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
