NAPLEX Competency Statements
NABP has developed the NAPLEX Competency Statements. The Competency Statements summarize and outline the knowledge and skills that you are expected to have acquired before you take the NAPLEX, and that you are expected to be able to demonstrate in answering the examination questions. All NAPLEX questions are based on these Competency Statements, which are reviewed and revised as necessary. A strong understanding of the Competency Statements will aid in your preparation to take the NAPLEX.
Area 1 Manage Drug Therapy to Optimize Patient Outcomes (Approximately 50% of Test)
1.1.0 - Evaluate the patient and/or patient information to determine the presence of a disease or medical condition, to determine the need for treatment and/or referral, and to identify patient-specific factors that affect health, pharmacotherapy, and/or disease management
1.1.1 - Identify and/or use instruments and techniques related to patient assessment and diagnosis
1.1.2 - Identify and define the terminology, signs, and symptoms associated with diseases and medical conditions
1.1.3 - Identify drug and non-drug methods of preventing and treating diseases and medical conditions
1.1.4 - Identify patient factors, biosocial factors, and concurrent drug therapy that are relevant to the maintenance of wellness and the prevention or treatment of a disease or medical condition
1.2.0 - Assure the appropriateness of the patient's specific pharmacotherapeutic agents, dosing regimens, dosage forms, routes of administration, and delivery systems
1.2.1 - Identify drug products by their generic, trade, and/or common names
1.2.2 - Identify the known or postulated sites and mechanisms of action of pharmacotherapeutic agents
1.2.3 - Evaluate drug therapy for the presence of pharmacotherapeutic duplications and interactions
1.2.4 - Identify indications, contraindications, warnings, and precautions associated with a drug product's active and inactive ingredients
1.2.5 - Identify physicochemical properties of drug substances that affect their solubility, pharmacokinetics, pharmacologic actions, and stability
1.2.6 - Interpret and apply pharmacokinetic principles to calculate and determine appropriate drug dosing regimens
1.2.7 - Interpret and apply biopharmaceutic principles, and the pharmaceutical characteristics of drug dosage forms and delivery systems, to assure bioavailability and enhance patient compliance
1.3.0 - Monitor the patient and/or patient information and manage the drug regimen to promote health and assure safe and effective pharmacotherapy
1.3.1 - Identify pharmacotherapeutic outcomes and endpoints
1.3.2 - Evaluate patient information to determine the safety and effectiveness of pharmacotherapy
1.3.3 - Identify, describe the mechanism of, and remedy adverse reactions and iatrogenic or drug-induced illness
1.3.4 - Prevent, recognize, and remedy noncompliance and drug misuse or abuse
1.3.5 - Identify and remedy interactions or contraindications with diagnostic or monitoring tests or procedures
Area 2 Assure the Safe and Accurate Preparation and Dispensing of Medications (Approximately 25% of Test)
2.1.0 - Perform calculations required to compound, dispense, and administer medication
2.1.1 - Calculate the quantity of medication to be compounded or dispensed; reduce and enlarge formulation quantities, and calculate the quantity or ingredients needed to compound the proper amount of the preparation
2.1.2 - Calculate nutritional needs and the caloric content of nutrient sources
2.1.3 - Calculate the rate of drug administration
2.1.4 - Calculate or convert drug concentrations, ratio strengths, and/or extent of ionization
2.2.0 - Select and dispense medications
2.2.1 - Determine whether a particular drug dosage strength or dosage form is commercially available, and whether it is available on a nonprescription basis
2.2.2 - Identify commercially available drug products by their characteristic physical attributes
2.2.3 - Interpret and apply pharmacokinetic parameters and quality assurance data to determine equivalence among manufactured drug products, and identify products for which documented evidence of inequivalence exists
2.2.4 - Identify the appropriate packaging, storage, handling, and disposal of medications
2.2.5 - Identify and describe the use of equipment and apparatus required to administer medications
2.3.0 - Prepare and compound extemporaneous preparations and sterile products
2.3.1 - Identify and describe techniques and procedures related to drug preparation, compounding, and quality assurance
2.3.2 - Identify and use equipment necessary to prepare and extemporaneously compound medications
2.3.3 - Identify the important physicochemical properties of a preparation's active and inactive ingredients; describe the mechanism of, and the characteristic evidence of, incompatibility or degradation; and identify methods for achieving stabilization of the preparation
Area 3 Provide Drug Information and Promote Public Health (Approximately 25% of Test)
3.1.0 - Access, evaluate, and apply information to promote optimal health care
3.1.1 - Identify the typical content and organization of specific sources of drug and health information
3.1.2 - Interpret and evaluate data presented in textual, tabular, or graphic form
3.1.3 - Evaluate the suitability, accuracy, and reliability of information from reference sources by explaining and evaluating the adequacy of experimental design, and by applying and evaluating statistical tests and parameters
3.2.0 - Educate patients and health care professionals regarding prescription medications, nonprescription medications, and medical devices
3.2.1 - Provide information regarding a medication's therapeutic actions, and describe appropriate remedies to minimize the principal untoward effects resulting from drug therapy
3.2.2 - Provide information regarding a medication's precautions, warnings, contraindications, and interactions with food
3.2.3 - Provide information regarding the proper storage, administration, and disposal of medications
3.2.4 - Identify products and describe techniques for the self-monitoring of patients' health status
3.2.5 - Provide advice regarding the selection, use, and care of medical/surgical appliances or devices, durable medical equipment, and medication administration equipment
3.3.0 - Educate patients and the public regarding wellness, disease states, and medical conditions
3.3.1 - Provide information regarding medications used in the prevention and treatment of diseases and medical conditions, including emergency patient care
3.3.2 - Provide information regarding nutrition, lifestyle, and other non-drug measures that are effective in promoting health, or preventing or minimizing the progress of a disease or medical condition
Stylistic Conventions
Most of the stylistic conventions of the NAPLEX will become evident as you work through the sample questions provided in this Guide. You may find it helpful, however, to note the following information:
Every effort has been made to exclude questions about drugs that have been recalled or removed from the market. Questions about drugs generally concern the drugs most commonly given for a certain condition or in a particular situation.
Depending upon the question, a drug may be called by its generic name, its trade name, or its common name.
In calculation questions, weights and measures are considered to be the equivalents found in standard pharmaceutical references.
Molecular and atomic weights are supplied when necessary.
In calculation questions, you should assume that each quantity is meant to be measured with the same degree of precision. For example, if 2g of ointment is prepared using 0.25g of x and 0.416g of y, each of these values should be assumed to have three significant figures; i.e., 2.00g, 0.250g, and 0.416g.
Negative words, such as NO, NOT, NONE, NEVER, and EXCEPT, are capitalized and printed in boldface type to draw attention to the kind of response expected.
Abbreviations and Symbols
The abbreviations and symbols used on the NAPLEX are those that an entry-level pharmacist should recognize. Generally, these are written in accordance with accepted style manuals, published for health professionals and commonly used in practice. The list below is partial, not exhaustive, but it will give you an idea of the types of abbreviations and symbols used on the NAPLEX.
Alanine aminotransferase ALT
Aspartate aminotransferase AST
As needed prn
Beta ß
Beta-adrenergic ß-adrenergic
Blood urea nitrogen BUN
By mouth PO
Centimeter cm
Complete blood count CBC
Creatinine clearance CLcr
Deciliter dL
Degrees Celsius °C
Degrees Fahrenheit °F
5% Dextrose in water D5W
Dosage units i (ii, iii)
Drop gtt
Electrocardiogram ECG
Every 4 hours q4h
Every morning qAM
Gamma g
Gamma globulin g-globulin
Gastrointestinal GI
Gram g
Half-life t1/2
Hour (as in 50 milliliters per hour) h (as in 50 mL/h)
International normalized ratio INR
Intramuscular IM
Intravenous IV
Kilocalorie kcal
Liter L
Micron µ
Microgram µg
Microliter µL
Milliequivalent mEq
Milligram mg
Milliliter mL
Millimole mmol
Milliosmole mOsm
Nanometer nm
Normal saline NS or 0.9% NaCl
Over-the-counter OTC
Radioactive iodine ¹³¹ I
Second (as in 2 drops per second) s (as in 2 gtt/s)
Subcutaneous SC
Unit unit (not abbreviated)
Weight/volume w/v
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