75. A pharmacy receives the following prescription Acetaminophen/codeine 300 mg/30 mg Sig 1-2 tabs q 6 hours p.r.n. pain Dispense #60 sixty tabs No refills George Watson MD DEA#BB2345672. The pharmacy technician determines that the prescriber must be contacted for clarification before the prescription can be filled because the:
Answer: D
The second alphabet character of the DEA number should be the first initial of the prescriber's last name.
In this case, the pharmacy technician must contact the prescriber because the second character of the DEA number is incorrect. It should correspond to the first initial of the prescriber’s last name, which is not matching.
A) First alphabet character of the DEA number should be the first initial of the prescriber's first name
This option is incorrect because the first character of the DEA number is actually a letter that represents the type of registrant, such as a physician or pharmacy, and does not directly relate to the prescriber's first name.
B) First alphabet character of the DEA number should be the first initial of the prescriber's last name
This option is also incorrect. The first character of the DEA number represents the type of registered entity and is not related to the initials of the prescriber's name.
C) Second alphabet character of the DEA number should be the first initial of the prescriber's first name
This statement is incorrect as the second character of the DEA number must correspond to the first initial of the prescriber's last name, not the first name. Therefore, this option does not accurately reflect the DEA number requirements.
D) Second alphabet character of the DEA number should be the first initial of the prescriber's last name
This option is correct. The second letter of the DEA number is designated to represent the first initial of the prescriber's last name, making it essential for validating the prescription. If this does not match, clarification is necessary before processing the prescription.
Conclusion
The correct answer is D because it accurately describes the requirement for the second character of the DEA number. Options A, B, and C fail to recognize the correct relationship between the DEA number and the prescriber’s initials, which is critical for ensuring the legitimacy and accuracy of the prescription.