Which of the following tasks CANNOT be performed by personnel when the pharmacist is on a break?

Counseling patients is a task that requires the professional expertise of a pharmacist and cannot be delegated to pharmacy technicians or other personnel, even in the absence of the pharmacist. This is because counseling is a critical function that ensures patients receive important information regarding their medications, including proper usage, potential side effects, and any specific considerations related to their health conditions.

On the other hand, activities such as processing refills previously checked by the pharmacist, taking new prescriptions presented in person, and receiving refill requests by phone can be performed by trained pharmacy personnel, provided that the initial checks and balances put in place by the pharmacist are followed. These tasks do not require clinical judgment in the same way that patient counseling does and can thus be conducted during the pharmacist’s absence.