PTCB Practice Exam
Knowing which of the following can best assist a technician in the prevention of data entry
errors?
A. Names of medications
B. Insurance co-payments
C. Pharmacokinetics
D. Physician contact information -☑ A. Names of medications
Which of the following injectable drugs would be stored in refrigerator?
A. Clindamycin
B. Ciprofloxacin
C. Cyanocobalamin
D. Calcitonin-salmon -☑ D. Calcitonin-salmon
The requirement that a non-formulary medication be covered only if approved by the third-party
payer is called:
A. claims reconciliation
B. capitation payment
C. prior authorization
D. claims adjudication -☑ C. prior authorization
For a medication to be within the 5% margin of error permitted by the USP, the minimum
amount that can be weighed on a Class A prescription balance is:
A. 6 mg
B. 12 mg
C. 120 mg
D. 120 g -☑ C. 120 mg
What is the percentage concentration of a solution that contains 500 mg/50 mL?
A. 0.5%
B. 1%
C. 5%
D. 10% -☑ B. 1%
A pharmacy technician receives an order for Lortab 5/500 mg tablets every 4 to 6 hours p.r.n. No
refill information is provided. The technician should conclude that the prescription:
A. is refillable for 6 months
B. is refillable for 1 year
,C. may be refilled 5 times
D. may not be refilled -☑ D. may not be refilled
Upon receiving notice of a drug recall, a pharmacy technician should immediately:
A. destroy all stock that has the recalled lot number
B. separate out all stock with the recalled lot number for return to the manufacturer
C. send all stock with the recalled lot number to the FDA for testing
D. call the FDA to report the quantity of recalled drug that the pharmacy has in stock -☑ B.
separate out all stock with the recalled lot number for return to the manufacturer
Upon obtaining initial patient information, the pharmacy technician should:
A. review the information with other pharmacy staff to ensure clarity
B. ensure that the patient understands the side effects of current medication
C. recommend additional pharmacotherapy
D. document known allergies -☑ D. document known allergies
For a pharmacy technician assigned to stock replenishment, which item would be considered a
high-alert medication?
A. Potassium chloride injection 10 mEq/5 mL 30 mL
B. Ipratropium bromide inhalation solution 0.02% 2.5 mL vials
C. Epinephrine 0.1% syrings
D. 5% dextrose and 0.45% sodium chloride injection USP 500 mL -☑ A. Potassium chloride
injection 10 mEq/5 mL 30 mL
Which of the following medications requires a caution to take with food?
A. Ibuprofen
B. Levothyroxine
C. Azithromycin
D. Tetracycline -☑ A. Ibuprofen
POS computer systems help the pharmacy to determine the patient's:
A. diagnosis
B. co-payment
C. drug allergies
D. prescription history -☑ B. co-payment
What volume, in milliliters, of a drug for injection 250 mg/10 mL should be used to fill an order
for 15 mg?
A. 0.6
B. 6
, C. 10
D. 16.6 -☑ A. 0.6
In the absence of stability information, water-containing formulations (prepared for ingredients
in solid form) should be assigned by a beyond-use date that is:
A. the same as the expiration date listed on the product
B. no later than 30 days
C. no later than 14 days when stored at cold temperature
D. no later than 25% of the time remaining until the product's expiration date -☑ C. no later than
14 days when stored at cold temperature
According to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), abbreviations used during
prescription writing:
A. are no longer acceptable
B. improve entry time
C. are prone to errors
D. facilitate the prescriber -☑ C. are prone to errors
Durable medical equipment may be reimbursable to the pharmacy under Medicare Part:
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D -☑ B. B
Which of the following is correlated with poor medication compliance?
A. Taking the correct number of tablets at correct times
B. Request for refill at the appropriate time
C. Complaints of unpleasant taste or side effects of the drug
D. Clear understanding of why the prescription was given -☑ C. Complaints of unpleasant taste
or side effects of the drug
Concerning needle recapping, which of the following is correct?
A. Used insulin needles are small enough that they can be disposed of in regular garbage
B. Used immunization needles should be recapped before being placed in the sharps container
C. Used immunization needles should never be recapped
D. Used insulin needles are small enough that they can safely be recapped before being placed in
a sharps container -☑ C. Used immunization needles should never be recapped
A pharmacy technician must administer 1000 mL of TPN solution at 75 mL/hr. If the set delivers
20 gtt/mL, the flow rate in gtt/min will be:
Knowing which of the following can best assist a technician in the prevention of data entry
errors?
A. Names of medications
B. Insurance co-payments
C. Pharmacokinetics
D. Physician contact information -☑ A. Names of medications
Which of the following injectable drugs would be stored in refrigerator?
A. Clindamycin
B. Ciprofloxacin
C. Cyanocobalamin
D. Calcitonin-salmon -☑ D. Calcitonin-salmon
The requirement that a non-formulary medication be covered only if approved by the third-party
payer is called:
A. claims reconciliation
B. capitation payment
C. prior authorization
D. claims adjudication -☑ C. prior authorization
For a medication to be within the 5% margin of error permitted by the USP, the minimum
amount that can be weighed on a Class A prescription balance is:
A. 6 mg
B. 12 mg
C. 120 mg
D. 120 g -☑ C. 120 mg
What is the percentage concentration of a solution that contains 500 mg/50 mL?
A. 0.5%
B. 1%
C. 5%
D. 10% -☑ B. 1%
A pharmacy technician receives an order for Lortab 5/500 mg tablets every 4 to 6 hours p.r.n. No
refill information is provided. The technician should conclude that the prescription:
A. is refillable for 6 months
B. is refillable for 1 year
,C. may be refilled 5 times
D. may not be refilled -☑ D. may not be refilled
Upon receiving notice of a drug recall, a pharmacy technician should immediately:
A. destroy all stock that has the recalled lot number
B. separate out all stock with the recalled lot number for return to the manufacturer
C. send all stock with the recalled lot number to the FDA for testing
D. call the FDA to report the quantity of recalled drug that the pharmacy has in stock -☑ B.
separate out all stock with the recalled lot number for return to the manufacturer
Upon obtaining initial patient information, the pharmacy technician should:
A. review the information with other pharmacy staff to ensure clarity
B. ensure that the patient understands the side effects of current medication
C. recommend additional pharmacotherapy
D. document known allergies -☑ D. document known allergies
For a pharmacy technician assigned to stock replenishment, which item would be considered a
high-alert medication?
A. Potassium chloride injection 10 mEq/5 mL 30 mL
B. Ipratropium bromide inhalation solution 0.02% 2.5 mL vials
C. Epinephrine 0.1% syrings
D. 5% dextrose and 0.45% sodium chloride injection USP 500 mL -☑ A. Potassium chloride
injection 10 mEq/5 mL 30 mL
Which of the following medications requires a caution to take with food?
A. Ibuprofen
B. Levothyroxine
C. Azithromycin
D. Tetracycline -☑ A. Ibuprofen
POS computer systems help the pharmacy to determine the patient's:
A. diagnosis
B. co-payment
C. drug allergies
D. prescription history -☑ B. co-payment
What volume, in milliliters, of a drug for injection 250 mg/10 mL should be used to fill an order
for 15 mg?
A. 0.6
B. 6
, C. 10
D. 16.6 -☑ A. 0.6
In the absence of stability information, water-containing formulations (prepared for ingredients
in solid form) should be assigned by a beyond-use date that is:
A. the same as the expiration date listed on the product
B. no later than 30 days
C. no later than 14 days when stored at cold temperature
D. no later than 25% of the time remaining until the product's expiration date -☑ C. no later than
14 days when stored at cold temperature
According to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), abbreviations used during
prescription writing:
A. are no longer acceptable
B. improve entry time
C. are prone to errors
D. facilitate the prescriber -☑ C. are prone to errors
Durable medical equipment may be reimbursable to the pharmacy under Medicare Part:
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D -☑ B. B
Which of the following is correlated with poor medication compliance?
A. Taking the correct number of tablets at correct times
B. Request for refill at the appropriate time
C. Complaints of unpleasant taste or side effects of the drug
D. Clear understanding of why the prescription was given -☑ C. Complaints of unpleasant taste
or side effects of the drug
Concerning needle recapping, which of the following is correct?
A. Used insulin needles are small enough that they can be disposed of in regular garbage
B. Used immunization needles should be recapped before being placed in the sharps container
C. Used immunization needles should never be recapped
D. Used insulin needles are small enough that they can safely be recapped before being placed in
a sharps container -☑ C. Used immunization needles should never be recapped
A pharmacy technician must administer 1000 mL of TPN solution at 75 mL/hr. If the set delivers
20 gtt/mL, the flow rate in gtt/min will be:
