While you are absent for 20 minutes during a work shift, which activity is permissible to be carried out by another staff member?

• A. Delivering medication by the pharmacy delivery driver
• B. Counselling a patient about a new prescription
• C. Dispensing a new prescription
• D. Receiving stock deliveries and updating records

Answer: (A)

Delegation during a short absence hinges on who can handle tasks that don’t require clinical decision-making versus those that do. Delivering medications is a logistical duty that doesn’t involve giving patient-specific advice or performing a safety-checked dispensing decision at that moment. A pharmacy delivery driver can transport already prepared and checked medications to patients or facilities, so this task can continue while you’re away.

Counselling a patient about a new prescription involves delivering tailored, clinical information about how to use the medicine, potential side effects, interactions, and what to do in certain situations. That requires professional judgment and oversight by a pharmacist, so it shouldn’t be delegated to someone else during the absence.

Dispensing a new prescription also requires professional verification—confirming patient identity, dose, interactions, allergies, and ensuring the prescription is appropriate. This is a clinical process that needs a pharmacist or someone working under their supervision, so it’s not suitable to assign to another staff member during the short absence.

Receiving stock deliveries and updating records is administrative and can be done by trained staff, but the preferred practice often involves safeguards and checks tied to stock control that are typically reviewed by the responsible pharmacist. In a brief absence, the safest delegated task is the delivery of medications, while the other tasks require the pharmacist’s presence or direct supervision.