Pharmacy Technician Review – Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the pharmacy technician lecture content.

Prescription

An order for a medication issued by a licensed medical practitioner that may require medical supervision and is filled by a pharmacist.

Medication order

An in-hospital order for medications written by a physician; kept on one sheet for the whole hospital staff to use.

Patient profile

A record of a patient’s prescriptions, demographics, allergies, medical history, and therapeutic goals used to prevent interactions.

NDC (National Drug Code)

A 3-segment code identifying manufacturer, drug name/strength, and package size (e.g., 00535-0934-05).

Formulary

A list of drugs maintained in stock and approved for use; managed by a Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee to control costs.

Formulary system

The framework by which a hospital or pharmacy selects, maintains, and updates drugs in stock.

OBRA 90

Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990; requires pharmacist counseling, Drug Use Evaluation (DUE), and quality assurance.

DUE (Drug Use Evaluation)

Process to ensure medications are used safely, effectively, and appropriately.

ADR (Adverse Drug Reaction)

Any undesirable or unexpected drug reaction; classified as Type A (predictable) or Type B (unpredictable).

DEA number

Drug Enforcement Administration registration code for controlling substances; format two letters and seven digits; used to verify legitimacy.

Schedule II drug

Drugs with high abuse potential and accepted medical use; no refills; new prescription required; examples include many opioids and stimulants.

Schedule III drug

Drugs with lower abuse potential than II; some refills allowed; examples include certain analgesics and combination products.

Schedule IV drug

Drugs with accepted medical use and lower abuse potential; limited refills allowed.

Schedule V drug

Drugs with the lowest abuse potential; often available OTC in some jurisdictions with logging requirements.

Controlled Substances Act (CSA)

1960s-1970s framework regulating manufacture, distribution, and dispensing of controlled drugs; administered by the DEA.

DEA Form 222

Triplicate order form used to purchase Schedule II substances; brown/green/blue copies; valid for 60 days.

50% rule (repackaging)

Repackaged unit-dose expiration date is half the stock bottle’s date, up to a maximum of one year.

Unit-dose

Single-dose packaged medications, typically used in hospitals to reduce errors and control inventory.

Decentralized pharmacy system

Unit-dose stocks located at patient care units for quick access; often paired with floor stock.

Centralized pharmacy system

Central pharmacy fills unit-dose carts; uses automation and bar-coding to dispense.

PXI/PPI (Patient Package Insert)

Mandatory information sheet provided with certain medications (e.g., isotretinoin, some inhalers, OCs) to inform patients.

FDA (Food and Drug Administration)

U.S. agency that regulates drugs, labeling, safety, and efficacy.

Durham-Humphrey Amendment

1980s-era amendment separating prescription (Legend) drugs from OTC and defining labeling requirements.

Kefauver-Harris Amendment

1962 amendment requiring drug safety and efficacy, and stricter advertising and testing rules.

Orange Book

FDA’s Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations; lists therapeutically equivalent drugs.

USP-NF

United States Pharmacopeia/National Formulary; official drug standards and monographs.

Reconstitution

Mixing a dry powder with a liquid to form a solution or suspension.

Reconstituted shelf-life

The duration a reconstituted product remains usable; often shorter than unopened product.

Rx number

Serial number assigned to a specific prescription for tracking and dispensing.

Auxiliary labels

Additional warnings or instructions placed on a container (e.g., shake well, refrigerate).

Aseptic technique

Method to prevent contamination when preparing sterile products; includes laminar flow hoods and PPE.

Laminar flow hood (horizontal)

Air flows horizontally; used for sterile compounding; reliable protection of product and operator.

Laminar flow hood (vertical)

Air flows downward from the top; used to protect the operator from hazardous drugs.

Critical sites (syringe/ needle)

Parts that must not be touched (e.g., needle hub, shaft, plunger) to avoid contamination.

Coring

Rubber from a vial stopper being pulled into a needle during insertion.

Ampules

Glass containers that are snapped open; must use a filter needle when drawing out contents.

Vials

Glass or plastic containers with rubber stoppers; require aseptic technique and proper needle selection.

Repackaging log

Documentation of repackaging events, including drug, lot, expiration, and initials.

Counseling (OBRA content)

Information provided to patients about meds: name, dose, route, duration, side effects, storage, and refill.

Poison Prevention Packaging Act

Requires child-resistant containers for most medications; exemptions apply for emergencies.

Poison log

Record of poison purchases with purchaser information; required by some jurisdictions.

Alligation (tic-tac-toe)

A method for mixing two strengths to achieve a target strength; involves calculating numerators/denominators.

Alligation steps

Steps used to set up a tic-tac-toe grid to compute proportions for mixture recipes.

Flow rate (gtts/min)

Drops per minute; calculated from bag volume, time, and calibration in drops per mL.

Roman numerals in prescriptions

Use of I, V, X, etc. to indicate strength/quantity; subtractive notation rules apply.

Enteric-coated

Tablets with a coating to prevent dissolution in the stomach; dissolve in the small intestine.

Sublingual

Tablet placed under the tongue for rapid absorption and avoidance of first-pass metabolism.

Buccal tablet

Tablet placed between cheek and gum for slow, sustained absorption.

Film-coated tablet

Coated to mask odor/tavor and protect from light/air.

Lozenges (troches)

Dissolve slowly in the mouth to keep drug in contact with mucosa.

Capsules

Drug enclosed in a gelatin shell; capsule shell dissolves in stomach releasing drug.

Solutions, Suspensions, Elixirs, Tinctures

Different liquid dosage forms: solutions (drug dissolved), suspensions (drug dispersed), elixirs (sweetened alcohol), tinctures (high alcohol).

National Drug Code (NDC) structure

First segment = manufacturer; second = drug name/strength; third = package size.

Repackaging expiration (outcome)

When repackaging, the item’s expiration date is the stock bottle’s date halved, up to 1 year.

Auxiliary label examples

Shake well, refrigerate, store upright, take with food, avoid alcohol, etc.

DEX (dispensing safety)

General term for ensuring safe dispensing and reducing patient risk (pharmacy practice).

PPO (not in notes)

Not used in notes; placeholder avoided to avoid confusion.

Drug interactions (types)

Drug-drug, drug-food, and drug-disease interactions that technicians must flag and refer to a pharmacist.

ADME

Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Elimination—four phases of drug movement in the body.

NDC examples

Example format 00535-0934-05; illustrates manufacturer, drug name/strength, package size.

Non-PVC containers

Some IV meds (e.g., insulin, nitroglycerin) require non-PVC bags/tubing due to adsorption/leaching.

Aseptic technique elements

Use of sterile equipment, proper attire, clean workspace, and controlled environment to prevent contamination.

Auxiliary labels vs. label required content

Auxiliary labels provide warnings; main label must include Rx number, patient, directions, etc.

PDR/Orange Book/Merck index

References for drug information, interactions, and regulatory status used in pharmacy.

Unit-dose advantages

Reduces errors, controls waste, enables accurate billing, and supports hospital workflows.

Hospital order example (medication order)

A single sheet containing Dx, allergies, diet, medications, times; used by hospital staff.

Expiration (stock bottle vs repackaged)

Stock bottle expiration vs half-life when repackaged; repackaging has a 1-year cap.

Shake well label

A common auxiliary label indicating the need to mix or re-suspend before use.

OTC vs Legend drugs

OTC: no prescription needed; Legend: requires prescription; indicated by labeling.

Damaging/discontinued/recalls

Inventory actions: remove, recall, document, and dispose per policy.

Drug compounding categories (antibiotics, antifungals)

Hospitals/compounding labs prepare sterile/non-sterile products; specific safety protocols.

Hood inspection frequency

Laminar flow hoods should be inspected every 6 months or when moved or filter wet.