Dividing opinions - Reviewing the future calculation curriculum in pre-registration pharmacy technician teaching in England and Wales

Introduction

Pharmacy Technician practice is continually evolving, yet many areas of the curriculum have stayed the same- including pharmaceutical calculations. This study aimed to review and discuss the teaching and examination of selected calculations within the Certificate in Higher Education in Pharmacy Technician Practice taught in England and Wales.

Methods

Qualified pharmacy technicians, who are current or previous educational supervisors to pre-registration pharmacy technicians, were invited to focus groups to discuss the teaching of four calculations previously highlighted as rarely or never used in the workplace by pharmacy technicians. The calculations discussed were moles, molarity, displacement values and dilutions. After discussing each individual calculation, participants voted to either: 1) continue teaching and examination 2) continue teaching and do not examine 3) remove from teaching/examination and teach as a post-qualification advanced course 4) remove from teaching/examination and do not teach in post-qualification. Voting results and transcripts from the focus groups were analysed using descriptive statistics and framework analysis.

Results

The participants, who were all hospital based, agreed that teaching of these calculations should be reconsidered. Most felt that they should be included as part of the scientific understanding for each concept rather than examined individually. There was no expectation that these calculations would be undertaken by newly qualified pharmacy technicians.

Conclusion

The evolution of healthcare practice means that certain calculations are no longer a routine part of modern pharmacy technician practice. We have highlighted that the teaching and examination of these should be reviewed and altered for future students.