PTCE Order Interpretation and Medication Preparation

Question 1

A physician orders 250 mg of a medication to be given to a patient. The medication is available in 500 mg tablets. How many tablets should the pharmacy technician dispense?

Accepted Answer

1/2 tablet

Answer

To calculate the amount, divide the ordered dose by the available strength: 250 mg (ordered) / 500 mg (available) = 0.5. Therefore, the pharmacy technician should dispense 1/2 of a tablet.

Question 2

What is the correct interpretation of the following prescription?
"Amoxicillin 500 mg, take 1 capsule every 8 hours for 10 days."

Accepted Answer

The patient should take 1 capsule every 8 hours for 10 days

Answer

The prescription explicitly states "take 1 capsule every 8 hours for 10 days." This means the patient should take one capsule three times a day (24 hours divided by 8 hours) for the specified duration of ten days.

Question 3

A prescription reads "Lidocaine 5% cream, apply a thin layer to the affected area every 12 hours as needed for pain." How should the technician prepare this medication for the patient?

Accepted Answer

Dispense a 5% cream for topical use

Answer

The abbreviation "PO" stands for "per os," meaning by mouth or orally, and "once" indicates a single dose. Therefore, the order instructs to dispense a 150 mg oral tablet of Fluconazole to be taken one time only.

Question 4

A prescription is written for Digoxin 0.25 mg daily. The available tablet strength is 0.125 mg. How many tablets should be dispensed to fulfill a 30-day supply?

Accepted Answer

60 tablets

Answer

The patient needs 0.25 mg daily, and the available tablet strength is 0.125 mg. This means 2 tablets are required per day (0.25 mg / 0.125 mg = 2 tablets/day). For a 30-day supply, the total number of tablets needed is 2 tablets/day * 30 days = 60 tablets.

Question 5

If a prescription reads:
"Fluconazole 150 mg PO once"
How should the pharmacy technician interpret this order?

Accepted Answer

Dispense a 150 mg oral tablet to be taken once

Answer

Verifying the patient's name on the prescription label against their identity is a critical safety measure to prevent dispensing medication to the wrong person. This step is paramount in preventing medication errors and ensuring the right patient receives the correct treatment.

(PTCE) Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam Practice Test

(PTCE) Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam Practice Test

PTCE Order Interpretation and Medication Preparation