Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Patient Counseling
Patient Counseling
PHARMACIST TO PATIENT
1. Who will be taking the medication?
2. What medications are you taking?
3. Do you have other health conditions?
4. Do you have any allergy?
5. Did you know there are different interaction about drugs ( that could affect the drug
standards)
6. You could expect some side effects within your drug.
7. Do you taking any type of drugs aside from the prescription?
8. Do you want to have a generic product for your medication?
9. Educate the patient about the drugs
10. Do you have any vises?
11. Did you Understand everything I say?
SCENE # 1 Buying cheaper medicine.
Patient: Good morning, does this drug available within your drug store?
Pharmacist: Yes.
Patient: Do you have any cheaper medicine that works the same?
Pharmacist: Yes, Sir John, we do have different types of generic drugs, written within
your prescription
Patient: Is tt safe?
Pharmacist: Yes Sir John this drugs works the same written within your prescription.
Patient: Why there are many types of generic drugs?
Pharmacist: It was manufactured by different manufacturer with a good credibility so
you can trust me.
Patient: What if the drug didn’t work for me?
Pharmacist: You could contact me immediately with my contact number.
Patient: Ok
Pharmacist: Sir John, I would like to ask you if I can take some minutes of your time for
patient counselling about the drug?
Patient: No, thanks I’m in a hurry sorry.
Pharmacist: Ok Sir John, can I ask your contact number so that I could inform you what
are the outcomes you might encounter while taking the drugs.
Patient: Ok, here’s my contact number.
Pharmacist: Ok sir John have a nice day.
SCENE # 2 A complete consult with patient, drug, direction, precautions, monitoring can
be completed within a few minutes.
Pharmacist:Hello, Bailey, I’m going to take a few minutes to go over your medication.
Your physician has prescribed Macrodantin 100mg capsules. It is used to treat your
urinary tract infection. Take one capsule by mouth twice daily, about every 12 hours, for
7 days total, with no refills. It may cause some nausea or upset the stomach, so it’s best
taken with food so that it will be better tolerated. There is also a chance that it may turn
the color of your urine to a darker yellow. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you
remember; but if it’s almost time for your next dose, just skip it. Store this at room
temperature away from direct heat and light. You should notice an improvement in the
urinary symptoms in the next 2-3 days, and the infection should clear up by the 7 days.
If it hasn’t, please contact your physician, or give me a call at the pharmacy.
Now, while this above example does fulfill the legal requirements for counselling, it is
not the only way, nor necessarily the best way since it does not engage the patient. Try
a more interactive way of communicating by taking a “patient-centered” approach to
counselling. You can do this by incorporating prime questions.
Scene# 3 REFILLING
Pharmacist: Hi Nicole, here is another 3-month supply of your Glyburide 5mg tablets.
How is the diabetes medication working to control your sugars?
Patient:My physician was quite happy with the latest blood lab test that I had last week.
He mentioned my blood sugars were within target.
Pharmacist:That’s great! That’s why he’s keeping your dose at 1 tablet twice daily as
before, and has given you 2 additional refills. You used to get the occasional low blood
sugar reaction. Have you still been experiencing them recently?
Patient:Very seldom, now that I eat my meals at regular times. And I carry sugar tablets
with me wherever I go, just in case.
Pharmacist:Good. The weather is getting quite hot now, so just a reminder that
Glyburide can cause sun sensitivity—make sure you cover up or use sunscreen
outdoors. Other than that, have you had any problems or concerns with your Glyburide?
Patient:Well there’s the occasional time I forget to take my pills when I stay out late, but
I just take it later when I get home.
Pharmacist:That’s fine as long as you don’t double-dose—we don’t want your blood
sugars to drop too low. Maybe you can consider taking some tablets out with you if you
are planning on staying out late. Give me a call if you have any questions.