ExCPT Pharmacy Technician practice questions with answers

Answer: A) A purpose-built or pharmaceutical-grade refrigerator used only for vaccines and kept between 2°C and 8°C

CDC prefers dedicated purpose-built or pharmaceutical-grade units that keep refrigerated vaccines between 2°C and 8°C. Dormitory-style units, units shared with food, and household combination freezer compartments are not appropriate.

• ACorrect. CDC prefers units that meet NSF/ANSI Standard 456, then purpose-built and pharmaceutical-grade units. Refrigerated vaccines must be kept between 2°C and 8°C (36°F and 46°F).
• BIncorrect. CDC says never to use dormitory- or bar-style combined refrigerator/freezer units for vaccines, because they pose a significant risk of freezing vaccines.
• CIncorrect. CDC says not to store food and beverages with vaccines. Opening the door often to get food can change the internal temperature.
• DIncorrect. Refrigerated vaccines must not be frozen; for example, liquid vaccines with an aluminum adjuvant permanently lose potency. CDC also says never to use the freezer compartment of household combination units because of cold spots and temperature changes.

Answer: B) The Pharmacy and Therapeutics committee

• AIncorrect. The P&T committee decides.
• BCorrect. It reviews safety, effectiveness and cost.
• CIncorrect. The P&T committee decides.
• DIncorrect. The P&T committee decides.

Answer: A) Fraud

Knowingly billing for prescriptions that were never dispensed is fraud. What separates fraud from abuse and waste is intent and knowledge.

• ACorrect. Fraud is intentional deception or misrepresentation to get payment. CMS lists billing for services not furnished as an example of fraud.
• BIncorrect. Abuse covers practices that go against sound medical, business, or fiscal practice but don't necessarily involve intentional deception. Knowingly billing for items never provided is deliberate, so it's fraud.
• CIncorrect. Waste means misusing resources or running up unnecessary costs, such as overusing services. It isn't knowing misrepresentation on a claim.
• DIncorrect. A clerical error is unintentional. This pharmacy acted knowingly, which shows the intent that makes it fraud.

Answer: A) The state board of pharmacy

• ACorrect. The DEA separately registers them for controlled substances.
• BIncorrect. States license pharmacies.
• CIncorrect. States license pharmacies.
• DIncorrect. It accredits but doesn't license pharmacies.

Answer: C) Bring the complaint to the pharmacist's attention before the patient leaves

Unexplained muscle pain or weakness in a patient taking a statin can be a serious adverse effect. The technician should refer the patient to the pharmacist right away and should not give clinical advice.

• AIncorrect. Recommending OTC therapy is clinical advice outside the technician's role, and it could hide a serious statin side effect that needs evaluation.
• BIncorrect. Technicians do not give clinical advice, and patients are told not to stop atorvastatin without talking to their doctor.
• CCorrect. Muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness on a statin can signal a serious muscle side effect that needs prompt attention, so the pharmacist should counsel the patient and contact the prescriber as needed.
• DIncorrect. This symptom needs prompt attention. Waiting until the next refill could delay evaluation of a possibly serious adverse effect.

Answer: B) Glipizide

• AIncorrect. Glyburide has other brand names.
• BCorrect. Glucotrol is glipizide, a sulfonylurea for type 2 diabetes.
• CIncorrect. That is Glucophage.
• DIncorrect. That is Amaryl.

Answer: A) 6

• ACorrect. Every 4 hours is 6 doses a day.
• BIncorrect. That's every 6 hours.
• CIncorrect. Doses are at least 4 hours apart.
• DIncorrect. Every 4 hours is 6 doses.

Answer: B) 25 mL

• AIncorrect. That is 3 teaspoons.
• BCorrect. 1 teaspoon = 5 mL, so 5 teaspoons = 25 mL.
• CIncorrect. That is 10 teaspoons.
• DIncorrect. That is 1 teaspoon.

Answer: C) Identify the prescription for refills

• AIncorrect. It identifies the prescription.
• BIncorrect. It identifies the prescription.
• CCorrect. Patients can use it to request refills.
• DIncorrect. It identifies the prescription.

Answer: B) 150 mg

• AIncorrect. This divides instead of multiplying.
• BCorrect. 100 mg/m² × 1.5 m² = 150 mg.
• CIncorrect. This adds the values.
• DIncorrect. This is ten times too high.

Answer: A) The amount exceeds what the plan allows

• ACorrect. Options include adjusting quantity or seeking an exception.
• BIncorrect. It's a quantity rule.
• CIncorrect. It's a plan quantity rule.
• DIncorrect. It's a quantity rule.

Answer: A) A 3 mL syringe

• ACorrect. Use the smallest syringe that holds the volume for best accuracy.
• BIncorrect. Large syringes are less accurate for small volumes.
• CIncorrect. It cannot hold 2.4 mL.
• DIncorrect. It is less accurate for this volume.

Answer: D) 10 mL

• AIncorrect. This adds the values.
• BIncorrect. This multiplies instead of dividing.
• CIncorrect. This does not match the figures.
• DCorrect. 20 mEq ÷ 2 mEq/mL = 10 mL.

Answer: B) Trazodone

FDA's tall man lettering list includes traMADol/traZODone. The capital letters highlight how the two names differ, which helps prevent look-alike/sound-alike mix-ups during dispensing.

• AIncorrect. Tapentadol is another opioid analgesic, but it is not the drug paired with tramadol on FDA's tall man lettering list.
• BCorrect. FDA's list pairs tramadol with trazodone and recommends writing them as traMADol and traZODone.
• CIncorrect. Topiramate starts with similar letters, but FDA does not pair it with tramadol on its tall man lettering list.
• DIncorrect. Tizanidine is a muscle relaxant. It is not the drug paired with tramadol on FDA's tall man lettering list.

Answer: A) Use everyday words and short sentences, and state the most important instruction first

Plain language helps patients with low health literacy understand and use medication directions: everyday words, short sentences, and the key message first. Understanding is best confirmed with teach-back, not a yes/no question.

• ACorrect. CDC plain-language guidance says to choose words the audience knows, limit each sentence to one idea, and put the most important message first. This helps patients with low health literacy understand directions the first time.
• BIncorrect. Long, technical documents are harder for patients with low health literacy to use. More text does not mean better understanding, and key instructions can get lost.
• CIncorrect. Clinical jargon makes information harder to understand. CDC recommends replacing jargon with everyday words.
• DIncorrect. A yes/no answer does not confirm understanding. The teach-back method, where the patient explains the instructions in their own words, is the better way to check comprehension.