Nevada Scorecard

Grading Scale:
A – 85-100%, B – 70-84.9%, C – 55-69.9%, D – 40-54.9%, F – 0-39.9%

Grading Categories & Criteria

Nevada Law

I. Laws
Nevada Revised Statutes

CHAPTER 639 – PHARMACISTS AND PHARMACY
http://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-639.html
NRS 639.0113  “Pharmaceutical technician” defined.  “Pharmaceutical technician” means a person who performs technical services in a pharmacy under the direct supervision of a pharmacist and is registered with the Board.
NRS 639.0115  “Pharmaceutical technician in training” defined.  “Pharmaceutical technician in training” means a person who is:
1.  Registered with the Board in order to obtain the training and experience required to be a pharmaceutical technician; or
2.  Enrolled in a program of training for pharmaceutical technicians that is approved by the Board.
NRS 639.1371  Pharmaceutical technicians: Number permitted; qualifications and registration; authorized activities; regulations.
1.  The ratio of pharmaceutical technicians to pharmacists must not allow more than one pharmaceutical technician to each pharmacist unless the Board by regulation expands the ratio.
2.  The Board shall adopt regulations concerning pharmaceutical technicians, including requirements for:
(a) The qualifications, registration and supervision of pharmaceutical technicians; and
(b) The services which may be performed by pharmaceutical technicians,
Ê to ensure the protection and safety of the public in the provision of pharmaceutical care.
3.  The regulations adopted by the Board pursuant to this section which prescribe:
(a) The qualifications for pharmaceutical technicians must include:
(1) The successful completion of a program for pharmaceutical technicians which is approved by the Board;
(2) The completion of at least 1,500 hours of experience in carrying out the duties of a pharmaceutical technician; or
(3) Any other experience or education deemed equivalent by the Board.
(b) An expanded ratio of pharmaceutical technicians to pharmacists must be appropriate and necessary for a particular category of pharmacy at any time.
(c) The services which may be performed by pharmaceutical technicians must include, without limitation, the:
(1) Removal of drugs from stock;
(2) Counting, pouring or mixing of drugs;
(3) Placing of drugs in containers;
(4) Affixing of labels to containers; and
(5) Packaging and repackaging of drugs.
4.  For the purposes of this chapter, and chapters 453 and 454 of NRS, pharmaceutical technicians may perform acts required to be performed by pharmacists, but only to the extent provided in regulations.

Nevada Administrative Code
CHAPTER 639 – PHARMACISTS AND PHARMACY
http://www.leg.state.nv.us/NAC/NAC-639.html#NAC639Sec240
PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNICIANS
639.240            Requirements for registration of pharmaceutical technicians.
639.242            Registration of pharmaceutical technician in training; affidavit of managing pharmacist.
639.250            Restrictions on supervision.
639.254            Initial and biennial in-service training of pharmaceutical technicians working in or for pharmacy; substitution of continuing education for in-service training.
639.256            Program of training: Approval by Board; testing of pharmaceutical technician in training for presence of alcohol or drug.
639.258            Participation in program of training for pharmaceutical technicians.
PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNICIANS
NAC 639.240  Requirements for registration of pharmaceutical technicians. (NRS 639.070, 639.1371)
1.  No person may perform the duties of a pharmaceutical technician until the person has been issued a certificate of registration.
2.  An applicant for registration as a pharmaceutical technician must:
(a) Be 18 years of age or older;
(b) Be a high school graduate or the equivalent;
(c) Not have been convicted of any felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, dishonesty or the unlawful possession, sale or use of drugs;
(d) Have no history of drug abuse; and
(e) Have complied with one of the following requirements:
(1) The successful completion of a program of training for pharmaceutical technicians, including, but not limited to, a program of training offered by a postsecondary school, that is approved by the Board pursuant to NAC 639.256.
(2) Registration in another state as a pharmaceutical technician if the requirements for registration in that state are equivalent to the requirements of this State.
(3) If the state in which the applicant has been employed does not offer registration, licensure or certification as a pharmaceutical technician:
(I) The successful completion of at least 1,500 hours of experience in a pharmacy in that state performing the duties set forth in paragraph (c) of subsection 3 of NRS 639.1371 during the 3 years immediately preceding the date on which his or her application was submitted;
(II) The successful completion of at least 350 hours of employment in a pharmacy in this State; and
(III) The acquisition of a written statement to the Board from the managing pharmacist of the pharmacy referred to in sub-subparagraph (II) stating that the applicant, during his or her employment, demonstrated competence to perform the tasks assigned to him or her.
Ê Such an applicant must register as a pharmaceutical technician in training before he or she completes the requirements of sub-subparagraph (II).
(4) The successful completion of at least 1,500 hours of training and experience as a pharmaceutical technician in training. A pharmaceutical technician in training may accumulate certified hours of training from each place of employment.
(5) The successful completion of a program of training for pharmaceutical technicians conducted by a branch of the Armed Forces of the United States.
(6) Certification by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians as a pharmacy technician if:
(I) The applicant successfully completes a program of training for pharmaceutical technicians conducted by a postsecondary school in another state; and
(II) The program is accredited or otherwise approved by the appropriate regulatory authority in that state.
3.  An applicant who attended a school outside the United States must submit to an organization which evaluates educational credentials a copy of the transcript of his or her academic record from that school for a determination of whether the grades the applicant received are substantially equivalent to the grades required for an applicant who attended a school, or a program of training for pharmaceutical technicians that is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, in the United States. The applicant must ensure that a copy of the organization’s evaluation of the transcript is submitted to the Board.
4.  Upon receipt of an application and the required fee, the Executive Secretary shall, unless he or she has good cause to deny the registration, issue a certificate of registration to the pharmaceutical technician.
[Bd. of Pharmacy, § 639.200, eff. 6-26-80]—(NAC A 12-3-84; 3-27-90; 11-15-93; 11-9-95; 7-17-96; R012-01, 11-1-2001; R041-04, 5-25-2004; R036-07, 1-30-2008; R121-08, 9-18-2008)
REVISER’S NOTE.
The regulation of the State Board of Pharmacy filed with the Secretary of State on January 30, 2008 (LCB File No. R036-07), which amended this section, contains the following provisions not included in NAC:
“Notwithstanding the provisions of NAC 639.256, if a program of training for pharmaceutical technicians has been approved by the State Board of Pharmacy before January 30, 2008:
1.  The program is not required to be accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists until January 30, 2010; and
2.  An applicant for registration as a pharmaceutical technician may satisfy the requirement set forth in subparagraph (1) of paragraph (e) of subsection 2 of NAC 639.240 if he successfully completes the program not later than January 30, 2010.”

NAC 639.242  Registration of pharmaceutical technician in training; affidavit of managing pharmacist. (NRS 639.070, 639.1371)
1.  An applicant for registration as a pharmaceutical technician in training must:
(a) Be 18 years of age or older;
(b) Be a high school graduate or the equivalent;
(c) Not have been convicted of any felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, dishonesty or the unlawful possession, sale or use of drugs;
(d) Have no history of drug abuse; and
(e) Participate in training while on the job and acquire experience that is commensurate with the duties of his or her employment.
2.  A person may perform the duties of a pharmaceutical technician while the person is receiving the training and experience required by paragraph (e) of subsection 1 if he or she is registered with the Board.
3.  Upon receipt of an application and the required fee, the Executive Secretary shall, unless he or she has good cause to deny the registration, issue a registration certificate for a pharmaceutical technician in training to the managing pharmacist of the pharmacy where the trainee will be employed.
4.  Registration as a pharmaceutical technician in training is effective for 24 months after the date of issuance unless an extension is granted by the Board.
5.  The registration certificate of a pharmaceutical technician in training who is receiving the training and experience required by paragraph (e) of subsection 1 will specify the pharmacy where he or she will be employed. Termination of that employment voids the registration, and the trainee must reapply for registration before his or her services may be used by another pharmacy. This subsection does not prohibit a trainee from accumulating certified hours of training from each place of employment.
6.  The managing pharmacist of the pharmacy where a pharmaceutical technician in training is employed to receive the training and experience required by paragraph (e) of subsection 1 shall file with the Board a signed affidavit certifying:
(a) The number of hours of training and experience the trainee has successfully completed;
(b) The specific training and experience the trainee has completed; and
(c) That the trainee is competent to perform the duties of a pharmaceutical technician.
(Added to NAC by Bd. of Pharmacy, eff. 11-15-93; A 11-9-95; 7-17-96)
NAC 639.254  Initial and biennial in-service training of pharmaceutical technicians working in or for pharmacy; substitution of continuing education for in-service training. (NRS 639.070, 639.1371)
1.  The owner and managing pharmacist of a pharmacy shall provide training for pharmaceutical technicians working in or for the pharmacy that ensures the continuing competency of those technicians. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the training must consist of initial training upon employment and at least 12 hours of in-service training during the 2-year period immediately preceding the renewal of the registration of the pharmaceutical technician. One of the 12 hours of in-service training must be a jurisprudence program approved or presented by the Board that relates to the practice of pharmacy or the law concerning pharmacy in this State.
2.  The managing pharmacist shall maintain a written record of the initial training and the annual training completed by each pharmaceutical technician working in or for the pharmacy that contains:
(a) The name and signature of the person receiving the training;
(b) The date or dates on which the training was received;
(c) The number of hours of training received;
(d) A general description of the topics covered; and
(e) The name of the person or provider conducting the training.
3.  A pharmaceutical technician may substitute the completion of the continuing education necessary for recertification by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians for the biennial in-service training required by subsection 1.
(Added to NAC by Bd. of Pharmacy, eff. 11-15-93; A by R033-02, 5-31-2002; R121-08, 9-18-2008; R016-09, 10-27-2009)

NAC 639.256  Program of training: Approval by Board; testing of pharmaceutical technician in training for presence of alcohol or drug. (NRS 639.070, 639.1371)
1.  A program of training for pharmaceutical technicians must be approved by the Board before it is provided in this State. A request for approval must be filed with the Board. The Board will approve a program only if the program:
(a) Is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists; and
(b) Administers at least one random test for the presence of alcohol or a controlled substance or other drug to each pharmaceutical technician in training before the pharmaceutical technician in training is allowed to participate in any part of the program that involves employment or training in a pharmacy. If the pharmaceutical technician in training tests positive for the presence of alcohol or a controlled substance or other drug for which the pharmaceutical technician in training does not have a lawfully issued prescription or the pharmaceutical technician in training refuses to submit to such a test, the administrator of the program must:
(1) Suspend the pharmaceutical technician in training from participating in any part of the program that involves employment or training in a pharmacy;
(2) Notify the Board that the pharmaceutical technician in training has tested positive for the presence of alcohol or a controlled substance or other drug for which the pharmaceutical technician in training does not have a lawfully issued prescription or has refused to submit to such a test; and
(3) Prevent the pharmaceutical technician in training from resuming participation in any part of the program that involves employment or training in a pharmacy without the approval of the Board.
2.  The Board may refuse to approve a program of training for pharmaceutical technicians or may withdraw its approval of a program at any time for good cause shown.
3.  A program of training for pharmaceutical technicians that is provided outside this State shall be deemed to be approved by the Board if the program is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
4.  For the purposes of this section, “program of training for pharmaceutical technicians” does not include on-the-job training that is provided to a pharmaceutical technician in training by his or her employer.
(Added to NAC by Bd. of Pharmacy, eff. 11-15-93; A by R036-07, 1-30-2008)
REVISER’S NOTE.
The regulation of the State Board of Pharmacy filed with the Secretary of State on January 30, 2008 (LCB File No. R036-07), which amended this section, contains the following provisions not included in NAC:
“Notwithstanding the provisions of NAC 639.256, if a program of training for pharmaceutical technicians has been approved by the State Board of Pharmacy before January 30, 2008:
1.  The program is not required to be accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists until January 30, 2010; and
2.  An applicant for registration as a pharmaceutical technician may satisfy the requirement set forth in subparagraph (1) of paragraph (e) of subsection 2 of NAC 639.240 if he successfully completes the program not later than January 30, 2010.”

NAC 639.258  Participation in program of training for pharmaceutical technicians. (NRS 639.070, 639.1371)
1.  A pharmaceutical technician in training who is registered with the Board may perform the duties of a pharmaceutical technician while he or she is participating in a program of training for pharmaceutical technicians that is approved by the Board pursuant to NAC 639.256. The registration of such a pharmaceutical technician in training:
(a) Will specify the program of training in which he or she is participating; and
(b) Expires when the enrollment of the pharmaceutical technician in the program terminates.
2.  A person who is participating in a program of training for pharmaceutical technicians that is approved by the Board pursuant to NAC 639.256 may be trained in more than one pharmacy as a part of the program.
3.  A pharmacist who is acting as an instructor for a program of training for pharmaceutical technicians that is approved by the Board pursuant to NAC 639.256 may, while acting as an instructor, supervise one pharmaceutical technician in training, in addition to the persons that he or she may supervise pursuant to NAC 639.250, if the additional pharmaceutical technician in training:
(a) Has completed at least 9 months of a program of training for pharmaceutical technicians that is approved by the Board pursuant to NAC 639.256; and
(b) Has not yet successfully completed 240 hours of practical training.
4.  A pharmacist shall not supervise an additional pharmaceutical technician in training pursuant to subsection 3 after that pharmaceutical technician in training has successfully completed 240 hours of practical training.
(Added to NAC by Bd. of Pharmacy, eff. 11-15-93; A 12-13-96; R036-07, 1-30-2008)
REVISER’S NOTE.
The regulation of the State Board of Pharmacy filed with the Secretary of State on January 30, 2008 (LCB File No. R036-07), which amended this section, contains the following provisions not included in NAC:
“Notwithstanding the provisions of NAC 639.256, if a program of training for pharmaceutical technicians has been approved by the State Board of Pharmacy before January 30, 2008:
1.  The program is not required to be accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists until January 30, 2010; and
2.  An applicant for registration as a pharmaceutical technician may satisfy the requirement set forth in subparagraph (1) of paragraph (e) of subsection 2 of NAC 639.240 if he successfully completes the program not later than January 30, 2010.”

The data contained in this 2012 Annual Scorecard are accurate as of December 2012 .  Because statutes and regulations are continually revised, the data are subject to change.  These data have been verified with the state board of pharmacy.  This scorecard is updated on an annual basis in order to incorporate statutory and regulatory changes.  A new scorecard will be issued in July 2013.

Scoring rationale for Education and Training:
In order to protect the public and help ensure patient safety, it is important that pharmacy technicians are properly educated and trained.  The most rigorous training is accredited training.  The sole entity empowered to accredit pharmacy-technician training programs is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).  Please note that this is “programmatic accreditation” – not “institutional accreditation.”  It is the content of the training program – as measured against established standards – that is being evaluated and accredited.  Accredited training is vital to protecting patient safety because it means that a pharmacy-technician training program has met established quality standards to provide assurance and confidence to the public.  For more information, please see http://www.ashp.org/menu/Accreditation/TechnicianAccreditation.aspx.

Scoring rationale for Certification:
Certification is the process by which a nongovernmental agency or association grants recognition to an individual who has met certain predetermined qualifications specified by that agency or association.  This is often determined by an examination process.  Numerous organizations have recommended that the certification exam conducted by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) should be recognized as the sole, nationally-accredited certification exam for pharmacy technician certification – including the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), the Texas State Board of Pharmacy (TSBP), and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In a recent report, NABP recommended that states be encouraged to “recognize certification by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).” Moreover, NABP performed a psychometric audit of the PTCB’s pharmacy technician certification examination (PTCE) in 2001 and determined that the PTCE is psychometrically sound, defensible, and valid. In May 2010, the TSBP awarded the PTCB with the Pharmacy Technician Certification Provider contract in Texas. PTCB was selected for the contract after a rigorous bidding and evaluation process that included formal reviews and evaluations from three independent psychometricians. TSBP confidently recognizes PTCB as the single provider of certification examinations for pharmacy technicians. In addition, in June 2010, the VA began requiring PTCB certification for VA pharmacy technicians employed at grade GS-6 and above.

Scoring rationale for Registration/Licensure:
Registration/licensure is the process by which the state maintains a list of all pharmacy technicians in the state and grants permission for an individual to work as a pharmacy technician in the state based on the applicant’s completion of all pre-requisites to registration/licensure – such as required training and certification.

Scoring rationale for Continuing Education:
Continuing education enables pharmacy technicians to fulfill their professional responsibility to maintain competence and up-to-date knowledge and skills in an environment of technological advances and increasingly complex, new medications and therapies.