Non-Sterile Compounding
This type of compounding involves preparing medications that are not intended to be sterile, such as creams, ointments, capsules, and oral liquids.
What is extemporaneous compounding?
This federal agency regulates controlled substances and enforces the federal Controlled Substances Act.
What is the DEA
This is an error that is caught before the medication reaches the patient.
This type of pharmacy primarily serves patients in the community and commonly fills prescriptions for outpatient use.
What is retail/community pharmacy
This communication technique involves giving the patient your full attention and demonstrating that you understand what they are saying.
What is active listening
This document provides instructions for how a compounded preparation should be made, including ingredients, quantities, and procedures.
What is master formulation record?
This federal agency is responsible for approving drugs and monitoring drug safety, including post-market safety information.
What is the FDA
A technician notices that two medication bottles have very similar names and packaging. This type of medication name or packaging similarity can increase the risk of an error.
What is a look-alike/sound- alike (LASA) medication
This number is used to identify a specific drug product, including the manufacturer, product, and package size.
What is an NDC
A patient loudly complains about a long wait while other patients are listening. The technician should protect patient privacy, remain professional, and avoid doing this.
What is arguing, discussing confidential information publicly, or escalating the confrontation?
A compounded medication should be labeled with information such as the drug name, strength, directions, and this date indicating when the preparation should no longer be used.
What is the beyond-use date (BUD)
A technician receives a prescription and notices that the medication, dose, or directions appear questionable. The technician should not independently change the prescription. Instead, the technician should do this.
What is refer it to the pharmacist
A technician selects the correct medication and strength, but accidentally chooses the wrong patient's prescription profile when processing the order. The error is caught before the medication is dispensed. What type of event is this?
What is a near miss
A patient asks why their prescription looks different from the medication they received last month. One possible explanation is that the pharmacy dispensed the same medication under a different version of this.
What is the generic/brand name
A patient asks a technician, “Why did my doctor prescribe this medication for me?” The technician knows what the medication is commonly used for but is unsure why it was specifically prescribed for this patient. What should the technician do?
What is refer the question to the pharmacist
Before preparing a compounded medication, the technician reviews the formulation and notices that one ingredient is past its expiration date. What should the technician do?
What is STOP and notify the pharmacist before using the ingredient
This federal law established requirements related to patient privacy and protection of protected health information.
What is HIPAA
A patient receives the wrong medication because of a pharmacy dispensing error. What should the technician do FIRST?
What is immediately notify the pharmacist and follow the pharmacy's medication-error response procedure
A technician notices that the prescription label says 30 tablets, but the stock bottle contains 90 tablets. Before continuing, the technician should verify this information against the prescription and pharmacy system.
What is quantity to dispense
A patient is upset because their insurance will not pay for their prescription and says, “Just tell me which medication my doctor should prescribe instead!” What should the technician do?
What is explain that medication selection is a pharmacist/prescriber decision and refer the patient to the pharmacist for assistance?
A technician notices that the concentration of an ingredient on the formulation does not match the concentration of the ingredient that was pulled from inventory. What should happen next?
What is STOP and not continue preparing the product and notify the pharmacist
A technician is asked to perform a task that is outside the technician's legal scope of practice. The technician should take this action.
What is decline the task respectfully and refer the situation to the pharmacist/next in charge
A technician is filling a prescription for metoprolol 25 mg but accidentally selects metoprolol 50 mg from the shelf. The error is caught during the pharmacist's final verification before the prescription reaches the patient. What type of medication safety event occurred?
What is near miss
A patient drops off a prescription for a medication they have never taken before. While entering the prescription, the technician notices that the patient's profile lists a documented allergy to that medication. What should the technician do?
What is stop processing the prescription and immediately alert the pharmacist
A patient becomes increasingly angry at the pharmacy counter and begins discussing another patient's medication within earshot of other customers. What are two things the technician should do?
TWO PART ANSWER
What are de-escalate the interaction and protect the patient's privacy by moving the conversation to a more private setting or involving the pharmacist as appropriate?