Patient Communication Skills Flashcards
7 cards from real APC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Patient Communication Skills flashcards as text
A patient becomes visibly upset after learning their medication is not covered by insurance. Which response demonstrates BEST therapeutic communication?
Answer: Acknowledge the patient's frustration and explore affordable alternatives
Acknowledging emotion first (empathy) then problem-solving (alternatives) aligns with patient-centered care and therapeutic communication principles.
When counseling an elderly patient on multiple medications, which strategy BEST reduces the risk of medication errors at home?
Answer: Use a written medication action plan along with verbal counseling and confirm understanding
Combining verbal counseling with a written action plan and confirming understanding via teach-back significantly reduces medication errors in elderly patients.
Which of the following BEST describes the principle of motivational interviewing (MI) in pharmacy practice?
Answer: Using a patient's own motivations to guide behavior change in a collaborative way
MI is a collaborative, patient-centered approach that elicits and strengthens a patient's own motivation for change rather than imposing external pressure.
A pharmacist notices a patient has been collecting benzodiazepine prescriptions from multiple prescribers. The MOST appropriate action is to:
Answer: Raise the concern privately and compassionately with the patient, and consult relevant guidelines or the prescriber
Addressing potential drug-seeking behavior requires a private, non-judgmental conversation with the patient and consultation with clinical guidelines or the prescriber.
In the context of the APC's OSCEs, which domain of communication is assessed when a candidate demonstrates empathy toward a distressed patient?
Answer: Affective communication
Affective communication encompasses emotional responsiveness, empathy, and the ability to acknowledge and respond to a patient's feelings.
A patient asks, 'Is this medication going to make me gain weight?' What is the BEST pharmacist response?
Answer: 'Some patients do experience weight changes; let me explain what we know and what you can watch for.'
Providing an honest, evidence-based, and personalized response empowers the patient while maintaining credibility and trust.
A pharmacist is counseling a patient from a cultural background where direct eye contact is considered disrespectful. The pharmacist should:
Answer: Adapt their non-verbal communication style to respect the patient's cultural norms
Culturally competent communication requires adapting non-verbal behaviors to ensure the patient feels respected and comfortable.