Effective communication is the cornerstone of patient-centered care, especially when interacting with pediatric and geriatric patients. These special populations present unique needs and barriers that require tailored strategies. For PharmD students, mastering communication techniques for these age groups is essential for building trust, improving medication adherence, and ensuring optimal therapeutic outcomes. This quiz will assess your knowledge of the best practices for communicating with children, adolescents, older adults, and their caregivers.
1. When communicating with a geriatric patient who has hearing loss, which technique is most effective?
- Shouting loudly to ensure they can hear
- Facing the patient directly and speaking clearly in a lower-pitched voice
- Covering your mouth while speaking to be discreet
- Speaking very quickly to save the patient’s time
Answer: Facing the patient directly and speaking clearly in a lower-pitched voice
2. When counseling the parents of a toddler about a new liquid medication, the most important technique is to:
- Use complex medical terms to establish authority
- Demonstrate how to measure the correct dose using an oral syringe
- Hand them the medication with no verbal instructions
- Insist the toddler swallow a pill instead
Answer: Demonstrate how to measure the correct dose using an oral syringe
3. The “teach-back” method is particularly useful for ensuring comprehension in geriatric patients. This method involves:
- Asking the patient to read the prescription label back to you
- Asking the patient to explain in their own words what they need to do
- Providing the patient with a multiple-choice quiz
- Having the patient watch a video about their medication
Answer: Asking the patient to explain in their own words what they need to do
4. When approaching a pediatric prescription, it is essential for the pharmacist to:
- Assume the parent knows the child’s current weight
- Verify the child’s current weight for accurate dose calculation
- Use an adult dose and adjust it by half
- Refuse to fill the prescription if a liquid formulation is not available
Answer: Verify the child’s current weight for accurate dose calculation
5. “Elderspeak” is a form of ageism in communication that should be avoided. Which of the following is an example of elderspeak?
- “Hello Mrs. Smith, how are you feeling today?”
- “Honey, are we ready to take our medicine?”
- “Could you please tell me about the medications you are currently taking?”
- “The doctor prescribed this medication to help with your blood pressure.”
Answer: “Honey, are we ready to take our medicine?”
6. When communicating with an adolescent patient about a sensitive topic like contraception, the pharmacist’s first step should be to:
- Insist the parent remains in the room for the entire conversation
- Refuse to discuss the topic altogether
- Establish rapport and address issues of confidentiality
- Call the patient’s school to report the request
Answer: Establish rapport and address issues of confidentiality
7. Which of the following is an effective strategy for communicating with a geriatric patient with mild cognitive impairment?
- Presenting multiple complex ideas at once
- Using simple, direct sentences and allowing extra time for a response
- Avoiding eye contact to prevent distraction
- Conducting the counseling session in a noisy, busy environment
Answer: Using simple, direct sentences and allowing extra time for a response
8. In motivational interviewing, “expressing empathy” involves:
- Feeling sorry for the patient’s situation
- Telling the patient you know exactly how they feel
- Actively listening and seeking to understand the patient’s perspective without judgment
- Giving unsolicited advice based on your own experiences
Answer: Actively listening and seeking to understand the patient’s perspective without judgment
9. What is a primary purpose of using visual aids, such as pictograms or large-print labels, for geriatric patients?
- To make the pharmacy look more colorful
- To help overcome vision impairment and low health literacy
- To replace the need for any verbal counseling
- To meet a federal design mandate for prescription vials
Answer: To help overcome vision impairment and low health literacy
10. A parent is anxious about their child’s new asthma diagnosis. Which communication strategy is most appropriate?
- Dismissing their concerns by saying “it’s just asthma”
- Providing reassurance and focusing on a collaborative “Asthma Action Plan”
- Giving them a complex research article on asthma pathophysiology
- Telling them to search for information on the internet
Answer: Providing reassurance and focusing on a collaborative “Asthma Action Plan”
11. Which of the following is an open-ended question?
- “Are you taking this medication twice a day?”
- “Can you tell me how you are taking this medication?”
- “Do you have any questions?”
- “Is this the correct medication for you?”
Answer: “Can you tell me how you are taking this medication?”
12. When communicating with a school-aged child (6-12 years) about their medication, it is best to:
- Use abstract concepts and complex medical reasoning
- Involve them in the process by using simple explanations and asking them questions
- Ignore the child and speak only to the parent
- Threaten them with a punishment if they don’t take the medicine
Answer: Involve them in the process by using simple explanations and asking them questions
13. A “brown bag review” with a geriatric patient is a communication tool used to:
- Provide the patient with a free lunch
- Assess all medications a patient is taking, including prescriptions, OTCs, and supplements
- Check the patient’s blood pressure
- Deliver a new prescription to their home
Answer: Assess all medications a patient is taking, including prescriptions, OTCs, and supplements
14. An effective communication strategy for empowering children is to:
- Make all decisions for them without their input
- Praise them for asking questions and being involved in their care
- Tell them their opinion does not matter
- Use fear to ensure compliance
Answer: Praise them for asking questions and being involved in their care
15. What is the primary barrier to communication when a pharmacist stands behind a high counter looking down at a geriatric patient in a wheelchair?
- The pharmacist is too close to the patient
- It creates a physical barrier and a power imbalance
- The lighting is usually poor behind pharmacy counters
- The patient cannot hear from that angle
Answer: It creates a physical barrier and a power imbalance
16. When a pediatric patient refuses to take a bad-tasting medicine, a pharmacist can demonstrate effective communication and problem-solving by:
- Telling the parent to force the child to take it
- Suggesting potential flavoring options or a different formulation after consulting the prescriber
- Refusing to provide any alternatives
- Telling the child that the medicine is candy
Answer: Suggesting potential flavoring options or a different formulation after consulting the prescriber
17. Active listening is a key communication skill. Which of the following best describes it?
- Constantly interrupting the patient to ask questions
- Waiting for the patient to finish so you can say what you want to say
- Giving the patient your full attention and summarizing their points to confirm understanding
- Checking your phone while the patient is talking
Answer: Giving the patient your full attention and summarizing their points to confirm understanding
18. What is a key consideration when a caregiver is responsible for a geriatric patient’s medications?
- The caregiver’s health literacy and potential for burnout
- The caregiver’s favorite color
- Whether the caregiver has a driver’s license
- The caregiver’s political affiliation
Answer: The caregiver’s health literacy and potential for burnout
19. When counseling a parent about a controlled substance for their adolescent (e.g., for ADHD), it is important to discuss:
- The potential for abuse and the importance of proper storage
- How the adolescent can easily get refills online
- Sharing the medication with friends who have similar symptoms
- The unimportance of taking the medication as prescribed
Answer: The potential for abuse and the importance of proper storage
20. A geriatric patient states, “I have too many pills to take.” An empathetic response would be:
- “Yes, you do. It’s a lot.”
- “It can be overwhelming to manage so many medications. How can we work together to make it simpler?”
- “You should be grateful you have access to these medicines.”
- “Just take them and don’t complain.”
Answer: “It can be overwhelming to manage so many medications. How can we work together to make it simpler?”
21. In the context of interprofessional teams, what does SBAR stand for?
- Subjective, Background, Analysis, Response
- Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation
- Symptom, Belief, Action, Result
- Safety, Baseline, Activity, Review
Answer: Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation
22. When demonstrating the use of a device like an inhaler or glucose meter, what is the most effective approach?
- Describing the steps verbally without showing the device
- Asking the patient to watch an online video at home
- Using a demonstration device and having the patient practice with it
- Giving the patient a complicated instruction manual to read
Answer: Using a demonstration device and having the patient practice with it
23. Non-verbal communication, such as maintaining an open body posture and nodding, conveys what message to a patient?
- Impatience and a desire to end the conversation
- Disbelief in what the patient is saying
- Engagement, interest, and understanding
- Authority and superiority
Answer: Engagement, interest, and understanding
24. When a parent calls with a question about a common pediatric illness, the pharmacist’s questioning should be designed to:
- Diagnose the child over the phone
- Determine if the symptoms warrant self-care or referral to a physician
- Sell the most expensive OTC product
- Convince the parent to go to the emergency room for any symptom
Answer: Determine if the symptoms warrant self-care or referral to a physician
25. A geriatric patient is accompanied by an adult child who answers all questions for them. The pharmacist should:
- Ignore the patient and only speak to the adult child
- Acknowledge the caregiver’s input but make an effort to include the patient in the conversation
- Ask the adult child to leave the pharmacy immediately
- Assume the patient is incapable of communicating
Answer: Acknowledge the caregiver’s input but make an effort to include the patient in the conversation
26. Which of the following is a barrier to communication with pediatric patients?
- Long attention span
- Advanced understanding of time and disease
- Fear of strangers or healthcare settings
- High level of medical knowledge
Answer: Fear of strangers or healthcare settings
27. To simplify a complex medication regimen for a geriatric patient, a pharmacist might recommend:
- A multi-dose packaging system or pill organizer
- Writing the instructions in very small print
- Adding several more medications to the regimen
- Telling the patient to remember it all without aids
Answer: A multi-dose packaging system or pill organizer
28. The primary goal of communication in pharmacy practice is to:
- Ensure the safe and effective use of medications
- Complete the transaction as quickly as possible
- Demonstrate superior knowledge to the patient
- Avoid any interaction with the patient
Answer: Ensure the safe and effective use of medications
29. If an adolescent asks a question and the pharmacist does not know the answer, the best response is to:
- Guess the answer to avoid looking incompetent
- Tell the adolescent the question is not important
- Say “I don’t know, but I will find out for you” and follow through
- Refer them to a social media influencer for health advice
Answer: Say “I don’t know, but I will find out for you” and follow through
30. Which factor is LEAST likely to affect communication with a geriatric patient?
- The patient’s preferred brand of coffee
- The presence of background noise in the pharmacy
- The patient’s health literacy level
- The complexity of the information being presented
Answer: The patient’s preferred brand of coffee
31. The “white coat” can be a communication barrier for young children because it can be:
- A source of comfort and familiarity
- Intimidating and associated with fear (e.g., getting shots)
- A sign that the pharmacist is a friend
- Too brightly colored
Answer: Intimidating and associated with fear (e.g., getting shots)
32. Using analogies can be a helpful communication tool. For example, explaining antibiotics to a child as:
- “Magic pills that make you fly”
- “A team of superheroes fighting the bad guy germs”
- “A complex biochemical agent that inhibits cell wall synthesis”
- “Unnecessary sugar tablets”
Answer: “A team of superheroes fighting the bad guy germs”
33. When discussing potential adverse effects with a geriatric patient, it is important to:
- List every possible side effect to frighten them into adherence
- Avoid the topic entirely
- Focus on the most common and serious side effects and what to do if they occur
- Tell them that side effects are not real
Answer: Focus on the most common and serious side effects and what to do if they occur
34. Empathy is a core component of therapeutic relationships. It is the ability to:
- Detach completely from the patient’s feelings
- Understand and share the feelings of another
- Argue effectively against the patient’s beliefs
- Perform a physical assessment
Answer: Understand and share the feelings of another
35. A key difference in communication with an infant versus a toddler is that an infant’s communication is:
- Entirely verbal and uses complex sentences
- Primarily non-verbal (crying, cooing, body language)
- Unimportant to the counseling process
- Always a sign of a serious medical problem
Answer: Primarily non-verbal (crying, cooing, body language)
36. A pharmacist asks a geriatric patient, “You do remember to take your heart pill every day, don’t you?” This is an example of what type of question?
- Open-ended
- A leading question
- A clarifying question
- An exploratory question
Answer: A leading question
37. When counseling a group of adolescents, it is effective to use:
- A formal lecture format with no interaction
- Peer-to-peer examples and group discussion
- Complex statistical data from clinical trials
- A condescending and authoritative tone
Answer: Peer-to-peer examples and group discussion
38. Health literacy refers to a patient’s ability to:
- Read at a college level
- Obtain, process, and understand basic health information to make appropriate decisions
- Diagnose their own illnesses using the internet
- Recite the mechanism of action for all their medications
Answer: Obtain, process, and understand basic health information to make appropriate decisions
39. When leaving a voicemail for a geriatric patient about their prescription, the pharmacist should:
- Speak quickly and leave a long, detailed message
- Use medical abbreviations to save time
- Speak slowly, clearly, and provide a callback number
- Leave sensitive personal health information in the message
Answer: Speak slowly, clearly, and provide a callback number
40. Building rapport with a pediatric patient can be achieved by:
- Immediately asking them about their medical history
- Ignoring them until it is time to give them the medicine
- Getting down to their eye level and asking about a toy or their interests
- Wearing a frightening mask
Answer: Getting down to their eye level and asking about a toy or their interests
41. Which of the following is an example of showing respect to a geriatric patient?
- Addressing them by their preferred name (e.g., Mrs. Jones) unless invited to do otherwise
- Making decisions for them without their input
- Rushing them through the counseling session
- Interrupting them frequently while they are speaking
Answer: Addressing them by their preferred name (e.g., Mrs. Jones) unless invited to do otherwise
42. The “collect” step of the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process for a pediatric patient must include information from the:
- Child’s school friends
- Child’s favorite television shows
- Parent or legal guardian
- Local newspaper
Answer: Parent or legal guardian
43. A common communication error when dealing with agitated or confused geriatric patients is to:
- Remain calm and speak in a reassuring tone
- Try to reorient the patient to person, place, and time
- Argue with them or try to reason with their delusion
- Remove objects that may cause harm
Answer: Argue with them or try to reason with their delusion
44. To facilitate communication, the pharmacy environment should be:
- Loud, crowded, and chaotic
- Well-lit, with clear signage and a private area for counseling
- Dark and difficult to navigate
- Accessible only by a steep flight of stairs
Answer: Well-lit, with clear signage and a private area for counseling
45. What is the best way to handle a situation where a parent and an adolescent disagree on the adolescent’s care in the pharmacy?
- Take the parent’s side automatically
- Act as a neutral mediator, focusing on the patient’s health and safety
- Refuse to help either of them
- Ask them to settle their disagreement outside
Answer: Act as a neutral mediator, focusing on the patient’s health and safety
46. A patient’s cultural background can influence communication by affecting:
- Beliefs about illness, family roles, and decision-making
- Their blood type
- Their height and weight
- The language they speak exclusively, with no other impact
Answer: Beliefs about illness, family roles, and decision-making
47. When providing counseling, ending with “Do you have any questions?” is often ineffective because:
- Patients are too intimidated to ask questions
- It often elicits a simple “no” response
- Pharmacists are not supposed to answer questions
- It is a grammatically incorrect sentence
Answer: It often elicits a simple “no” response
48. A better alternative to “Do you have any questions?” is:
- “You don’t have questions, right?”
- “What questions do you have for me?”
- “I assume that was all clear.”
- “Now, go home and take your medicine.”
Answer: “What questions do you have for me?”
49. The main challenge in communicating with a pre-verbal infant is:
- They ask too many complex questions
- They rely solely on the caregiver for all communication cues and needs
- They can clearly state their symptoms
- They are often uncooperative on purpose
Answer: They rely solely on the caregiver for all communication cues and needs
50. Ultimately, successful communication with pediatric and geriatric patients is critical for:
- Increasing pharmacy profits
- Improving patient safety and health outcomes
- Reducing the length of the workday
- Winning a “Pharmacist of the Year” award
Answer: Improving patient safety and health outcomes
I am a Registered Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, and the founder of PharmacyFreak.com. I hold a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Rungta College of Pharmaceutical Science and Research. With a strong academic foundation and practical knowledge, I am committed to providing accurate, easy-to-understand content to support pharmacy students and professionals. My aim is to make complex pharmaceutical concepts accessible and useful for real-world application.
Mail- Sachin@pharmacyfreak.com