PSI Patient Safety

Question 1

What is a 'near miss' in the pharmacy context?

Accepted Answer

A dispensing error that is detected and corrected before the medicine reaches the patient

Answer

A pharmacy near miss is an error caught during the checking process before the medicine is handed to the patient. Recording and analysing near misses is crucial for patient safety as they reveal system weaknesses that could lead to actual errors reaching patients.

Question 2

What is the LASA (Look-Alike, Sound-Alike) issue in pharmacy?

Accepted Answer

The risk of medication errors caused by medicines with similar names, similar packaging, or both, leading to potential selection errors during dispensing

Answer

LASA medicines pose a significant safety risk because their similar names (e.g., hydroxyzine/hydralazine) or packaging can lead to wrong drug selection errors. Pharmacies should implement strategies such as tall-man lettering, physical separation of LASA products, and electronic alerts.

Question 3

What is the pharmacist's role in adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting in Ireland?

Accepted Answer

To identify, document, and report suspected ADRs to the HPRA through the national ADR reporting system, especially for new medicines and serious reactions

Answer

Pharmacists have a professional duty to report suspected ADRs to the HPRA (Health Products Regulatory Authority). Reports should be made for all suspected ADRs to medicines, vaccines, herbal products, and devices, particularly for new medicines (marked with a black triangle ▼) and serious reactions.

Question 4

What safety checks should a pharmacist perform when dispensing a new prescription for a patient already on other medications?

Accepted Answer

Check for drug-drug interactions, therapeutic duplication, contraindications based on the patient's medical history, appropriate dose for age/weight/renal function, and allergies

Answer

A comprehensive clinical check includes: drug-drug interactions with current medications, therapeutic duplication, contraindications (medical history, pregnancy), dose appropriateness (age, weight, renal/hepatic function), allergy status, and whether the new medicine is consistent with the patient's conditions.

Question 5

What is the importance of patient counselling at the point of dispensing?

Accepted Answer

It improves medication adherence, helps patients understand their treatment, reduces errors in self-administration, and identifies potential problems before they cause harm

Answer

Patient counselling is a core pharmacy activity that significantly impacts treatment outcomes. It should cover: how to take the medicine, expected effects, potential side effects, storage, what to do if a dose is missed, and when to seek medical attention. Counselling improves adherence by up to 50%.

PSI Pharmacy Practice Test

PSI Pharmacy Practice Test

PSI Patient Safety