Question

question 53

a pharmacy technician has just filled a prescription for penicillin vk. which of the following actions should the technician take before filling a prescription for lisinopril (zestril)?

dispose of the tray and spatula.
don gloves before counting the second medication.
clean the tray and spatula.
replace the spatula with a stainless steel model.

Explanation:

Identify the clinical risk

Using the Medication Safety knowledge point, we recognize that penicillin VK is a beta-lactam antibiotic. Penicillin is a highly common allergen that can trigger severe, life-threatening anaphylactic reactions in sensitive patients.

Determine the workflow requirement

Using the Pharmacy Workflow knowledge point, we know that counting solid oral dosage forms on a shared tray can leave chemical residue or powder behind. To prevent cross-contamination of allergens to subsequent medications (like lisinopril), the equipment must be thoroughly sanitized.

Evaluate the options

• Disposing of the tray and spatula is unnecessary and wasteful.
• Donning gloves does not remove the allergen residue left on the counting surface.
• Cleaning the tray and spatula with isopropyl alcohol removes any active powder residue, ensuring patient safety.
• Replacing the spatula with a stainless steel model does not address the contaminated tray surface.

Answer:

• Dispose of the tray and spatula.
• Don gloves before counting the second medication.
• Clean the tray and spatula. (Correct answer)
• Replace the spatula with a stainless steel model.