Pharmacy Technician Study Guide
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Core Competency Areas
The exam tests for 'Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities' (KSAs) in the following core competency areas:
10%Medical & Pharmacy Terminology
15%Law, Ethics, Professionalism & Regulation
15%Medication Safety
20%Anatomy, Physiology, Diseases & Pharmacology
5%Units of Measure, Conversion, and Calculations
25%Drug Classification
10%Pharmacy Policies & Procedures
Topical Breakdown
I. Medical & Pharmacy Terminology (10%)
- Common medical and pharmacy terminology and abbreviations
II. Law, Ethics, Professionalism & Regulation (15%)
- Healthcare laws applicable to pharmacy
- Role of ethics in the pharmacy
- Confidentiality, privacy, and security
- Professional workplace behavior
- Regulatory agencies
III. Medication Safety (15%)
- Infection prevention and control
- Prevention of medication errors
- Patient and staff safety
IV. Diseases & Pharmacology (20%)
- Common infectious and non-infectious diseases
- Symptoms of common diseases
- General principles of pharmacology
- Medication administration and dosage forms
V. Units of Measure, Conversion, and Calculations (5%)
- Basic measurements and calculations
- Math and time conversions
- Units of measure in pharmacy
VI. Drug Classification (25%)
- Names and categories of common medications
- Medication side effects
VII. Pharmacy Policies & Procedures (10%)
- Billing and insurance
- Pharmacy procedures, workflow, and operations
- Pharmacy equipment
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National Certification & Registration
