Dispensing Practice Flashcards
6 cards from real PSI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Dispensing Practice flashcards as text
Which auxiliary warning label should be attached to a dispensed bottle of codeine linctus?
Answer: Warning: Contains codeine — can cause addiction. For short-term use only
Codeine is an opioid — dispensed codeine products must carry addiction and short-term use warnings per regulatory requirements, in addition to standard opioid counselling.
A patient asks if they can crush their slow-release diltiazem tablet. The pharmacist should advise:
Answer: No — crushing destroys the controlled-release mechanism and may cause dose-dumping toxicity
Modified-release (MR/SR/XL) tablets must NEVER be crushed. Destruction of the release mechanism releases the entire dose immediately, causing toxicity (dose-dumping). A different formulation should be considered.
Reconstituted amoxicillin oral suspension should be stored in the refrigerator and discarded after:
Answer: 14 days
Once reconstituted, amoxicillin suspension is stable for 14 days when refrigerated. Beyond this, bacterial contamination and drug degradation are concerns.
In which scenario should a pharmacist decline to dispense a prescription without contacting the prescriber?
Answer: Dose prescribed is 10 times the normal maximum — potential prescribing error
A dramatically supra-therapeutic dose (10× normal maximum) constitutes a clinical red flag requiring pharmacist-prescriber communication before dispensing to rule out error and ensure patient safety.
Which piece of information is NOT required on a controlled drug prescription under Irish Misuse of Drugs Regulations?
Answer: The patient's occupation
Irish CD prescription requirements include patient name/address, drug/strength/form, dose instructions, total quantity in words AND figures, date, and prescriber's signature and address. Occupation is not required.
Which type of error occurs when the correct drug is given to the wrong patient?
Answer: Patient identification error
A patient identification error is a dispensing/administration error where the correct medicine is given to the incorrect patient. Two patient identifiers (name + DOB) should always be confirmed before dispensing.