PTCB Questions and Free Practice Tests

Medications

Generic names, brand names, and classifications of medications.

Therapeutic equivalence.

Common and life-threatening drug interactions and contraindications (e.g., drug-disease,
drug-drug, drug-dietary supplement, drug-laboratory, drug-nutrient).

Strengths/dose, dosage forms, routes of administration, special handling and administration
instructions, and duration of drug therapy.

Common and severe medication side effects, adverse effects, and allergies.

Indications of medications and dietary supplements.

Drug stability (e.g., oral suspensions, insulin, reconstitutables, injectables, vaccinations).

Narrow therapeutic index (NTI) medications.

Physical and chemical incompatibilities related to non-sterile compounding and reconstitution.

Proper storage of medications (e.g., temperature ranges, light sensitivity, restricted access).

Federal Requirements

Federal requirements for handling and disposal of non-hazardous, hazardous, and
pharmaceutical substances and waste.

Federal requirements for controlled substance prescriptions (i.e., new, refill, transfer) and DEA
controlled substance schedules.

Federal requirements (e.g., DEA, FDA) for controlled substances (i.e., receiving, storing,
ordering, labeling, dispensing, reverse distribution, take-back programs, and loss or theft)

Federal requirements for restricted drug programs and related medication processing (e.g.,
pseudoephedrine, Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies [REMS]).

FDA recall requirements (e.g., medications, devices, supplies, supplements, classifications)

Patient Safety and Quality Assurance

High-alert/risk medications and look-alike/sound-alike [LASA] medications

Error prevention strategies (e.g., prescription or medication order to correct patient, Tall Man
lettering, separating inventory, leading and trailing zeros, bar code usage, limit use of error-prone
abbreviations)

Issues that require pharmacist intervention (e.g., drug utilization review [DUR], adverse drug
event [ADE], OTC recommendation, therapeutic substitution, misuse, adherence,
post-immunization follow-up, allergies, drug interactions) 

Event reporting procedures (e.g., medication errors, adverse effects, and product integrity,
MedWatch, near miss, root-cause analysis [RCA])

Types of prescription errors (e.g., abnormal doses, early refill, incorrect quantity, incorrect patient,
incorrect drug)

Hygiene and cleaning standards (e.g., handwashing, personal protective equipment [PPE],
cleaning counting trays, countertop, and equipment)

Order Entry and Processing 

Procedures to compound non-sterile products (e.g., ointments, mixtures, liquids, emulsions,
suppositories, enemas)

Formulas, calculations, ratios, proportions, alligations, conversions, Sig codes (e.g., b.i.d., t.i.d.,
Roman numerals), abbreviations, medical terminology, and symbols for days supply, quantity,
dose, concentration, dilutions.

Equipment/supplies required for drug administration (e.g., package size, unit dose, diabetic
supplies, spacers, oral and injectable syringes)

Lot numbers, expiration dates, and National Drug Code (NDC) numbers

Procedures for identifying and returning dispensable, non-dispensable, and expired medications
and supplies (e.g., credit return, return to stock, reverse distribution)

What is PTCB (Pharmacy Technician Certification Board) Blueprint

The PTCB (Pharmacy Technician Certification Board) blueprint is a detailed outline that specifies the content areas covered in the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) and the percentage of questions dedicated to each domain. This blueprint serves as a guide for candidates preparing for the exam, helping them understand what topics to focus on and the relative importance of each area.

By studying the PTCB blueprint, candidates can tailor their study plans to cover all essential content areas and ensure they are adequately prepared for the exam. It provides clarity on the knowledge and skills required to pass the PTCE and become a certified pharmacy technician.

Why PTCB  Blueprint is important for Success

The PTCB blueprint is crucial for several reasons:

  1. Exam Preparation: The blueprint serves as a roadmap for candidates preparing for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE). It outlines the specific content areas and the relative weight of each topic, helping candidates focus their study efforts effectively.
  2. Content Coverage: By understanding the blueprint, candidates gain insight into the breadth and depth of knowledge required for the exam. This ensures they are adequately prepared to answer questions across all relevant domains.
  3. Focus Areas: The blueprint highlights the most critical areas of pharmacy practice, including medication knowledge, pharmacy law, patient safety, and calculations. Candidates can prioritize their study efforts based on the weight assigned to each domain.
  4. Alignment with Practice: The content outlined in the blueprint reflects the knowledge and skills essential for competent pharmacy technicians in real-world practice. Studying the blueprint not only prepares candidates for the exam but also equips them with the knowledge needed to excel in their role as pharmacy technicians.
  5. Standardization: The blueprint helps maintain consistency and standardization in the certification process. By providing clear guidelines on exam content, it ensures that all candidates are evaluated fairly and accurately based on a common set of knowledge and skills.

Overall, the PTCB blueprint serves as a valuable tool for both candidates and educators, guiding exam preparation and ensuring that certified pharmacy technicians possess the requisite knowledge and skills to perform their duties effectively and safely in various pharmacy settings.

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