Implementation of a pharmacy technician career ladder and pharmacy technician training program

Abstract

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Purpose: To describe the implementation of a pharmacy technician career ladder and internal technician training program at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida.

Summary: As the systems for providing care and receiving reimbursement become more complex, the ability to deliver comprehensive care in the most efficient and effective manner is critical. In order to maximize impact, pharmacists must practice at the top of their license. Recruitment and retention practices that support an optimized pharmacy technician workforce and continued expansion of technician roles are vital to advancement of pharmacy practice. This report describes the efforts to improve technician recruitment, professional development, and retention through the implementation of a technician career ladder and internal training program. The programs contributed to a reduction in technician rolling 12-month turnover rates from 26.72% in July 2015 to 13.1% in March 2023 (a reduction of 51%). Overtime hours as a percentage of total hours worked were reduced from 11.02% in July 2015 to 4.54% in March 2023 (a reduction of 59%). Improvements were noted in pharmacy technician job satisfaction, as evidenced by key employee engagement indicators including responses to the posed statement "Overall, I am a satisfied employee," with a mean score of 3.32 (on a scale of 0-5) in 2015 as compared to 4.2 in 2019 (a 21% increase).

Conclusion: Implementation of a pharmacy technician career ladder and technician training program creates a sustainable and effective recruitment and retention pathway that may favorably impact technician job satisfaction, turnover, and career development opportunities.

Keywords: career mobility; certification; job satisfaction; pharmacy technician; training program; workforce.