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PTCB Certified Pharmacy Technician (PTCE) practice questions

205 free questions with answers and explanations.

Practice test
  1. 151.A pharmacy technician is receiving a large order of medications. Upon inspection, several vials of insulin are found to have damaged seals and appear cloudy. What is the appropriate action the technician should take?Order Entry and Processing
  2. 152.A pharmacy technician is preparing to process a prescription for a compounded sterile product. Which of the following is the PRIMARY purpose of aseptic technique in sterile compounding?Order Entry and Processing
  3. 153.A physician calls the pharmacy to change a patient's prescription from 'Lisinopril 10 mg daily' to 'Lisinopril 20 mg daily.' What is the MOST appropriate way for the pharmacy technician to handle this verbal order?Order Entry and Processing
  4. 154.A pharmacy technician is reconciling the daily cash register. At the end of the day, the cash in the drawer is $150.00, but the system report shows total cash sales of $155.00. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate initial action for the technician?Order Entry and Processing
  5. 155.A patient's insurance plan has a tiered co-payment structure. What does this typically mean for the patient?Order Entry and Processing
  6. 156.A patient is picking up a prescription and asks about the meaning of "PRN" on their label. What is the correct interpretation a pharmacy technician should provide?Order Entry and Processing
  7. 157.A pharmacy technician is performing a daily cleaning of the laminar airflow workbench (LAFW). Which of the following is the correct order of surfaces to clean, starting with the cleanest area?Order Entry and Processing
  8. 158.A pharmacy technician is preparing a prescription for a medication that requires refrigeration. Which of the following is the most critical step to ensure medication integrity during patient pickup?Order Entry and Processing
  9. 159.A pharmacy uses a 'first-in, first-out' (FIFO) inventory management system. A shipment of a new medication arrives with an expiration date of 03/2025. The current stock of the same medication has an expiration date of 08/2025. Where should the new shipment be placed?Order Entry and Processing
  10. 160.A pharmacy technician is entering a prescription for a medication that requires prior authorization (PA) from the insurance company. What is the most likely reason for this requirement?Order Entry and Processing
  11. 161.A pharmacy technician is entering a prescription for a patient who has Medicare Part D. Which of the following best describes the 'Donut Hole' or Coverage Gap in Medicare Part D?Order Entry and Processing
  12. 162.A pharmacy uses a specific software system to manage inventory. Which report from this system would be most useful for identifying medications that are close to expiring and need to be returned or removed from stock?Order Entry and Processing
  13. 163.A technician is processing a prescription for a new medication that is not currently in stock. The pharmacy's wholesaler typically delivers within 24 hours. Which of the following is the most appropriate action for the technician to take regarding the patient?Order Entry and Processing
  14. 164.A patient brings in a prescription for "Lisinopril 10 mg #30, Sig: 1 po qd." The pharmacy only has Lisinopril 20 mg tablets in stock. What is the appropriate action for the pharmacy technician to take?Order Entry and Processing
  15. 165.A pharmacy technician receives a prescription for 'Lantus Solostar 100 units/mL, Inject 25 units SC QHS, Dispense #5 pens'. Which of the following auxiliary labels is MOST critical to apply?Order Entry and Processing
  16. 166.A pharmacy technician is verifying a prescription for a medication that is on the institution's formulary but requires a 'Prior Authorization'. What does this typically mean for the patient?Order Entry and Processing
  17. 167.Which of the following is a primary function of a pharmacy's perpetual inventory system for controlled substances?Order Entry and Processing
  18. 168.A pharmacy technician is tasked with reconciling the daily cash drawer at the end of their shift. The point-of-sale (POS) system reports $1250 in cash sales, but the physical cash count is $1245. What is the most appropriate next step for the technician?Order Entry and Processing
  19. 169.A pharmacy technician is tasked with calculating the appropriate dose for a pediatric patient. The order is for a medication at 15 mg/kg, and the patient weighs 44 lbs. What is the correct dose in milligrams?Order Entry and Processing
  20. 170.A pharmacy technician is entering a prescription for a patient who has Medicare Part D. The patient presents a coupon for a discount on their copayment. How should the technician process this coupon?Order Entry and Processing
  21. 171.A pharmacy technician is calculating the cost of a prescription for a patient with a deductible. The medication's cost is $150. The patient's insurance plan has a $500 annual deductible, of which $400 has already been met. How much will the patient owe for this prescription?Order Entry and Processing
  22. 172.A pharmacy needs to determine the average inventory turnover rate for its generic medications. Which of the following formulas is used to calculate inventory turnover rate?Order Entry and Processing
  23. 173.A pharmacy technician needs to order a medication that is only available through a specific wholesaler due to a limited distribution program. Which type of purchasing system is being utilized in this scenario?Order Entry and Processing
  24. 174.A pharmacy technician is conducting a routine audit of dispensed prescriptions. Which of the following components is legally REQUIRED to be present on a prescription label for a non-controlled medication?Order Entry and Processing
  25. 175.A pharmacy technician receives a prescription for amoxicillin 250 mg/5 mL, 150 mL. The directions state "Take 1 tsp by mouth three times daily for 10 days." How many milliliters should the patient take per dose?Order Entry and Processing
  26. 176.A pharmacy technician is processing a prescription for a medication that requires refrigeration. What is the most important step to ensure the integrity of this medication during the dispensing process?Order Entry and Processing
  27. 177.A pharmacy technician is preparing to compound a 2% hydrocortisone cream. The prescription requires 60 grams of the cream. How many grams of pure hydrocortisone powder are needed?Order Entry and Processing
  28. 178.A pharmacy technician is entering a prescription for a patient who has a known allergy to penicillin. The prescription is for amoxicillin. What is the MOST appropriate action for the technician to take?Order Entry and Processing
  29. 179.A pharmacy technician is preparing a compounded sterile preparation. After donning appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and performing hand hygiene, what is the NEXT critical step before beginning compounding within the sterile environment?Order Entry and Processing
  30. 180.A patient arrives at the pharmacy with a prescription for a new medication that costs $500. Their insurance plan has a $100 deductible and then covers 80% of the cost for preferred brand-name drugs. How much will the patient owe for this prescription?Order Entry and Processing
  31. 181.A pharmacy technician receives a prescription for 'Levothyroxine 75 mcg #90, Sig: 1 po qd.' Upon entering the prescription, the system alerts that the patient has a known allergy to 'sulfonamides.' What is the appropriate next step for the technician?Order Entry and Processing
  32. 182.A patient calls the pharmacy asking about a prescription for 'Ambien 10 mg #30, Sig: 1 po hs prn insomnia.' The patient says they have been taking it nightly for 3 weeks and wonders why they are running out early. What is the most likely reason for the early refill request?Order Entry and Processing
  33. 183.When a pharmacy technician receives a damaged shipment of medications, which of the following is the most appropriate initial action?Order Entry and Processing
  34. 184.A technician is performing a final check on a prescription for 'Metformin XR 500 mg #60, Sig: 1 po bid with meals.' Which of the following is the most critical information to verify with the patient or pharmacist before dispensing?Order Entry and Processing
  35. 185.A pharmacy technician is asked to prepare 500 mL of a 0.9% NaCl solution. How many grams of NaCl are needed?Order Entry and Processing
  36. 186.A pharmacy technician is calculating the amount of active ingredient needed to compound 120 mL of a 2.5% (w/v) solution. How many grams of active ingredient are required?Order Entry and Processing
  37. 187.A pharmacy technician is checking the expiration dates of medications. According to USP <797> guidelines, what is the beyond-use date (BUD) for a sterile compounded preparation prepared in a ISO Class 5 laminar airflow workbench from sterile ingredients, intended for administration within 24 hours (room temperature)?Order Entry and Processing
  38. 188.A technician is preparing to dispense a prescription for a controlled substance. Which of the following is REQUIRED information to verify on the prescription label before dispensing?Order Entry and Processing
  39. 189.A pharmacy receives an order for "Dopamine 400 mg in 250 mL D5W to infuse at 5 mcg/kg/min for a 70 kg patient." The pharmacy technician needs to calculate the infusion rate in mL/hr. What is the correct infusion rate?Order Entry and Processing
  40. 190.A pharmacy technician is preparing an IV admixture. The order is for 'Dextrose 5% in Water (D5W) 1000 mL to infuse over 8 hours.' What is the correct infusion rate in mL/hour?Order Entry and Processing
  41. 191.A pharmacy technician is asked to prepare a sterile ophthalmic solution. Which characteristic is MOST critical for this type of preparation to ensure patient safety and comfort?Medications
  42. 192.A patient calls the pharmacy reporting they have been experiencing severe muscle pain and weakness since starting 'rosuvastatin 20 mg daily' a few weeks ago. Which of the following conditions is the most serious potential adverse effect associated with statins that the technician should be concerned about?Medications
  43. 193.A pharmacy technician is preparing a sterile intravenous admixture that requires the addition of a chemotherapy agent. Which of the following pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) is most critical to protect the technician from exposure to hazardous drugs?Medications
  44. 194.A pharmacy technician is preparing a non-sterile oral solution. The master formula calls for 'Purified Water, USP' as the vehicle. What is the primary characteristic of Purified Water, USP, that makes it suitable for this application?Medications
  45. 195.A pharmacy technician is reviewing a medication order for a patient with diabetes. The order specifies 'Insulin Glargine 10 units subcutaneously every evening.' Which of the following is crucial information to provide regarding the administration of Insulin Glargine?Medications
  46. 196.A patient calls the pharmacy expressing concern about a new prescription for 'prednisone 20 mg, take 1 tablet daily for 5 days, then 10 mg daily for 5 days, then discontinue.' They ask why the dose is being gradually reduced. What is the most appropriate explanation for this tapering schedule?Medications
  47. 197.A patient is prescribed 'metformin 500 mg, take 1 tablet by mouth twice daily.' The pharmacy technician should provide which of the following crucial counseling points regarding metformin administration?Medications
  48. 198.A patient calls the pharmacy inquiring about a new prescription for 'levothyroxine 100 mcg, take 1 tablet by mouth daily.' They ask if they can take it with their morning coffee and breakfast. What is the most appropriate advice regarding levothyroxine administration?Medications
  49. 199.A pharmacy technician is reviewing a new prescription for a patient with gout. The prescription is for 'allopurinol 100 mg, take 1 tablet daily.' Which of the following auxiliary labels is MOST important to include with this medication?Medications
  50. 200.A pharmacy technician is preparing a non-sterile compound that requires the use of a Class A torsion balance. The master formula calls for 100 mg of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). The minimum weighable quantity (MWQ) for this balance is 120 mg. Which of the following methods should the technician use to accurately weigh the API?Medications