When a pharmacist goes on a meal/rest break, what can the support personnel do?

The correct response highlights the responsibilities of support personnel in a pharmacy while the pharmacist is on a meal or rest break. During this period, support personnel are allowed to dispense refills, provided that these refills have already been checked and verified by the pharmacist prior to their break.

The rationale behind allowing support personnel to dispense refills that have been pre-checked by a pharmacist is rooted in ensuring patient safety and maintaining order in the pharmacy's operations. The pharmacist’s review ensures that the medication is appropriate for the patient, the prescription is valid, and there are no contraindications or potential drug interactions.

Other tasks like counseling, which require clinical judgment and direct interaction with patients, must be performed by a licensed pharmacist to ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards. Processing new prescriptions would similarly demand a pharmacist's assessment to confirm that medications prescribed are suitable and safe for the patient in question.

Storing medication in the backroom could be part of routine operations but is unrelated to patient care activities that might occur during a pharmacist's absence, thus would not typically be a permissible function during that time frame. The idea that support personnel must leave the area entirely does not align with the ongoing operational needs of the pharmacy, as they are expected to assist in a supportive capacity.