29 Order Entry & Processing Practice Questions & Answers
Every Order Entry & Processing practice question from the Pharmacy Technician (PTCB) Practice Test, with the correct answer and a short explanation.
Start practice test →1. The NDC on a stock bottle is 0093-7146-56. What does the middle segment of that code identify?
- A.The drug itself, together with its strength and dosage form✓ Answer
- B.The size and the type of package that the container holds
- C.The plant at which the finished product was manufactured
- D.The company that labels and markets the finished product for sale
An NDC carries three segments: labeler, product and package. The middle product segment names the specific drug entity with its strength and dosage form, which is why two strengths of one drug have different middle segments.
Source: FDA National Drug Code Directory; 21 CFR 207.33 (NDC labeler, product and package codes)Report a problem with this question
2. A vial is stamped EXP 09/27 with no day shown. Through what date may that vial be used?
- A.September 1, 2027, the first day of the month that is stamped
- B.September 15, 2027, the middle day of the month that is stamped
- C.August 31, 2027, the day just before the month that is stamped
- D.September 30, 2027, the final day of the month that is stamped✓ Answer
When only a month and year are printed, the product is taken to expire at the end of that month, so it stays usable through the last calendar day and must be pulled from stock on the first day of the following month.
Source: USP General Notices, expiration dating; FDA expiration date labeling (month/year dating expires the last day of the stated month)Report a problem with this question
3. A prescription is written "1 tab po qid ac & hs." Which patient direction states that sig correctly?
- A.Take one tablet by mouth every four hours after meals and at bedtime
- B.Take one tablet by mouth four times a day before meals and at bedtime✓ Answer
- C.Take one tablet by mouth three times a day before meals and at noon
- D.Take one tablet by mouth four times a day after meals and at bedtime
qid means four times a day, ac means before meals and hs means at bedtime, so the four doses fall before the three meals plus one at bedtime. ac must not be confused with pc, which means after meals.
Source: PTCE Content Outline (sig codes and abbreviations)Report a problem with this question
4. A prescription reads "inst ii gtt OD q6h prn pain." Which direction matches that sig?
- A.Place two drops in the left eye every six hours as needed for pain
- B.Place two drops in the right eye every six hours as needed for pain✓ Answer
- C.Place two drops in both ears every six hours as needed for pain
- D.Place two drops in the right ear every six hours as needed for pain
OD stands for the right eye, while the ear abbreviations are AD, AS and AU. Confusing the two sets produces a wrong-route error, so many pharmacies print right eye in words on the label.
Source: PTCE Content Outline (sig codes); ISMP List of Error-Prone Abbreviations (OD/OS/OU and AD/AS/AU)Report a problem with this question
5. A prescription reads: take one and one half tablets by mouth twice daily. The quantity dispensed is 100 tablets. What days supply is entered?
- A.33 days, because the leftover part tablet cannot cover a whole day✓ Answer
- B.50 days, because the total quantity is divided by the two doses a day
- C.66 days, because one and one half tablets are counted as a single dose
- D.34 days, because the leftover part tablet is rounded up to a full day
Three tablets are used each day, and 100 divided by 3 is 33.3 days. A partial day is not a day of therapy, so the days supply is rounded down to 33.
Source: PTCE Content Outline (days supply calculations)Report a problem with this question
6. Sig: inject 45 units in the morning and 30 units at bedtime. One 10 mL vial of U-100 insulin, which holds 100 units per mL, is dispensed. What is the days supply?
- A.14 days, rounding the vial's 1,000 units up to a whole day
- B.22 days, dividing the vial's 1,000 units by the morning dose
- C.10 days, treating the vial as ten doses of one milliliter each
- D.13 days, dividing the vial's 1,000 units by 75 units used a day✓ Answer
A 10 mL U-100 vial holds 10 times 100, or 1,000 units. The patient uses 45 plus 30, or 75 units a day, and 1,000 divided by 75 is 13.3 days, rounded down to 13.
Source: PTCE Content Outline (days supply calculations; U-100 insulin concentration)Report a problem with this question
7. Sig: instill one drop into each eye twice daily. A 5 mL bottle is dispensed and the pharmacy counts 20 drops per mL. What is the days supply?
- A.50 days, from 100 drops in the bottle at two drops each day
- B.12 days, from 100 drops in the bottle at eight drops each day
- C.25 days, from 100 drops in the bottle at four drops each day✓ Answer
- D.20 days, from the 5 mL bottle counted as one day per milliliter
The bottle holds 5 mL times 20 drops, or 100 drops. One drop in each eye twice a day is four drops daily, and 100 divided by 4 is 25 days.
Source: PTCE Content Outline (days supply calculations; 20 drops per mL convention for ophthalmic solutions)Report a problem with this question
8. A sealed carton of tablets on the shelf passed its expiration date last month. How is that stock handled?
- A.It is opened and the tablets are emptied into the sharps container
- B.It is pulled from stock and sent to a reverse distributor for credit✓ Answer
- C.It stays on the shelf and is dispensed with a shortened use-by date
- D.It is held in the stockroom until the manufacturer asks for its return
Expired product must come out of active stock at once so it cannot be selected, and a reverse distributor processes the return for credit and arranges lawful destruction, which also creates the record the pharmacy needs.
Source: PTCE Content Outline (returns and disposal; reverse distribution of expired stock)Report a problem with this question
9. A filled prescription was never picked up and is still on the will-call shelf. How may that stock be handled?
- A.It must go to a reverse distributor because a label was printed on it
- B.It may be handed to the next patient in its original labeled bottle
- C.It may be returned to stock once the patient identifiers are removed✓ Answer
- D.It must be destroyed because the bottle has left the pharmacy's stock
Product that never left the pharmacy's control can be restocked once the label and every patient identifier are removed. Medication that has gone home with a patient cannot be, because its storage and handling can no longer be verified.
Source: PTCE Content Outline (return to stock of unclaimed prescriptions; patient-returned medication)Report a problem with this question
10. A prescription reads: instill 2 drops into the left eye three times daily. The pharmacy dispenses a 2.5 mL bottle and uses a conversion of 20 drops per mL. What days supply should be entered?
- A.16 days
- B.12 days
- C.8 days✓ Answer
- D.25 days
The bottle holds 2.5 mL x 20 gtt/mL = 50 drops. The patient uses 2 drops x 3 times daily = 6 drops per day. 50 / 6 = 8.3, and days supply is always rounded DOWN to the last full day of therapy, so 8 days. The distractors come from dropping the 2-drop dose (16), dropping one daily dose (12), or dividing by the dose instead of the daily total (25).
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.1 (days supply calculations; gtt/mL conversion)Report a problem with this question
11. A patient injects 40 units of U-100 insulin subcutaneously twice daily. How many 10 mL vials must be dispensed for a 30-day supply?
- A.3 vials✓ Answer
- B.5 vials
- C.2 vials
- D.4 vials
U-100 means 100 units/mL, so a 10 mL vial contains 1,000 units. The patient needs 40 x 2 = 80 units/day x 30 days = 2,400 units. 2,400 / 1,000 = 2.4 vials, and dispensed quantity must be rounded UP to whole containers so the patient does not run out — 3 vials. Choosing 2 comes from truncating 2.4 downward, the classic setup error.
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.1 (insulin quantity calculations; U-100 = 100 units/mL)Report a problem with this question
12. An albuterol inhaler contains 200 metered puffs. The sig is: inhale 2 puffs b.i.d. What is the days supply?
- A.100 days
- B.25 days
- C.50 days✓ Answer
- D.200 days
b.i.d. means twice daily, so daily use is 2 puffs x 2 = 4 puffs. 200 puffs / 4 puffs per day = 50 days. Answering 100 comes from forgetting the twice-daily frequency, and 25 comes from doubling the daily use — both are unit-setup errors, not knowledge gaps.
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.1 (days supply; sig code b.i.d. = twice daily)Report a problem with this question
13. A prescription reads: ii tabs po q.i.d. x 7 days. What quantity should be dispensed?
- A.84 tablets
- B.28 tablets
- C.56 tablets✓ Answer
- D.42 tablets
The Roman numeral ii means 2 tablets per dose, and q.i.d. means four times daily. Quantity = dose x frequency x duration = 2 x 4 x 7 = 56 tablets. Answering 28 drops the 2-tablet dose, 42 misreads q.i.d. as t.i.d. (three times daily), and 84 treats q.i.d. as every 4 hours (6 doses/day).
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.1 (sig codes q.i.d./t.i.d.; Roman numerals; quantity calculation)Report a problem with this question
14. A liquid antibiotic is prescribed: 2 tsp po b.i.d. The pharmacy dispenses one 8 fl oz (240 mL) bottle. What is the days supply?
- A.48 days
- B.12 days✓ Answer
- C.24 days
- D.6 days
1 teaspoon = 5 mL, so each dose is 2 x 5 = 10 mL, and b.i.d. gives 10 x 2 = 20 mL per day. 240 mL / 20 mL per day = 12 days. Answering 24 forgets the twice-daily frequency; 48 uses a single 5 mL teaspoon as the whole daily amount; 6 mistakes the teaspoon for a 15 mL tablespoon.
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.1 (household-metric conversions: 1 tsp = 5 mL, 1 fl oz = 30 mL)Report a problem with this question
15. How many milligrams of lidocaine are contained in 5 mL of a 2% lidocaine solution?
- A.20 mg
- B.10 mg
- C.100 mg✓ Answer
- D.1000 mg
A percent w/v strength means grams per 100 mL: 2% = 2 g/100 mL = 2000 mg/100 mL = 20 mg/mL. Then 20 mg/mL x 5 mL = 100 mg. The anchor worth memorizing is 1% = 10 mg/mL. Answering 10 uses 2 mg/mL, 20 stops at the per-mL concentration without multiplying by volume, and 1000 slips a decimal place.
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.1 (percentage strength: % w/v = g per 100 mL; 1% = 10 mg/mL)Report a problem with this question
16. How many milliliters of a 10% stock solution are needed to prepare 500 mL of a 2% solution?
- A.100 mL✓ Answer
- B.250 mL
- C.10 mL
- D.50 mL
Use the dilution equation C1V1 = C2V2: (10%)(V1) = (2%)(500 mL), so V1 = 1000 / 10 = 100 mL. Taking 100 mL of the 10% stock and adding diluent up to 500 mL yields the 2% concentration. The distractors come from inverting the ratio (10 mL), halving instead of solving (250 mL), or dividing 500 by 10 (50 mL).
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.1 (dilutions; C1V1 = C2V2)Report a problem with this question
17. A child weighs 44 lb. The prescriber orders a drug at 10 mg/kg per dose. How many milligrams should the child receive per dose?
- A.20 mg
- B.440 mg
- C.200 mg✓ Answer
- D.100 mg
Weight must first be converted to kilograms: 44 lb / 2.2 lb/kg = 20 kg. Then 20 kg x 10 mg/kg = 200 mg per dose. Answering 440 applies the mg/kg rate directly to pounds — the single most common weight-based dosing error — while 20 stops at the kilogram conversion and 100 halves the correct result.
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.1 (mg/kg weight-based dosing; 1 kg = 2.2 lb)Report a problem with this question
18. A prescription for a controlled substance shows the quantity written as XLII. How many tablets is that?
- A.48 tablets
- B.62 tablets
- C.42 tablets✓ Answer
- D.38 tablets
In Roman numerals, a smaller numeral placed before a larger one is subtracted: XL = 50 - 10 = 40, then II adds 2, giving 42. Prescribers often write controlled-substance quantities in Roman numerals to deter alteration. Reading XL as 60 gives the 62 trap, and adding X to L without subtracting produces other wrong totals.
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.1 (Roman numerals: XL = 40, subtractive notation)Report a problem with this question
19. A sig includes the route code "pr". By which route should the medication be administered?
- A.By mouth
- B.As needed
- C.By rectum✓ Answer
- D.In the right ear
"pr" stands for the Latin per rectum, meaning the drug (typically a suppository or enema) is given rectally. It must not be confused with "po" (by mouth), "AD" (right ear), or "prn" (as needed) — prn describes frequency, not a route, and confusing pr with prn is a commonly reported sig-reading error.
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.1 (route abbreviations: pr = per rectum; po, AD, prn)Report a problem with this question
20. An IV order calls for 1,000 mL of normal saline to be infused over 8 hours. What flow rate should be programmed in mL/hour?
- A.100 mL/h
- B.80 mL/h
- C.250 mL/h
- D.125 mL/h✓ Answer
Flow rate in mL/hour is total volume divided by total time in hours: 1,000 mL / 8 h = 125 mL/h. Dimensional analysis protects the setup — the answer must carry mL in the numerator and hours in the denominator. The distractors come from dividing by 10, by 12.5, or by 4 instead of 8.
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.1 (IV flow rate = volume / time)Report a problem with this question
21. A dose must be drawn up from a glass ampule. Which supply must be used to keep glass particles out of the final injection?
- A.A filter needle✓ Answer
- B.An insulin syringe
- C.A 25-gauge needle
- D.A safety needle
Snapping open a glass ampule can shed tiny glass fragments into the solution, so the dose must be withdrawn through a filter needle (or filter straw) that traps particles; the filter needle is then replaced with a regular needle before administration. A fine 25-gauge needle does not filter, an insulin syringe only measures units, and a safety needle only guards against needlesticks.
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.2 (filters; ampule withdrawal requires a filter needle)Report a problem with this question
22. Which device is the best choice for a caregiver to measure a 2.5 mL dose of an oral liquid for an infant?
- A.A parenteral syringe
- B.A 30 mL dosing cup
- C.An oral dosing syringe✓ Answer
- D.A household teaspoon
An oral syringe measures small volumes accurately and its tip cannot connect to a needle or IV port, which prevents wrong-route errors. Household teaspoons vary widely from the official 5 mL, dosing cups are too coarse for a 2.5 mL infant dose, and a parenteral (injectable) syringe must never be dispensed for oral use because it invites accidental injection.
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.2 (oral syringes for liquid pediatric doses)Report a problem with this question
23. A patient using a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) cannot coordinate pressing the canister with breathing in. Which supply should be added to the therapy?
- A.A peak expiratory flow meter
- B.A small-volume nebulizer
- C.A spacer/holding chamber✓ Answer
- D.A dry powder inhaler device
A spacer (valved holding chamber) attaches to the MDI and briefly suspends the aerosol cloud, so the patient can inhale a moment after actuation — it decouples timing from drug delivery. A nebulizer is a different delivery system for solutions, a peak flow meter only measures airflow and delivers no drug, and a dry powder inhaler is a different dosage form, not an add-on supply.
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.2 (inhaler spacers; nebulizers)Report a problem with this question
24. A stock bottle shows the 10-digit NDC 12345-678-90. Which is the correct 11-digit format for insurance billing?
- A.12345-6780-90
- B.01234-5678-90
- C.12345-0678-90✓ Answer
- D.12345-678-090
Billing requires the 11-digit 5-4-2 configuration. This NDC is in 5-3-2 format, so the deficient segment is the middle (product) segment, and a LEADING zero is added to it: 678 becomes 0678, giving 12345-0678-90. Adding a trailing zero (6780), padding the package segment (090), or shifting digits from the front all change which drug and package the code identifies.
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.3; CMS/HIPAA 11-digit 5-4-2 NDC billing formatReport a problem with this question
25. A manufacturer announces a recall of specific batches of a medication. Which identifier should the pharmacy check to determine whether its shelf stock is affected?
- A.The lot number✓ Answer
- B.The DEA number
- C.The NDC number
- D.The expiration date
A lot number identifies the specific manufacturing batch a unit came from, and recalls are announced by lot so only affected batches are pulled. The NDC identifies the drug product itself (every bottle of that product shares it, recalled or not), the expiration date governs how long stock may be dispensed, and a DEA number identifies a registrant, not a product.
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.3 (lot numbers scope recalls; NDC identifies the product)Report a problem with this question
26. A powder for amoxicillin oral suspension is reconstituted with water at the pharmacy. The stock bottle's printed expiration date is more than a year away. When must the patient discard the suspension?
- A.14 days after it is reconstituted✓ Answer
- B.At the end of the current month
- C.On the bottle's printed expiration date
- D.28 days after it is reconstituted
Once reconstituted, the product's stability changes, so a beyond-use date (BUD) assigned at preparation supersedes the manufacturer's expiration date — for amoxicillin suspension the labeling sets 14 days. The printed expiration applies only to the intact dry powder; 28 days is the in-use dating for insulin vials, a different rule candidates commonly transpose.
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.3 (expiration date vs beyond-use date; amoxicillin suspension 14-day BUD per manufacturer labeling)Report a problem with this question
27. For insurance billing, a 10-digit NDC must be converted to 11 digits. What is the required segment configuration of the 11-digit NDC?
- A.4-4-3
- B.5-4-1
- C.5-3-2
- D.5-4-2✓ Answer
The standardized billing format is 5-4-2: five digits for the labeler, four for the product, and two for the package size. Manufacturers print 10-digit NDCs in 4-4-2, 5-3-2, or 5-4-1 patterns, and the technician pads whichever segment is short with a leading zero to reach 5-4-2 — the wrong options are the raw 10-digit patterns, not the billing format.
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.3; CMS/HIPAA 5-4-2 NDC configuration (labeler-product-package)Report a problem with this question
28. A patient picked up a prescription yesterday and returns today with the bottle, saying the medication is no longer needed. The bottle appears unopened. What should be done with it?
- A.Redispense it after verifying the lot
- B.Quarantine it; it cannot be redispensed✓ Answer
- C.Send it to the wholesaler for a credit
- D.Return it to stock if the seal is intact
Once medication leaves the pharmacy's control, its storage conditions and integrity can no longer be assured, so it may not be returned to stock or redispensed regardless of how intact it looks — it is quarantined and destroyed per policy. Return to stock is only for filled prescriptions that never left the pharmacy (e.g., will-call), and wholesaler credit applies to the pharmacy's own unopened stock, not patient returns.
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.4; NABP model rules — medication outside pharmacy control is non-dispensableReport a problem with this question
29. What is the primary role of a reverse distributor in pharmacy inventory management?
- A.Repackaging expired returns for discounted resale
- B.Donating expired stock to charitable clinics
- C.Processing expired returns for credit or destruction✓ Answer
- D.Relabeling expired stock with extended dating
A reverse distributor is a licensed intermediary that receives a pharmacy's expired or otherwise unsaleable stock, obtains available manufacturer credit, and arranges compliant destruction (with DEA Form 41 documentation when controlled substances are destroyed). Expired drugs can never be resold, given new dating, or donated — they must exit the supply chain, which is exactly what reverse distribution accomplishes.
Source: 2026 PTCE Content Outline, Knowledge Area 4.4 (reverse distribution of expired stock)Report a problem with this question
Practice questions based on the PTCB exam content outline. Not affiliated with the PTCB, and not medical advice. About the PTCE →