Manitoba Pharmacy Jurisprudence Practice Exam

Under what circumstances must a pharmacist refer a patient to another health professional?

1. When the patient requests it

2. When the pharmacist is too busy

3. If the treatment required is beyond the pharmacist's competence

4. Only when the patient has a complaint

The correct answer is: If the treatment required is beyond the pharmacist's competence

A pharmacist must refer a patient to another health professional if the treatment required is beyond the pharmacist's competence. This means that if the patient's condition or medication requires specialized training or expertise that the pharmacist does not possess, they are required to refer the patient to another health professional who does. In contrast, the other options (A, B, and D) are incorrect because they do not address the pharmacist's competency or the patient's specific treatment needs. It is not solely up to the patient to make the decision to be referred, the pharmacist's workload does not determine their responsibility to refer, and a patient's complaint does not necessarily indicate the need for a referral. Knowing when and when not to refer a patient is an important responsibility of a pharmacist to ensure the best care for the patient.