PHARM
TECH
z
PHARMACY z
TECHNICIAN
Certification
Review
and
Practice
Exam
4th Edition
z
BARBARA E. LACHER, BS,
z z z
RPhTech, CPhTz
,Anyzcorrespondencezregardingzthiszpublicationzshouldzbezsentztozthezpublisher,zAmericanzSocietyzofzHealth-
SystemzPharmacists,z4500zEast-WestzHighway,zSuitez900,zBethesda,zMDz20814,zattention:zSpecialzPublishing.
Thezinformationzpresentedzhereinzreflectszthezopinionszofzthezcontributorszandzadvisors.zItzshouldznotzbezinterpretedzaszanzoffi-
zcialzpolicyzofzASHPzorzaszanzendorsementzofzanyzproduct.
Becausezofzongoingzresearchzandzimprovementszinztechnology,zthezinformationzandzitszapplicationszcontainedzinzthisztextzarezc
onstantlyzevolvingzandzarezsubjectztozthezprofessionalzjudgmentzandzinterpretationzofzthezpractitionerzdueztozthezuniquenesszofz azcl
inicalzsituation.zThezeditorszandzASHPzhavezmadezreasonablezeffortsztozensurezthezaccuracyzandzappropriatenesszofzthezinfor-
zmationzpresentedzinzthiszdocument.zHowever,zanyzuserzofzthiszinformationziszadvisedzthatzthezeditorszandzASHPzareznotzrespon-
zsiblezforzthezcontinuedzcurrencyzofzthezinformation,zforzanyzerrorszorzomissions,zand/orzforzanyzconsequenceszarisingzfromzthez
usezofzthezinformationzinzthezdocumentzinzanyzandzallzpracticezsettings.zAnyzreaderzofzthiszdocumentziszcautionedzthatzASHPzm
akesznozrepresentation,zguarantee,zorzwarranty,zexpresszorzimplied,zasztozthezaccuracyzandzappropriatenesszofzthezinformationzco
ntainedzinzthiszdocumentzandzspecificallyzdisclaimszanyzliabilityztozanyzpartyzforzthezaccuracyzand/orzcompletenesszofzthezmat
erialzorzforzanyzdamageszarisingzoutzofzthezusezorznon-usezofzanyzofzthezinformationzcontainedzinzthiszdocument.
Vicezffresident,zffublishing:zDanielzCobaugh
EditorialzffrojectzManager,zSpecialzffublishing:zRuthzBloom
ffroductionzManager:zJohnnazHershey
CoverzGzffagezDesign:zDavidzWade
LibraryzofzCongresszCatalogingz-zinz-zPublicationzData
Names:zLacher,zBarbarazE.,zauthor.z|zAmericanzSocietyzofzHealth-
SystemzPharmacists,zissuingzbody.
Title:zPharmacyztechnicianzcertificationzreviewzandzpracticezexamz/zBarbara
E.zLacher.
Otherztitles:zComplementedzbyz(work):zManualzforzpharmacyztechnicians.zFifthzediti
on.
Description:z4thzedition.z|zBethesda,zMDz:zAmericanzSocietyzofzHealth-
SystemzPharmacists,z[2019]z|zComplementedzby:zManualzforzpharmacyztechniciansz
/z[editedzby]zBonniezS.zBachenheimer.zFifthzedition.z2019.z|zIncludeszbibliographi
calzreferenceszandzindex.
Identifiers:zLCCNz2019007935z|zISBNz9781585284986z(paperbackz:zalk.zpaper)zSub
jects:z|zMESH:zPharmacyz|zPharmaceuticalzServicesz|zPharmacyzTechniciansz|zUnitedz
Statesz|zProgrammedzInstruction
Classification:zLCCzRS122.95z|zNLMzQVz18.2z|zDDCz615.1/90076--dc23zLCzrecordzavailablezatzhttps://lccn.loc.gov/2019007935
©z2019,zAmericanzSocietyzofzHealth-SystemzPharmacists,zInc.zAllzrightszreserved.
Nozpartzofzthiszpublicationzmayzbezreproducedzorztransmittedzinzanyzformzorzbyzanyzmeans,zelectroniczorzmechanical,zincludingzp
hotocopying,zmicrofilming,zandzrecording,zorzbyzanyzinformationzstoragezandzretrievalzsystem,zwithoutzwrittenzpermissionzfr
omzthezAmericanzSocietyzofzHealth-SystemzPharmacists.
ASHPziszazservicezmarkzofzthezAmericanzSocietyzofzHealth-SystemzPharmacists,zInc.;zregisteredzinzthezU.S.zPatentzandzTrade-
zmarkzOffice.
ISBN:z 978-1-58528-498-6
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
z z z z z z z z z
,Preface ..................................................................................................... iv
Acknowledgments ........................................................................................ v
CHAPTERz 1 PreparingzforzthezExamzandzTakingzthezTest ..................................1
CHAPTERz 2 PharmacyzCalculationszReview ...................................................9
CHAPTERz 3 Pharmacologyz Review ............................................................ 35
CHAPTERz 4 SterilezandzNonsterilezCompounding ......................................... 75
CHAPTERz 5 Medicationz Safety ................................................................ 101
CHAPTERz 6 PharmacyzLawzandzQualityzAssurance...................................... 115
CHAPTERz 7 MedicationzDosagezForms,zRouteszofzAdministration,
andzDrugzUsage ................................................................... 131
CHAPTERz 8 ProcessingzMedicationzOrderszandzPrescriptions ........................ 149
CHAPTERz 9 PharmacyzInventoryzManagement ........................................... 171
CHAPTERz 10z z Billing/ReimbursementzandzInformationzSystems ...................... 185
APPENDIXz Az PracticezExamz1z+zAnswers ..................................................... 205
APPENDIXz Bz PracticezExamz2z+zAnswers ..................................................... 219
INDEX ................................................................................................................................... 231
iii
, ffharmacyzTechnicianzCertificationzReviewzandzffracticezExam,z4thzedition,ziszazself-
studyzguidezthatziszdesignedztozbezazcompanionzbookztozthezManualzforzffharmacyzTechnicians,z
5thzedition;zhowever,zitzcanzbezusedzalonezinzpreparationzforznationalzcertificationzexams.
ThezfourthzeditionziszexpandedztozcoverzallzareaszofzthezcurrentzexamzofferedzbyzthezPhar-
zmacyzTechnicianzCertificationzBoardz(PTCB),zandzitzincludeszeducationalzstandardszofzthez2
019zASHPzAccreditationzStandardzforzPharmacyzTechnicianzPrograms.
Newzexpandedzareaszinclude:
• Newzcalculationszpreparationzquestions
• Medicationzsafety
• Inventoryzmanagement
• Billingzandzinformationzsystems
• Twoznewzpracticezexamszcontainingzoverz200zquestions
Certificationziszbecomingzincreasinglyzimportantzforzpharmacyztechnicians,zespeciallyzinzlightzo
fztheirzroleszandzresponsibilitieszinzthezchangingzpracticezofzpharmacy.zAszpharmacyzrapidlyzev
olves,zqualifiedzandzcredentialedzpharmacyztechnicianszarezplayingzazcriticalzrolezinzphar-
zmaceuticalzcare.zManyzstateszaszwellzaszmanyzemployerszareznowzrequiringzcertificationzaszaz
minimumzrequirement.zTechnicianszoftenzdeemzcertificationzimportantzpersonallyzsoztheyzc
anzshowzemployersztheyzhaveztheznecessaryzskillsztozmeetzthezminimumzstandardzofzthezpr
ofession.zCertificationzdemonstratesztheztechnician’szcommitmentztozthezprofession.
Pharmacyzhaszchangedzthezwayzpharmaceuticalzcareziszpracticedzandzcontinuesztozchange,za
ddingzmorezresponsibilityzandztasksztozwhatztechnicianszdozandzarezexpectedztozdozinzthezfut
ure.zPharmacistszneedztimeztozprovidezcarezforzpatients,zwhichzhaszresultedzinzanzincreasezinzp
harmacistztechnicians’zassignedzduties.zRoleszforztechniciansznowzincludezmedicationzthera
pyzmanagement,zmedicationzreconciliation,zimmunizations,zinformatics,zandztech-check-
ztechztoznamezazfew.
Aszwithzallzeditionszofzthiszreviewzmanual,zitzisznotzintendedztozbezusedzaszazsinglezsourcezforzpr
eparationzforzthezcertificationzexam.zTozensurezazsuccessfulzoutcome,ztechnicianszshouldzusez
thiszinzconjunctionzwithzotherzstudyzmaterialszrecommendedzbyztheztestingzorganizations.
Allzthezbestzforzazsuccessfulzcareer,
Barbaraz Lacher
Mayz 2019
iv
TECH
z
PHARMACY z
TECHNICIAN
Certification
Review
and
Practice
Exam
4th Edition
z
BARBARA E. LACHER, BS,
z z z
RPhTech, CPhTz
,Anyzcorrespondencezregardingzthiszpublicationzshouldzbezsentztozthezpublisher,zAmericanzSocietyzofzHealth-
SystemzPharmacists,z4500zEast-WestzHighway,zSuitez900,zBethesda,zMDz20814,zattention:zSpecialzPublishing.
Thezinformationzpresentedzhereinzreflectszthezopinionszofzthezcontributorszandzadvisors.zItzshouldznotzbezinterpretedzaszanzoffi-
zcialzpolicyzofzASHPzorzaszanzendorsementzofzanyzproduct.
Becausezofzongoingzresearchzandzimprovementszinztechnology,zthezinformationzandzitszapplicationszcontainedzinzthisztextzarezc
onstantlyzevolvingzandzarezsubjectztozthezprofessionalzjudgmentzandzinterpretationzofzthezpractitionerzdueztozthezuniquenesszofz azcl
inicalzsituation.zThezeditorszandzASHPzhavezmadezreasonablezeffortsztozensurezthezaccuracyzandzappropriatenesszofzthezinfor-
zmationzpresentedzinzthiszdocument.zHowever,zanyzuserzofzthiszinformationziszadvisedzthatzthezeditorszandzASHPzareznotzrespon-
zsiblezforzthezcontinuedzcurrencyzofzthezinformation,zforzanyzerrorszorzomissions,zand/orzforzanyzconsequenceszarisingzfromzthez
usezofzthezinformationzinzthezdocumentzinzanyzandzallzpracticezsettings.zAnyzreaderzofzthiszdocumentziszcautionedzthatzASHPzm
akesznozrepresentation,zguarantee,zorzwarranty,zexpresszorzimplied,zasztozthezaccuracyzandzappropriatenesszofzthezinformationzco
ntainedzinzthiszdocumentzandzspecificallyzdisclaimszanyzliabilityztozanyzpartyzforzthezaccuracyzand/orzcompletenesszofzthezmat
erialzorzforzanyzdamageszarisingzoutzofzthezusezorznon-usezofzanyzofzthezinformationzcontainedzinzthiszdocument.
Vicezffresident,zffublishing:zDanielzCobaugh
EditorialzffrojectzManager,zSpecialzffublishing:zRuthzBloom
ffroductionzManager:zJohnnazHershey
CoverzGzffagezDesign:zDavidzWade
LibraryzofzCongresszCatalogingz-zinz-zPublicationzData
Names:zLacher,zBarbarazE.,zauthor.z|zAmericanzSocietyzofzHealth-
SystemzPharmacists,zissuingzbody.
Title:zPharmacyztechnicianzcertificationzreviewzandzpracticezexamz/zBarbara
E.zLacher.
Otherztitles:zComplementedzbyz(work):zManualzforzpharmacyztechnicians.zFifthzediti
on.
Description:z4thzedition.z|zBethesda,zMDz:zAmericanzSocietyzofzHealth-
SystemzPharmacists,z[2019]z|zComplementedzby:zManualzforzpharmacyztechniciansz
/z[editedzby]zBonniezS.zBachenheimer.zFifthzedition.z2019.z|zIncludeszbibliographi
calzreferenceszandzindex.
Identifiers:zLCCNz2019007935z|zISBNz9781585284986z(paperbackz:zalk.zpaper)zSub
jects:z|zMESH:zPharmacyz|zPharmaceuticalzServicesz|zPharmacyzTechniciansz|zUnitedz
Statesz|zProgrammedzInstruction
Classification:zLCCzRS122.95z|zNLMzQVz18.2z|zDDCz615.1/90076--dc23zLCzrecordzavailablezatzhttps://lccn.loc.gov/2019007935
©z2019,zAmericanzSocietyzofzHealth-SystemzPharmacists,zInc.zAllzrightszreserved.
Nozpartzofzthiszpublicationzmayzbezreproducedzorztransmittedzinzanyzformzorzbyzanyzmeans,zelectroniczorzmechanical,zincludingzp
hotocopying,zmicrofilming,zandzrecording,zorzbyzanyzinformationzstoragezandzretrievalzsystem,zwithoutzwrittenzpermissionzfr
omzthezAmericanzSocietyzofzHealth-SystemzPharmacists.
ASHPziszazservicezmarkzofzthezAmericanzSocietyzofzHealth-SystemzPharmacists,zInc.;zregisteredzinzthezU.S.zPatentzandzTrade-
zmarkzOffice.
ISBN:z 978-1-58528-498-6
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
z z z z z z z z z
,Preface ..................................................................................................... iv
Acknowledgments ........................................................................................ v
CHAPTERz 1 PreparingzforzthezExamzandzTakingzthezTest ..................................1
CHAPTERz 2 PharmacyzCalculationszReview ...................................................9
CHAPTERz 3 Pharmacologyz Review ............................................................ 35
CHAPTERz 4 SterilezandzNonsterilezCompounding ......................................... 75
CHAPTERz 5 Medicationz Safety ................................................................ 101
CHAPTERz 6 PharmacyzLawzandzQualityzAssurance...................................... 115
CHAPTERz 7 MedicationzDosagezForms,zRouteszofzAdministration,
andzDrugzUsage ................................................................... 131
CHAPTERz 8 ProcessingzMedicationzOrderszandzPrescriptions ........................ 149
CHAPTERz 9 PharmacyzInventoryzManagement ........................................... 171
CHAPTERz 10z z Billing/ReimbursementzandzInformationzSystems ...................... 185
APPENDIXz Az PracticezExamz1z+zAnswers ..................................................... 205
APPENDIXz Bz PracticezExamz2z+zAnswers ..................................................... 219
INDEX ................................................................................................................................... 231
iii
, ffharmacyzTechnicianzCertificationzReviewzandzffracticezExam,z4thzedition,ziszazself-
studyzguidezthatziszdesignedztozbezazcompanionzbookztozthezManualzforzffharmacyzTechnicians,z
5thzedition;zhowever,zitzcanzbezusedzalonezinzpreparationzforznationalzcertificationzexams.
ThezfourthzeditionziszexpandedztozcoverzallzareaszofzthezcurrentzexamzofferedzbyzthezPhar-
zmacyzTechnicianzCertificationzBoardz(PTCB),zandzitzincludeszeducationalzstandardszofzthez2
019zASHPzAccreditationzStandardzforzPharmacyzTechnicianzPrograms.
Newzexpandedzareaszinclude:
• Newzcalculationszpreparationzquestions
• Medicationzsafety
• Inventoryzmanagement
• Billingzandzinformationzsystems
• Twoznewzpracticezexamszcontainingzoverz200zquestions
Certificationziszbecomingzincreasinglyzimportantzforzpharmacyztechnicians,zespeciallyzinzlightzo
fztheirzroleszandzresponsibilitieszinzthezchangingzpracticezofzpharmacy.zAszpharmacyzrapidlyzev
olves,zqualifiedzandzcredentialedzpharmacyztechnicianszarezplayingzazcriticalzrolezinzphar-
zmaceuticalzcare.zManyzstateszaszwellzaszmanyzemployerszareznowzrequiringzcertificationzaszaz
minimumzrequirement.zTechnicianszoftenzdeemzcertificationzimportantzpersonallyzsoztheyzc
anzshowzemployersztheyzhaveztheznecessaryzskillsztozmeetzthezminimumzstandardzofzthezpr
ofession.zCertificationzdemonstratesztheztechnician’szcommitmentztozthezprofession.
Pharmacyzhaszchangedzthezwayzpharmaceuticalzcareziszpracticedzandzcontinuesztozchange,za
ddingzmorezresponsibilityzandztasksztozwhatztechnicianszdozandzarezexpectedztozdozinzthezfut
ure.zPharmacistszneedztimeztozprovidezcarezforzpatients,zwhichzhaszresultedzinzanzincreasezinzp
harmacistztechnicians’zassignedzduties.zRoleszforztechniciansznowzincludezmedicationzthera
pyzmanagement,zmedicationzreconciliation,zimmunizations,zinformatics,zandztech-check-
ztechztoznamezazfew.
Aszwithzallzeditionszofzthiszreviewzmanual,zitzisznotzintendedztozbezusedzaszazsinglezsourcezforzpr
eparationzforzthezcertificationzexam.zTozensurezazsuccessfulzoutcome,ztechnicianszshouldzusez
thiszinzconjunctionzwithzotherzstudyzmaterialszrecommendedzbyztheztestingzorganizations.
Allzthezbestzforzazsuccessfulzcareer,
Barbaraz Lacher
Mayz 2019
iv
