In the Queue with PTU

In this series finale, Matt and Don cover transferring prescriptions and drug stock, proper disposal via reverse distributors or authorized destruction, and spotting and reporting diversion. Plus, they wrap up the full six-part series with some key takeaways and reflections on what they’ve learned.

Hosts:
Matt Uhrich & Don Weinberger

🎯 Learning Objectives:

• Explain requirements for transferring controlled substances between pharmacies.
• Explain requirements for disposing of controlled substances.
• Summarize requirements for handling stolen or diverted controlled substances.
• Describe Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs and their purpose. 

💊 Topics Covered:

• Transferring drug product vs transferring prescriptions; the 5% rule
• C‑II e‑Rx initial transfer vs paper non‑transferable; C‑III–V one‑time transfer (or more within shared systems)
• Disposal: reverse distributors, DEA Form 222 for C‑IIs, onsite destruction and DEA Form 41
• Diversion prevention: inventory practices, PDMP checks, and team vigilance
• Reporting theft/loss with DEA Form 106 and notifying authorities

🧠 Reflection Prompt:
What safeguards in your workflow help prevent diversion—and where could you add one more check?

📌 Key Takeaways:

• Differentiate stock transfers from prescription transfers; document and track thoroughly.
• Know when and how prescriptions can be transferred by schedule and system capabilities.
• Use reverse distributors or authorized destruction (Form 41) and 222 for C‑II movement.
• Report significant loss/theft within one business day using DEA Form 106; leverage PDMP where allowed.

Send us Fan Mail

Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to stay ahead with trusted insights and tools: 

• 📌If you’re not yet a subscriber, find out more about our product offerings at trchealthcare.com. 

Connect with us: 

• 📱 Send us a text: click the link above!
• 📩 You can also reach out to provide feedback or make suggestions by emailing us at [email protected].

Matt and Don dig into controlled substance inventory counts (biennial vs annual), perpetual inventory for C‑IIs, how to resolve discrepancies, and how to organize records so audits go smoothly. Part five of our six-part series on controlled substances.

Hosts:
Matt Uhrich & Don Weinberger

🎯 Learning Objectives:

• Describe the inventory requirements for controlled substances.
• Summarize the recordkeeping requirements for controlled substances. 

💊 Topics Covered:

• Exact vs estimated counts (C‑IIs exact; C‑III–V estimated unless >1,000 units)
• Biennial inventory (federal) vs stricter state annual requirements
• Perpetual inventory for C‑IIs and digital vs paper logging
• Investigating discrepancies and involving the team
• Organizing records (separate C‑II; readily retrievable C‑III–V) and retention timelines

🧠 Reflection Prompt:
If a controlled‑substance count doesn’t match the log, what’s your step‑by‑step plan to resolve it before day’s end?

📌 Key Takeaways:

• Know your inventory cadence—federal vs state—and keep records for at least two years.
• Maintain perpetual inventory for C‑IIs to spot issues quickly.
• For C‑II records, keep separate; ensure C‑III–V are readily retrievable.
• Treat discrepancies as “all‑hands” issues—verify math, logs, and dispensing history.

Send us Fan Mail

Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to stay ahead with trusted insights and tools: 

• 📌If you’re not yet a subscriber, find out more about our product offerings at trchealthcare.com. 

Connect with us: 

• 📱 Send us a text: click the link above!
• 📩 You can also reach out to provide feedback or make suggestions by emailing us at [email protected].

From double counting to DEA Form 222, this episode covers day‑to‑day dispensing, partial fills, labeling, ordering, and storing controlled substances in retail and hospital settings. Part four of our six-part series on controlled substances.

Hosts:
Matt Uhrich & Don Weinberger

🎯 Learning Objectives:

• Explain the following requirements for handling and dispensing controlled substance prescriptions 
  • Preparing and counting 
  • Partial fills 
  • Labeling 
  • Ordering and storing

💊 Topics Covered:

• Accuracy safeguards: double counting and back counting
• Partial‑fill rules by schedule (72‑hour rule for C‑IIs)
• Required caution statement on labels for C‑II–IV
• Ordering C‑IIs (DEA Form 222/CSOS) and record retention
• Storage options for C‑IIs (locked cabinet vs dispersed) and hospital ADM practices

🧠 Reflection Prompt:
Where are controlled substances stored in your pharmacy or facility, and how do those choices support security and workflow?

📌 Key Takeaways:

• Use double/back counts to prevent discrepancies before they start.
• C‑II partial fills must be completed within 72 hours, others within prescription validity.
• Order C‑IIs via DEA 222/CSOS and keep records at least two years.
• C‑IIs may be locked or dispersed; hospitals rely on vaults/ADMs and strict chain of custody.

Send us Fan Mail

Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to stay ahead with trusted insights and tools: 

• 📌If you’re not yet a subscriber, find out more about our product offerings at trchealthcare.com. 

Connect with us: 

• 📱 Send us a text: click the link above!
• 📩 You can also reach out to provide feedback or make suggestions by emailing us at [email protected].

What makes a controlled-substance prescription valid—and how do refills and expirations differ by schedule? Matt and Don break down required elements, transmission rules (written, e‑prescribed, faxed, verbal), refill limits, and common state variations. Part three of our six-part series on controlled substances.

Hosts:
Matt Uhrich & Don Weinberger

🎯 Learning Objectives:

• Explain the requirements for valid controlled substance prescriptions.
• List the requirements for dispensing controlled substances.

💊 Topics Covered:

• Required elements on controlled-substance prescriptions (date, patient/prescriber info, DEA #, signature)
• Electronic prescribing identifiers vs handwritten signatures
• Transmission rules by schedule and rare emergency exceptions for C‑IIs
• Refill limits (C‑II: none; C‑III/IV: up to 5 within 6 months; C‑V: as authorized) and state variations
• Prescription validity/expiration timelines and common pitfalls

🧠 Reflection Prompt:
Looking at your last shift, did any prescriptions present red flags based on today’s “requirements, refills, and red flags” checklist?

📌 Key Takeaways:

• Validate all required fields before filling; missing signatures or DEA numbers invalidate written scripts.
• C‑IIs cannot be refilled; C‑III/IV refills are limited; C‑V varies—always check state law.
• Even e‑prescriptions require scrutiny; systems can’t catch every issue.
• When in doubt, pause and involve the pharmacist.

Send us Fan Mail

Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to stay ahead with trusted insights and tools: 

• 📌If you’re not yet a subscriber, find out more about our product offerings at trchealthcare.com. 

Connect with us: 

• 📱 Send us a text: click the link above!
• 📩 You can also reach out to provide feedback or make suggestions by emailing us at [email protected].

This episode demystifies DEA numbers: who needs them, how they’re structured, and simple ways to verify them. Matt and Don walk through practitioner types, state-by-state prescribing nuances, the 2-letter/7-digit format, and the manual checksum formula—plus when to escalate concerns even if the number “checks out.” Part two of our six-part series on controlled substances.

Hosts:
Matt Uhrich & Don Weinberger

🎯 Learning Objectives:

• Identify which practitioners are allowed to write prescriptions for controlled substances.
• Explain the requirements for DEA numbers.
• Distinguish between a valid and invalid DEA number.

💊 Topics Covered:

• Who can prescribe controlled substances (physicians, dentists, vets, and mid‑level practitioners)
• DEA number format: two letters + seven digits; what the letters mean
• Manual and electronic DEA number verification; system limitations
• Red flags and when to involve the pharmacist
• State-level restrictions on what specific prescribers may write

🧠 Reflection Prompt:
If a controlled-substance prescription came in from a prescriber you don’t recognize, how would you verify the DEA number and what other red flags would you check?

📌 Key Takeaways:

• DEA numbers are required for Schedules II–V and follow a standard 9-character format.
• Use the checksum as a quick screen, but always escalate any concerns to the pharmacist.
• Pharmacy systems help but aren’t foolproof—licensure or scope limits may still block validity.
• Know your state’s rules for which practitioners can prescribe which schedules.

Send us Fan Mail

Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to stay ahead with trusted insights and tools: 

• 📌If you’re not yet a subscriber, find out more about our product offerings at trchealthcare.com. 

Connect with us: 

• 📱 Send us a text: click the link above!
• 📩 You can also reach out to provide feedback or make suggestions by emailing us at [email protected].

This episode kicks off a six-part series on controlled substances by laying the groundwork: what they are, why they’re regulated, and how the DEA classifies them. Matt and Don walk through the five drug schedules, explain how they’re determined, and share examples of medications in each category. Whether you're new to pharmacy or brushing up on the basics, this episode sets the stage for understanding the rules that follow.

Hosts:
Matt Uhrich & Don Weinberger

🎯 Learning Objectives:

• Identify the laws and regulations that govern the dispensing of controlled substances.
• Define each controlled schedule and common substances classified in each of the 5 schedules.

💊 Topics Covered:

• What makes a drug a “controlled substance”
• The role of the DEA in classification
• Overview of Schedules I–V
• Examples of medications in each schedule
• Why understanding schedules matters for pharmacy technicians

🧠 Reflection Prompt:
Have you ever noticed a “C-II” or “C-IV” on a medication label? What does that tell you about how it should be handled?

📌 Key Takeaways:

• Controlled substances are categorized into five schedules based on medical use and misuse potential.
• Schedule I drugs have no accepted medical use; Schedules II–V are used in pharmacy practice.
• The stricter the schedule, the tighter the regulations.
• Pharmacy technicians must understand these classifications to ensure safe handling and compliance.

Send us Fan Mail

Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to stay ahead with trusted insights and tools: 

• 📌If you’re not yet a subscriber, find out more about our product offerings at trchealthcare.com. 

Connect with us: 

• 📱 Send us a text: click the link above!
• 📩 You can also reach out to provide feedback or make suggestions by emailing us at [email protected].

Matt and Don spotlight the pharmacy technician’s behind‑the‑scenes role in surgical care—ensuring anesthetics and perioperative meds are labeled, stored, and delivered correctly and on time. The episode focuses on communication, precision, and safeguards that prevent OR errors.

Hosts:
Matt Uhrich & Don Weinberger

🎯 Learning Objectives:

• Identify common types of medications used during surgical procedures, including anesthetics, pain medications, neuromuscular blockers, and vasoactive medications.
• Describe common medication errors that occur in operating rooms and strategies to prevent them, such as proper labeling, standardization of storage, and separation of high-alert medications.
• Explain proper procedures for handling and dispensing medications in perioperative environments, including appropriate garbing requirements and controlled substance management.

💊 Topics Covered:

• Common surgical/OR medication categories and handling basics
• Labeling standards and storage to avoid mix‑ups
• Communication practices with clinical teams (clarity, confirmation)
• Workflow vigilance in fast‑paced environments
• Examples of errors prevented through good process

🧠 Reflection Prompt:
If your pharmacy supports surgeries, what’s one labeling or handoff safeguard you could add today to reduce risk in the OR pipeline?

📌 Key Takeaways:

• Clear labels and secure storage reduce OR medication errors.
• Precise communication and confirmations prevent delays and mix‑ups.
• Technician vigilance is a frontline defense in surgical workflows.
• Standardized handoffs create reliability across teams and shifts.

Send us Fan Mail

Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to stay ahead with trusted insights and tools: 

• 📌If you’re not yet a subscriber, find out more about our product offerings at trchealthcare.com. 

Connect with us: 

• 📱 Send us a text: click the link above!
• 📩 You can also reach out to provide feedback or make suggestions by emailing us at [email protected].

This episode introduces quality measures—standardized ways to evaluate care quality, safety, adherence, and efficiency—and why they matter to technicians. Matt and Don explain common measure types, how pharmacies are scored, and practical ways techs influence results at the bench.

Hosts:
Matt Uhrich & Don Weinberger

🎯 Learning Objectives:

• Define quality measures and explain their importance in pharmacy practice and patient care.
• Identify key organizations that create quality measures and describe how these measures are used to evaluate healthcare quality.
• Describe specific ways pharmacy technicians can help positively impact quality measures.

💊 Topics Covered:

• What quality measures are and their purpose (improve care while reducing costs)
• Categories: outcomes, processes, patient experience
• Examples relevant to pharmacy (adherence, safety checks, counseling)
• How scores affect operations, payer relationships, and patient care
• Technician actions that move the metrics (workflow tips, documentation)

🧠 Reflection Prompt:
Which single technician action in your workflow most directly improves adherence or safety—and how could you standardize it across shifts?

📌 Key Takeaways:

• Quality measures benchmark care beyond speed or volume.
• Consistent documentation and counseling improve scores and patient outcomes.
• Technicians can drive adherence with reminder workflows and refill coordination.
• Measure awareness helps align daily tasks with bigger care goals.

Send us Fan Mail

Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to stay ahead with trusted insights and tools: 

• 📌If you’re not yet a subscriber, find out more about our product offerings at trchealthcare.com. 

Connect with us: 

• 📱 Send us a text: click the link above!
• 📩 You can also reach out to provide feedback or make suggestions by emailing us at [email protected].

This kickoff episode explains reconstitution—what it is, why it matters, and how technicians safely convert powders into liquid suspensions. Matt and Don cover diluents, measuring and mixing steps, labeling, counseling tips, and common pitfalls across retail and hospital settings.

Hosts:
Matt Uhrich & Don Weinberger

🎯 Learning Objectives:

• Identify common medications that require reconstitution and explain why certain medications need to be stored in dry form.
• Describe the proper steps and best practices for reconstituting different types of medications (oral suspensions, vaccines, and injectable medications).
• Recognize potential risks of improper reconstitution and explain key strategies to prevent dispensing errors with medications requiring reconstitution.

💊 Topics Covered:

• Definition and purpose of reconstitution (powder → liquid; role of diluents)
• When and why meds are supplied dry (stability, shelf life)
• Stepwise mixing technique (measure accurately, add in stages, invert/shake)
• Measuring liquids correctly (meniscus, calibrated devices)
• Labeling and patient directions (beyond-use dating, storage, shake well)
• Setting differences: community vs hospital reconstitution workflows

🧠 Reflection Prompt:
Think about the last suspension you prepared: which step is most error‑prone for new techs—measurement, mixing, or labeling—and how do you mitigate it?

📌 Key Takeaways:

• Accuracy at each step prevents dosing errors and improves outcomes.
• Use the correct diluent and calibrated tools; read at the bottom of the meniscus.
• Document beyond‑use dates and storage; include ‘shake well’ on labels.
• Slow, staged mixing (with re‑checks) reduces clumping and rework.

Send us Fan Mail

Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to stay ahead with trusted insights and tools: 

• 📌If you’re not yet a subscriber, find out more about our product offerings at trchealthcare.com. 

Connect with us: 

• 📱 Send us a text: click the link above!
• 📩 You can also reach out to provide feedback or make suggestions by emailing us at [email protected].