PTCE Pharmacy Automation and Technology 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which term describes the unique 10- or 11-digit number on a drug package that identifies the labeler, product, and package size?
- DEA number
- NDC (National Drug Code) (Correct answer)
- NPI (National Provider Identifier)
- DAW code
Correct answer: NDC (National Drug Code)
The NDC is a unique 10- or 11-digit number (in 3 segments) that identifies the manufacturer, specific drug formulation, and package size.
Question 2: In a pharmacy information system, what does a 'drug interaction alert' require the pharmacist or technician to do?
- Automatically cancel the prescription
- Bill the insurance before reviewing
- Review and respond to the alert before dispensing can proceed (Correct answer)
- Contact the wholesaler for a substitute
Correct answer: Review and respond to the alert before dispensing can proceed
Drug interaction alerts are hard or soft stops that require a clinician review and documented override or action before the medication is dispensed.
Question 3: What is a 'soft stop' in the context of clinical decision support within a pharmacy information system?
- An alert that permanently blocks dispensing of a medication
- A warning that can be overridden with documentation by an authorized user (Correct answer)
- A system shutdown caused by a software error
- A physical lock on an automated dispensing cabinet
Correct answer: A warning that can be overridden with documentation by an authorized user
A soft stop is an advisory alert that the pharmacist can override with documentation, unlike a hard stop which completely blocks the action.
Question 4: Which pharmacy automation technology is commonly used to repackage bulk medications into unit-dose blister packs?
- Automated dispensing cabinet (ADC)
- Strip packager or blister pack machine (Correct answer)
- Pneumatic tube system
- Pill organizer tray
Correct answer: Strip packager or blister pack machine
Strip packagers and blister pack machines repackage medications from bulk containers into individual unit-dose packages, often with barcodes for scanning.
Question 5: A hospital pharmacy uses a pneumatic tube system. What is its primary function?
- To sterilize IV admixtures
- To rapidly transport medications and specimens between departments (Correct answer)
- To automate medication counting
- To track controlled substance usage
Correct answer: To rapidly transport medications and specimens between departments
Pneumatic tube systems use pressurized air to transport small packages (medications, lab specimens) quickly between locations within a facility.
Question 6: Which of the following is a key safety feature built into most automated dispensing cabinets to prevent unauthorized access?
- A paper sign-in sheet
- Biometric fingerprint or unique user ID and password login (Correct answer)
- An open shelf with no locks
- A single master key shared among all staff
Correct answer: Biometric fingerprint or unique user ID and password login
ADCs require unique user authentication (fingerprint, ID/password) to create an audit trail and limit access to authorized personnel only.
Question 7: When a pharmacy technician loads medications into an automated dispensing cabinet, which step is essential to prevent a wrong-drug error?
- Scan the medication barcode and verify it matches the ADC pocket contents before loading (Correct answer)
- Load medications as quickly as possible to minimize downtime
- Rely on the drug name printed on the package without scanning
- Skip verification for non-controlled medications
Correct answer: Scan the medication barcode and verify it matches the ADC pocket contents before loading
Scanning the barcode before loading verifies that the correct drug and dose are placed in the correct pocket, preventing stocking errors.
PTCE Pharmacy Automation and Technology 2
Which term describes the unique 10- or 11-digit number on a drug package that identifies the labeler, product, and package size?