PTCE PTCE Sterile Preparations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of a biological safety cabinet (BSC) in pharmacy compounding?
- To store hazardous drugs at controlled temperatures
- To protect the operator and environment from hazardous drug exposure during compounding (Correct answer)
- To sterilize non-sterile ingredients before use
- To measure the potency of chemotherapy drugs
Correct answer: To protect the operator and environment from hazardous drug exposure during compounding
A BSC uses vertical HEPA-filtered airflow to contain aerosols and protect the technician and cleanroom environment when compounding hazardous drugs like chemotherapy.
Question 2: What does HEPA stand for in the context of cleanroom filtration?
- High-Efficiency Pathogen Absorber
- High-Efficiency Particulate Air (Correct answer)
- Hazardous Environment Protection Assembly
- Hospital Equipment Purity Assessment
Correct answer: High-Efficiency Particulate Air
HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters remove at least 99.97% of airborne particles ≥0.3 microns, maintaining the sterile air quality required in compounding areas.
Question 3: What is total parenteral nutrition (TPN)?
- An oral nutritional supplement for malnourished patients
- A sterile IV admixture providing complete nutrition to patients who cannot eat orally (Correct answer)
- A concentrated glucose solution for hypoglycemia emergencies
- A type of enteral feeding delivered through a nasogastric tube
Correct answer: A sterile IV admixture providing complete nutrition to patients who cannot eat orally
TPN is a complex sterile IV admixture containing dextrose, amino acids, lipids, electrolytes, vitamins, and trace elements for patients with non-functional GI tracts.
Question 4: What is an IV admixture?
- A premixed IV solution purchased from a manufacturer
- A sterile preparation made by adding one or more medications or nutrients to a base IV solution (Correct answer)
- An IV solution contaminated with particulate matter
- A combination of two incompatible IV drugs in one bag
Correct answer: A sterile preparation made by adding one or more medications or nutrients to a base IV solution
An admixture is created when a pharmacy technician aseptically adds drugs (e.g., antibiotics, electrolytes) to a base IV fluid such as normal saline or dextrose.
Question 5: What is the correct needle angle when withdrawing medication from a vial?
- 15 degrees
- 30 degrees
- 45 to 90 degrees with bevel up (Correct answer)
- 180 degrees (straight down)
Correct answer: 45 to 90 degrees with bevel up
Inserting the needle at 45–90 degrees with the bevel up allows smooth entry through the vial stopper and minimizes coring, which could introduce rubber particles into the solution.
Question 6: Why is air injected into a vial before withdrawing medication?
- To sterilize the vial contents
- To create positive pressure that helps draw the liquid into the syringe (Correct answer)
- To test the vial for leaks
- To dilute the medication before withdrawal
Correct answer: To create positive pressure that helps draw the liquid into the syringe
Injecting a volume of air equal to the desired withdrawal volume creates positive pressure inside the vial, making it easier to draw out the liquid without pulling in air bubbles.
PTCE PTCE Sterile Preparations 2
What is the purpose of a biological safety cabinet (BSC) in pharmacy compounding?