CVS Pharmacy Technician Certification Practice Test

When a prescription order requires compounded medication, what is the appropriate action for the pharmacy technician?

1. Sign off on the prescription

2. Prepare the compound without verification

3. Notify the pharmacist for verification of the recipe

4. Write the prescription label

The correct answer is: Notify the pharmacist for verification of the recipe

When a prescription order involves compounded medication, the appropriate action for a pharmacy technician is to notify the pharmacist for verification of the recipe. This step is crucial because compounding requires precise measurements and formulations, and an error could significantly impact patient safety and the efficacy of the medication. Pharmacists have the necessary expertise to review the compounding process, ensuring that the recipe is correct and that all ingredients are appropriate for the specific prescription. This verification process helps to maintain compliance with regulatory standards and best practices in pharmacy. In scenarios where a prescription requires compounding, a technician should not independently sign off on the prescription or prepare the compound without verification. These actions bypass the crucial oversight provided by a pharmacist and could lead to potential mistakes. Additionally, simply writing the prescription label without prior verification of the compounding recipe does not ensure that the right medication is being prepared for the patient. Therefore, notifying the pharmacist for recipe verification is the essential step in the compounding process.