Order Entry and Processing: PTCB 2025

What are the non-sterile compounding standards?

USP 795 Regulations

What are ointments?

Oil-based in which they are preparations of water in oil.

What are creams?

Water-based in which they are preparations of oil in water.

What is spatulation?

Mixing of semi-solids and powders on an oil slab by use of a spatula.

What is important to note when mixing for the process of spatulation?

Mixing needs to be geometric, meaning small equal parts of each ingredient are mixed so that all ingredients are integrated to form a uniform mixture.

What is a suspension?

A simple pharmacy mixture that is composed of a medication in powder form that is suspended into a liquid vehicle, typically sterile water.

What is a homogeneous mixture at a desired concentration?

A solute completely dissolved in a solvent.

What is an emulsion?

Two liquid substances that do not mix.

What does immiscible mean?

Liquid substances that do not mix.

What are suppositories?

Solid formulations that are used mostly rectally, but sometimes vaginally.

How are suppositories prepared?

Hand rolling, fusion molding, or compression molding.

What are enemas?

Solution formulations that are used rectally to treat various conditions.

What does Weight/weight (w/w%) mean?

Measured in grams of the ingredient/100 grams of the total product.

What does Volume/volume (v/v%) mean?

Measured in mL of the ingredient/100 mL of the total product.

What does Weight/volume (w/v%) mean?

Measured in grams of the ingredient/100 mL of the total product.

What is a ratio?

Relative value between two numbers.
Ex. 1/2, 1:2 or parts per ratio 1:1:1.

What is a proportion?

Equality of two ratios.
Ex. a:b=c:d, a/b=c/d, a:b::c:d

Volume:
1 tsp=_ mL 1 tbsp=_ mL
1 L=_ dL=_ cL=_ mL=_ mcL
1 mL=~_ drops 1 gal=_ qts
1 fl oz.=_ mL 1 qt=_ pints
1 pt=~____ mL

5 mL, 15 mL, 10 dL, 100 cL, 1000 mL, 1000000 mcL, 20 drops, 4 qts, 29.6 mL, 2 pints, 473 mL

Weight:
1 kg=_ Ib 1 gm=_ dg=_ cg=_ mg=_ mcg 1 grain=_ mg
1 Ib=_ oz 1 Ib=~_ gm

2.2 Ib, 10 dg, 100 cg, 1000 mg, 1000000 mcg, 64.8 mg, 16 oz, 454 gm

Length:
1 inch=____ cm

2.54 cm

What are sig codes and why are they used?

Shorthand abbreviations used on prescriptions to ease the amount of text the prescriber needs to write.

What is the basic format of a sig prescription?

Quantity+ route of administration+ frequency+ other
Ex. 1 TAB PO BID PRN PAIN (take one tablet by mout twice daily as needed for pain)

QOW means?

Every other week

BID means?

Twice daily

TID means?

Three times daily

QID means?

Four times daily

Q4H, Q6H, Q8H, Q12H means?

Every fours hours, every six hours, every eight hours, every twelve hours

Route of administration PO means?

By mouth

SL means?

Sublingually (under the tongue)

BUCC means?

Buccally (inside the cheek)

TOP means?

Topically

SC, SUBQ means?

Subcutaneously

IM means?

Intramuscularly

IV means?

Intravenously

IN means?

Intranasally

ID means?

Intradermally

IT means?

Intrathecally

INH means?

inhale

PV means?

Per vagina or vaginally

PR means?

Per rectum or rectally

Opth means?

Ophthalmic (eye)

Otic means?

Ear

Roman numerals:
I (i)-
V (v)-
X (x)-
L-
C-
D-
M-

One, five, ten, fifty, one hundred, five hundred, one thousand

What does Stat mean?

Immediately

What does PRN mean?

As needed

What does Tab mean?

Tablet

What does Cap mean?

Capsule

What does AAA mean?

Apply to affected area

What does Amp means?

Ampule

What does Gtt mean?

Drop

What does OS, OD, OU mean?

Left eye, right eye, both eyes

What does AS, AD, AU mean?

Left ear, right ear, both ears

What does AM, PM, HS mean?

Morning, evening, bedtime

What does Q mean?

Every

What does UD mean?

As directed

What does C mean?

with

What does AC, PC mean?

Before meals, after meals

What does NPO mean?

Nothing by mouth

What does Preop, postop mean?

Before surgery, after surgery

What does N/S mean?

Normal saline

What does oint, ung mean?

Ointment

What does Sol mean?

Solution

What does Sup mean?

Suppository

What does Susp mean?

Suspension

What does Syr mean?

Syrup

What does Inj mean?

Injection

What does TDS mean?

Transdermal delivery system

What does ODT mean?

Oral Disintegrating Tablet

What does MDI mean?

Metered Dose Inhaler

What does Neb mean?

Nebulization

What does ATC mean?

Around the clock

What does NR mean?

No refill

What does DAW mean?

Dispense as written

What does D/C mean?

Discontinue

What does Diag mean?

Diagnosis

What does Disp mean?

Dispense

What does D5W mean?

Dextrose 5% in water

What is day supply?

The amount of days the medication lasts which is calculated by the pharmacy tech based on the prescribed quantity and direction. There is not day supply however listed if the medication is a maintenance medication meaning it is long term.

When is medication unit dosed into single small packages?

Hospital or inpatient setting

What are prefilled insulin pens?

Calibrated insulin syringes used to administer a patient's insulin.

A diabetic will test their blood sugar by using?

Lancet Device

What is a Lancet Device?

Pricks a patient's finger and draws a small amount of blood.

What is a glucose meter (glucometer)?

Tests glucose levels by taking an associated test strip that has the patient's sample of blood.

What are spacers used for?

Used on the end of inhaler to create a chamber between the inhaler and the patient's mouth.

What are the three district parts of an injectable syringe?

Plunger, barrel, needle

How does an oral syringe differ from an injectable syringe?

There is no needle

What is a drug given on it's packaging during the manufacturing process?

A lot number

Why are lot numbers important?

If a drug needs to be recalled, a lot number is used to track the drug.

What will a drug manufacturer put on a drug's packaging other than a lot number?

Expiration Date

What is the National Drug Code (NDC)?

Three segment, 10 digit number that identifies the manufacturer, product, and packaging size of the drug.

What is on a usage report and why is it important?

Month-to-date usage, year-to-date usage, and last dispensed date. Provides valuable information to determine if the medication should be returned.

It is important for the pharmacy to perform _ and temporarily sticker anything that ___ within the __ with the expiration month.

Monthly shelf checks, expires, calendar year.

What medications are considered good candidates for return?

Dispensable medications and supplies (unopened, maintain good condition, and many months out from their listed expiration date)

If a medication is expired they must be returned how and why?

Returned to reverse distributor to dispose of the medication properly typically by incineration.

What does a credit return do in result?

There is a restocking fee which deducts 10-20% off of the return value of the product.

When does a retail pharmacy return a medication to stock?

When a patient has failed to pick up medication within two weeks.

When is reverse distribution used?

When a drug product is returned to drug manufacturer or authorized distributor for processing or disposal all due to product being outdated or unusable.