rate and commensurate confidence interval. For these reasons, care should be taken in extrapolating the findings to the overall population. For the charts and graphs presented in the following pages, all percentages have been rounded off to the nearest whole number, reflecting the overall level of accuracy of the survey data. Standard rounding conventions are used; that is, 6.4 or less is rounded down to 6, and 6.5 or more is rounded up to 7. For computed figures (such as the ratio of technicians to pharmacists), the ratio for each individual is calculated, the ratios are summed, and then the sum is rounded. For this reason, the total of two rounded numbers shown in a chart may be slightly different than the actual sum of the unrounded figures. Also for this reason, readers may also find that the totals on certain charts do not add up to Canadian Pharmacists Association

13 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants B. Findings 1.0 Respondent Profile 1.1 Gender Of the more than 2000 pharmacy technicians who responded to the survey, nearly all were women (94%); just 6% were men. Male technicians were more common in the large metropolitan areas (8%) than in rural areas (2%). Male respondents were also more common among respondents with some university education (11%), compared to those with only high school (3%), and among those with technical training from a college (7%) or from abroad (22%), compared to those with no formal technical training (4%). 1.2 Age The average age of technicians was 38.7, which is only marginally younger than the average age of the Canadian workforce (39 years) as a whole 1. Nevertheless, a substantial proportion (35%) of technicians was over 40. Technicians working in chain or franchise stores were younger, on average, than those in either independent community pharmacies or health care institutions. Health care institutions had the greatest proportion of older technicians, with 43% being over 40, compared to just 28% of technicians in chain or franchise pharmacies. Age by Employment Setting 100% 80% % 40% 20% 0% All Technicians Chain/Franchise Pharmacy Independent Pharmacy Hospitals/ Long-term Care < 24 years years years years 50+ years 1. Statistics Canada. Labour Force1 Indicators by Age Group, 2001 Counts, for Canada, Provinces and Territories - 20% Sample Data. Available: &Table=1&StartRec=1&Sort=2&B1=Counts01 (accessed April 9, 2007). The Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Canada: Roles, Demographics and Attitudes 7

14 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants 1.3 Distribution by Province The largest proportion of survey respondents were from Ontario (34%), with another 32% coming from the two most western provinces (16% were from each of British Columbia and Alberta). Manitoba and Saskatchewan together accounted for only 9% of respondents, while another 17% came from the Atlantic provinces. Just 8% of respondents were from Quebec, which is lower than expected, given that some 23% of Canada s pharmacists are licensed in that province. It would appear that technician response rates were higher in provinces (i.e., Ontario, British Columbia) where there has been active discussion of changes in education, certification or roles of pharmacy technicians. NB 7% Provincial Breakdown QC 8% NS 5% PE 1% ON 34% NL 3% BC 16% AB 16% SK 4% MN 5% 1.4 Where Employed Just over half the responding technicians (53%) worked in a community pharmacy while 44% were employed in a hospital or long-term care facility. A few (3%) worked in other settings, such as the Department of National Defence, as a college teacher or in the head office of a pharmacy company. Of those technicians working in community pharmacies, many more were from chain or franchise stores (37%) than from independent community pharmacies (16%). About 12% reported working in more than one location. Employment Setting 3% Hospital/Long-term Care Facility 16% Community Chain/Franchise Pharmacy 53% Community 37% 44% Community Independent Pharmacy Other Canadian Pharmacists Association

15 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants The distribution of technicians between community and hospital settings varied considerably by province. At least half the technicians responding to the survey from New Brunswick (57%), Alberta (51%) and British Columbia (51%) were employed in hospitals or long-term care facilities. In contrast, about the largest proportion were from community pharmacies in Newfoundland and Labrador (76%), and Saskatchewan (69%). Provincial Breakdown by Employment Setting 100% 80% % % % % Newfoundland & Labrador NovaScotia PrinceEdwardIsland New Brunswick Quebec Ontario M anitoba Saskatchewan Alberta BritishColumbia Other Hospitals/Long-term Care Independent Pharmacies Chain/Franchise Pharmacies 1.5 Community Size Just over half (55%) of the respondents worked in large urban centres, compared to the 45% who worked in small cities, towns or rural areas. Hospital pharmacy technicians were most likely to be located in large cities (59% versus 55% for technicians as a whole). Those working in independent community pharmacies were more likely to be located in rural areas or small towns (51% versus 45% for technicians as a whole). 21% 34% Community Size 10% Rural & Small Towns Small Cities 35% Larger Cities Tor/Mtl/Van The Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Canada: Roles, Demographics and Attitudes 9

16 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants Community Size by Employment Setting 100% 80% % % 20% 0% All Technicians Chain/Franchise Stores Independent Stores 35 6 Hospitals/ Longterm Care Rural Small Centres Large Cities Tor/Mtl/Van 1.6 Hours Worked The vast majority of pharmacy technicians (87%) reported that they were working at least 30 hours per week at their primary work place. A substantial 40% reported working 40 or more hours per week at their primary workplace. Only 13% were working part-time (less than 30 hours per week). >40 _ h Hours Worked 40% <14 - h 2% h 11% Technicians in Saskatchewan (55%), Ontario (45%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (44%) were much more likely to report that they were working 40 or more hours per week. 47% h Canadian Pharmacists Association

17 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants Hours Worked by Employment Setting 100% 80% 60% % 20% 0% Chain Independent Hospital hours or less 15 to 29 hours 30 to 39 hours 40 or more hours Analysis of the findings shows that respondents in a hospital or long-term care setting were less likely to be working full-time hours (defined as 40 hours or more) than their counterparts in community settings. Indeed, technicians in independent pharmacies were more than twice as likely (59%) to be working more than 40 hours each week. The findings also showed that hours worked per week vary little by the size of the community in which the technician is practising, though respondents in rural settings were somewhat more likely to report working more than 40 hours per week. 100% 80% 60% 46 Hours Worked by Community Size % 20% 0% Rural Small Centres Large Cities Tor/Mtl/Van 14 hours or less 15 to 29 hours 30 to 39 hours 40 or more hours The Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Canada: Roles, Demographics and Attitudes 11

18 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants 1.7 Years as Pharmacy Technician One-third (32%) of respondents said they had been working as a pharmacy technician for less than five years. Onequarter (26%) had been technicians for between five and nine years, and just over a quarter (27%) had worked for 10 to 19 years in that job. About 15% had been working as pharmacy technicians for more than 20 years. Technicians in hospitals or long-term care facilities had longer tenure than those in community pharmacies, and those in independent community pharmacies had worked longer than Years as a Pharmacy Technician 20 to 29 yrs 13% 10 to 19 yrs 27% 30 + yrs 2% 5to9yrs 26% 0to4yrs 32% those in chain or franchise pharmacies. Five out of 10 respondents (53%) from hospitals and other institutions had worked as technicians for 10 years or more. This compares to only four in 10 (40%) from independent pharmacies and less than three in 10 (28%) from chain or franchise pharmacies. 100% 80% 60% 40% Years as a Pharmacy Technician by Employment Setting % 0% All Technicians Chain/Franchise Pharmacies Independent Pharmacies 23 Hospitals/ Long-term Care 0-4 years 5-9 years years >20 years Canadian Pharmacists Association

19 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants There were fewer technicians who recently joined the occupation among respondents in Ontario and Quebec (23% and 28% respectively), compared to those from Manitoba (43%), Prince Edward Island (39%), New Brunswick (37%) and Saskatchewan (37%). 100% 80% 60% 40% Years as a Pharmacy Technician by Provincial Breakdown % % Newfoundland & Labrador NovaScotia Prince Edward Island New Brunswick Quebec Ontario Manitoba S askatchewan Alberta British Columbia 0to4years 5 to 9 years 10 to 19 years >20 years 1.8 Future Plans The majority of pharmacy technicians intended to remain in the occupation for some time. Nearly two-thirds (65%) said they plan to work as a pharmacy technician for 10 or more years, and only 15% said they would leave the job within five years. Male technicians were more likely to say they will leave within five years (26%, versus 14% of women), as were those working in community pharmacies (17%) compared to those in health care facilities (11%). Younger technicians were more likely to say they will leave the occupation (27% of those under 25), as were those who have not worked in the field for very long 27% of those with less than five years in the field say they would leave within five years. Number of Years Planning to be a Pharmacy Technician 10 or more years 65% Less than 1 year 3% 2to4 years 12% 5to9 years 20% The Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Canada: Roles, Demographics and Attitudes 13

20 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants Technicians in the Atlantic provinces were most likely to say they would remain for 10 or more years, while those in the Western provinces were least likely to have plans to stay. Our analysis of the findings showed few significant differences between respondents in different practice settings, though respondents in independent pharmacies were more likely to plan on being a pharmacy technician for 10 or more years than are their counterparts in chain or franchise pharmacies. Number of Years Planning to be a Pharmacy Technician by Employment Setting 100% 80% 60% % 20% 0% Chain Independent Hos p Less than 1 year 5to9years 2to4years 10 or more years ital In terms of differences relating to community size, we noted that rural respondents (72%) were significantly more likely than respondents in large cities (65%) or in Canada s three largest cities (58%) to plan on being a technician for 10 or more years. Number of Years Planning to be a Pharmacy Technician by Community Size 100% 80% 60% % 20% 0% Rural Small Centres Large Cities Tor/Mtl/Van Less than 1 year 2to4years 5to9years 10 or more years Canadian Pharmacists Association

21 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants Number of Years Planning to be a Pharmacy Technician by Province 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Newfoundland & Labrador Nova Scotia Prince Edward Island New Brunswick Quebec Ontario Manitoba S askatchewan Alberta Less than 1 year 2 to 4 years 5 to 9 years 10 or more years British Columbia The percentage of respondents who planned on being technicians for 10 or more years varies considerably by province. Respondents from Saskatchewan (55%) and British Columbia (58%) were least likely to have such long-term intentions, whereas respondents from Prince Edward Island (77%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (75%) were most likely to plan on being a technician for 10 or more years. 1.9 Technical Training When asked to report what statement best described their formal training as a pharmacy technician, almost one in 10 respondents reported they had no formal training as a pharmacy technician (8%), and slightly more than two in 10 had taken courses given by their employers (21%). On the other hand, six in 10 (62%) pharmacy technicians had graduated from a one-year course, either at a private career college (22%) or a community college (40%). Only 7% of respondents had completed a two-year community college program to become a pharmacy technician (reflecting the fact that such programs are relatively new to many provinces). Technical Training Overview Community college 2 yrs 7% Other 2% No formal training 8% Employer training 21% Community college 1 yr 40% Private career college 22% The Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Canada: Roles, Demographics and Attitudes 15

22 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants 1.10 Certification Respondents were asked if they had completed a pharmacy technician certification program, and a variety of types of certification were offered as choices. These ranged from existing, voluntary certification programs offered in certain provinces, to certification in a particular function by one s place of employment. However, it must be noted that the term certification may still have different meanings in certain jurisdictions or workplaces than those choices presented specifically in the survey and, as such, these choices may have been interpreted differently by respondents. It would appear that certified technicians were more likely to respond to the survey, and thus are over-represented in the data. Only about 3000 pharmacy technicians in Ontario (Ontario College of Pharmacists) and another 700 in Alberta (Pharmacy Technician Certification Board of Alberta) have achieved voluntary certification a very small proportion of the total technician workforce. Yet this survey attracted 366 of these certified technicians. Fully 40% of respondents said they had some type of certification. This certification was obtained from a variety of authorities, including the voluntary certification offered by the Ontario College of Pharmacists (18%), the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board of Alberta (10%), by their hospital in a technical function (8%), the US Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (1%), or by some other mechanism (3%). Certification 10% 8% 1% 3% No t Ce r t ifie d Ontario Certified Pharmacy Technician Pharmacy Technician Certification Board of Alberta 40% Certified 18% 60% Certified by Hospital (in a technical function) Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (USA) Other Canadian Pharmacists Association

23 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants Closer analysis of the data revealed that the proportion of respondents who reported being certified varies considerably by employment setting. Whereas nearly half (48%) of respondents in hospital pharmacy settings were currently certified in some way (mostly by the institution or a provincial certifying body), only one-third (33%) of technicians in a community pharmacy were certified. Certification by Employment Setting Other Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (USA) Hospital, Technical Function Pharmacy Technician Certification Board of Alberta Ontario Certified Pharmacy Technician Not Certified Community Hospital 0% % 1.11 Education The level of educational attainment among pharmacy technicians is very diverse. On one hand, 16% have completed only high school, while on the other, 10% have some university education and another 10% have completed a university program. Almost twothirds (64%) have completed a community college diploma or certificate in some field, although not necessarily training related to pharmacy. 100% 80% Education Level by Employment Setting % 40% % 0% 16 All Technicians 22 Chain/Franchise Pharmacies 22 Independent Pharmacies 10 Hospitals/ Long-term Care High School College University Technicians working in health care institutions were most likely to have some college education (69%), while those at chain or franchise pharmacies were least likely to have college education (58%). Just 10% of technicians in health care institutions have only high school education, while 22% of technicians working in community pharmacies have high school education. The Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Canada: Roles, Demographics and Attitudes 17

24 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants 1.12 When Completed Education A substantial proportion of pharmacy technicians have been out of school for some time. Three in 10 (30%) completed their education more than 20 years ago, while another 25% last attended school 10 to 20 years ago. Surprisingly, just one-quarter of the respondents to this survey were recent graduates only 9% completed their education in the last two years, and 16% finished two to four years ago. Of technicians with only a high school education, the largest proportion (58%) completed their education 20 or more years ago. Among technicians with some postsecondary education, only about one-quarter had been out of school for 20 years or more. One-third (31%) of technicians with some college had attended less than four years ago, and one-quarter (24%) of those with university education had attended this recently. 100% Number of Years Since Graduation 80% % % 20% 0% All Technicians High School College University 1yrorless 2-4 yrs ago 5-9 yrs ago yrs a g o 20+ yrs a g o There were significant differences in time since graduation, depending on the technicians work location. One-third (32%) of technicians working in chain or franchise community pharmacies had left school within the past five years, compared to just 19% of technicians in health care institutions. No information was collected on the pursuit of continuing education Canadian Pharmacists Association

25 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants 2.0 Current Job 2.1 Current Tasks Technicians were asked to indicate which of a list of 21 tasks they did regularly. The tasks performed by technicians working in community settings varied considerably from those in hospitals and other health care settings. Community pharmacy technicians nearly all reported doing the same 10 to 12 core tasks. Virtually all community technicians were handling pharmaceutical products: filling and labelling prescriptions, preparing non-sterile products such as topicals, reconstituting products such as antibiotics, and maintaining inventory by restocking. Nine out of 10 were making compounding or dosage calculations. Nearly all were also working with patient information: collecting patient information such as age and allergies, and entering prescriptions into a database. Eight out of 10 community pharmacy technicians were also verifying the accuracy and completeness of prescription information. In addition, nine out of 10 community technicians were performing clerical duties such as invoicing and dealing with third-party billing. Seven in 10 were also demonstrating equipment such as blood glucose monitoring equipment or ambulatory aids. Nine out of 10 technicians in community pharmacies said they regularly released repeat prescriptions to patients, while 90% reported they released filled prescriptions (new) to the patient with pharmacist counsel, and 29% reported they released filled prescriptions (new) to the patient without pharmacist counsel. The hospital-based respondents reflected the very different work setting in which they practise as they indicated which of the functions they currently carry out. As a whole hospital-based respondents were less likely to be working directly with the pharmaceutical products, and much less likely to be dealing with patient or prescription information. They also had significantly less patient contact. Less than six in 10 hospital technicians said they regularly released repeat prescriptions, and only about four in 10 released new prescriptions (with pharmacist counsel). Selected Current Tasks (1) 100% 80% 60% 40% % 0% Fill Rxs Prep non-sterile prods Reconstitute prods Maintain Inventory Retail Hospital Compoundingcalcs Enter Rxs in database Collect patient info ReleaserepeatRxs Verify Rx info Release new Rxs - wt Pharm Counsel The Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Canada: Roles, Demographics and Attitudes 19

26 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants Hospital technicians also differed in that they often performed other kinds of tasks rarely done in community settings. Eight out of 10 hospital pharmacy technicians were controlling or distributing narcotics, packaging or pre-packaging medications such as unit doses, and replenishing ward stock, unit dose carts, or drug kits and trays. More than seven in 10 hospital technicians were preparing sterile products such as intravenous mixtures, parenteral nutrition, or chemotherapy tasks rarely done in a community setting. Six in 10 hospital technicians were replenishing automated dispensing equipment, infusion or compounding devices. Three-quarters of hospital pharmacy technicians (74%) were checking the accuracy and completeness of pharmaceutical products prepared by other technicians, almost twice the number of community technicians. About one in four technicians reported that they regularly released new, filled prescriptions to the patient without pharmacist counsel. The proportion doing this was marginally higher in community pharmacies (29%) than in hospital and long-term care settings (23%). Selected Current Tasks (2) 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% % Clerical duties Demo/sell equip Control narcotics Retail Hospital Packagemeds Check other techs Replenish ward stock Useauto dispensing equip Supervise other techs Prep sterile prods Releasenew Rxs-nocounsel 2.2 Number of Staff at Pharmacies Technicians were asked to record the number of full-time and part-time technicians and pharmacists working at their primary workplace. Given the substantial difference between community and hospital staff sizes, we report these numbers separately to avoid presenting a skewed average figure across all employment settings. Survey respondents reported an average (mean) of 2.1 part-time technicians and 2.5 full-time technicians per community pharmacy (chain and independent). Assuming the average part-time technician works half a regular workweek, this yields an average of 3.4 technician Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) per community pharmacy Canadian Pharmacists Association

27 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants In contrast, the survey showed an average (mean) of 7.5 part-time technicians and 15 fulltime technicians per hospital pharmacy (including long-term care facilities). Assuming the average part-time technician works half a regular workweek, this yields an average of 18.5 technician FTEs per hospital pharmacy. Technician respondents also reported an average of 3 pharmacists (full- and part-time) per community pharmacy, for a ratio of 1.13 technician FTEs per pharmacist in community settings. In hospital settings, technicians reported an average of 14 pharmacists (full- and part-time), for a slightly higher ratio of 1.32 technician FTEs per pharmacist in a hospital setting. As the following tables summarize, these numbers are quite consistent with those generated through the survey of pharmacists that was also part of this study. According to Technicians According to Technicians Reported Number of Technicians on Staff Chain Indep. Commun. Hosp. n= Part-time Average Full-time Average Combined Average (FTEs) Reported Number of Pharmacists on Staff Chain Indep. Commun. Hosp. n= Part-time Average Full-time Average Combined Average (FTEs) Ratios 1: : 1.32 The Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Canada: Roles, Demographics and Attitudes 21

28 Part I - Responses to National Survey of Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants According to Pharmacists Reported Number of Technicians on Staff Chain Indep. Commun. Hosp. n= Part-time Average Full-time Average Combined Average Reported Number of Pharmacists on Staff n= Part-time Average Chain Indep. Commun. Hosp Full-time Average Combined Average Ratios 1: : 1.10 * Pharmacists were asked to report on both current and vacant positions at their primary place of employment. The figures in this table add the two together Canadian Pharmacists Association