PTCE Pharmacy Automation and Technology 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of automated dispensing cabinet (ADC) feature helps prevent selection errors by only opening the correct bin when a medication is requested?
- Open-cabinet access
- Guided access (single-drawer or pocket) (Correct answer)
- Manual override mode
- Batch dispensing mode
Correct answer: Guided access (single-drawer or pocket)
Guided access restricts opening to only the specific bin or pocket for the requested medication, reducing pick errors.
Question 2: A barcode medication administration (BCMA) system is primarily designed to verify which of the following at the point of care?
- Drug cost and formulary status
- The five rights of medication administration (Correct answer)
- Pharmacy inventory levels
- Physician order entry accuracy
Correct answer: The five rights of medication administration
BCMA systems scan the patient's wristband and the medication barcode to confirm the right patient, drug, dose, route, and time.
Question 3: What is the primary advantage of a robotic dispensing system (such as a ScriptPro or Parata robot) in a retail pharmacy?
- It counsels patients on drug interactions
- It verifies insurance eligibility in real time
- It reduces dispensing errors and improves workflow efficiency (Correct answer)
- It automatically calls prescribers for clarification
Correct answer: It reduces dispensing errors and improves workflow efficiency
Robotic dispensing systems automate counting and labeling, which decreases human error and speeds up the dispensing process.
Question 4: Which system uses a centralized, high-density storage unit with a robotic arm to retrieve unit-dose medications in hospital pharmacies?
- Automated dispensing cabinet (ADC)
- Carousel/vertical carousel system (Correct answer)
- Blister pack machine
- Pill-splitter device
Correct answer: Carousel/vertical carousel system
Vertical carousel systems store medications in rotating shelves or a robotic retrieval unit, maximizing storage density and retrieval speed in centralized pharmacy settings.
Question 5: When a pharmacy technician performs cycle counts on an automated dispensing cabinet, what is the main purpose of this activity?
- To check medication expiration dates only
- To reconcile the physical count with the system inventory count (Correct answer)
- To reorder medications from the wholesaler
- To verify patient insurance information
Correct answer: To reconcile the physical count with the system inventory count
Cycle counts compare actual physical quantities in the ADC against the system's recorded quantity to identify and correct discrepancies.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes an electronic medication administration record (eMAR)?
- A paper log kept at the nurses' station for manual documentation
- A digital record used to document when and by whom medications were administered (Correct answer)
- A pharmacy database used exclusively for billing purposes
- A system used only for controlled substance tracking
Correct answer: A digital record used to document when and by whom medications were administered
An eMAR is an electronic system that documents each medication administration event, improving accuracy and enabling real-time verification.
Question 7: A pharmacy technician notices the automated tablet counter has been dispensing slightly fewer tablets than ordered. What is the most appropriate first action?
- Continue dispensing and adjust counts manually later
- Recalibrate or service the counter and verify it is dispensing accurately before continued use (Correct answer)
- Report the issue to the patient
- Switch to a different medication brand
Correct answer: Recalibrate or service the counter and verify it is dispensing accurately before continued use
Equipment that is dispensing inaccurately must be taken out of service for calibration or repair to prevent dispensing errors that could harm patients.
PTCE Pharmacy Automation and Technology 1
Which type of automated dispensing cabinet (ADC) feature helps prevent selection errors by only opening the correct bin when a medication is requested?