Who must supervise a pharmacy technician performing a final check off?

A pharmacy technician performing a final check off must be supervised by a pharmacist on duty because the final check off involves verifying that medications are accurately dispensed and that all safety and legal requirements are met. Only a licensed pharmacist possesses the comprehensive knowledge and legal authority to ensure that prescriptions are filled correctly and safely. This supervision is essential for maintaining patient safety, compliance with regulations, and upholding the standards of practice in a pharmacy setting.

Other individuals, such as another technician or a pharmacy intern, may not have the requisite authority or experience to conduct such a critical check, as technicians cannot perform duties that require the professional judgment of a pharmacist. Likewise, while a pharmacy owner may oversee the operations of the pharmacy, they may not necessarily be present in the pharmacy during each transaction or have the appropriate clinical training to conduct final checks. Thus, the requirement for a pharmacist to supervise this process is a key component in ensuring safe and effective pharmacy practice.