certification prep: pharmacy technician overview

A pharmacy technician should recognize that which of the following medications should be flushed for disposal?

Feedback: To prevent accidental exposure, the DEA recommends flushing fentanyl patches.

Fentanyl (Duragesic) patches

A pharmacy technician should identify that which of the following word parts is placed at the beginning of a medical term?

Feedback: A prefix is placed at the beginning of a medical term.

Prefix

Which of the following strategies should a pharmacy technician use to optimize communication with patients?

Feedback: The technician should ask the patient open-ended questions to optimize communication. Asking open-ended questions helps the technician gather more information about the patient, demonstrates empathy for the patient, and invites the patient to be a part of developing her medication plan.

Ask the patient open-ended questions.

A pharmacy technician should dispose of which of the following medications in a hazardous waste bin?

Feedback: Cytotoxic agents are extremely toxic and should be placed in a hazardous waste bin for disposal.

Cytotoxic agents

A pharmacy technician should identify that a varicella vaccine should be stored in which of the following locations?

Feedback: A varicella vaccine should be stored in a freezer because it needs to remain frozen until the time of use.

Freezer

Which of the following federal agencies should a pharmacy staff member contact if controlled substances are stolen from the pharmacy?

Feedback: If controlled substances are stolen from a pharmacy, a pharmacy staff member should contact the DEA and local law enforcement.

DEA

A pharmacy technician should identify that which of the following tasks is a part of medication reconciliation?

Feedback: Obtaining a complete and accurate medication history for a patient is a part of medication reconciliation.

Obtaining medication history

A pharmacy technician should identify that which of the following tasks is within a technician’s scope of practice?

Feedback: Preparing insurance claims for online adjudication is within a technician's scope of practice.

Prepare insurance claims for online adjudication

Which of the following communication techniques should a pharmacy technician use when communicating with a patient at the pharmacy counter?

Feedback: The technician should listen carefully to ensure that the focus of the conversation remains on the patient.

Listen carefully to the patient.

Which of the following tasks should a pharmacy technician complete when assisting a pharmacist with medication therapy management (MTM)?

Feedback: The technician should assist the pharmacist with MTM by scheduling appointments for patients. Technicians should also collect patients' medication and health histories and consent forms.

Schedule patient appointments.

Which of the following forms should a pharmacy technician use to request permission to destroy expired controlled substances?

Feedback: The technician should recognize that DEA Form 41 is used to request permission to destroy expired controlled substances.

DEA Form 41

If a manufacturer refuses to recall a medication and there is clear evidence of risk to human health, a pharmacy technician should recognize that which of the following government agencies can enforce a recall.

Feedback: In the event that a manufacturer refuses to recall a medication and there is clear evidence of risk to human health, the FDA can enforce a recall.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Which of the following references should a pharmacy technician use to look up the compatibility of two intravenous solutions?

Feedback: Trissel's Handbook on Injectable Drugs is a reference guide to solution compatibility.

Trissel’s Handbook on Injectable Drugs

A pharmacy technician should report an adverse drug event to which of the following?

Feedback: FDA MedWatch is a system used for reporting adverse drug events. Therefore, the technician should report an adverse drug event to FDA MedWatch.

FDA MedWatch

Which of the following tasks is within a pharmacy technician’s scope of practice?

Feedback: It is within a pharmacy technician's scope of practice to compound IV chemotherapy medications.

Compound IV chemotherapy medications.

Which of the following references lists the FDA-approved medications and their respective equivalents?

Feedback: The Orange Book is a reference published by the FDA that lists approved medication products and their therapeutic equivalents.

Orange Book

A pharmacy technician should recognize that the prefix “hypo” has which of the following meanings?

Feedback: The technician should recognize that the prefix "hypo" means too little or below. For example, the term "hypoglycemia" means low blood sugar.

Too little or below

Which of the following strategies should a pharmacy technician use when communicating with a patient who speaks a different language?

Feedback: Pictograms are visual illustrations of common instructions and are helpful communication tools to use when interacting with a patient who speaks another language.

Show pictograms.

Based on the prescription below, which of the following directions should a pharmacy technician include on the prescription label for the patient?

Ii tsp po bid ac

Feedback: The technician should recognize that "ii" means 2, "tsp" means teaspoons, "po" means by mouth, "bid" means twice per day, and "ac" means before meals. Therefore, the technician should include on the prescription label the instructions to take 2 teaspoons by mouth twice per day before meals.

“Take 2 teaspoons by mouth twice per day before meals.”

During the final verification of a prescription, what information should a pharmacist confirm?

Feedback: During the final check, the pharmacist verifies the medication name, strength, and directions for use.

Prescription medication directions for use

Which task falls outside the scope of practice for a pharmacy technician?

Feedback: Pharmacy technicians can assist with entering prescriptions, processing refills, and communicating administrative information. However, the final check of a prescription must always be performed by a licensed pharmacist, as it involves clinical judgment and patient safety responsibility.

Performing the final check of a prescription