PTCB Certified Pharmacy Technician (PTCE)Federal RequirementsHard
A pharmacy technician is assisting with the annual inventory of controlled substances. The pharmacy maintains a perpetual inventory system for Schedule II medications. According to federal regulations, what is the required accuracy for the count of all Schedule II controlled substances?
- ACount within a 5% margin of error.
- BEstimated count for all Schedule II medications.
- CEstimated count if the container holds more than 1,000 units.
- DExact count (100% accurate).
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Exact count (100% accurate).
Federal regulations require an exact count for all Schedule II controlled substances during inventory. There is no allowance for estimation or a margin of error for these highly controlled medications, regardless of container size.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. There is no federal provision for a 5% margin of error for controlled substance inventory.
- B. Estimation is never allowed for Schedule II controlled substances.
- C. This rule applies to Schedule III, IV, and V substances when the container holds more than 1,000 units, not Schedule II.
Controlled Substance Inventory Accuracy
Federal regulations dictate the required accuracy of counting controlled substances during inventory, varying by schedule.
- Schedule II substances require an exact count (100% accuracy).
- Schedule III, IV, and V substances require an exact count if the container holds 1,000 units or less.
- Schedule III, IV, and V substances can be estimated if the container holds more than 1,000 units, but an exact count is often preferred for best practice.
Memory trick: C2 Exact, C3-5 Count or Estimate >1000.