NAPLEX QBANK Medication Safety and Dispensing Questions and Answers

Question 1

A pharmacist receives a new, legible, handwritten prescription for 'Hydralazine 25 mg TID'. Upon reviewing the patient's profile, the pharmacist notes a documented history of anxiety and no record of hypertension. Which of the following sound-alike/look-alike medications is the most probable source of confusion?

Accepted Answer

Hydroxyzine

Answer

Hydralazine, a vasodilator for hypertension, and hydroxyzine, an antihistamine with anxiolytic properties, are a well-known look-alike/sound-alike (LASA) pair. Given the patient's documented history of anxiety, it is crucial for the pharmacist to contact the prescriber to clarify if hydroxyzine was the intended medication before dispensing.

Question 2

A pharmacy is implementing a new policy for high-alert medications based on Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) recommendations. Which of the following best describes the procedure for a proper independent double check?

Accepted Answer

Two staff members individually and separately perform the check (e.g., calculation, verification) and then compare their results.

Answer

An independent double check requires two practitioners to separately and independently check the work process. Each person conducts the check alone and apart from the other, and then they compare their results. This method prevents one person's potential error or bias from influencing the other, making it more effective at catching mistakes than checking together or having one person watch another.

Question 3

What is the primary medication safety goal for using 'tall man lettering' (e.g., glipiZIDE vs. glyBURIDE) on pharmacy labels and in computer systems?

Accepted Answer

To help visually differentiate the names of look-alike drug products to prevent selection errors.

Answer

Tall man lettering is an error-prevention strategy that uses a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters to highlight the differences between look-alike, sound-alike (LASA) drug names. This practice, promoted by the ISMP and FDA, helps pharmacists and technicians more easily distinguish between similar names, reducing the risk of selecting the wrong product.

Question 4

A patient was dispensed the wrong strength of warfarin, but the error was caught by the patient before any harm occurred. The pharmacy manager decides to conduct a root cause analysis (RCA). Which of the following is the main objective of this process?

Accepted Answer

To identify system-level vulnerabilities and process failures that allowed the error to happen.

Answer

A root cause analysis (RCA) is a systematic, non-punitive process focused on identifying the underlying system and process failures that led to an error, rather than blaming an individual. The goal is to understand 'why' the system failed so that effective preventative actions can be implemented to reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

Question 5

According to federal law (21 CFR Part 1306), which of the following pieces of information is NOT required to be on a valid prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance like oxycodone?

Accepted Answer

Patient's diagnosis or ICD-10 code

Answer

Federal regulation 21 CFR 1306.05 specifies the required components of a controlled substance prescription. These include the patient's full name and address, the prescriber's name, address, and DEA number, the drug name, strength, dosage form, quantity, directions for use, and the date issued. While a diagnosis code is often useful for clinical context and may be required by insurance plans, it is not a federal requirement for the prescription's legal validity.

NAPLEX QBANK Practice Test

NAPLEX QBANK Practice Test

NAPLEX QBANK Medication Safety and Dispensing Questions and Answers