Compounding Skills

Which of the following is the weight range of a Class III prescription balance?

• 50 mg to 120 g

• 120 mg to 120 g

• 5 mg to 50 mg

• 0 g to 120 g

A pharmacy technician is weighing ingredients for compounding. The technician should recognize that which of the following ingredients should be excluded from weighing?

• Semi-solid substances

• Ingredients in powder form

• Commercially available tablets

• Flavoring and sweetener

Which of the following is an advantage of digital scales over analog scales?

• Digital scales are less sensitive.

• Digital scales are more appropriate for veterinary compounds

• Digital scales do not require calibration

• Digital scales can weigh much smaller amounts

Which of the following pieces of pharmacy equipment can be synchronized with a computer system?

• Digital scale

• Class III balance

• Volumetric flask

• Graduated cylinder

Which of the following guidelines should a pharmacy technician consider when measuring a liquid ingredient?

• Liquid should be added with a syringe or pipette.

• Use the smallest device that will accommodate the liquid.

• Always measure an oily liquid by volume

• Use a prescription bottle to measure the liquid.

A pharmacy technician is preparing to measure 0.5 mL of a liquid and cannot locate a syringe. Which of the following devices should the technician use instead?

• Volumetric flask

• Graduated cylinder

• Calibrated pipette

• Prescription bottle

A pharmacy technician is using a graduated cylinder to measure a liquid ingredient. Which of the following guidelines should the technician follow?

• View the graduated cylinder from below eye level when reading the measurement

• Use the largest graduated cylinder possible

• Hold the graduated cylinder at eye level when reading the measurement.

• Read the measurement on the graduated cylinder from the bottom of the meniscus.

A pharmacy technician is using a dropper to deliver a small amount of an ingredient. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

• Apply varying amounts of pressure to the dropper

• Maintain a slow speed of dropping.

• Pause to perform calibrations of the dropper

• Position the dropper horizontally

A pharmacy technician is compounding a medication that requires the mixing of three dry solids to form a homogenous mixture. Which of the following processes should the technician perform?

• Calibration

• Geometric

• Levigation

• Trituration

A pharmacy technician is compounding a product that requires 50 mg of one powdered medication and 100 mg of another powdered medication. Which of the following techniques should the technician use to mix the powders?

• Calibration

• Geometric dilution

• Levigation

• Trituration