ExCPT Medication Safety

Question 1

Which strategy best helps prevent errors with look-alike and sound-alike medications?

Accepted Answer

Use tall-man lettering and separate storage areas.

Answer

Rely only on memory for drug selection.

Answer

Ignore spelling differences if strengths match.

Answer

Choose the drug with the shortest name first.

Question 2

What is the main purpose of bar-code verification in the medication dispensing process?

Accepted Answer

To verify the correct medication and strength.

Answer

To speed up payment at the register.

Answer

To track store inventory only.

Answer

To record patient satisfaction scores.

Question 3

A pharmacy technician notices that a high-alert medication is stored on an open shelf with other routine drugs. What should they do?

Accepted Answer

Notify the pharmacist and segregate the medication.

Answer

Leave it where it is and ignore the issue.

Answer

Move it to the front of the shelf for easy access.

Answer

Hide it behind other medications.

Question 4

Why is it important to use a second patient identifier in addition to the patient’s name?

Accepted Answer

To prevent confusion between patients with similar names.

Answer

To speed up prescription pick-up time.

Answer

To allow substitution without authorization.

Answer

To upsell nonprescription products.

Question 5

A technician receives a prescription with an unclear dose. What is the safest action to take?

Accepted Answer

Alert the pharmacist so the prescriber can be consulted.

Answer

Guess the most common dose and fill it.

Answer

Call the patient and ask what they think it should be.

Answer

Skip the dose and dispense the medication anyway.

Question 6

Which practice best supports medication safety when counting tablets for a prescription?

Accepted Answer

Using a counting tray and verifying the final count.

Answer

Counting tablets by hand without a tray.

Answer

Estimating the quantity by eye.

Answer

Skipping counts for refills.

Question 7

What should a technician do if a patient reports an allergy to a medication on a new prescription?

Accepted Answer

Record the allergy and alert the pharmacist right away.

Answer

Ignore it if the patient has taken the drug before.

Answer

Continue filling the prescription and say nothing.

Answer

Tell the patient to monitor for mild symptoms only.

Question 8

Why is it important to document near-miss errors in the pharmacy?

Accepted Answer

To help identify system problems and improve safety.

Answer

Because they must be billed to insurance.

Answer

To punish the person who almost made the error.

Answer

To hide mistakes from regulatory agencies.

Question 9

Which situation requires extra caution because of a high risk for medication error?

Accepted Answer

Preparing a dose of a high-alert IV medication.

Answer

Dispensing a multivitamin once a year.

Answer

Processing a refill with no changes.

Answer

Selling a box of adhesive bandages.