CPhT Medication Safety 2

Question 1

Which organization maintains the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC MERP) error taxonomy?

Accepted Answer

NCC MERP itself

Answer

NCC MERP is an independent council that maintains its own medication error taxonomy and reporting standards.

Question 2

A patient receives methotrexate daily instead of weekly. This is an example of which type of medication error?

Accepted Answer

Wrong dose frequency error

Answer

Administering methotrexate daily instead of the prescribed weekly schedule is a wrong dose frequency (schedule) error.

Question 3

Which labeling practice helps reduce look-alike/sound-alike (LASA) drug errors?

Accepted Answer

Use tall man lettering for differing portions

Answer

Tall man lettering highlights differing portions of similar drug names (e.g., hydrOXYzine vs. hydrALAzine) to reduce confusion.

Question 4

A pharmacy receives a verbal order for 'Celebrex 200 mg.' The technician mishears it as 'Celexa 20 mg.' What type of error is this?

Accepted Answer

Sound-alike drug error

Answer

Celebrex and Celexa are sound-alike drugs, making this a classic LASA (look-alike/sound-alike) error triggered by verbal communication.

Question 5

Under USP <795>, what is the beyond-use date (BUD) for a water-containing topical preparation compounded in a non-sterile environment?

Accepted Answer

14 days

Answer

USP <795> assigns a maximum 14-day BUD for water-containing topical preparations compounded non-sterile unless stability data supports otherwise.

(CPhT) Certified Pharmacy Technician Practice Test