Pharmacy PEBC Practice Exam

In a hospital pharmacy, which of the following is the most effective strategy to enhance safety and minimize the incidence of interpretation errors associated with verbal medication orders?

1. Use of bar code technology on medication orders

2. Use of TALLman lettering on medication orders

3. Use of automated dispensing technology

4. Requirement for a read-back to the prescriber of all verbal orders

The correct answer is: Requirement for a read-back to the prescriber of all verbal orders

Verbal medication orders are a potential source of errors and can lead to medication incidents. One effective strategy to minimize these errors is to require a read-back to the prescriber of all verbal orders. This allows for confirmation and clarification of the order, reducing the risk of misinterpretation. Option A, the use of bar code technology, may also help to enhance safety by ensuring the correct medication is dispensed, but it does not address the issue of interpretation errors. Option B, the use of TALLman lettering, is a visual aid to differentiate look-alike and sound-alike medication names, but it does not directly address the issue of verbal order interpretation errors. Option C, the use of automated dispensing technology, may also help to minimize errors in medication dispensing, but it does not address the issue of verbal order interpretation errors. Therefore, option D is the most effective strategy