Candidate's Guide - 2008

Mission Statement

The mission of the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians is to recognize pharmacy technicians who are proficient in the knowledge and skills needed to assist pharmacists to safely, accurately and efficiently prepare and dispense prescriptions and to promote high standards of practice for pharmacy technicians.

In support of this mission, ICPT:

1. Overview of the ExCPT

            General Information

Eligibility	Candidates must be 18 or older with high school degree or GED and not guilty of a felony
Target group for exam	Pharmacy technicians who work in any type of practice site in the United States
Test Sites	Over 600 LaserGrade Test Centers
Deadline for exam registration	Usually less than 48 hours
Deadline for notificationof change of exam time or location	24 hours
Exam format	Secure computer-based exam
Number of questions	110 multiple-choice questions with choices a-e. (100 are scored and the remaining 10 are pretested for possible use on future exams).
Length of exam	Two hours
Quality Assurance
Exam based on comprehensive practice analysis	Yes
Advice and oversight by panel of experts	Yes
Committed to following Standards for Education and Psychological Testing published by the American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association and National Council on Measurement in Education	Yes
Independent audit/review	Yes
Exam items approved by a panel of experts with a wide range of experience in the field	Yes
All exam items pretested	Yes
Complete item analysis conducted for all exams	Yes
Exam Security
Eligibility verified at time of exam	Pre-registration required; approved identification must be shown at test center.
Procedure for rotating and retiring items	Yes
Procedure for equating multiple versions of the exam to assure that they present equal challenge to candidates	Yes
Proctors thoroughly trained to follow procedure and for handling emergency situations.	Yes
Stringent computer encryption programming used	Yes
Exams sent to testing site before exam	No, exam is sent in a secure encrypted format and downloaded at the testing center only after candidate checks in and has identification verified.
Extra printed exams that must be accounted for and destroyed if not used.	Not necessary because of computer-based exam
Services for Candidates and Other Stakeholders
Diagnostic report offered to unsuccessful candidates	Yes
Candidates with disabilities accommodated in compliance with ADA	Yes
Website for exam information	www.nationaltechexam.org
Exam results reported to candidates	Immediate notification
Recertification	Required every two years. 20 hours of pharmacy-related continuing education (including at least one hour of law) required.
Employer registration	Employers may register candidates directly.
Confidentiality	All data related to candidates is held in strict confidence. Exam scores are release only to candidates. A roster of certified pharmacy technicians is available to stakeholders but the names of candidates who did not pass is not made available.
Exam results reported directly to the Board of Pharmacy	Yes, available on secure password-protected site for verification by Board of Pharmacy personnel.

2. Purpose of the ExCPT

The purpose of the ExCPT is to: (1) evaluate the knowledge and skills associated with the performance of tasks required for professional practice as a pharmacy technician and (2) provide a means for recognizing pharmacy technicians who continue to demonstrate their qualifications by complying with ICPT requirements and adhering to high professional standards. This purpose is supported by the ICPT Mission Statement.

3. Non-discrimination Policy

ICPT endorses and adheres to the principles of equal opportunity. ICPT does not discriminate against any individual because of age, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

4. Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to take the ExCPT, a candidate must: (1) be at least 18 years of age, (2) have a high school diploma or GED and (3) have not been convicted of or pled guilty to a felony. Candidates who have been convicted of or pled guilty to a drug-related felony are not eligible for certification. Candidates who were convicted of a nondrug-related felony occurring more than 7 years prior may petition to apply for the ExCPT. ICPT will review and make decisions on their status on a case-by-case basis. ICPT reserves the right to deny certification to any convicted felon.

Candidates will be required to provide an attestation stating that they meet these criteria and recognize that ICPT will revoke certification if any false information is provided by the candidate. ICPT reserves the right to investigate criminal background and verify candidate eligibility. Candidates must provide government-issued photo identification at the time of the exam to verify identity.

5. Registration

A. Contacting LaserGrade. The ExCPT is offered over 310 days per year at LaserGrade Testing Centers throughout the United States. Candidates may register by calling the LaserGrade toll-free number 1-800-211-2754 to arrange a test date, time and location. By providing a zip code, the candidate will be informed of the closest LaserGrade Testing Centers. Alternatively, these locations can be found on the Web at www.lasergrade.com. Exams can usually be taken within 24 to 48 hours of registration.

B. Information Required. Candidates must give their full name, address, Social Security Number, telephone number, email address (if applicable) and demographic information such as date of birth, gender, employer, type of practice site, type of training, years of practice and hours worked per week. Candidates should also indicate whether they qualify for special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. These data are used to analyze test results and produce reports. Date of birth also helps verify identification at the test center.

C. Payment. The ExCPT costs $105 and is payable by credit card at the time the candidate calls LaserGrade. Candidates who do not have credit cards can send LaserGrade a check or money order. When the check clears, LaserGrade will contact the individual to arrange the test date. Employers may prepay for a specified number of candidates by making arrangements directly with LaserGrade. Registered candidates who need to change an exam time for any reason must contact the LaserGrade call center at least 24 hours in advance to reschedule or cancel an exam without penalty.

D. Cancellation of Scheduled Exam

1) Notification by Candidate. Candidates who are unable to take the ExCPT at the scheduled time should notify LaserGrade at least 24 hours in advance to avoid penalties. Refunds are not provided but credit will be given for a future exam appointment. If an exam appointment is NOT cancelled by the candidate at least 24 hours before taking the exam or the candidate does not arrive during the scheduled time, the exam fee will be forfeited. Cancellation notices will only be accepted from the candidate; employers, family members or other individuals may not request a cancellation on behalf of candidates. An exception to this rule may be made by an employer who originally registered the candidate with LaserGrade and directly paid the examination fee.

2) Cancellation by LaserGrade. LaserGrade Testing Centers may close without notice in the case of inclement weather, a state of emergency or other unforeseen event. In this case, the candidate will be allowed to reschedule at a convenient time and location with the exam fee credited to the future exam appointment. Candidates may verify that the LaserGrade Test Center is open by calling the center directly shortly before the appointed time.

E. Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act

1) General Policy. Candidates with documented disabilities (including learning disabilities, reading disabilities, visual impairment, hearing impairment, or other physical or mental disabilities) will be given special accommodations upon request, in conformance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

2) Procedure for Requesting Special Accommodations. Documentation must be provided at the time of the request and must provide a specific description of the candidate's needs. Candidates must indicate the name of a physician or other professional who can verify the disability or provide further information in support of the request. The candidate may include a letter from an appropriate professional on official stationary that provides evidence of a prior diagnosis or accommodation (e.g., special education services). Previous school records may also be submitted to document a disability. This documentation letter must describe the specific disability/diagnosis, the approximate date when the disability was first diagnosed, the method used to confirm the diagnosis, a brief description of the disability, and the type of accommodation needed by the candidate. The letter must be signed by the professional. Candidates requesting accommodation because of an emotional disability must have a DSM-IV classification of the diagnosis specified in the letter. A Request for Special Accommodations Form is available here.

The candidate will need to provide authorization for the physician or other professional to share protected health information as described in the Heath Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This physician or other professional may be contacted by ICPT to verify information or provide clarification of any information with regard to the disability or testing needs. ICPT will respond to the candidate as expeditiously as possible, but this may take two weeks or more.

6. Exam Content

The purpose of the Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT) is to: (1) evaluate the knowledge and skills associated with the performance of tasks required for professional practice as a pharmacy technician who assist pharmacists in the preparation of prescriptions, and (2) to provide a means for recognizing pharmacy technicians who continue to demonstrate their qualifications by complying with ICPT continuing education requirements and adhering to high professional standards.

The target group for the ExCPT is pharmacy technicians from all practice settings throughout the United States. Stakeholders include individuals, companies, associations and government agencies that employ, supervise, train, regulate or receive services from pharmacy technicians. Exam questions fall into three general areas: (1) Regulation and Technician Duties (~25%), (2) Drugs and Drug Products (~23%); and (3) The Dispensing Process (~52%). Details are provided below.

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ExCPT Content

1. Regulations and Technician Duties (~25% of exam)
1.1 Overview of technician duties and general information
	1.1.1	The role of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians
	1.1.2	Functions that a technician may and may not perform
	1.1.3	Prescription department layout and workflow
	1.1.4	Pharmacy security
	1.1.5	Inventory control
	1.1.6	Stocking medications
	1.1.7	Identifying expired products
1.2 Controlled substances
	1.2.1	Difference among the controlled substances schedules
	1.2.2	Refills, partial refills, filing, and prescription transfers
	1.2.3	Correct procedures for handling Schedule V sales
	1.2.4	Controlled Substance Act
	1.2.5	DEA numbers
1.3 Other laws and regulations
	1.3.1	Federal privacy act
	1.3.2	Generic substitution (incl. brand vs. generic products)
	1.3.3	Professionals with prescribing authority (and acronyms)
	1.3.4	Child-resistant packaging
	1.3.5	Role of government agencies (Board of Pharmacy, DEA, FDA, etc.)
	1.3.6	Manufacturer drug package labeling
	1.3.7	OTC package labeling
2. Drugs and drug therapy (~23% of exam)
2.1 Drug Classification
	2.1.1	Major drug classes (e.g., analgesics, anesthetics, antibiotics, etc.)
	2.1.2	Dosage forms (types, characteristics and uses)
	2.1.3	Over-the-counter products
	2.1.4	NDC number
2.2 Most frequently prescribed medications
	2.2.1	Brand and generic names
	2.2.2	Basic mechanism of action (pharmacology) and drug classification
	2.2.3	Primary indications
	2.2.4	Common adverse drug reactions, interactions, & contraindications
3. Dispensing Process (~52% of Exam)
3.1 Prescription information
	3.1.1	Information required on a valid prescription form
	3.1.2	Telephoned and faxed prescriptions
	3.1.3	Refill requirements
	3.1.4	Patient information (age, gender, etc.)
	3.1.5	Interpreting prescribers' directions for prescription labels
	3.1.6	Recognizing and using common prescription abbreviations
3.2 Preparing/dispensing prescriptions
	3.2.1	Avoiding errors (such as sound-alike/look-alike names)
	3.2.2	Systems for checking prescriptions
	3.2.3	Automated dispensing systems (including quality control)
	3.2.4	Procedures for preparing prescriptions and data entry
	3.2.5	Labeling prescriptions properly
	3.2.6	The purpose and use of patient records
	3.2.7	Proper packaging and storage
	3.2.8	Managed care prescriptions
3.3 Calculations
	3.3.1	Conversions / Systems of measurement used in pharmacy
	3.3.2	Calculating the amounts of prescription ingredients
	3.3.3	Calculating quantity or days supply to be dispensed
	3.3.4	Calculating individual and daily doses
	3.3.5	Calculations used in compounding
	3.3.6	Calculating dosages and administration rates for IVs
	3.3.7	Business calculations (pricing, markup, inventory control)
3.4 Sterile products, unit dose and repackaging
	3.4.1	Drug distribution systems used in hospitals and nursing homes
	3.4.2	Procedures for repackaging medications
	3.4.3	Prescription compliance aids
	3.4.4	Aseptic technique and the use of laminar flow hoods
	3.4.5	Special procedures for chemotherapy
	3.4.6	Routes of administration for parenteral products
	3.4.7	Types of sterile products
	3.4.8	Correct procedures for maintaining the sterile product environment
	3.4.9	Accurate compounding and labeling of sterile product prescriptions

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7. Testing Procedures

A. Examination Rules of Conduct and Confidentiality. Passing the ExCPT is a big step in a pharmacy technician's career. Understandably, candidates will want to take advantage of all available resources when preparing for this important examination. It is illegal and unethical to recall (memorize) and share questions that are on the ExCPT or to solicit questions that are on the ExCPT from candidates who have taken the exam. Items from the examination are not to be recalled for any purpose.

Soliciting recalled questions from candidates who have previously taken the examination is unethical for several reasons. The first is obvious; candidates are expected to pass the test based on their own merit without assistance. The members of the public who will entrust certified technicians with their well-being expect that that they are trustworthy and competent individuals. Secondly, the purpose of the ExCPT is to protect the public by ensuring that candidates for licensure have achieved entry-level competence. By asking previous test takers to share questions, candidates are undermining the very purpose of the examination. Lastly, soliciting questions from previous test takers who have agreed to the Candidate Attestation would be encouraging candidates to commit illegal acts. Items from the examination are not to be solicited by candidates for any purpose.

ICPT will actively prosecute individuals who violate the Attestation Agreement. The Institute will also report any incidents of students requesting questions or sharing questions to their licensing jurisdiction. Candidates who are prosecuted by ICPT or who are reported to a licensing jurisdiction for soliciting or sharing questions may severely damage their chances of achieving certification.

Before candidates begin taking the ExCPT at a LaserGrade Testing Center, they will be provided a copy of the candidate attestation on the computer screen. Candidates must agree to comply with the terms of this attestation before they can proceed with the exam. A copy of the attestation is available on the ICPT website for inspection.

B. Preparing for the ExCPT. Unless specified otherwise by an employer or by a given state board of pharmacy, candidates are not required to participate in a specific pharmacy technician training program in order to take the ExCPT. There are several excellent pharmacy technician courses and manuals available. ICPT does not endorse any particular course or manual. Following is a partial list of publications that are used by pharmacy technicians:

• American Pharmacists Association, The Pharmacy Technician Workbook and Certification Review, Second Edition (Englewood, CO: Morton Publishing, 2004).
• Lile JM, Miller DE and Rybicki AL, Pharmacy Certified Technician Training Manual, Tenth Edition, (Lansing, MI: Michigan Pharmacists Association, 2006).
• Posey LM, APhA's Complete Review for the Pharmacy Technician, (Washington, DC: American Pharmaceutical Association, 2001).
• Reifman N, Certification Review for Pharmacy Technicians, Sixth Edition (Golden, CO: Ark Pharmaceutical Consultants, 2002).
• Schafermeyer KW, The National Pharmacy Technician Training Program, Sixth Edition (St. Charles, MO: Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians, 2007).

The National Pharmacy Technician Training Program covers all content areas covered by the ExCPT and is available through the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians. This Training Program includes self-assessment questions and a competency assessment tool at the end of each module. The Training Program is also easy to incorporate into a new technician orientation program as well as on-going employee performance evaluation programs. You can order a Training Program using our online order form.

C. Taking the Exam

1) Test Administration Method. The ExCPT is a secure, computer-based exam offered during business hours and some evenings and weekends at one of the LaserGrade Testing Centers located throughout the United States. Candidates may register by calling LaserGrade's toll-free number, 1-800-211-2754. Candidate identification is verified at the LaserGrade Testing Center at the time of the test.

Candidates have two hours to answer 110 multiple-choice questions. Each question has four choices. One question is presented on the screen at a time. Candidates may mark the answers or they can skip questions and come back later. Final answers are submitted when the candidate indicates that he or she is finished. The exam is graded by the LaserGrade computer system and the candidate is given results immediately. A demonstration of the computer format used for exams administered by LaserGrade is shown on the LaserGrade website at www.lasergrade.com. A brief practice/demonstration session is available for candidates to practice on the computer before the exam actually starts.

Candidates are given an opportunity to comment on any item that they believe is ambiguous, inaccurate or deficient. Candidates are also asked to complete a brief survey at the end of the exam to rate the exam registration procedures, the testing facility and the testing experience. This information is reviewed by the ICPT staff and referred to the Certification Governing Committee.

2) LaserGrade Testing Centers. LaserGrade is a computer-based public testing network with headquarters in Vancouver, Washington, and can be found on the Web at www.lasergrade.com. The company has been in operation for over 25 years and has been using the "LaserGrade" name since 1995. The LaserGrade network consists of secure and supervised testing centers located throughout North America and overseas at colleges, training schools, and certification-related locations. LaserGrade currently delivers nearly 200,000 exams per year through their national testing network.

LaserGrade's function in the market is purely test administration. They do not provide training or item bank development. LaserGrade provides proctored, secured testing at about 600 testing locations in the US, Canada, and overseas, along with central candidate registration services.

LaserGrade is one of only two computer-based testing companies in the world authorized to administer all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airman Knowledge Tests. As such, many of their test facilities are located at local or regional airport locations and have the highest test security available.

3) Identification Required. In order to take the exam at a LaserGrade Testing Center, candidates are required to present government-issued photo identification, such as a valid passport, driver's license, US Armed Forces photo identification or a non-driver's identification issued by a state department of motor vehicles. The identification must be clear and legible. The name on the photo identification must be the same as on the original registration. If the names are different, then a certified or notarized copy of a marriage license, divorce decree, adoption papers or other legal documentation of name change should be provided. If the address on the government-issued photo identification is different from that supplied at the time of registration, the candidate must show proof of address, such as a current utility bill.

4) Prohibited Items. Candidates may not bring any paper, books, cell phones, calculators, pagers, scanners, cameras or PDAs with them into the examining room. Candidates may be inspected for such materials prior to the exam. All purses, brief cases and other personal items will be securely locked up during the exam. The testing session may be videotaped for additional security.

5) Materials Supplied. Candidates will be supplied with two blank sheets of paper and a pencil. The paper must be returned to the proctor at the end of the exam. A calculator will be available on the computer. Easy instructions on using this calculator and for navigating through the exam items and submitting the final answers will be given at the time of the exam. Candidates may also preview these instructions on the LaserGrade website at www.lasergrade.com.

6) Questions. No questions concerning the content of the examination may be asked during the testing period.

7) Comments. Candidates will be given the opportunity to comment on any question that they believe is ambiguous, inaccurate or deficient. A comment section for this purpose is provided at the end of the exam. All comments submitted will be reviewed by the ICPT Expert Panel. Responses are not provided to individual comments. Candidates will also be asked to complete a brief survey at the end of the exam to rate the exam registration procedures, the testing facility and general satisfaction with the testing experience.

D. Scoring Exams and Reporting Results

1) Exam Results for Successful Candidates. The ExCPT is scored immediately and successful candidates are given an official report by LaserGrade indicating that they passed the ExCPT immediately after completing the exam. Candidates may use this report to provide evidence to employers or regulatory boards that they passed the ExCPT and are a certified pharmacy technician.

2) Exam Results for Unsuccessful Candidates. The purpose of the exam is to provide summative assessment (i.e., to determine whether an individual has achieved a certain level of competency). It is not designed for formative assessment (i.e., to give the candidate feedback). ICPT does, however, provide diagnostic reports to help unsuccessful candidates focus their study time so they can successfully retake the exam. This diagnostic report will indicate how the candidate performed on each the major sections of the exam. A description of the specific content from each section of the exam can be found in The "Exam Content" section of this Guide. Candidates who do not pass the Exam will be allowed to retake the exam after four weeks. Candidates who retake the Exam may receive a different, but equivalent, set of questions.

3) Scoring. The ExCPT is scored immediately and successful candidates are given an official report by LaserGrade indicating that they passed the ExCPT immediately after completing the exam. Candidates may use this report to provide evidence to employers or regulatory boards that they passed the ExCPT and are a certified pharmacy technician.

The passing score is established by the ICPT Expert Panel based on a standard of performance that experts in the profession have determined are acceptable for this certification program. Specifically, the Expert Panel uses the Angoff procedure to determine the passing score. With this method, each exam item is independently assessed by each panel member in terms of how likely minimally adequate or competent candidates (i.e., those who would barely meet mastery standards) would correctly answer that item. The panelists' ratings are averaged to determine the passing score (also known as the "cut score"). The overall passing score is the mean of the individual ratings adjusted for the standard error of measurement. The passing score is not based on a curve.

4) Recognition of Certification. Pharmacy technicians who successfully pass the ExCPT are considered Certified Pharmacy Technicians. Within four weeks of passing the exam, Certified Pharmacy Technicians will receive a certificate suitable for framing, which will indicate the certification number and expiration date.

5) Appeals and Rescoring. Unsuccessful candidates may appeal their test results or a specific test item by completing an Appeal Form and remitting the required examination review fee. If the appeal is successful, the payment will be returned. Exam item appeals must be submitted in writing on the approved form. Candidates must submit the appeal form within 30 days of receiving exam results. All appeals will be reviewed by the ICPT staff and referred to the Appeals Committee.

6) Requests for Duplicate Certificates. Candidates who need a duplicate certificate may obtain one for a nominal charge by ordering online completing the Duplicate Certification Order Form. The address used in the online order form will be used as your mailing address. Individuals requesting a name change must provide notarized proof of the name change. This information must be faxed or mailed to ICPT with the certificate request order.

7) Re-examination. Candidates who do not pass the ExCPT will be allowed to retake the exam after four weeks. Candidates who retake the exam may receive a different, but equivalent, set of exam items.

E. Standards for Assuring Quality of the ExCPT

1) Standards. The ExCPT is committed to following the standards of the American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association and National Council on Measurement in Education, Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing. Although not yet accredited, the ExCPT is committed to following the standards of the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), the accreditation body of the National Organization for Competency Assessment.

2) Development of Exam. The above-referenced standards require that certain steps be followed to assure the psychometric soundness of the ExCPT. These steps include the following:

1. Practice Analysis. A comprehensive job/practice analysis was conducted to clearly delineate performance domains and tasks and the associated knowledge and skill sets for pharmacy technicians. Among other things, respondents indicated the criticality and amount of time spent by technicians on various job tasks. Individuals were surveyed from a stratified sample of pharmacy technicians as well as technician supervisors and trainers from all practice settings. New practice analyses are conducted on a periodic basis as determined by the Certification Governing Committee but at least once every 5 years.
   
   The practice analysis for the ExCPT was completed in August 2005. A survey questionnaire was mailed to a stratified random sample of 628 individuals (416 pharmacy managers and 212 pharmacy technicians) in selected target states. These states selected were geographically distributed and were ones deemed at the time to be most likely to be among the first to adopt the ExCPT. The states included Connecticut, Missouri, New Mexico and Oregon. A reminder postcard and follow-up survey were also sent to non-respondents. Respondents were given a list of 77 job functions selected by an advisory panel of experts and asked to indicate: (1) the importance of each pharmacy technician function with regard to promoting patient health and safety (with a Likert Scale responses ranging from very important [5] to not important [1]); (2) the frequency that pharmacy technicians perform each function on an average day; and (3) the relative amount of time that pharmacy technicians spend on each function (with responses ranging from high to low).
   
   Of these three measures, the first one, "importance," was considered the most vital measurement and was to be given more weight in the analysis. To take all data into account and give "importance" more weight. The composite scores were then ranked in order to generate overall weights for each area.
   
   The pharmacy technician functions covered in the practice analysis included functions performed in all practice settings, including community and institutional practice. Respondents practiced in a variety of practice settings: community (66%), hospital (23%), long-term care (8%); and other (3%).
   
   Of the 573 surveys delivered, 308 were returned but 18 were discarded as unusable. The overall response rate, therefore was 50.6%. The results were tabulated and ranked in descending order and included as an appendix to this Guide. These results were used by the Expert Panel, along with input from stakeholders, to design the exam blueprint.
   
   There were no differences in the rankings among the states. Although pharmacy technicians typically ranked most functions as slightly more important and performed slightly more frequently than did pharmacy managers, the rank order for the various functions was the same for both groups. While practitioners practicing in a given setting tended to value their functions as more important than those not practicing in that setting, this factor was taken into account by assuring that the numbers of respondents from each practice area were in proportion to those actually in practice. Since the numbers of respondents from the various practice sites closely approximated the proportion in practice and the exam is supposed to represent all practice sites, the aggregate results were sufficient for developing the exam blueprint.
   
   A copy of the complete practice analysis report is available from the ICPT Director of Education upon request by any stakeholder by calling the ICPT office.
2. Exam Blueprint. The results of the practice analysis and input from stakeholders were used by the Expert Panel to recommend the content areas to be tested on the exam and the weight given to each of these content areas. The result is the production of a document known as the exam blueprint, which is approved by the Certification Governing Committee. The ExCPT consists of 110 multiple-choice questions, including 10 pretest questions. Exam questions fall into three general areas: (1) Regulation and Technician Duties (~25%), (2) Drugs and Drug Products (~23%); and (3) The Dispensing Process (~52%). For more information, see the "Exam Content" section of this Guide.
3. Item Writing. A panel of volunteer item writers from a wide range of pharmacy practice settings is used to submit exam items. These item writers include pharmacy college professors, pharmacists and certified pharmacy technicians who have practiced in many different states and in many different practice settings, including community, hospital, long-term care, home health care, managed care and the military. All item writers are instructed on the standards for writing acceptable multiple-choice exam items. The guidelines for this training are from a text by NE Gronlund titled How to make Achievement Tests and Assessments, Fifth Edition published by Allyn and Bacon (1993). The trainers were two PhDs with extensive experience in educational design and assessment. All items submitted are numbered, categorized according to topic and coded to identify the writer. All items are submitted to an extensive review process before being adopted as a part of the ExCPT exam item bank.
   
   
4. Certification Governing Committee. The Certification Governing Committee has authority over essential certification and recertification decisions including establishing and ensuring effectiveness and fairness of certification policies, procedures and assessment instruments. Specifically, the Certification Governing Committee is responsible for:
   
   
   • Adopting certification program policies and procedures
   • Adopting its own rules of procedure
   • Approving the ExCPT blueprint, scoring, scaling and equating methods
   • Appointing an advisory Expert Panel and to act on the Expert Panel's recommendations
   • Appointing an Appeals Committee
   • Electing successors on the Committee
   
   The Certification Governing Committee has autonomy and its decisions are not be subject to approval by or undue influence from any other body. The Certification Governing Committee is comprised of 9 members. At least five members are Certified Pharmacy Technicians in good standing. One is a public member who is a recipient of the services provided by Certified Pharmacy Technicians. Three members represent other stakeholders such as employers, educators or regulators.
5. Expert Panel Review. A panel of five to ten highly qualified individuals from a diverse set of practice settings is appointed to the Expert Panel to review all items submitted by item writers. The panel accepts those items that meet the standards and either amends or rejects other items. All items accepted must first be pretested before being used on an exam. The Expert Panel also reviews results of the practice analysis, recommends the exam blueprint, and sets the passing score and scaled scores and equates the exams according to procedures adopted by the Certification Governing Committee.
6. Pretesting. As with all standardized tests, the ExCPT contains some questions that are being pretested for possible use on future exams. Pretesting new questions before they are used as scored questions on the ExCPT is necessary to assure that all items perform properly and that new versions of the exam can be created in the future. Specifically, the ExCPT consists of 110 questions, of which ten are pretest questions that are not scored. The pretest items are randomly interspersed throughout the exam and are not identified for the candidate in order to assure that test statistics are valid. All pretest items are analyzed carefully for difficulty, reliability, discrimination and validity and are approved by the Expert Panel before they are used as scored questions on future versions of the ExCPT.
7. Item Analysis. All items are carefully reviewed through a process known as an item analysis. This item analysis consists of statistical procedures including difficulty, discrimination and reliability to determine whether each pretest item performs properly before it is used as a scored question on the ExCPT and again on a regular basis while items are being used to ensure that they are performing properly.
   
   The ICPT staff receives weekly reports from LaserGrade indicating the score earned on each exam taken during the week as well as the answers given for each item - both scored items and pretest items. Results are reviewed for unexpected difficulty, unusual patterns and other potential problems. The Expert Panel also reviews performance of the items.
   
   The ICPT staff also receives detailed item analyses from LaserGrade on a regular basis to facilitate the ongoing review of overall exam performance and the performance of each item on the exam.
8. Equating and Scaling. Multiple versions of the ExCPT may be used and the sample of questions taken from the test bank will change over time as well. Because different forms of the ExCPT will be made up of different combinations of questions, it is important to assure that these different versions provide an equal challenge to everyone. The careful selection of items helps ensure that different versions of the exam test the same content areas. The Expert Panel establishes the passing score using the Angoff procedure in which each panelist independently estimates the percentage of minimally qualified candidates who would answer each item correctly. The panelists' ratings are averaged to determine the passing score (also known as the "cut score").
   
   Equating is essentially a statistical method of selecting the raw score on each test that would provide the same probability of passing. In other words, it is a way of calibrating different versions of the exam to assure that they provide an equal challenge. For example, a raw score of 75 may be determined to be a passing score on one version of the exam and a 74 may be determined to be the equivalent passing score on a more difficult version.
   
   A scale is a score-reporting technique that translates the different raw scores into a standard score. For example, the scores that may be earned on the ExCPT range from 200 to 500 and the passing score is 390. The minimum passing raw scores are then converted to 390 for all versions of the exam. If two different versions of the exam have different cut scores (e.g., a raw score of 75 on one version and a raw score of 74 on another) then both would be converted so that 390 is the passing score. Reporting only raw scores could cause confusion because the results of one test administration may be difficult to compare with another that does not have exactly the same difficulty or same cut score. Equating and scaling procedures are used in most certification programs because they are easy and reliable, commonly accepted as standard procedures in certification programs, psychometrically sound and are legally defensible.
9. Rotating and Retiring Exam Items. The item bank consists of over 2,000 items. New items are being added on a regular basis with about 300 new items added during the first half of 2007. The integrity of the exam is protected by rotating and retiring test items on a regular basis. As exam volume increases, the Certification Governing Committee may decide to rotate the items more frequently. Those items that are rotated off the exam may be reused at some point. To avoid overexposure, items will be retired as new items are adopted. All versions of the exam, however, will be consistent with the exam blueprint and will be equated. Questions that are retired from the exam can be used later as practice questions.
10. References Used for Exam Development. The following textbooks, reference books, manuals and official websites have been used to develop and verify the items for the ExCPT:
    
    
    • Catizone CA, Survey of Pharmacy Law. (Park Ridge, IL: National Association of Boards of Pharmacy); 2006.
    • DiPiro JT, Talbert RL, Yee GC, Matzke JR, Wells BG and Posey LM, Pharmacotherapy: a Pathophysiologic Approach, Sixth Edition, ( New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005).
    • Enrlich A, Medical Terminology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, (Albany, NY: Delmar Learning, 2001)
    • Lacy C, Drug Information Handbook, Fifteenth Edition, (Hudson, OH: Lexi-Comp Inc., 2007).
    • Lile JM, Miller DE and Rybicki AL, Pharmacy Certified Technician Training Manual, Tenth Edition, (Lansing, MI: Michigan Pharmacists Association, 2006).
    • Reifman N, Certification Review for Pharmacy Technicians, Seventh Edition (Golden, CO: Ark Pharmaceutical Consultants, 2005).
    • Schafermeyer KW, The National Pharmacy Technician Training Program, Sixth Edition (St. Charles, MO: Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians, 2007).
    • Thompson Healthcare, Physician's Desk Reference, Sixty-First Edition, (Montvale, NJ:, Medical Economics Company, Inc., 2007).
    • Thompson Healthcare, Drug Information for the Health Care Professional, Twenty-Seventh Edition, (Englewood, CO: Micromedix, 2007).
    • U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, http://www.dea.gov
    • U.S. Food and Drug Administration, http://www.fda.gov
    • University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy, Twenty-First Edition, (Lippincot Williams and Wilkins, 2005).

F. Services to Boards of Pharmacy

1) Reporting and Maintaining Results. Exam results are posted on a secure website designed specifically for authorized stakeholders. With a password, authorized stakeholders may check ExCPT records to determine whether specified pharmacy technicians are certified by ExCPT and the expiration date of their certification. Exam scores and other information are not available without specific authorization of the candidates. ExCPT records can also be used to update board of pharmacy records and to generate reports from the certification database. An online user's manual is available from ICPT to help stakeholders make optimal use of the website.

2) Reciprocity. Boards of pharmacy can use the secure website to verify certification the current status of all ExCPT-certified pharmacy technicians for purposes of reciprocity. Boards can also be notified of any pharmacy technicians whose certification has been revoked.

8. Revocation Policy

ICPT may revoke the certification of a pharmacy technician for any of the following reasons:

• Submission of false or misleading information in connection with certification or recertification
• Violation of any of ICPT's policies on exam cheating or exam confidentiality or failure to cooperate with ICPT in the investigation of any such incident by another candidate
• Conviction of a felony or a crime involving prescription medications or controlled substances (including but not limited to the illegal use, sale or distribution of prescription medications or controlled substances)
• Revocation or suspension of a pharmacy technician registration or license by a state board of pharmacy
• Documented violation of the Pharmacy Technician Code of Ethics.

The certificant may appeal the decision to the ICPT Appeals Committee, whose decision will be final. The appeal must state the grounds for the appeal and provide evidence supporting the petitioner's case. Individuals who have had their certification revoked may appeal to the ICPT Appeals Committee after two years for permission to retake the ExCPT and earn certification again. The Appeals Committee will determine whether the candidate is worthy to be reinstated through examination and the terms under which this will be granted. A complete description of the Code of Ethics and disciplinary policies are available on request from the ICPT office.

9. Recertification Requirements

The purpose of recertification is to promote high standards of practice for pharmacy technicians, to encourage their participation in continuing education in order to promote safe and effective patient care. Recertification also provides a means for recognizing pharmacy technicians who continue to demonstrate their qualifications by complying with ICPT continuing education requirements and adhering to high professional standards.

A. Application. Because of the rapid changes in health care, new drug treatments and technology, pharmacy technicians must keep up to date. Therefore, the Certification Governing Committee has determined that certification must be renewed every two years. During the two-year period prior to recertification, certified pharmacy technicians must participate in at least 20 hours of continuing education (CE), including at least one hour of pharmacy law. To recertify, technicians must use the ICPT Recertification Application Form, which is available on the ICPT website, and send it to ICPT along with full payment by the postmark deadline.

Applications may be filed by one of three ways: 1) Online Payment Option ($40.00):
Save $10.00 by completing and submitting the online recertification and payment forms.
Note: Upon completion of the online recertification form you will be directed to the online payment form.

2) Fax/Mail with Online Payment Option ($48.00):
Save $2.00 by completing faxing or mailing the recertification form (PDF). To complete the Fax/Mail option you must complete and submit the online payment form.

3) Mail Option ($50.00):
Complete and mail the recertification form (PDF) with a check/money order/credit card for $50.00. Credit Card payments must include the appropriate payment information (included on the form).

Mail Option Notes:
a) REVIEW the application for completeness prior to mailing.
b) Your application MUST be postmarked no later than your expiration date.

Applications not completed correctly will be returned and will require a $10 reapplication fee.

Application Fee. The recertification fee is $40 if processed online, $48 if faxed or mailed and payment submitted online and $50 if faxed or mailed. The fee may be paid by check, money order or credit card. Certified technicians will be allowed to recertify up to 90 days after expiration of their certification but cannot include CE credit earned during this grace period. After this 90-day grace period, technicians will lose their certification status. Certified technicians who fail to recertify on time may be able to have their certification reinstated within 18 months of their expiration date. Please see the following section on reinstatement. Checks returned for insufficient funds will be charged a $25 administrative fee.

C. Address Corrections and Name Changes. You will receive a new ICPT certificate by mail approximately 60 days after ICPT has received your recertification materials and approved your application. Name or address changes should be sent to ICPT so that we may send a recertification application approximately 60 days prior to the expiration date. It is the Certified Technician's responsibility to apply for certification on time. ICPT sends renewal notices as a courtesy; Certified Technicians are responsible for recertifying on time whether or not they receive a renewal notice. If your name has changed, you must notify ICPT. Please provide your full name, Social Security Number and appropriate documentation, such as a court order, marriage license, divorce decree, etc.

D. Continuing Education. Continuing education is necessary to maintain a high level of knowledge and skills in pharmacy practice. During the two-year period prior to recertification, certified pharmacy technicians must participate in at least 20 hours of continuing education (CE), including at least one hour of pharmacy law. Additional CE credits earned cannot be carried over to the next recertification period.

1. Acceptable Topics. To be approved, CE credit must be related to pharmacy technician practice and must include at least one hour of pharmacy law per two-year certification period. ICPT reserves the right to reject credits not deemed applicable to pharmacy technician practice.
   Acceptable topics include, but are not limited to:
   • drug distribution
   • managed health care
   • therapeutic issues
   • communications
   • pharmacy operations
   • calculations
   • drug repackaging
   • inventory control
   • drug products
   • patient interaction
   • interpersonal skills
   • prescription compounding
   • pharmacy law (at least one hour required)
   • preparation of sterile products
2. Certificates of Participation. Certificates of Participation must be obtained for each CE program. This certificate must include:
   • participant's name
   • date of the program
   • name of the sponsor*
   • program title
   • number of contact hours
   • signature of a person responsible for the program
   
   If the continuing education provider is accredited by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE), the ACPE program number should also be included. ACPE accreditation of the program provider is not mandatory to receive continuing education credit.
   
   *Note: ACPE accredits CE providers; it is not a CE provider and should not be listed as the name of the sponsor.
   
   It is necessary that you retain your continuing education Certificates of Participation during your two-year certification period plus one more year following your recertification application. Send photocopies of your Certificates of Participation to ICPT only if requested as part of an audit. (See "Audit" below.)
3. ExCPT Continuing Education Form. The ExCPT Continuing Education Form can be used to document your completion of in-service training programs or projects.
   
   In-service training programs may be:
   • CE programs for which you do not have a Certificate of Participation,
   • other training or projects completed under the supervision of a pharmacist in which you developed new knowledge or skills to improve your abilities as a pharmacy technician.
   
   Your supervising pharmacist must complete and sign the ExCPT Continuing Education Form for you to receive credit. A maximum of 10 hours of CE is allowed using the ExCPT Continuing Education Form.
4. College Courses. Any college course in mathematics, life sciences or pharmaceutical sciences will also be accepted. Applicable college courses with a grade of "C" or better will also be eligible for CE credit at the rate of 15 CE hours for each a 3 credit-hour course offered on a semester basis (i.e., three hours a week for 15 weeks). Courses offered on a quarter basis will be credited for 15 hours for a 4 credit-hour course (i.e., four hours per week for approximately 11 weeks). The maximum number of CE credits earned through college courses during a two-year period is 15. A college transcript is considered as the Certificate of Participation.
5. Continuing Education Providers. There are many ways to complete your continuing education requirements for recertification. CE programs offered by national and state pharmacy associations and pharmacy technician associations will generally be acceptable if related to pharmacy technician practice. ICPT recommends CE courses offered by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) and the National Community Pharmacists Association.
   
   For NACDS programs, go to: http://nacds.rxschool.com.
   For NCPA programs, go to http://www.ncpanet.org/education/ce.php
   
   CE programs are also available from other national and state pharmacy associations and private providers such as Powerpak.
   
   All of the following are acceptable:
   • live presentations
   • Internet courses
   • correspondence courses
   • workshops
   • in-service training programs
   • computer-assisted instruction
   • journal articles with a CE test
   • audio or video recordings with a CE test
6. Audits. Certified Pharmacy Technicians are randomly selected for an audit of continuing education credits at the discretion of ICPT. If you are notified that you were randomly selected for audit, you will need to list all continuing education hours on the audit application (that will be sent to you) and send photocopies of the continuing education Certificates of Participation and/or the ExCPT Continuing Education Form(s). ExCPT does not charge certificants a fee for being audited. Audit applications not completed correctly, however, will be returned and will require a $10 reapplication fee. ICPT recommends that you keep copies of your continuing education Certificates of Participation for at least 1 year after your certification expiration date.

10. Reinstatement Requirements.

Pharmacy technician certification must be renewed every two years. If you have not recertified within the 90-day grace period following the expiration date on your certificate, you are no longer certified. You may, however, be eligible to have your recertification status reinstated if you do so within 18 months of the expiration date. Reinstated certification will expire on the same date that it would have expired had you recertified on time - there is no extension of the expiration date.

To reinstate your certification status, you must complete at least 20 hours of continuing education (CE), including at least one hour of pharmacy law. All CE requirements are the same as for recertification. To recertify, technicians must use the ICPT Reinstatement Form, which is available on the ICPT website, and send it to ICPT along with full payment by the postmark deadline. The fee for reinstatement is $80. Applications not completed correctly will be returned and will require an additional $10 reapplication fee.

Reinstatement is not available in the following circumstances:

• certification has expired for more than 18 months
• certification has been revoked
• a board of pharmacy has revoked registration or licensure
• the pharmacy technician has been convicted of or pled guilty to a felony

If recertification has lapsed more than 18 months, you must retake the ExCPT.

11. Appeals Policy.

Pharmacy technicians may appeal certain decisions involving eligibility, ADA accommodations, disciplinary issues and individual exam items. All appeals will be handled by an Appeals Committee, which shall be comprised of the chairperson of the Certification Governing Committee and two members appointed by the chair. Candidates requesting an appeal must state their case in a timely manner in writing using the ICPT Appeal Form. Appeals will not be accepted by telephone, or email. The appeal must include the candidate's name, address, telephone number, email address (if available), a description of the reason for the appeal and other information that may be relevant to the case. The Appeals Committee will investigate and resolve issues as expeditiously as possible. The decision of the Appeals Committee is final.

12. Exam Numbers.

As of December 31, 2008, 5095 candidates have taken the ExCPT and 3739 (72%) have passed. Candidates may take exams at any PSI/LaserGrade Tesing Center located in every state plus the District of Columbia. There are now ExCPT-Certified Pharmacy Technicians from 46 states with the largest being Oregon, Utah, Maryland, Iowa, Illinois, Virginia and Massachusetts.

 

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Appendix

Pharmacy Technician Tasks Ranked by Order of Importance

 

Practice Analysis for Pharmacy Technicians, August 2005

 

1. Understand the necessity of having a pharmacist check all work performed by the technician.
2. Use proper procedures to avoid medication errors.
3. Use proper procedures to assure delivery of the correct prescriptions to patients.
4. Accurately enter prescription information and drug history into the computer.
5. Demonstrate a clear knowledge of the line between tasks that may be performed by a pharmacy technician and those that must be performed by a pharmacist.
6. Prepare prescription labels or patient information.
7. Demonstrate knowledge of abbreviations used on prescriptions and familiarity with the ways in which abbreviations can be misinterpreted.
8. Communicate accurately and appropriately with patients.
9. Follow the proper rules and regulations when filling prescriptions.
10. Correctly translate a prescriber's directions for use into accurate and complete directions for the patient.
11. Differentiate among different classes of drugs.
12. Describe each of the four major categories of dosage forms and cite examples.
13. Maintain HIPAA compliance while communicating with patients.
14. Follow the proper rules and regulations when handling refills, partial filling and transfers of controlled substances among pharmacies.
15. Properly file prescriptions.
16. Identify the brand and generic names of the most commonly used prescription drugs.
17. Correctly calculate prescription quantities and days supply.
18. Calculate the amount of prescription medications to be dispensed.
19. Describe what information is required on completed prescription forms and how to gather any information that is missing.
20. Describe the different types of information conveyed on prescription labels and receipts.
21. Describe the therapeutic class and primary indications for commonly used over-the-counter drug products.
22. Take proper action when a compliance alert is noted when entering a prescription.
23. Demonstrate knowledge of terms and units of measurement in each of the systems of measurement and the ability to convert from one system to another.
24. Identify the most common indication for the most commonly used prescription drugs.
25. Define and give examples of adverse drug reactions, contraindications and drug interactions.
26. Demonstrate awareness of the compliance/interaction checks that a pharmacy computer performs.
27. Demonstrate knowledge of record-keeping requirements.
28. Differentiate among the controlled substances schedules.
29. Cite rules and regulations regarding time limits for refilling prescriptions.
30. Identify and interpret the various methods used to indicate the quantity of medication to dispense.
31. Assist with inventory control.
32. Follow correct procedures for maintaining the sterile product environment.
33. Take proper corrective action to handle potential medication errors.
34. Explain the procedures used for telephone or faxed prescriptions.
35. Cite information required on completed prescription forms.
36. Describe the purpose of patient profiles and how to enter, update, and maintain them.
37. Assure maintenance of adequate supplies of prescription vials, caps, bottles, and other supplies.
38. Describe the requirements for maintaining pharmacy security.
39. Properly repackage drug products, label correctly and, in the case of unit-dose medications, include the correct expiration date.
40. Understand the basic mechanism of action of the most commonly used medications.
41. Properly process third-party prescriptions.
42. Compound and label sterile products accurately.
43. Use auxiliary labels properly.
44. Assist with stocking inventory.
45. Use the proper DAW code when entering prescription data.
46. Describe the proper packaging and storage of commonly used medications.
47. Calculate individual and daily dosages.
48. Differentiate among the various types of sterile products.
49. Differentiate among the various routes of administration for parenteral products.
50. Describe laws and regulations regarding generic substitution.
51. Describe requirements of the Controlled Substance Act regarding ordering, storing, inventorying, and dispensing controlled substances.
52. Accept refill authorizations from prescribers or their authorized agents, provided there is no change to the original prescription.
53. Properly label drug products packaged in approved containers or, when appropriate, in original packages.
54. Identify which reject codes returned by third-party processors can be handled by a technician.
55. Demonstrate knowledge of federal and state laws and regulations affecting pharmacy.
56. Properly package the drug to be dispensed in child-resistant containers or other approved containers as required.
57. Follow the correct procedures for handling patient requests for pseudoephedrine.
58. Answer patients' questions about their third-party prescription coverage.
59. Properly use automated dispensing devices or other devices used in the dispensing process.
60. Explain HIPAA requirements to patients (e.g., why they have to sign for prescriptions when picked up).
61. Identify the types of information found on medication stock bottles.
62. Explain the requirements for DEA numbers.
63. Describe the elements of an NDC number and how they are used.
64. Follow the correct procedures for handling Schedule V sales without a prescription.
65. Demonstrate a working knowledge of different types of drug dispensing systems (e.g., multidose vials, punch cards, and unit-dose packaging).
66. Follow proper procedures for preparing chemotherapeutic medications.
67. Use calculations properly for compounding (e.g., ratio strength, w/w%, w/v, v/v, dilution/concentration, mEq, etc.).
68. Calculate dosages and administration rates for IV medications.
69. Explain the use of various prescription compliance aids.
70. Explain what generic drugs are and how they compare to brand-name medications.
71. Describe the requirements for an OTC package label.
72. Explain the role of the state board of pharmacy.
73. Recognize the significance of product expiration dates and identify expired products.
74. Perform basic pharmacy business calculations (e.g., pricing, markup and inventory control).
75. Describe strategies for avoiding mix-ups among easily confused products.
76. List the practitioners who are authorized to prescribe medications.
77. Explain the relationship between a pharmacy's layout and workflow.