Pharmacy Technician Practice Test (PTCB)- 2 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Which of the following is a medication is used to treat hyperlipidemia?

Pravachol (Correct answer)
Procardia
Prinivil
Cardura

Correct answer: Pravachol

Pravachol is the brand name for pravastatin, which belongs to the statin class of medications. Statins are widely prescribed to treat hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol) by inhibiting an enzyme in the liver responsible for cholesterol production. This action effectively lowers LDL ('bad') cholesterol levels.

Question 2: All the following are reasons why covered entities may disclose protected health information (PHI) to law enforcement officials except?

When the covered entity believes that individuals may have contracted a communicable disease when notification is authorized by law. (Correct answer)
To alert law enforcement of a person’s death, if suspects that a criminal activity caused the death
To identify a suspect or missing person.
When the covered entity believes that PHI is evidence of a crime occurred on its premises

Correct answer: When the covered entity believes that individuals may have contracted a communicable disease when notification is authorized by law.

HIPAA permits covered entities to disclose Protected Health Information (PHI) to public health authorities for communicable disease reporting, but not directly to law enforcement unless law enforcement is acting on behalf of public health or in specific crime-related scenarios. The other options (alerting law enforcement of death due to criminal activity, identifying a suspect, or evidence of a crime on premises) are explicit exceptions under HIPAA's public interest and benefit provisions that allow disclosure to law enforcement.

Question 3: The physician prescribes 500mg of a drug with is available as 1gm / 2ml, how many milliliters should this patient receive?

5ml
2ml
0.5ml
1ml (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 1ml

To solve this, first ensure units are consistent: 1 gm equals 1000 mg. The drug is available as 1000 mg in 2 ml. The physician prescribed 500 mg. Using a ratio, (1000 mg / 2 ml) = (500 mg / X ml). Cross-multiplying gives 1000X = 1000, so X = 1 ml. Therefore, the patient should receive 1 ml of the drug.

Question 4: Which of the following would be a solution to a patient identifiers error caused by nurses?

Read the label three times
Use bar coding to identify the patient and medication (Correct answer)
Avoid borrowing medications
Use unit dose medications when available

Correct answer: Use bar coding to identify the patient and medication

Using bar coding to identify both the patient and medication is a highly effective technological solution to prevent patient identification and medication errors. By scanning the patient's wristband and the medication, the system verifies that the right patient is receiving the right medication, at the right dose, via the right route, and at the right time. This significantly enhances patient safety by providing a crucial double-check.

Question 5: Which of the following is not part of the personal protective equipment?

Gloves
Mask
Goggles
Jacket (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Jacket

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) includes specialized items designed to protect individuals from hazards, such as gloves, masks, and goggles, which act as barriers against exposure. A jacket, while offering some general coverage, is typically considered standard clothing and not a specific piece of PPE engineered for hazard protection in the same way as the other options.

Question 6: Which of the following is not an example of auxiliary labels?

Take with food
Take one tablet at bedtime (Correct answer)
Avoid Sunlight
Shake Well

Correct answer: Take one tablet at bedtime

Auxiliary labels provide additional, non-standard information or warnings about a medication's use, like 'Take with food' or 'Avoid Sunlight,' to ensure patient safety and proper administration. 'Take one tablet at bedtime' is a primary dosing instruction that belongs on the main prescription label, not an auxiliary label, as it's a core part of the medication's regimen.

Question 7: When receiving medications in the pharmacy, which of the following will prevent a high volume of expired medications on the shelf?

Verify incoming merchandise
Place medication on shelf and rotate stock (Correct answer)
Checking for damage items
Sign and date invoice

Correct answer: Place medication on shelf and rotate stock

To prevent a high volume of expired medications, pharmacies must implement proper stock rotation, often using a First-In, First-Out (FIFO) system. This involves placing newer stock behind older stock, ensuring that medications with earlier expiration dates are dispensed first. This systematic approach minimizes waste and maintains the integrity of the medication supply.

Question 8: Which of the following rejection code describes invalid days supply?

7
19 (Correct answer)
22
28

Correct answer: 19

In pharmacy billing, rejection codes are standardized messages indicating issues with a submitted claim. Rejection code 19 specifically signifies an 'Invalid Days Supply,' meaning the number of days the medication is expected to last, as entered in the claim, does not align with the payer's requirements or the quantity dispensed.

Question 9: Which of the following is a type of computer input device?

Plotters
Light pen (Correct answer)
Speakers
Printers

Correct answer: Light pen

An input device is hardware that allows users to send data or control signals to a computer. A light pen is a pointing device used to select or modify data directly on a screen, making it a clear example of an input device. Plotters, speakers, and printers, conversely, are all output devices that receive data from the computer.

Question 10: Which of the following is a potential side effect of ACE inhibitors?

Nausea
Headache
Upset stomach
Dry cough (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Dry cough

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are a class of medications primarily used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure. A very common and distinctive side effect associated with ACE inhibitors is a persistent, non-productive dry cough. This occurs due to the accumulation of bradykinin, a substance that ACE inhibitors prevent from breaking down.

Question 11: The binder for Safety Data Sheets (SDS) consists of how many sections?

7
10
16 (Correct answer)
20

Correct answer: 16

Safety Data Sheets (SDS), which replaced Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), are standardized documents providing comprehensive information about hazardous substances. According to the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, an SDS is required to consist of 16 specific sections, covering details from identification to disposal considerations.

Pharmacy Technician Practice Test (PTCB)- 2

Which of the following is a medication is used to treat hyperlipidemia?