Test Questions

Identifying Factors that Cause Pharmacy Errors

Exam Questions

1. According to the Institute of Medicine report, the number of deaths annually attributable to medical errors may approach:
    A. 10,000
    B. 50,000
    C. 100,000
    D. 250,000
2. According to the Institute of Medicine report, preventable medical errors make up what percentage of total health care costs?
    A. 0.1%
    B. 1%
    C. 2%
    D. 5%
3. According to recent surveys, the American public:
    A. Is not yet concerned about pharmacy errors
    B. Ranks the fear of pharmacy errors well below fears over complications due to medical procedures
    C. Is more concerned with receiving the correct drug than with complications due to medical procedures
    D. Is less concerned with pharmacy errors than it was a decade ago
4. Which of the following is an example of a judgmental rather than mechanical error?
    A. Wrong directions on label
    B. Failure to detect a drug interaction
    C. Wrong drug dispensed
    D. Wrong name on label
5. The most common type of error cited in malpractice claims is:
    A. Wrong directions on label
    B. Failure to detect a drug interaction
    C. Wrong drug dispensed
    D. Wrong name on label
6. The rate of dispensing errors by pharmacists:
    A. Varies considerably among different studies
    B. Can be affected by the workplace environment
    C. Is perceived by pharmacists to be increasing
    D. All of the above
7. Extrapolating from existing data, the number of dispensing errors made by pharmacists annually is estimated to be approximately:
    A. 1 million
    B. 5.5 million
    C. 25 million
    D. 51.5 million
8. Since 1994, the volume of prescriptions dispensed by pharmacists in the U.S. has:
    A. Increased in parallel with the growth of the population
    B. Increased at a rate that exceeds the growth of the population
    C. Decreased overall, but the number of prescriptions per retail outlet has increased
    D. Stayed essentially unchanged
9. What was the most common cause of errors according to surveys of pharmacists?
    A. High prescription volume
    B. Illegible handwriting
    C. Similar drug names
    D. Overreliance on support personnel
10. In which of the following ways may workplace stress affect cognitive function?
    A. Stress may lead to taking shortcuts
    B. Stress may lead to exceeding the optimal capacity for processing information
    C. Both A and B are correct
    D. Stress has not been shown to negatively affect cognitive function since it leads to increased vigilance
11. In what way do studies suggest that error rates are affected by prescription volume?
    A. High volume increases error rates
    B. An increased workload decreases the likelihood of dispensing a drug–drug interaction
    C. A dramatic shift in the number of prescriptions presented decreases error rates
    D. There is no relationship between prescription volume and error rates
12. A pharmacist dispenses the wrong drug and the patient is harmed as a result. The pharmacist would not be liable if:
    A. The prescription was poorly written
    B. The technician made the error
    C. Confusion over a similar pair of drug names is a common occurrence
    D. Pharmacists are allowed no margin for mechanical errors and would be liable despite these circumstances
13. As pharmacists take on an expanded role in drug therapy management, their risk of liability for an error:
    A. Increases
    B. Decreases
    C. Stays the same, because it is the physician who is ultimately liable
    D. Stays the same because pharmacists are only liable for errors if they dispense the wrong drug
14. In some states, if a patient wishes to conduct a search to verify the disciplinary status of a pharmacist:
    A. They may file a freedom of information request with the pharmacy commission
    B. The information is readily accessible via a state run Web site
    C. They may do so, but only if they have been the victim of a mistake
    D. They cannot, because this type of information is protected, private information in all states
15. Which of the following steps has been taken most frequently by state regulatory agencies in an effort to reduce errors?
    A. Increasing fines on pharmacies that make errors
    B. Mandating quality assurance programs and error reporting
    C. Reducing the number of technicians that a pharmacy may employ
    D. Increasing minimum requirements on malpractice insurance
16. Which of the following is true regarding the MEDMARX program?
    A. It is a voluntary, anonymous Internet-based reporting system
    B. It is operated by the FDA
    C. Information reported is not shared with any government agency
    D. It has received more than 10 million reports of medication errors since its inception
17. Which of the following workplace changes has been considered by state regulatory agencies to address errors?
    A. Restrict break time
    B. Set limits on hours worked by pharmacists
    C. Increase quotas on prescriptions filled by an individual pharmacist
    D. All of the above
18. Which of the following pharmacy practices is believed to decrease errors?
    A. Increasing patient counseling
    B. Reducing distractions
    C. Expanding hospital clinical pharmacy services
    D. All of the above
19. What step has the FDA taken to avoid confusion in drug names?
    A. The FDA currently relies on a computerized program to compare drug names
    B. The FDA does not track reports of drug names that may cause confusion
    C. The FDA reviews drug names before marketing and may reject those that could cause confusion
    D. The FDA has no control over drug names
20. Which of the following has been recommended as a means of reducing drug name confusion?
    A. Use of distinguishing characters on drug name labels
    B. Indicating both brand and generic names on the prescription
    C. Providing the drug's indication on the prescription
    D. All of the above

Evaluation Questions

21. Met objective 1:*
    A. Excellent
    B. Very Good
    C. Good
    D. Fair
    E. Poor
22. Met objective 2:*
    A. Excellent
    B. Very Good
    C. Good
    D. Fair
    E. Poor
23. Met objective 3:*
    A. Excellent
    B. Very Good
    C. Good
    D. Fair
    E. Poor
24. Met objective 4:*
    A. Excellent
    B. Very Good
    C. Good
    D. Fair
    E. Poor
25. Met objective 5:
    A. Excellent
    B. Very Good
    C. Good
    D. Fair
    E. Poor
    F. N/A for Pharmacy Technicians
26. Related to your practice needs:
    A. Excellent
    B. Very Good
    C. Good
    D. Fair
    E. Poor
27. Will help you improve patient care:
    A. Excellent
    B. Very Good
    C. Good
    D. Fair
    E. Poor
28. Avoided commercial bias:
    A. Excellent
    B. Very Good
    C. Good
    D. Fair
    E. Poor
29. How would you rate the overall quality of the material presented?
    A. Excellent
    B. Very Good
    C. Good
    D. Fair
    E. Poor
30. How would you rate the overall user friendliness of the program?
    A. Excellent
    B. Very Good
    C. Good
    D. Fair
    E. Poor
31. Comments on this program:
 
* Also applies to pharmacy technicians