CPhT Patient Counseling 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient receiving a prescription for warfarin should be counseled to avoid which of the following without consulting their healthcare provider?
- Drinking water
- Taking vitamin K-rich green vegetables in large variable amounts (Correct answer)
- Using a blood pressure cuff
- Walking for exercise
Correct answer: Taking vitamin K-rich green vegetables in large variable amounts
Highly variable vitamin K intake from green vegetables can significantly alter warfarin's anticoagulant effect and INR levels.
Question 2: What information is REQUIRED on a prescription label under federal law?
- The patient's insurance ID number
- The name and address of the dispensing pharmacy (Correct answer)
- The prescriber's DEA number
- The manufacturer's lot number
Correct answer: The name and address of the dispensing pharmacy
Federal law mandates that the dispensing pharmacy's name and address appear on every prescription label.
Question 3: A patient using a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) asks the technician the correct technique. The technician should:
- Demonstrate the full technique and coach the patient
- Refer the patient to the pharmacist for device training (Correct answer)
- Direct the patient to read the package insert
- Tell the patient technique does not affect drug delivery
Correct answer: Refer the patient to the pharmacist for device training
Device counseling and technique demonstration are clinical functions that fall within the pharmacist's scope, not the technician's.
Question 4: Which auxiliary label is most appropriate for doxycycline?
- Store in freezer
- Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight (Correct answer)
- Take on an empty stomach only
- May cause orange discoloration of urine
Correct answer: Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight
Doxycycline can cause photosensitivity, making patients prone to sunburn, so an auxiliary label warning of sun exposure is needed.
Question 5: A patient filling a controlled substance prescription asks for an early refill because they are leaving for a long trip. The technician should:
- Fill the prescription immediately as a courtesy
- Inform the patient they must wait until the refill is due per law and refer to the pharmacist (Correct answer)
- Fill half the quantity now and half on the due date
- Call the prescriber without telling the patient
Correct answer: Inform the patient they must wait until the refill is due per law and refer to the pharmacist
Early refills of controlled substances are restricted by law; the pharmacist must evaluate any exceptions and advise the patient.
Question 6: When dispensing an oral contraceptive pill pack, which piece of information is most important to communicate to the patient?
- The color of the pills corresponds to active vs. placebo tablets (Correct answer)
- The medication should be stored in the freezer
- The pills can be taken at any time of day without effect on efficacy
- Double-dose if a day is missed
Correct answer: The color of the pills corresponds to active vs. placebo tablets
Patients need to understand which pills in the pack are active and which are placebo (typically the last row) to maintain proper adherence.
Question 7: Which action by the pharmacy technician best supports patient privacy under HIPAA?
- Discussing a patient's prescription in a normal voice at a busy counter
- Stepping to a private counseling area when discussing sensitive medication information (Correct answer)
- Writing patient information on a sticky note for easy access
- Sharing patient information with a family member who claims to be the caregiver
Correct answer: Stepping to a private counseling area when discussing sensitive medication information
Moving to a private area prevents unauthorized individuals from overhearing protected health information (PHI).
CPhT Patient Counseling 3
A patient receiving a prescription for warfarin should be counseled to avoid which of the following without consulting their healthcare provider?