excpt day 1

BID

Twice daily

TID

Three times daily

QID

Four times daily

QD

Once daily

PRN

As needed

PO

By mouth/orally

Q4H

Every 4 hours

Q6H

Every 6 hours

Q8H

Every 8 hours

Q12H

Every 12 hours

qAM

Every morning

qPM

Every evening

HS/qHS

At bedtime

AC

Before meals

PC

After meals

SL

Sublingual/under the tongue

PR

Rectally

TOP

Topically

INH

Inhalation

IM

Intramuscular

IV

Intravenous

SQ/SC

Subcutaneous

OD

Right eye

OS

Left eye

OU

Both eyes

AD

Right ear

AS

Left ear

AU

Both ears

gtt

drops

tab

tablet

cap

capsules

ung

ointment

susp

suspension

soln

solution

1 teaspoon = ___ mL

5

1 tablespoon = __ mL

15

1 fluid ounce = how many mL

30

1L = _ mL

1000

1g = __ mg

1000

1mg = __ mcg

1000

0.5g = ___mg

500

2.5 g = ? mg

2500

500 mcg = ? mg

0.5

750 mcg = ? mg

0.75

0.25 mg = ? mcg

250

U-100 insulin concentration

100 until/mL

How many units in 10 mL of U-100 insulin

1000

Standard refrigerator temperature

2–8°C / 36–46°F

DAW

dispense as written

NDC

National Drug Code; identifies a drug product/package

Medication reconciliation

Creating the most accurate possible list of a patient's medications and comparing it with current orders to identify discrepancies.

Pharmacy technician's role in medication reconciliation

Gather and document medication information for pharmacist review; do not independently make clinical decisions.

MTM

Medication Therapy Management; services intended to optimize medication use and improve therapeutic outcomes.

Technician's role in MTM

Assist with administrative tasks, collect information, schedule/follow up with patients, and support the pharmacist.

Compliance aid

Device or system designed to help a patient take medications correctly and consistently.

Examples of compliance aids

Pill organizers, blister packs, timers, reminder systems, lock boxes.

Retail/community pharmacy

Outpatient setting primarily dispensing prescriptions directly to patients.

Inpatient pharmacy

Pharmacy serving hospitalized patients, often using unit-dose medications, IV preparations, and medication distribution systems.

Long-term-care pharmacy

Pharmacy serving facilities such as nursing homes and assisted-living settings.

Mail-order pharmacy

Pharmacy that processes and ships medications to patients, commonly in extended supplies.

Compounding pharmacy

Pharmacy preparing customized medications when commercially available products do not meet a patient's needs.

PAR level

Predetermined inventory quantity used to trigger replenishment.

Just-in-time inventory

Ordering products close to when they are needed to reduce excess inventory.

Fast-moving inventory

Products dispensed frequently and therefore requiring more frequent replenishment.

Slow-moving inventory

Products dispensed infrequently and generally maintained in smaller quantities.

Why rotate inventory?

To place earlier-expiring products where they will be used first and reduce waste.

SDS

Safety Data Sheet; provides information about hazards, handling, storage, PPE, exposure response, and disposal of chemicals.

What replaced the older term MSDS?

SDS, or Safety Data Sheet.

When should a technician consult an SDS?

When information is needed about safe handling, exposure, spill response, PPE, or disposal of a hazardous chemical/product.

Orange Book

FDA publication/database used to identify approved drug products and therapeutic-equivalence information.

What does an “A” therapeutic-equivalence rating generally indicate?

The product is considered therapeutically equivalent to the reference product.

Therapeutic equivalence

Pharmaceutical equivalents for which bioequivalence has been demonstrated and that are expected to have the same clinical effect and safety profile under labeled conditions.

Pharmaceutical equivalents

Drug products containing the same active ingredient(s), dosage form, route, and strength.

Bioequivalence

No significant difference in the rate and extent to which the active ingredient becomes available at the site of action under similar conditions.

What type of information can the Orange Book help determine?

Whether approved generic equivalents exist and their therapeutic-equivalence codes.

Red Book in the NHA blueprint

Pediatric infectious-disease reference from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Drug Facts and Comparisons

Drug-information reference used for medication information and comparisons.

Clinical Pharmacology

Electronic drug-information reference.

UpToDate

Clinical decision-support reference containing evidence-based medical information.

Ident-A-Drug

Resource used to identify unknown tablets/capsules by characteristics such as imprint, color, and shape.

Handbook on Injectables

Reference used for injectable-drug compatibility, stability, preparation, and administration information.

Poison Control Centers

Provide expert guidance regarding poisonings, overdoses, exposures, and toxic substances.

Food and Drug Act of 1906

Early federal law addressing adulterated and misbranded foods and drugs.

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938

Expanded FDA authority and required evidence of drug safety before marketing.

What major event helped lead to the 1938 FD&C Act?

The sulfanilamide elixir disaster.

Kefauver-Harris Amendment of 1962

Required manufacturers to demonstrate drug effectiveness as well as safety and strengthened drug regulation.

Drug Listing Act of 1972

Established requirements related to drug establishment registration and listing, including the NDC system

DSCSA

Drug Supply Chain Security Act.

Main purpose of DSCSA

Improve tracing and security of prescription drugs through the U.S. supply chain and help detect suspect or illegitimate products.

Another name commonly used for DSCSA requirements

track-and-trace.

Medicare Modernization Act

Federal legislation that created Medicare Part D prescription-drug coverage.

CMS

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

CMS role

Administers major federal healthcare programs, including Medicare and working with states on Medicaid

OSHA

Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

OSHA's pharmacy-related role

Workplace safety, including exposure to hazardous materials, bloodborne pathogens, and other occupational risks.

EPA

Environmental Protection Agency.

EPA relevance to pharmacy

Environmental regulation, including certain hazardous-waste and disposal requirements.

The Joint Commission

Independent organization that accredits and certifies healthcare organizations and establishes patient-safety/quality standards.

State Board of Pharmacy

State regulatory body overseeing pharmacy practice, licensing, and pharmacy-related regulations.

Department of Health (DOH)

Government health agency involved in public-health regulation and programs.