Academic Catalog

PHT 56: DISPENSING & COMPOUNDING

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Fall 2026
Units: 3
Hours: 2 lecture, 3 laboratory per week (60 total per quarter)
Prerequisite: PHT 50.
Advisory: Not open to students with credit in PHT 56A.
Degree & Credit Status: Degree-Applicable Credit Course
Foothill GE: Non-GE
Transferable: CSU
Grade Type: Letter Grade Only
Repeatability: Not Repeatable

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Document and maintain records of pharmaceutical compounding, dispensing, storage and packaging.
  • Interpret, evaluate and prepare non-sterile solid and liquid pharmaceutical dosage forms for oral and topical use utilizing prescription orders.

Description

General preparation of non-sterile solid, semi-solid, and liquid pharmaceutical dosage forms for enteral and parenteral drug dosage routes. Practical experience in the manipulative and record keeping functions associated with the compounding and dispensing of prescriptions. Study of dosage forms, advantages and disadvantages, uses, storage, and packaging of pharmaceutical products. Intended for students in the Advanced-Level Pharmacy Technician Program; enrollment is limited to students accepted in the program.

Course Objectives

The student will be able to:

  1. Correctly use common pharmaceutical measuring, weighing, and compounding devices.
  2. Demonstrate skills in the use of common equipment and in basic compounding techniques.
  3. Demonstrate a working knowledge of the metric, apothecary, avoirdupois, and household systems to count and measure.
  4. Identify and differentiate between various solid, semi-solid, and liquid dosage forms for enteral and parenteral use, and be able to characterize the advantages and disadvantages of each.
  5. Identify the different storage requirements and safety considerations of various classifications of pharmaceuticals and basic compounding ingredients.
  6. Select proper containers for packaging and dispensing of compounded preparations.
  7. Properly compound, label, and document compounded products.

Course Content

  1. Equipment used in basic non-sterile compounding
    1. Digital balances
    2. Volumetric glassware
    3. Mortars and pestles
    4. Tools used in weighing, measuring, and preparing compounds
  2. Demonstrate skill in compounding techniques
    1. Various types of comminution
    2. Geometric dilution
    3. Levigation
    4. Spatulation
    5. Molding
  3. Review basic measuring systems
    1. Metric
    2. Apothecary
    3. Avoirdupois
    4. Household
  4. Identify and differentiate between different dosage forms for enteral and parenteral routes
    1. Terminology
    2. Basic guidelines for enteral and parenteral dosage forms
    3. Advantages, disadvantages, and uses of various routes and forms
  5. Identify the different storage requirements and safety requirements for pharmaceuticals and basic compounding ingredients
    1. Beyond-use dating
      1. Definition
      2. USP (United States Pharmacopeia) 795 guidelines
        1. Solid formulations
        2. Non-aqueous liquid and semi-solid formulations
        3. Aqueous liquid and semi-solid formulations
    2. Acid, base, and neutral solutions
    3. Organic solvents
  6. Selection of proper containers for packaging and dispensing
    1. Size selection
    2. Physical compatibility requirements
    3. Patient labels and auxiliary label
    4. Professional appearance
  7. Properly compound, label, and document products
    1. Oral dosage forms
      1. Powders
      2. Capsules
      3. Solutions
      4. Troches
      5. Suspensions
      6. Syrups
    2. Topical dosage forms
      1. Lotions
      2. Powders
      3. Balms
      4. Ointments
      5. Suppositories
      6. Pastes
      7. Solutions
    3. Transdermal dosage formulation

Lab Content

  1. Extemporaneous compounding and packaging of: solutions, lotions, balms, ointments, pastes, powders, suppositories, troches, and transdermal products.
  2. Practical dispensing skills focused on patient profiles, product identification, labeling, auxiliary labeling, and packaging of compounded pharmaceuticals.

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

1. Dispensing equipment, compounding equipment, weighing and measuring devices, dispensing containers, labels, and auxiliary labels.
2. Classroom library with generalized and specialized references for non-sterile compounding.

Method(s) of Evaluation

Methods of Evaluation may include but are not limited to the following:

Objective exams
Lab practical exams
Quizzes
Laboratory reports
Oral presentation on commercially available transdermal delivery systems

Method(s) of Instruction

Methods of Instruction may include but are not limited to the following:

Lecture presentations and classroom discussion
Small team/group sessions to discuss laboratory compounding/dispensing concepts

Representative Text(s) and Other Materials

American Pharmacists Association. The Pharmacy Technician, 8th ed.. 2024.

Wilson, Billie A., Margaret T. Shannon, and Kelly Shields. Nurse's Drug Guide 2024. 2024.

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing, and Outside of Class Assignments

  1. Weekly reading assignments from text, lecture notes, and outside sources.
  2. Review of lecture handouts and relevant reading material.
  3. Pre-lab and post lab assignments.
  4. Laboratory reports.

Discipline(s)

Pharmacy Technology