Patient Communication Skills Flashcards
7 cards from real KAPS 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 pharmacist is counseling a patient with low health literacy about a new inhaler. Which technique is MOST effective for confirming understanding?
Answer: Use the teach-back method by asking the patient to demonstrate use
The teach-back method requires the patient to demonstrate or explain the instruction back, confirming true understanding rather than simple acknowledgment.
When counseling a patient who speaks limited English, which approach is MOST appropriate?
Answer: Use a professional medical interpreter or translation service
A professional medical interpreter ensures accurate, confidential communication and avoids the ethical and accuracy concerns of using family members.
A patient picks up a prescription and says, 'I'm not sure I really need this medication.' What is the pharmacist's BEST initial response?
Answer: Explore the patient's concerns by asking open-ended questions
Using open-ended questions allows the pharmacist to uncover the specific concern or barrier before providing targeted counseling.
Which element is MOST important to include when providing initial counseling on a new prescription under the OBRA '90 requirements?
Answer: Drug name, indication, dose, route, common side effects, and storage
OBRA '90 mandates that pharmacist counseling address drug name, purpose, dosage, administration route, side effects, storage, and refill information.
A patient refuses to accept counseling on a new prescription. What should the pharmacist do?
Answer: Document the patient's refusal and offer future availability for questions
Under OBRA '90, pharmacists must offer counseling, but patients have the right to refuse; documenting the refusal protects the pharmacist legally.
Which communication style is MOST likely to improve medication adherence in a patient with a chronic condition?
Answer: Motivational interviewing using reflective listening and shared decision-making
Motivational interviewing respects patient autonomy and uses reflective listening to resolve ambivalence, which is linked to better long-term adherence.
A patient on warfarin asks if they can take ibuprofen for knee pain. What is the pharmacist's BEST approach?
Answer: Explain the drug interaction risk, recommend acetaminophen as an alternative, and advise follow-up with the prescriber
The pharmacist should counsel on the serious bleeding risk of the warfarin-NSAID interaction, suggest a safer alternative, and reinforce prescriber communication.