Math-Screen^TM Pharmacy Math Skills Evaluation Tools

We've created 2 Pharmacy Math Skills Evaluation Tools that may be used for pre-employment skills screening, annual competency verification or PTCB exam preparation. These tools test skills in all of the content areas.

Pre-Employment Math-Screen™

• 50 questions that sample all math skills content areas
• Prospective employees take same test to facilitate comparison between potential hires
• Print results for recordkeeping

Click on image to view a preview

Competency Verification Math-Screen™

• 80 questions randomly selected from test bank of 150 questions
• Each test is different so employees never take same test twice
• User information stored in the LMS. Use for competency verification or PTCB preparation

Pharmacy Math Skills Course

This interactive, web-based program teaches fundamental math skills through 8 distinct lessons using practical examples from pharmacy work-settings.  At the end of each lesson, a secure exam is administered online and successful participants can immediately print their certificate of completion. This program benefits pharmacists, technicians, and students by building a sound math skills framework that is essential to successful pharmacy practice.

Lessons included in Course

1) Introduction to Pharmacy Calculations - written by: Angela T. Cassano, Pharm.D., BCPS

Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to:

• Express the importance of calculations, skills required and the problem solving approach to calculations in pharmacy.
• Recognize symbols, terminology and abbreviations commonly used in pharmacy as well as their potential for misuse.
• Perform basic addition, subtraction, division and multiplication.
• Describe common elements of a prescription for medication.
• Identify basic dosage forms.
• Discuss the use of pharmacy time in patient dose scheduling.
• Describe some basic precautions to reduce the risk of calculation errors.

2) Basic Mathematical Concepts: Roman Numerals, Fractions and Decimals – written by: Victoria C. Paoletti, Pharm.D.

Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to:

• Identify and convert numbers to/from the Roman and Arabic numeral systems.
• Explain how to reduce fractions.
• Calculate clinical problems involving the addition and subtraction of fractions.
• Define and compare decimals and fractions.
• Convert decimals to fractions and fractions to decimals.

3) Basic Mathematical Concepts: Ratios, Proportions and Percents – written by: Victoria C. Paoletti, Pharm.D.

Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to:

• Develop an understanding of place values in decimals and how to accurately write numbers in their decimal form.
• Perform basic mathematical functions with decimals.
• Solve ratios and proportions in calculations.
• Convert percents to and from decimals.
• Calculate percent strengths in pharmacy practice.

4) Percents and Concentrations – written by: Dina H. Adams, Pharm.D., RPh

• After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Demonstrate the relationship between percents, ratios, decimals and fractions.
• Describe percentage strength as weight in volume, volume in volume and weight in weight.
• Perform appropriate calculations based on a given percentage strength.
• Calculate product strengths by using percents and ratios.

5) Measurement Systems - written by: Jason P. Sparks, Med, CPhT

Upon completing this module, you will be able to:

• Identify commonly used units of measure.
• Identify abbreviations and symbols used in pharmacy measurement systems.
• Perform calculations and conversions between units of measure in the same and among different measurement systems.
• Calculate body surface area for complex medication delivery.

6) Calculations Required for Dosing – written by: Lori C. Dupree, Pharm.D., BCPS

Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to:

• Utilize methods for calculating doses using the number of doses, size of doses, and total quantity of medication.
• Calculate doses based on recommended dose ranges and product label strength.
• Identify methods of calculating doses for medication administration in pediatric patients.
• Apply knowledge of conversion factors to accurately calculate medication doses.

7) Building Proficiency in Calculations Required for Dilution and Reconstitution – written by: Lori C. Dupree, Pharm.D., BCPS

Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to:

• Describe methods to calculate drug quantities using alligation medial and alternate when compounding sterile preparations.
• Explain how to calculate the amount of a higher strength solution needed to prepare a solution of a lower strength.
• Explain the elements required for reconstitution of medications available as a dry powder .
• List the steps required, utilizing drug product information, to perform calculations required for reconstitution and dilution.
• Recognize situations in which serial dilutions are required and describe the calculations needed to perform the dilutions.

8) Building Proficiency in Sterile Compounding Calculations - written by: Lori C. Dupree, Pharm.D., BCPS

Upon completing this lesson, you will be able to:

• Describe calculations required to increase and decrease the concentration of components in compounded sterile preparations (CSPs).
• Identify methods used to calculate the amounts additives to CSPs to be compounded.
• Explain the use of direct statement, percentage strength and ratio strength to accurately determine amounts of components to be added during the preparation of sterile solutions.
• Recall and apply knowledge of ratios and proportions to accurately perform calculations required for preparation of CSPs.