Free ExCPT Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) Practice Questions

Sample Practice Questions

Try these 10 sample questions from the ExCPT Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) practice bank. Each includes the answer and explanation. Continue with the interactive practice above to review the full question set.

1. 1A technician has prepared and labeled a prescription, but the pharmacist has not completed final verification. What should occur before the prescription is released to the patient?

   1. A. The patient should perform the final prescription verification.
   2. B. The pharmacist should perform the final prescription verification.
   3. C. A second technician should perform the final prescription verification.
   4. D. The prescriber should perform the final prescription verification.

   Answer: B

   Explanation: The test plan states, "Ensure final prescription verification has been completed by pharmacist prior to releasing to patient." Preparation and labeling do not replace the pharmacist’s final verification.

   Reference: NHA ExCPT Test Plan — p. 2, task 1I

2. 2A covered pharmacy discloses PHI for a routine payment purpose to which HIPAA's minimum necessary standard applies. How much information should it disclose?

   1. A. Every record held by the pharmacy about the patient
   2. B. Only information the patient has already made public
   3. C. The minimum information reasonably needed for the payment purpose
   4. D. Only the patient's name, even if more information is needed

   Answer: C

   Explanation: HHS states that a covered entity must make reasonable efforts to disclose "only the minimum amount of protected health information needed to accomplish the intended purpose". This requires purpose-based limitation, rather than an entire record or an arbitrary fixed subset.

   Reference: Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule — Limiting Uses and Disclosures to the Minimum Necessary, Minimum Necessary

3. 3To which pharmacologic class does the lipid-lowering medication atorvastatin belong?

   1. A. Bile acid sequestrants
   2. B. HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors
   3. C. Cholesterol absorption inhibitors
   4. D. Fibric acid derivatives

   Answer: B

   Explanation: MedlinePlus states, "Atorvastatin is in a class of medications called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins)." The competing options are different lipid-lowering classes.

   Reference: Atorvastatin: MedlinePlus Drug Information — Why is this medication prescribed?

4. 4A prescriber directs that substitution is not allowed. Which DAW product selection code represents that instruction?

   1. A. DAW 0
   2. B. DAW 1
   3. C. DAW 2
   4. D. DAW 3

   Answer: B

   Explanation: CMS defines code 1 as "Substitution Not Allowed by Prescriber". Code 0 indicates no product selection; 2 and 3 represent different circumstances where substitution is allowed.

   Reference: Dispense as Written (DAW) Product Selection Code — Values table, code 1

5. 5How does Tall Man lettering help reduce confusion between medication names?

   1. A. By emphasizing the identical letter segments in look-alike names
   2. B. By replacing the complete names with short uppercase abbreviations
   3. C. By highlighting dissimilar letters with selected uppercase lettering
   4. D. By displaying every letter of both look-alike names in uppercase

   Answer: C

   Explanation: FDA states, "Tall man lettering (TML) is a technique that uses uppercase lettering to help differentiate look-alike drug names." It capitalizes dissimilar portions; emphasizing shared letters, abbreviating whole names, or capitalizing every letter does not implement that selective differentiation.

   Reference: FDA Name Differentiation Project — FDA List of Established Drug Names Recommended to Use Tall Man Lettering, introductory paragraph

6. 6When establishing storage conditions for a newly received medication, which source should a pharmacy technician use to determine its light, temperature, and humidity requirements?

   1. A. The instructions provided by this medication's manufacturer
   2. B. The instructions for another product with the same active ingredient
   3. C. The instructions used for all products with the same dosage form
   4. D. The instructions used for every drug in the same therapeutic class

   Answer: A

   Explanation: The plan directs technicians to "Store medications following manufacturers’ instructions (for example, light, temperature, humidity)." The specific product instructions control; shared ingredient, dosage form, or therapeutic class does not establish identical stability requirements.

   Reference: NHA ExCPT Test Plan — p. 2, task 1K

7. 7Which disclosure is excepted from HIPAA's minimum necessary requirement?

   1. A. A disclosure to a health care provider for the patient's treatment
   2. B. A routine disclosure to a health plan for payment
   3. C. A disclosure for the pharmacy's business planning
   4. D. A routine disclosure for a covered entity's financial audit

   Answer: A

   Explanation: HHS lists "disclosure to or a request by a health care provider for treatment" among exceptions to minimum necessary. Payment, business planning, and routine auditing are not automatically included in that treatment exception.

   Reference: Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule — Limiting Uses and Disclosures to the Minimum Necessary, exceptions

8. 8Lisinopril is used to lower blood pressure. Which pharmacologic class includes it?

   1. A. Angiotensin II receptor antagonist
   2. B. Calcium channel blocker
   3. C. Beta-adrenergic blocker
   4. D. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor

   Answer: D

   Explanation: The reference states, "Lisinopril is in a class of medications called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors." The alternatives are other cardiovascular drug classes.

   Reference: Lisinopril: MedlinePlus Drug Information — Why is this medication prescribed?

9. 9Substitution is allowed, but the patient requests the brand product. Which DAW code records this reason for product selection?

   1. A. DAW 1
   2. B. DAW 3
   3. C. DAW 4
   4. D. DAW 2

   Answer: D

   Explanation: CMS defines code 2 as "Substitution Allowed - Patient Requested That Brand Product Be Dispensed". The request is from the patient, not a prescriber prohibition, pharmacist selection, or generic stock shortage.

   Reference: Dispense as Written (DAW) Product Selection Code — Values table, code 2

10. 10Which medication characteristic defines high-alert status in medication and patient safety practice?

    1. A. Errors in its use have a heightened risk of serious patient harm
    2. B. Its name is similar enough to another drug name to cause confusion
    3. C. Error frequency defines its status regardless of resulting harm severity
    4. D. Occupational exposure poses a hazard to workers who handle the drug

    Answer: A

    Explanation: ISMP emphasizes "significant patient harm" when high-alert medicines are used in error. This distinguishes the designation from look-alike names, frequency of mistakes alone, and occupational hazardous-drug exposure.

    Reference: ISMP List of High-Alert Medications in Community/Ambulatory Care Settings — p. 1, opening definition of high-alert medications