Pharmacy Operations

Question 1

How many members serve on the state board of pharmacy, and how long is each term of service?

Answer 1

11 members
6 years

Question 2

How many public members (non-pharmacists) and how many pharmacists serve on the board of pharmacy?

Answer 2

7 pharmacists
1 pharmacy technician
3 public members (non-pharmacists)

Question 3

What is the name of the agency that issues pharmacist licenses?

Answer 3

Texas Board of Pharmacy

Question 4

What is the minimum age to become a licensed pharmacist?

Answer 4

18 years

Question 5

What exams are required for pharmacist licensure?

Answer 5

NAPLEX and MPJE

Question 6

How long does a pharmacist have to notify the board of a change in name, home address or employer?

Answer 6

10 days

Question 7

How often is the pharmacist license renewed?

Answer 7

Every two years after the initial renewal

Question 8

What are the continuing education (CE) requirements for general pharmacist license renewal?

Answer 8

Texas requires pharmacists to complete 30 contact hours (3.0 CEU) of approved CE per license renewal period, which must include the following topics:

Topic Required hours Timeframe
Texas Pharmacy Laws or Rules 1 hour Every renewal
Human Trafficking Prevention At least 1 hour Every renewal
Prescribing and Monitoring Controlled Substances 2 hours First 12 months only

Question 9

If a pharmacist’s license lapses, what action can be taken to reinstate the license?

Answer 9

Expired for ≤ 90 days: apply for renewal, pay 1.5 times the renewal fee and report the completion of the required CPE hours.

Expired for 91-364 days: apply for renewal, pay 2 times the renewal fee and report the completion of the required CPE hours.

Expired ≥ 1 year: apply for a new license and retake the MPJE.

Question 10

What are the requirements to become a nuclear pharmacist?

Answer 10

Complete the specialized training requirements (below) and be named on a Texas radioactive material license.

Specialized training requirements include:
Meet minimal standards of training and experience in accordance to Texas Regulations for Control of Radiation of the Radiation Control program
Be a licensed pharmacist in the state of Texas
Submit to the board one of the following:
Written certification of board certification as a nuclear pharmacist by the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties OR
Written certification signed by an authorized nuclear pharmacist preceptor of sufficient competency to independently operate as a nuclear pharmacist and completion of 700 hours in an educational program (200 hours of didactic training and 500 hours of supervised experience).

Question 11

What are the requirements to serve as a pharmacist preceptor?

Answer 11

Have an active license to practice pharmacy in Texas
Have at least 1 year of experience as a licensed pharmacist or completed 6 months if completing a residency program.
Complete 3 hours of pharmacist preceptor training within the previous 2 years for initial certification or 3 hours of pharmacist preceptor training within the pharmacist’s current license renewal period to continue certification.
Submit an application to the board of pharmacy.

Question 12

Is fingerprinting required for pharmacist intern registration and/or pharmacist licensure?

Answer 12

Yes.

Fingerprinting is required in order to register as a pharmacist intern as well as to obtain a pharmacist license.

Question 13

Are interns required to have a criminal background check?

Answer 13

Yes

Question 14

When does an intern license expire?

Answer 14

1) When a student voluntarily or involuntarily ceases enrollment in a college/school of pharmacy.

2) If the student fails the NAPLEX or Texas MPJE or both within 6 calendar months after graduation.

3) If the student fails to take either the NAPLEX or Texas MPJE or both within 6 calendar months after graduation.

Question 15

How many experiential intern hours are required?

Answer 15

The Texas Board of Pharmacy requires the number of intern hours required by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).

Pharmacist-intern student: 300 IPPE hours + 1,440 APPE hours
Extended pharmacist-intern: 1,740 experiential hours

Question 16

What type of intern hours are required?

Answer 16

No more than 600 hours of the required 1,500 hours may be obtained under a healthcare professional preceptor except when a pharmacist-intern is working in a federal government pharmacy.

Question 17

What is the ratio of interns for each pharmacist in a community/hospital setting?

Answer 17

1 intern to 1 pharmacist

Question 18

Under what conditions can the number of interns per pharmacist increase?

Answer 18

There is no limit on the intern to pharmacist ratio for preceptors supervising intern-trainees and student-interns as a part of a Texas college/school of pharmacy program.

Question 19

What is the minimum age to become a pharmacy technician?

Answer 19

There is no minimum age requirement; an individual must have a high school or equivalent diploma (e.g., GED) or be working to obtain such a diploma to become a pharmacy technician. An applicant cannot be working to obtain such a diploma for more than 2 years.

Question 20

Do technicians have to be licensed or registered with the board of pharmacy?

Answer 20

Technicians must be registered with the Texas Board of Pharmacy.

Question 21

What exams or certifications are required for all technicians?

Answer 21

Pharmacy technicians must have PTCB or ExCPT certification to obtain initial registration.

Question 22

What is the higher-level designation for pharmacy technicians, and what training or examination is required for this designation?

Answer 22

Texas designates individuals as pharmacy technicians (higher-level) or pharmacy technician trainees.

To register as a pharmacy technician, an individual must have taken and passed a pharmacy technician certification exam.

Question 23

What activities are pharmacy technicians allowed to perform?

Answer 23

Pharmacy technicians can only perform nonjudgemental technical duties under the direct supervision of a pharmacist. This includes:
Initiating and receiving refill authorization requests
Entering prescription data into a data processing system
Taking a stock bottle from the shelf for a prescription
Preparing & packaging prescription drug orders (eg, counting tablets and placing them in a prescription container)
Affixing prescription labels and auxiliary labels to the prescription container
Reconstituting medications
Prepackaging and labeling prepackaged drugs
Loading bulk unlabeled drugs into an automated dispensing system (the pharmacist must first verify the system is properly loaded before use)
Loading prepackaged containers previously verified by a pharmacist or manufacturer’s unit of use packages into an automated dispensing system
Compounding non-sterile prescription drug orders and bulk non-sterile preparations
Receive oral prescription drug orders for dangerous drugs and reduce the order to writing (either manually or electronically)
Transfer or receive a transfer of prescription information for a dangerous drug on behalf of a patient
Contact a prescriber for information regarding an existing prescription for a dangerous drug

Question 24

What is the ratio of technicians for each pharmacist in a community setting?

Answer 24

1 pharmacist to 6 technicians/technician trainees (maximum of 3 technician trainees to 1 pharmacist)

If a class A pharmacy dispenses no more than 20 different prescription drugs and does not perform sterile compounding, the pharmacist can supervise 5 technicians/technician trainees (maximum of 1 technician trainee)

Question 25

What is the ratio of technicians for each pharmacist in a nuclear pharmacy?

Answer 25

1 authorized nuclear pharmacist to 6 technicians/trainees, provided at least 3 of the 6 are pharmacy technicians and are trained in the handling of radioactive materials. The ratio may not exceed 1 authorized nuclear pharmacist to 3 pharmacy technician trainees.

Question 26

What are the requirements for pharmacy staff identification badges?

Answer 26

All pharmacy personnel must wear a badge or tag with the individual's name and job title (e.g., pharmacy technician trainee, pharmacy technician, pharmacist intern or pharmacist).

Question 27

What organization operates the impaired pharmacist recovery program?

Answer 27

The Professional Recovery Network (PRN)

Question 28

What healthcare professionals can enroll in the state’s impaired pharmacist recovery program, and can they self-enroll?

Answer 28

Texas-licensed pharmacists, pharmacy students, dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, veterinarians, and optometrists. Yes, professionals can self-enroll in the program.

Question 29

Are a mail-order pharmacy’s hours and/or toll-free number required to be listed on the prescription container labeling?

Answer 29

Yes, a toll-free number must be listed on the prescription container or a separate document delivered with the prescription container.

Question 30

Are mail-order pharmacies required to be open for a defined number of days and hours per week?

Answer 30

No

Question 31

What is the name of the inspection or assessment form/s used by pharmacists?

Answer 31

Texas Pharmacy License Application, Pre-Inspection Checklist

Question 32

Who is required to complete the pharmacy inspection or assessment form and how often does it need to be completed?

Answer 32

The form must be completed by the pharmacy owner and pharmacist-in-charge when applying for a new pharmacy license.

Question 33

Is the pharmacy inspection or assessment form sent to the board or kept at the pharmacy (if kept at the pharmacy, for how long)?

Answer 33

Sent to the Board of Pharmacy

Question 34

Are licenses required to be displayed in public view (if so, which licenses must be displayed)?

Answer 34

Yes, the license under which the pharmacy operates and the license of the pharmacist-in-charge must be displayed in full public view. A pharmacy shall maintain and make available to the public on request proof that each pharmacist, pharmacist-intern, pharmacy technician, and pharmacist technician trainee working in the pharmacy holds the appropriate license or registration.

Question 35

What are the space/environmental requirements for a Class A (community) pharmacy?

Answer 35

Each Class A pharmacy must meet the following space requirements: 1) A sink with hot and cold running water (exclusive of restroom facilities). 2) If serving the general public, must contain an area that is suitable for confidential patient counseling. The area must be easily accessible to patients and pharmacists and not allow patient access to prescription drugs. 3) The pharmacy must be properly lighted and ventillated. 4) The temperature shall be maintained within a range compatible with the proper storage of drugs, including the temperature of refrigerators. 5) If the pharmacy has flammable materials, the pharmacy shall have a designated area for the storage of flammable materials. 6) Animals, including birds and reptiles, shall not be kept within the pharmacy and in immediately adjacent areas under the control of the pharmacy.

Question 36

What are the equipment/supply requirements for a Class A (community) pharmacy?

Answer 36

Equipment/supplies: 1) A data processing system including a printer or comparable equipment 2) Refrigerator 3) Adequate supply of child-resistant, light-resistant, tight, and if applicable, glass containers 4) Adequate supply of prescription, poison, and other applicable labels 5) Appropriate equipment necessary for the proper preparation of prescription drug orders 6) Metric-apothecary weight and measure conversion charts

Question 37

What are the reference library requirements for a Class A (community) pharmacy?

Answer 37

A reference library shall be maintained which includes the following in hard-copy or electronic format: 1) Texas State Laws and Rules for the Texas Pharmacy Act, Texas Dangerous Drug Act and the Texas Controlled Substances Act 2) Federal Controlled Substances Act and rules (or official publication describing the requirements of the Federal Controlled Substances Act and rules) 3) A patient prescription drug information reference text or leaflets which are designed for the patient and must be available to the patient 4) At least one current or updated general drug information reference which is required to contain drug interaction information including information needed to determine the severity or significance of the interaction and appropriate recommendations or actions to be taken 5) If the pharmacy dispenses veterinary prescriptions, a general reference text on veterinary drugs 6) Basic antidote information and the telephone number of the nearest Regional Poison Control Center

Question 38

What are the signage requirements for pharmacies?

Answer 38

Pharmacies with walk-in customers: must have a sign directing complaints concerning pharmacy practice to the Board and list the Board's name, mailing address, internet site address, phone number and a toll-free phone number. This can be displayed electronically (type size no smaller than ten-point Times Roman) or provided with each dispensed prescription.

Question 39

What are the advertising limitations for pharmacies?

Answer 39

Can advertise that they compound non-sterile prescription products and may even advertise specific drugs or drug classes. Can advertise comparing generic drugs or biologics to brand name drugs or biologics.

Question 40

Within how many days must a change of pharmacy address, phone number or name be reported to the board?

Answer 40

10 days

Question 41

Within how many days must pharmacy closures be reported to the board?

Answer 41

Within 10 days of closing

Question 42

Within how many days must a pharmacy notify the board that there has been a change in the pharmacist-in-charge?

Answer 42

10 days

Question 43

What are the requirements for emergency kits in long-term care facilities or other institutional facilities (e.g., who refills the kit, what time frame must the kit be filled)?

Answer 43

The provider pharmacy refills the medication kits (pharmacist or pharmacy technician or pharmacy technician trainee under the direct supervision of a pharmacist). The provider pharmacy must conduct an inventory of remote emergency kits on the same day as the provider pharmacy's inventory.

Question 44

What are the regulations for pharmacist breaks or the maximum break duration?

Answer 44

If only one pharmacist is on duty, he/she may leave the prescription department for short periods without closing the prescription department if the following are met: 1) One technician remains in the prescription department. 2) The pharmacist remains on-site and is immediately available. 3) The pharmacist believes the prescription department will remain secure during their absence. 4) Post a notice that the pharmacist is on break and the time the pharmacist will return.

Question 45

During a pharmacist break, does a sign need to be posted that the pharmacist is not on duty?

Answer 45

Yes

Question 46

What intern/technician functions can be done without the presence of a pharmacist?

Answer 46

Technician's that have completed the pharmacy's technician training program and interns can perform the following tasks: 1) Initiate and receive refill requests 2) Enter prescription data into the processing system 3) Remove a stock bottle from the shelf 4) Count or measure medications and place into prescription containers 5) Affix prescription and auxiliary labels to prescription containers 6) Prepack and label prepacked drugs

Question 47

What are the limitations on medication delivery (by couriers, pharmacy employees or by kiosk)?

Answer 47

Prescriptions may be delivered by a pharmacy employee, a common carrier or through U.S. Mail.

Question 48

Are there any limitations on drive-up windows?

Answer 48

No