Question 1

What is the definition of a medication error according to the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC MERP)?

Accepted Answer

A medication error is any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of a healthcare professional, patient, or consumer.

Question 2

Which organization operates the MedWatch program, and what is its primary purpose in pharmacy practice?

Accepted Answer

The FDA operates MedWatch, a voluntary reporting program that allows healthcare professionals and consumers to report serious adverse drug events, medication errors, and product quality issues to improve patient safety.

Question 3

A pharmacy technician receives a prescription for 'Metoprolol Tartrate 25 mg twice daily' but dispenses Metoprolol Succinate 25 mg once daily instead. What type of error has occurred?

Accepted Answer

This is a wrong formulation error — metoprolol tartrate is immediate-release (dosed twice daily) and metoprolol succinate is extended-release (dosed once daily); dispensing the wrong salt form changes the drug's pharmacokinetic profile and dosing frequency.

Question 4

Why does the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) recommend writing out 'Units' instead of abbreviating it as 'U' on prescriptions?

Accepted Answer

The abbreviation 'U' can be misread as the number '0' (zero), turning a dose like '4U' into '40 units,' a tenfold overdose that has caused serious patient harm, particularly with insulin and heparin orders.

Question 5

What strategy does ISMP recommend to differentiate look-alike/sound-alike (LASA) drug names on labels and in computer systems?

Accepted Answer

ISMP recommends Tall Man (mixed-case) lettering, such as 'hydrALAZINE' vs. 'hydrOXYzine,' to visually distinguish the differing portions of similar drug names and reduce selection errors during dispensing.

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