TL;DR
Master medication dosage calculations including weight-based dosing, concentration conversions, and IV drip rates. Accurate calculations prevent medication errors and are a key exam competency.
Free Dosage Forms & Routes Practice Questions
PTCB Pharmacy Technician Certification · Medications
This module covers Dosage Forms & Routes as part of the Medications section, testing your understanding of core concepts and their practical application.
| Exam | PTCB Pharmacy Technician Certification |
| Pass Rate | 72% |
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Module | Dosage Forms & Routes |
Why Dosage Forms & Routes matters
Dosage Forms & Routes is a commonly tested topic on the PTCB Pharmacy Technician Certification because it covers fundamental knowledge required for competent professional practice.
Sample Practice Questions (5)
1. A patient on chronic pain management uses a morphine sulfate ER tablet and has breakthrough pain controlled with morphine sulfate immediate-release solution. When calculating the total daily opioid dose for a conversion, the pharmacy technician must:
- Add the total daily ER dose plus all IR breakthrough doses consumed in 24 hours to determine the total daily morphine equivalent
- Count only the ER dose since breakthrough medication is supplemental and excluded from rotation calculations
- Multiply the ER dose by the number of IR doses taken
- Use only the IR dose to determine the new long-acting regimen
2. A pharmacy technician receives a prescription for "phytonadione 10 mg IM." Phytonadione is:
- Vitamin K1, given by intramuscular injection
- Vitamin B12, given orally
- Folic acid, given intravenously
- Vitamin D, given subcutaneously
3. A patient prescribed insulin glargine (Lantus) is confused about the difference from insulin lispro (Humalog). The key pharmacokinetic distinction is:
- Glargine is a long-acting basal insulin with no peak, dosed once daily; lispro is a rapid-acting insulin taken at mealtimes
- Both are rapid-acting insulins used before meals
- Glargine is given IV for diabetic emergencies; lispro is subcutaneous only
- Lispro is an intermediate-acting insulin lasting 12-16 hours
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- The drug is slowly absorbed from the injection site over weeks to months, providing prolonged therapeutic effect
- The drug is rapidly absorbed and eliminated within 24 hours
- Depot injections are always given intravenously for rapid onset
- The injection site must be massaged vigorously to enhance absorption
5. A powder for injection labeled "1 g vial — reconstitute with 9.6 mL Sterile Water for Injection to yield 10 mL of 100 mg/mL" has a powder volume (displacement) of:
- 0.4 mL
- 0.6 mL
- 1.0 mL
- 10 mL
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