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Pharmacy Technician

PTCB Controlled Substances Diversion Prevention Certificate Examination Practice Test

Controlled-substance diversion prevention centers on safeguarding medications and maintaining reliable accountability across pharmacy workflows. This practice material samples decisions about secure storage, inventory discrepancies, access controls, documentation, suspected diversion, returns, destruction, and system interruptions. It emphasizes recognizing irregularities, preserving relevant records, and following appropriate reporting and escalation procedures rather than making unsupported assumptions about what occurred.

Exam overview

Exam providerPharmacy Technician Certification Board
Exam codeNot listed
CategoryPharmacy Technician

About the PTCB Controlled Substances Diversion Prevention Certificate Examin… Exam

Diversion prevention depends on consistent controls at each point where controlled medications are received, stored, accessed, dispensed, returned, or disposed of. Useful skills include reconciling shipment quantities against supporting documents before stocking, documenting counts accurately, limiting system permissions to assigned duties, and responding promptly when medication or records do not match expectations. Questions also address protecting electronic prescription integrity, handling requests for dispensing records through appropriate channels, and maintaining accountability during outages. In a suspected incident, preserving physical inventory and relevant records or system data can support a later review; technicians should follow workplace procedures and refer decisions beyond their authority to the designated pharmacist or supervisor. These scenarios focus on practical judgment and careful documentation, not on assuming that one response applies identically in every pharmacy or jurisdiction.

Sample Practice Questions

Review a selection from this exam's published US Practice Tests practice bank.

Question 1

A controlled-substance bottle is found outside its usual secured storage location, and no staff member knows how it got there. What should happen next?

  1. AReturn it to stock without mentioning the incident
  2. BSecure the item, notify the responsible pharmacist or supervisor, and document the circumstances as directed by policy
  3. CPlace it in a personal locker until the owner is identified
  4. DDispose of it immediately to eliminate risk
Show answerCorrect answer: B

An unexplained location creates a chain-of-custody and security concern. Secure handling, prompt escalation, and appropriate documentation allow the responsible staff to assess the event without destroying evidence or bypassing procedure.

Question 2

A pharmacy receives a controlled-substance shipment, and the invoice quantity differs from the quantity shown on the supplier’s packing documentation. What should the technician do before the stock is put away?

  1. AReconcile the documents and shipment, preserve the relevant records, and promptly notify the pharmacist or designated supervisor of the mismatch
  2. BEnter the invoice quantity because it is the supplier’s financial record
  3. CChange the packing documentation to match the invoice
  4. DPut the stock away and resolve the difference during the next inventory
Show answerCorrect answer: A

Comparing the shipment with its supporting documents before storage helps identify and resolve discrepancies while the transaction is still traceable. A technician should not alter records or independently decide which quantity is correct.

Question 3

A technician is asked to document a controlled-substance count performed by another employee. Which approach is most appropriate?

  1. ARecord the count as personally verified to complete the form
  2. BEnter only information the technician actually observed or verified, following the facility’s documentation process
  3. CEstimate the count from the previous inventory record
  4. DLeave the record blank and make no report
Show answerCorrect answer: B

Records should be truthful and attributable to the person who performed or verified the work. A technician should not attest to an observation that was not made and should follow the established process to address the request.

Question 4

A pharmacy is onboarding an employee who will have limited controlled-substance system access. Which training approach best supports safe role-based access?

  1. AExplain the employee’s permitted tasks, limits, and process for requesting help when access or duties do not match
  2. BProvide unrestricted access first and review it after several months
  3. CHave the employee use a coworker’s account until training is complete
  4. DTrain only on routine tasks and omit how to report system-access concerns
Show answerCorrect answer: A

Staff should understand the boundaries of their assigned access and how to raise a concern if permissions or duties are inappropriate. Shared accounts and unnecessary broad access weaken accountability.

Question 5

When a pharmacy receives a controlled-substance prescription electronically, which general security practice helps support the integrity of the electronic prescription?

  1. AUse the authorized, secure electronic prescribing system and follow its authentication and access controls.
  2. BAccept a screenshot of the prescription from any messaging application as equivalent to the original.
  3. CAllow staff to share one login so a prescription can be processed more quickly.
  4. DPrint the prescription and discard all electronic audit information.
Show answerCorrect answer: A

Electronic controlled-substance prescriptions must be transmitted and handled through compliant systems with appropriate authentication and security controls. Shared credentials and informal substitutes undermine attribution and system integrity.

Question 6

A pharmacy technician receives a request from law enforcement for controlled-substance dispensing records. What should the technician do?

  1. ARefer the request to the pharmacist or designated privacy/compliance lead and follow the pharmacy’s verification and disclosure process.
  2. BImmediately send all requested records to the caller without verifying the request.
  3. CRefuse every request, regardless of legal authority or circumstances.
  4. DProvide records only if the requester agrees not to share them further.
Show answerCorrect answer: A

Requests for protected or regulated records should be routed through the pharmacy’s established process so authority, scope, and applicable privacy requirements can be assessed. A technician should not independently make disclosure decisions or ignore a valid legal process.

Question 7

A pharmacy technician is asked to witness the destruction of unusable controlled medication. What is the most appropriate role for the technician?

  1. AFollow the pharmacy’s approved procedure, observe the required steps, and complete only the documentation they personally can verify.
  2. BSign the destruction record before the medication is destroyed to save time.
  3. CTake the medication off-site and destroy it without notifying the pharmacist.
  4. DRecord that the medication was destroyed based solely on a verbal assurance from another person.
Show answerCorrect answer: A

A witness should follow the approved process and attest only to events personally observed, with documentation completed accurately. Destruction must comply with applicable requirements and pharmacy procedures; advance or secondhand attestations are unreliable.

How to use this practice test

The free US Practice Tests bank contains 50 published questions, with each practice session presenting up to 20 randomly selected questions. Use a session to check how you handle inventory discrepancies, access controls, recordkeeping, and escalation scenarios. Results appear after the session, helping you identify which areas need another focused review.

Preparation tips

  • Practice reconciling a controlled-substance delivery by comparing invoice and packing-document quantities before stock is stored; note how to document and escalate a mismatch.
  • Review your workplace’s procedures for controlled-substance counts, including who performs, verifies, and records each count, and how corrections are handled.
  • Map role-based access to common pharmacy tasks: identify which activities require system permissions and what to do when a request exceeds your assigned access.
  • Rehearse the immediate response to suspected diversion: secure the relevant medication and records as directed, document objective observations, and notify the designated supervisor or pharmacist.
  • Learn the local workflow for law-enforcement record requests, unusable medication returns, witnessed destruction, and controlled-substance accountability during system outages.
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