Ohio Pharmacy Law Practice Test

How frequently must refrigerator and freezer temperatures be checked and recorded?

1. Once a week

2. Once a day

3. Twice a day

4. Every other day

The correct answer is: Once a day

In a pharmacy setting, it is crucial to maintain the integrity of medications that require refrigeration or freezing for effective storage. The correct answer, which specifies that temperatures must be checked and recorded once a day, aligns with established standards for ensuring the safety and efficacy of pharmaceuticals. Daily checks are necessary to ensure that the refrigerator and freezer maintain an appropriate temperature range. For refrigerated items, this generally means keeping temperatures between 36°F and 46°F, while frozen items should typically be stored at 0°F or lower. Regular monitoring helps identify any potential temperature excursions that could compromise the quality of the medications. If discrepancies in temperature are noted, immediate corrective actions can be taken to prevent spoilage or loss of potency, thereby safeguarding patient safety. The daily recording also serves as a documentation practice, important during audits or inspections, assuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. Other options, such as checking twice a day, every other day, or once a week, may not be sufficient to detect fluctuations in temperature that could adversely affect medications. These intervals increase the risk of overlooking critical temperature changes that could have serious implications for patient health. Therefore, daily checks are the standard practice in accordance with Ohio pharmacy law and general best practices in medication management.