Regulatory Law and Professional Standards

Question 1

intangibles

Answer 1

skills, knowledge, and previous experience that tend to go unnoticed by the public

Question 2

professional licensure

Answer 2

• a representative body of peers sanctioned by the state are given the authority to determine who may practice their profession and under which conditions
• if a profession is licensed, it is illegal for an individual to perform that profession without a license

Question 3

expertise

Answer 3

• in a profession, extends beyond knowledge to include the skills, judgments, and experiences necessary to practice at a level of competency determined by academics, regulators, and the public.
• ability to control and master the formal knowledge of the profession

Question 4

good outcome

Answer 4

• ultimate end-goal in a professional’s wielding of the descretionary powers afforded them by their expertise, knowledge, skills and public perception.
• good outcome for a patient is determined by the patient’s individual life-plans, their understanding of their illness, and their concept of what constitutes appropriate treatment.

Question 5

pharmacy technological role

Answer 5

• as defined by society and the profession – ensured that the drugs provided to patients were safely and accurately dispensed.

Question 6

pharmaceutical care

Answer 6

• the arrangement whereby pharmacists and physicians work together to agree upon a therapeutic plan and to share their functional power with patients by including the patient in both the formulation and implementation of the health plan.
• requires that the pharmacist take responsability for providing drug therapy that achieves definite outcomes that improve a patient’s quality of life

Question 7

technical paradigm

Answer 7

• technical model which emphasized drug products and their preparation
• pharmacy has shifted away from this focus

Question 8

disease- and patient-oriented approach

Answer 8

• pharmacy has shifted towards this approach
• a more active, direct involvement with patient care
• pharmaceutical decision-making has been strengthened by the institutional pharmacist’s access to clinical data.

Question 9

professional development

Answer 9

consists of learning and assimilating the traits they’ll need to play the role of the professional after graduation

Question 10

professional competence

Answer 10

maintained through self-study or through organized continuing education hours

Question 11

paraprofessional

Answer 11

• a trained individual who has certain professional tasks delegated to them with the oversight of a fully qualified professional.
• able to perform tasks that require knowledge and training within the field but is not authorized to make independent professional judgments

Question 12

PTCB Code of Conduct

Answer 12

• This code serves as the minimal ethical standard for the behavior of PTCB certificants and candidates.

Question 13

PTCB A: Responsibilities Relating to Legal Requirements

Answer 13

Each certificant/candidate must:

1. act consistently with all legal requirements relating to pharmacy technician practice, including federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
2. refrain from any behavior that violates legal or ethical standards, including all criminal laws, federal laws and agency regulations, and state laws and regulatory agency rules

Question 14

PTCB B: Responsibilities to PTCB/Compliance with Organizational Policies and Rules

Answer 14

Each certificant/candidate must:

1. Act consistently with all with all applicable PTCB policies and requirements
2. Provide accurate, truthful, and complete information to PTCB
3. Maintain the security and confidentiality PTCB Examination information and materials, including the prevention of unauthorized disclosure of test items and format and other confidential information
4. Cooperate with PTCB concerning conduct review matters, including the submission of all required information in a timely, truthful, and accurate manner
5. Report to PTCB apparent violations of this code upon a reasonable and clear, factual basis

Question 15

PTCB C (1-5): Responsibilities to the Public and Employers

Answer 15

Each certificant/candidate must

1. Deliver competent, safe, and appropriate pharmacy and related services.
2. Recognize practice limitations and provide services only when qualified and authorized by a supervising pharmacist and consistent with applicable laws and regulations. The certificant/candidate is responsible for determining the limits of his/her own abilities based on legal requirements, training, knowledge, skills, experience, and other relevant considerations
3. Maintain and respect the confidentiality of sensitive information obtained in the course of all work and pharmacy-related activities, as directed by the supervising pharmacist and consistent with legal requirements, unless: the information is reasonably understood to pertain to unlawful activity; a court or governmental agency lawfully directs the release of information; the patient or the employer expressly authorizes the release of specific information; or the failure to release such information would likely result in death or serious physical harm to employees and/or patients
4. Use pharmacy technician credentials properly and provide truthful and accurate representations concerning education, experience, competency, and the performance of services.
5. Provide truthful and accurate representations to the public and employers

Question 16

PTCB C (6-10): Responsibilities to the Public and Employers

Answer 16

1. Follow appropriate health and safety procedures with respect to all pharmacy-related activities and duties
2. Protect the public, employees, and employers from conditions where injury and damage are reasonably forseeable
3. Disclose to patients or employers significant circumstances that could be construed as a conflict of interest or an appearance of impropriety
4. Avoid conduct that could cause a conflict of interest with the interests of a patient or employer
5. Assure that a real or perceived conflict of interst doesn’t compromise legitimate interests of a patient or employer and doesn’t influence or interfere with work-related judgments

Question 17

AAPT Code of Ethics (1-2)

Answer 17

1. A pharmacy technicians supports and promotes honesty and integrity in the profession, which includes a duty to observe the law, to maintain the higest moral and ethical conduct at all times, and to uphold the ethical principles of the profession
2. A pharmacy technician assists and supports the pharmacist in the safe, efficacious, and cost-effective distribution of health services and healthcare resources

Question 18

AAPT Code of Ethics (3-4)

Answer 18

1. A pharmacy technician respects and values the abilities of pharmacists, colleagues, and other healthcare professionals
2. A pharmacy technician maintains competency in his/her practice and continually enhances his/her professional knowledge and expertise

Question 19

AAPT Code of Ethics (5-6)

Answer 19

1. A pharmacy technician respects and supports the patient’s individuality, dignity, and confidentiality
2. A pharmacy technician respects the confidentiality of a patient’s records and discloses pertinent information only with proper authorization

Question 20

AAPT Code of Ethics (7-9)

Answer 20

1. A pharmacy technician never assists in the dispensing, promoting, or distribution of medications or medical devices that aren’t of good quality or don’t meet the standards required by law
2. A pharmacy technician doen’t engage in any activity that will discredit the profession and will expose, without fear or favor, illegal or unethical conduct in the profession
3. A pharmacy technician associates with and engages in the support of organizations which promote the profession of pharmacy through the utilization and enhancement of pharmacy technicians

Question 21

caring professions

Answer 21

medicine, nursing & pharmacy - referred to as caring professions - because these professionals interact with individuals in a highly confidential, highly personal, and sometimes highly risky health matters – they must agree to conduct themselves with a high level of professionalism and a high standard of ethics.

Question 22

Pharmacy Practice Oversite

Answer 22

Comes from a variety of sources:

• Federal laws and regulations
• State laws and regulations
• Professional practice standards
• Ethical principles
• Case law

Question 23

General Characteristics of Pharmacy Laws

Answer 23

• Establish required, permitted and prohibited conduct
• Provide for discipline and penalties for violations
• Vary from state to state
• Control pharmacy practice, licensure, and discipline

Question 24

Pharmacy Practice Standards

Answer 24

guidelines used to determine what a pharmacy practitioner should or shouldn’t do

Question 25

Standards

Answer 25

• benchmarks of achievements that are based on a desired level of excellence
• pharmacy standards are usually developed by professional pharmacy organizations through a panel of pharmacists with input from leaders of the profession

Question 26

Pharmacy Disciplinary Action Procedure

Answer 26

1. The Board of Pharmacy receives a complaint or – where a violation is found – during a Board of Pharmacy inspection
2. The BofP conducts an investigation to determine the circumstances and to propose appropriate Board action
3. The Board notifies the pharmacy, pharmacy technician, and/or pharmacist of the violation
4. Depending on the Board’s determination, the Board may do one of the following:
   
   1. Dismiss the action without a board hearing
   2. Recommend that the person or pharmacy agree to take corrective actions
5. If the disciplinary action comes before the BofP for a hearing, the Board will consider the violation and circumstances to determine the type of penalties to be applied, if any. Possible penalties indlude monetary fines and temporary or permanent loss of license or registration