CCP Administrative and Facility Responsibilities 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under CMS regulations, how often must a consultant pharmacist conduct a drug regimen review for residents in a skilled nursing facility?
- At least once a month (Correct answer)
- At least once every 60 days
- At least once every 90 days
- At least once every 6 months
Correct answer: At least once a month
CMS requires consultant pharmacists to perform drug regimen reviews at least monthly for all SNF residents.
Question 2: Which federal agency is primarily responsible for inspecting and certifying nursing facilities that receive Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement?
- DEA
- FDA
- CMS via State Survey Agencies (Correct answer)
- OSHA
Correct answer: CMS via State Survey Agencies
CMS delegates nursing facility inspection and certification to State Survey Agencies that conduct on-site surveys on behalf of CMS.
Question 3: A consultant pharmacist identifies a potential adverse drug reaction in a nursing home resident. What is the FIRST action they should take?
- Immediately discontinue the medication
- Document the finding and notify the attending physician (Correct answer)
- Report directly to the state board of pharmacy
- Wait for the next monthly review to include in the report
Correct answer: Document the finding and notify the attending physician
The consultant pharmacist should document the finding and promptly notify the prescribing physician so appropriate clinical decisions can be made.
Question 4: According to USP <797>, what is the minimum number of air changes per hour (ACPH) required for a cleanroom used for sterile compounding?
- 10 ACPH
- 20 ACPH (Correct answer)
- 30 ACPH
- 50 ACPH
Correct answer: 20 ACPH
USP <797> requires a minimum of 20 ACPH for ISO Class 7 buffer areas used in sterile compounding.
Question 5: Which document serves as the primary legal record of a consultant pharmacist's drug regimen review findings in a long-term care facility?
- Pharmacy dispensing log
- Medication Administration Record (MAR)
- Drug Regimen Review (DRR) report (Correct answer)
- Nursing progress notes
Correct answer: Drug Regimen Review (DRR) report
The Drug Regimen Review report is the formal document that records the consultant pharmacist's clinical findings, recommendations, and follow-up actions.
Question 6: A long-term care facility wants to use an automated dispensing cabinet (ADC) for controlled substances. Which regulatory requirement is MOST critical to satisfy?
- The ADC must be cleared by the FDA as a Class II medical device
- The ADC must have perpetual inventory tracking reconciled against DEA records (Correct answer)
- The facility must obtain a separate DEA registration for the ADC
- The ADC must be approved by the State Board of Pharmacy before installation
Correct answer: The ADC must have perpetual inventory tracking reconciled against DEA records
DEA regulations require that controlled substance inventory in ADCs be tracked perpetually and reconciled to maintain accurate records for audit purposes.
Question 7: Under OBRA '87, which of the following is a PRIMARY responsibility of the consultant pharmacist in a nursing facility?
- Providing direct patient care as a licensed prescriber
- Identifying, reporting, and recommending resolution of medication-related problems (Correct answer)
- Conducting annual fire safety inspections of medication storage areas
- Approving all medication orders before they are dispensed
Correct answer: Identifying, reporting, and recommending resolution of medication-related problems
OBRA '87 established the consultant pharmacist's core role as identifying medication-related problems and making recommendations to improve care quality.
CCP Administrative and Facility Responsibilities 2
Under CMS regulations, how often must a consultant pharmacist conduct a drug regimen review for residents in a skilled nursing facility?