Handling of prescriptions MCQs With Answer

Handling of prescriptions MCQs With Answer equips B. Pharm students with practical, clinic-ready skills in prescription interpretation, dispensing, and patient safety. This introduction covers core elements of prescription handling: parts of a prescription (superscription, inscription, subscription, signa), standard and unsafe abbreviations, drug utilization review (DUR), labeling and auxiliary labels, dosage calculations, pediatric dosing methods, compounding math, beyond-use dating (BUD), storage conditions, e-prescribing, and error prevention strategies. Emphasis is placed on legal/ethical requirements, accurate transcription, counseling, and mitigation of look-alike/sound-alike risks. Strong command of calculations, Latin abbreviations, and documentation ensures safe, compliant dispensing. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. Which part of a prescription provides instructions to the pharmacist on compounding and dispensing?

• Superscription – the Rx symbol
• Inscription – drug name, strength, and quantity
• Subscription – directions to the pharmacist for compounding/dispensing
• Signa – directions to the patient

Correct Answer: Subscription – directions to the pharmacist for compounding/dispensing

Q2. The symbol “Rx” on a prescription most accurately stands for:

• “Recipe” meaning “take thou”
• “Regimen”
• “Registration”
• “Reminder”

Correct Answer: “Recipe” meaning “take thou”

Q3. The signa (Sig.) section of a prescription contains:

• Directions to the patient for use
• Prescriber’s registration number
• Pharmacy stock code
• Drug lot number

Correct Answer: Directions to the patient for use

Q4. Which abbreviation is unsafe and should be avoided in prescriptions due to error risk?

• U for units
• g for grams
• mL for milliliters
• mg for milligrams

Correct Answer: U for units

Q5. Which is the best practice for decimal doses to minimize medication errors?

• Use a leading zero before decimal doses less than one (e.g., 0.5 mg)
• Use trailing zeros to improve clarity (e.g., 1.0 mg)
• Omit zeros entirely for brevity (e.g., .5 mg)
• Avoid decimals by rounding all doses

Correct Answer: Use a leading zero before decimal doses less than one (e.g., 0.5 mg)

Q6. Which pediatric dosing method is generally most accurate across ages and weights?

• Body Surface Area (BSA) method
• Young’s age-based rule
• Clark’s weight-based rule
• Fixed fraction of adult dose

Correct Answer: Body Surface Area (BSA) method

Q7. A patient receives 120 mL of syrup with directions: “Take 5 mL every 6 hours.” What is the days’ supply?

• 5 days
• 6 days
• 7 days
• 10 days

Correct Answer: 6 days

Q8. After reconstitution, the typical beyond-use date (BUD) for many oral antibiotic suspensions is:

• As per manufacturer, usually 7–14 days, often refrigerated
• Fixed 30 days at room temperature for all products
• 90 days regardless of storage
• Use until the bottle is empty

Correct Answer: As per manufacturer, usually 7–14 days, often refrigerated

Q9. Which auxiliary label is most appropriate for metronidazole therapy?

• Avoid alcohol during therapy and for 48–72 hours after
• May cause harmless orange urine discoloration
• Take on an empty stomach only
• Protect from light

Correct Answer: Avoid alcohol during therapy and for 48–72 hours after

Q10. Which item is least likely to be required on a patient’s dispensing label in community pharmacy?

• Patient’s name
• Drug name and strength
• Manufacturer’s batch/lot number
• Directions for use

Correct Answer: Manufacturer’s batch/lot number

Q11. Drug Utilization Review (DUR) primarily involves:

• Checking for drug–drug interactions, allergies, duplicate therapy, and dose appropriateness
• Negotiating patient copay amounts only
• Printing labels without clinical verification
• Counting pills faster to reduce wait time

Correct Answer: Checking for drug–drug interactions, allergies, duplicate therapy, and dose appropriateness

Q12. Which strategy best reduces look-alike/sound-alike (LASA) medication errors?

• Use Tall Man lettering and store look-alikes separately
• Rely on brand names only
• Ignore indications on the prescription
• Disable barcode verification

Correct Answer: Use Tall Man lettering and store look-alikes separately

Q13. Which representation minimizes error risk for one milligram?

• 1 mg
• 1.0 mg
• 01 mg
• 1,000 mcg

Correct Answer: 1 mg

Q14. How many grams of solute are needed to prepare 250 mL of a 2% w/v solution?

• 2.5 g
• 5 g
• 10 g
• 0.5 g

Correct Answer: 5 g

Q15. To dilute 95% alcohol to 70%, the most appropriate calculation is based on:

• Use C1V1 = C2V2
• Use Alligation alternate only
• Use Young’s rule
• Use Henderson–Hasselbalch

Correct Answer: Use C1V1 = C2V2

Q16. The aliquot method in compounding is used when:

• The required weight is smaller than the balance’s least weighable quantity
• Preparing sterile injectables only
• Measuring large volumes
• The drug is highly soluble

Correct Answer: The required weight is smaller than the balance’s least weighable quantity

Q17. According to USP <795>, the BUD for water-containing oral preparations stored at 2–8°C is:

• Not more than 14 days
• Not more than 30 days
• Not more than 90 days
• Not more than 6 months

Correct Answer: Not more than 14 days

Q18. Controlled room temperature is generally defined as:

• 20–25°C (with permitted excursions of 15–30°C)
• 2–8°C
• −20°C to −10°C
• 8–15°C

Correct Answer: 20–25°C (with permitted excursions of 15–30°C)

Q19. Interpret the direction: “1 tab q8h prn pain.”

• Take one tablet every 8 hours as needed for pain
• Take one tablet every 8 days for pain
• Take one tablet once daily for pain
• Take one tablet every 8 hours regardless of pain

Correct Answer: Take one tablet every 8 hours as needed for pain

Q20. Which abbreviation is considered unsafe and should be avoided?

• qd
• bid
• tid
• q6h

Correct Answer: qd

Q21. Using Clark’s rule (child dose = weight in lb/150 × adult dose), calculate the dose for a 20 kg child if the adult dose is 300 mg.

• 88 mg
• 100 mg
• 132 mg
• 200 mg

Correct Answer: 88 mg

Q22. How much suspension is needed? Amoxicillin 250 mg/5 mL; Sig: 250 mg TID for 7 days.

• 70 mL
• 100 mL
• 105 mL
• 150 mL

Correct Answer: 105 mL

Q23. “DAW” on a prescription means:

• Dispense as written; do not substitute
• Delay and wait
• Deliver at will
• Double all warnings

Correct Answer: Dispense as written; do not substitute

Q24. Which section of the prescription contains the drug name, strength, and quantity?

• Superscription
• Inscription
• Subscription
• Signature

Correct Answer: Inscription

Q25. Which auxiliary label is most appropriate for photosensitive medications?

• Protect from light
• Do not crush or chew
• Shake well before use
• Avoid dairy products

Correct Answer: Protect from light

Q26. What is the best approach to reduce transcription errors from verbal orders?

• Use read-back and phonetic confirmation; document immediately
• Rely on memory to save time
• Skip prescriber clarification to avoid delays
• Use only abbreviations to standardize entries

Correct Answer: Use read-back and phonetic confirmation; document immediately

Q27. How many tablets should be dispensed? Sig: 1.5 tablets twice daily for 14 days.

• 28 tablets
• 30 tablets
• 42 tablets
• 45 tablets

Correct Answer: 42 tablets

Q28. Which combination represents a clinically significant interaction requiring prescriber notification?

• Warfarin with ciprofloxacin increasing bleeding risk
• Vitamin C with ferrous sulfate improving absorption
• Paracetamol with ibuprofen alternating for fever control
• Amoxicillin with food causing minimal absorption change

Correct Answer: Warfarin with ciprofloxacin increasing bleeding risk

Q29. Which statement best reflects ethical handling of prescription information?

• Share patient details only with the care team on a need-to-know basis
• Discuss patient therapy openly in the waiting area
• Provide medication history to any family member on request
• Post anonymized labels on social media with implied consent

Correct Answer: Share patient details only with the care team on a need-to-know basis

Q30. How should unopened insulin vials be stored?

• Refrigerate at 2–8°C; do not freeze
• Store at −20°C to prolong shelf life
• Keep above 30°C to prevent crystallization
• Must be kept at exactly 25°C

Correct Answer: Refrigerate at 2–8°C; do not freeze

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