Who can offer counseling to patients receiving new prescriptions?

The correct answer indicates that pharmacists, interns, or technicians can offer counseling to patients receiving new prescriptions. This reflects the importance of collaboration within the pharmacy team to ensure comprehensive patient care. Pharmacists are typically responsible for providing counseling due to their extensive training, which equips them with the knowledge to address complex medication issues and ensure patient safety. However, pharmacy interns, who are under the supervision of licensed pharmacists, can also participate in patient counseling and provide valuable information regarding the medications.

Technicians may assist in providing information about prescriptions, but their scope of practice is usually limited, and they often do not engage in in-depth counseling that requires clinical judgment. Any involvement from technicians in this role would generally be under the indirect supervision of a pharmacist who ultimately retains the responsibility for the counseling and patient care aspects.

Emphasizing shared responsibilities within a pharmacy team enhances the quality of care patients receive, as it allows for more interaction and support while ensuring that at least one licensed professional is always overseeing patient interactions.