Question

A pharmacist in a palliative care setting is preparing to dispense a nonstandard liquid formulation of an antiemetic for a patient experiencing nausea and vomiting who can no longer swallow pills. Which tasks would a pharmacy technician most likely perform to support this process?

a.
Formulating the compounding recipe and determining the beyond-use date for the medication
b.
Preparing the liquid suspension under the supervision of a pharmacist according to the prescribed formulation
c.
Conducting a final check to ensure the medication is correctly labeled and prepared before dispensing
d.
Counseling the patient on the proper administration technique for the liquid suspension using the teach-back method

Answer 1

b

Pharmacy technicians can prepare compounded nonsterile preparations (e.g., a liquid suspension) under the direct supervision of a pharmacist and following an established formulation. Tasks that require clinical judgment or final professional responsibility — creating the recipe and assigning beyond‑use dates, performing the final verification before dispensing, and providing patient counseling (including teach‑back) — are the pharmacist’s duties.