Questions: A patient comes into the drugstore and gives the pharmacy technician a handwritten prescription from his physician. The writing is barely legible, but it looks like the ordered medication is spelled Z-O-C-C-O-R-E. The pharmacy technician looks up the name in the Physicians' Desk Reference but cannot find it. The pharmacist is on the phone with a physician and is not currently available. What should the pharmacy technician do? assume that this is a misspelling of the medication Zocor. search online for a medication named Zoccore. call the AP to verify the name of the medication. ask the patient the name of the medication.

The answer is the third one: call the AP to verify the name of the medication.

Explanation for each option:

1. Assume that this is a misspelling of the medication Zocor: This is not a safe practice. Assuming the name of a medication without verification can lead to dispensing the wrong drug, which can have serious consequences for the patient.
2. Search online for a medication named Zoccore: While this might provide some information, it is not a reliable method to verify a prescription. Online sources may not be accurate or up-to-date.
3. Call the AP to verify the name of the medication: This is the correct and safest course of action. Verifying the prescription with the prescribing physician ensures that the correct medication is dispensed.
4. Ask the patient the name of the medication: Patients may not always remember or know the exact name of their medication, and relying on their memory can lead to errors.

Summary: The pharmacy technician should call the prescribing physician to verify the name of the medication to ensure accuracy and patient safety.