DHA Pharmacist Patient Counselling 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the most effective technique a pharmacist can use to confirm a patient understands medication instructions?
- Teach-back method: asking the patient to repeat the instructions in their own words (Correct answer)
- Providing a written leaflet only
- Asking 'Do you understand?'
- Referring the patient to the prescribing doctor
Correct answer: Teach-back method: asking the patient to repeat the instructions in their own words
The teach-back method requires the patient to explain instructions in their own words, allowing the pharmacist to identify and correct misunderstandings and confirm genuine understanding.
Question 2: A patient is prescribed metronidazole. What is the most important counselling point?
- Avoid all alcohol during and for 48 hours after the course to prevent a disulfiram-like reaction (Correct answer)
- Take with milk to reduce side effects
- No dietary restrictions are needed
- It is safe to drink alcohol moderately while on this medication
Correct answer: Avoid all alcohol during and for 48 hours after the course to prevent a disulfiram-like reaction
Metronidazole inhibits aldehyde dehydrogenase; alcohol consumption causes accumulation of acetaldehyde, resulting in a disulfiram-like reaction with flushing, nausea, vomiting, and hypotension.
Question 3: When counselling a patient on a new inhaler technique for asthma, what should be the pharmacist's approach?
- Demonstrate the technique, have the patient practise it, and observe and correct their technique (Correct answer)
- Only describe the steps verbally
- Give the patient a video link and send them home
- Write the steps on paper without demonstration
Correct answer: Demonstrate the technique, have the patient practise it, and observe and correct their technique
Demonstrating inhaler technique, requesting patient practice, and observing and correcting performance is the evidence-based approach that ensures correct technique and optimal drug delivery.
Question 4: A patient on warfarin asks if they can take aspirin for a headache. What is the pharmacist's advice?
- Avoid aspirin; use paracetamol instead as it has fewer interactions with warfarin and does not increase bleeding risk when used short-term at standard doses (Correct answer)
- Aspirin is safe with warfarin in any dose
- Take double the warfarin dose if taking aspirin
- Stop warfarin before taking aspirin
Correct answer: Avoid aspirin; use paracetamol instead as it has fewer interactions with warfarin and does not increase bleeding risk when used short-term at standard doses
Aspirin has antiplatelet effects and can displace warfarin from protein binding, significantly increasing bleeding risk; paracetamol is the safer short-term analgesic option.
Question 5: Which information is essential to include when counselling a patient on a new antibiotic prescription?
- Complete the full course even if symptoms improve, take at the correct times, and watch for allergic reactions (Correct answer)
- Stop when you feel better to avoid antibiotic resistance
- Take double doses if you miss a dose
- Store the antibiotic in the freezer
Correct answer: Complete the full course even if symptoms improve, take at the correct times, and watch for allergic reactions
Completing the full antibiotic course prevents recurrence and resistance; correct timing maintains therapeutic levels; knowing allergy signs allows early intervention if a reaction occurs.
Question 6: What is the pharmacist's role in medication therapy management (MTM) for a patient with multiple chronic conditions?
- Review all medications for appropriateness, efficacy, safety, and adherence; identify and resolve drug therapy problems (Correct answer)
- Only fill prescriptions as written without additional review
- Advise patients to reduce their medication count without consulting the prescriber
- Focus only on cost reduction without assessing clinical suitability
Correct answer: Review all medications for appropriateness, efficacy, safety, and adherence; identify and resolve drug therapy problems
MTM requires the pharmacist to comprehensively review the patient's complete medication regimen, identify problems such as interactions, duplications, or adherence barriers, and collaborate with prescribers to optimise therapy.
DHA Pharmacist Patient Counselling 1
What is the most effective technique a pharmacist can use to confirm a patient understands medication instructions?