Which of the following tasks can a certified pharmacy technician perform?

A certified pharmacy technician can perform a variety of tasks that support the operation of a pharmacy, and one of the key responsibilities is receiving new written or electronic prescriptions and performing data entry. This task is critical in ensuring that prescriptions are accurately entered into the pharmacy's system, which helps to prevent errors and streamline the dispensing process. It is within the training and scope of practice for certified pharmacy technicians to manage data entry tasks under the supervision of a pharmacist.

The ability to legally receive prescriptions and enter data facilitates efficient workflow and allows pharmacists to focus on clinical responsibilities, such as verifying the appropriateness of medication therapy and counseling patients. This task is clearly delineated within the scope of practice for pharmacy technicians, making it an essential function they can perform.

In contrast, conducting patient interviews typically requires a higher level of clinical judgment and direct patient engagement that is generally reserved for pharmacists. Assisting only in the dispensing process is too narrow to encompass the full range of tasks a pharmacy technician can perform, as they are often involved in a variety of roles beyond just dispensing. Finally, managing pharmacy inventory alone would generally require oversight and is not typically assigned solely to pharmacy technicians without pharmacist supervision, as it involves regulatory compliance and potentially controlled substances.