PTCE Patient Counseling 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient picking up warfarin asks why they need regular blood tests. Which response is most appropriate for a pharmacy technician?
- Explain INR monitoring ensures the dose keeps blood thin enough without causing dangerous bleeding (Correct answer)
- Tell the patient to ask their insurance company
- Advise the patient that blood tests are optional for warfarin
- Inform the patient that only new patients need INR monitoring
Correct answer: Explain INR monitoring ensures the dose keeps blood thin enough without causing dangerous bleeding
Pharmacy technicians can reinforce that warfarin requires INR monitoring to balance efficacy and bleeding risk, though detailed counseling is referred to the pharmacist.
Question 2: When a patient reports they are allergic to penicillin, what should the pharmacy technician do with this information?
- Document the allergy in the patient profile and alert the pharmacist (Correct answer)
- Tell the patient penicillin allergies are rarely serious
- Only note it if the patient is currently being dispensed penicillin
- Ask the patient to call their doctor instead
Correct answer: Document the allergy in the patient profile and alert the pharmacist
Allergy information must be documented in the patient profile so the pharmacist can screen for cross-reactive drugs like cephalosporins.
Question 3: A patient says they prefer not to use child-resistant caps. What is the correct procedure?
- Have the patient sign a waiver and dispense with a non-child-resistant cap (Correct answer)
- Refuse the request because child-resistant caps are always mandatory
- Use a child-resistant cap and tell the patient they cannot change it
- Contact the prescriber for authorization before changing the cap
Correct answer: Have the patient sign a waiver and dispense with a non-child-resistant cap
Under PPPA, patients may request easy-open caps and must sign a waiver; this request should be documented in the patient profile.
Question 4: Which statement about medication adherence counseling is within a pharmacy technician's scope?
- Reminding patients to take medications as directed and encouraging them to ask the pharmacist questions (Correct answer)
- Adjusting doses based on the patient's reported symptoms
- Recommending OTC alternatives if the patient finds the prescription too expensive
- Diagnosing the reason for a patient's nonadherence
Correct answer: Reminding patients to take medications as directed and encouraging them to ask the pharmacist questions
Technicians can support adherence by reinforcing directions and directing complex questions to the pharmacist.
Question 5: A patient asks a technician whether it is safe to take ibuprofen with their blood pressure medication. The technician should:
- Refer the patient to the pharmacist for a drug interaction consultation (Correct answer)
- Tell the patient ibuprofen is always safe with any blood pressure drug
- Look up the answer online and advise the patient
- Call the prescriber on the patient's behalf without involving the pharmacist
Correct answer: Refer the patient to the pharmacist for a drug interaction consultation
Drug interaction questions require pharmacist expertise; technicians must refer these inquiries rather than answer independently.
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of providing a medication guide (MedGuide) to a patient?
- To inform patients of serious risks associated with certain FDA-regulated medications (Correct answer)
- To replace verbal counseling by the pharmacist
- To serve as a billing document for the insurance company
- To document that the patient picked up their prescription
Correct answer: To inform patients of serious risks associated with certain FDA-regulated medications
FDA-required MedGuides communicate serious risks, contraindications, and safe-use information for high-risk medications.
Question 7: A patient receiving a new prescription for an antidepressant has not been offered pharmacist counseling. Under most state laws, what must the pharmacy provide?
- An offer to counsel by the pharmacist for all new prescriptions (Correct answer)
- Counseling only if the drug costs over $50
- Counseling only for Schedule II controlled substances
- A printed drug monograph with no verbal offer required
Correct answer: An offer to counsel by the pharmacist for all new prescriptions
OBRA '90 requires pharmacies that receive Medicaid to offer counseling on new prescriptions; most states extend this to all patients.
PTCE Patient Counseling 2
A patient picking up warfarin asks why they need regular blood tests.
Which response is most appropriate for a pharmacy technician?