from RN to Pharmacy tech

Hi everybody,
I'm an RN for 2.5 years now working on medical oncology floor. The way I see things are done in hospital, and how stressful and disrespectful nursing is, I'm thinking about career change before I get too old. I can't force myself going to hospital anymore. I'm thinking about becoming Pharmacy Technician, because I could use a lot of my knowledge there and not have to deal with patients. Do you know anybody who quit nursing and started a new career and is happy now? What do you know about the job as a Pharmacy Technician?
Well, the obvious issue is that you're paid two to three times less as a CPhT.

Hi there!I am suprised to see licensed nurses wanting to step down! from nursing to pharmacy tech work. If you knew what I know (someone who works in that field already) I would suck it up as a nurse and run with the $money! Remember, many of us are trying to get what you already have!Best of luck!Neem

Most pharmacy techs I know work for barely over minimum wage at chain drug stores like CVS, Walgreens, etc... I would consider working for another place than a hospital before I give up altogether. RNs have many more opportunities and I would try and discover those first before throwing in the towel.

Hi...I was a pharm tech for 8 years, and maybe it was just my facility, but it's not exactly stress free, either. Contrary to popular belief, we don't just count pills. I was an IV tech and I made ALL of the IV fluids for the ENTIRE hospital. Albeit a small hospital, but nonetheless I made them all and was accountable for all of my work including TPNs. I was responsible for checking pharmacist calculations, checking my work for precipitate, etc. Plus, when I left I was making $16 per hour. Why not just switch to another area of nursing? Maybe an area where you do mainly clinical work? I was a tech for so long that I felt like some of my work had migrated into mindless. Plus, I was beginning to train pharmaCISTS that were half my age or the same age which was a little depressing to me and damaging to my pride. I would just think twice about it. The grass is always greener on the other side.

My ex husband is a pharmacy tech. He worked at a good neighbor pharmacy for over a yr and left making $10.50 an hr. He now works at an insurance company doing prior auth started at $14 now making around $16. No where near what nurses make low $30's ro mid $40's. So if money is not important and you are just looking for a little bit less stress (not a whole lot less according to him) then go for.

Quote from TracylvnMy ex husband is a pharmacy tech. He worked at a good neighbor pharmacy for over a yr and left making $10.50 an hr. He now works at an insurance company doing prior auth started at $14 now making around $16. No where near what nurses make low $30's ro mid $40's. So if money is not important and you are just looking for a little bit less stress (not a whole lot less according to him) then go for.

A friend of mine who I graduated nursing school with used to be a pharmacy tech. She loved it. She constantly says "I wish they would pay me RN pay to be a pharmacy tech" They do make MUCH less money than nurses. If you can live on a pharm tech salary, then I say go for it. If you dont like it, you can always go back into nursing as long as you keep up your license and CEU's. Life is too short to be miserable. Im miserable being a nurse, hoping to later go back to school. But I cant afford to make less money than I make now.

Do consider switching to per diem if you are not totally burned out of nursing. Simply working less has done wonders for me. You would earn more than a pharmacy tech working less than full time.

Thank you all who replied to my thread for your opinion. I have to agree with you all saying that switching from RN to pharmacy tech is a step backward. My unit in the hospital is so short of RNs on nights that many times I'm the only RN scheduled and then I have to be in charge every time ( because I'm the only floor nurse) and of course have patients and work with float nurses or other unit nurses or travellers that I don't even know. That really stresses me out. But when I think how hard I studied for my license and how hard nowadays is to get into nursing school... and I'm currently working prn and have really flexible schedule and just working 2 shifts per week gives me 50 000$ a year I think I just have to find a better unit and stick with it.

Quote from pagandeva2000Did your ex-husband also experience stress from being a pharmacy tech? I always did wonder about the physical and emotional conditions of their position.

Quote from pagandeva2000Did your ex-husband also experience stress from being a pharmacy tech? I always did wonder about the physical and emotional conditions of their position.

i've worked as a pharmacy tech for 3 years and if you think its stress free you're crazy. Between the customers that are ****** off at you because the insurance denied their claim, people made at you for making them wait for 20 minutes to get their prescription, all the drug seekers that are always bugging you, and the phone that never stops ringing it is NOT what I would want to do for a career.