Registration Assessment 2013

Practice questions: April

This set contains 10 practice questions.

Questions 1-5 are examples of Open Book questions. The references that may be used are
British National Formulary 64th edition (September 2012) and BNF for Children 2012-2013.

Questions 6-10 are examples of Closed Book questions.

A sample paper that is half the size of the actual Registration Assessment and is matched to
the actual assessment in terms of difficulty, syllabus coverage and question types can be
accessed at http://www.pharmacyregulation.org/education/pharmacist-pre-registrationtraining/trainees/registration-assessment/assessment

Copyright General Pharmaceutical Council 2013.

The content of this document is the property of the General Pharmaceutical Council and may not be
reproduced.

Directions for questions 1 and 2. Each of the questions or incomplete statements in this section is
followed by five suggested answers. Select the best answer in each case.
1.

2.

A 3-year-old boy, who suffers from asthma, has intermittent wheezing despite using Clenil
Modulite aerosol inhalation 200 micrograms twice daily via a spacer device. His parents are
administering salbutamol aerosol inhaler to him at least once a day. The child weighs
15 kg and is otherwise well. In accordance with the recommendations of the British Thoracic
Society, what is the most appropriate next step in treatment?
A

increase the dose of Clenil Modulite aerosol inhalation to 300 micrograms twice daily

add montelukast 4 mg once daily in the evening

add nedocromil aerosol inhalation 4 mg 4 times daily

add Slo-Phyllin 60 mg twice daily

add prednisolone 15 mg daily for 3 days

You are asked by a local GP to recommend treatment for Mrs Z who has oropharyngeal
candidiasis that has not responded to nystatin suspension. Given that she is otherwise
well, not allergic to any medicines and is breast-feeding her 5-month-old baby, which one
of the following would it be most appropriate for you to recommend to the GP?
A

itraconazole oral liquid

terbinafine tablets

fluconazole capsules

posaconazole suspension

ketoconazole tablets

Directions for questions 3 to 5. Each of the questions or incomplete statements in this section is
followed by three responses. For each question ONE or MORE of the responses is/are correct.
Decide which of the responses is/are correct. Then choose:
A

if 1, 2 and 3 are correct

if 1 and 2 only are correct

if 2 and 3 only are correct

if 1 only is correct

if 3 only is correct
Directions Summarised
A
1, 2, 3

3.

4.

B
1, 2
only

C
2, 3
only

D
1
only

E
3
only

Which of the following laboratory test results would not be expected in a healthy adult?
1

a plasma potassium level of 6.9 mmol/litre

an eGFR of 21 mL/minute/1.73m2

a plasma glucose level of 32 mmol/litre

The following customers ask to buy a non-prescription medicine. Given there are no other
contraindications, it would be appropriate for you to make the sale to which of them?
1

a 17-year-old woman who wants to give up smoking asking to buy Nicorette

chewing gum

a man asking to buy Phenergan elixir (promethazine hydrochloride) for his

18-month-old son who is having trouble sleeping

a woman asking to buy Spasmonal capsules (alverine) for her 10-year-old daughter
who is suffering from stomach cramps

Directions Summarised
A
1, 2, 3

5.

B
1, 2
only

C
2, 3
only

D
1
only

E
3
only

Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for individuals at high risk of contracting the

disease. In the UK, which of the following groups fall into this category?
1

individuals with rheumatoid arthritis

individuals with chronic liver disease

foster carers

Directions for questions 6 to 8. Each of the questions or incomplete statements in this section is
followed by five suggested answers. Select the best answer in each case.

6.

7.

Which one of the following statements is correct with regard to patient counselling?

a patient taking flucloxacillin capsules should be advised to take each dose

immediately after food

a patient using fentanyl patches should be advised to avoid exposing the application
site to external heat such as a hot bath

a patient using lidocaine 5% patches should be advised about the signs and
symptoms of opioid overdose

a patient taking a one week course of oral prednisolone should be advised that the
dose should be reduced gradually when stopping

a patient taking orlistat capsules and a multivitamin preparation should be advised to

take the multivitamin immediately before breakfast

Which one of the following is a side-effect of dabigatran etexilate?

A

hypomagnesaemia

hypertension

blurred vision

taste disturbance

haemorrhage

8.

You receive a prescription for a 6-year-old boy who is in the continuation phase of
treatment for tuberculosis. He is taking rifampicin, isoniazid and pyridoxine. The most
likely reason for including pyridoxine is to:
A

correct vitamin B6 deficiency caused by tuberculosis

prevent drug-induced peripheral neuropathy

prevent drug-induced megaloblastic anaemia

improve the efficacy of isoniazid

improve the patients appetite

Directions for questions 9 and 10. The following questions consist of a first statement in the lefthand column followed by a second statement in the right-hand column.
Decide whether the first statement is true or false.
Decide whether the second statement is true or false.
Then choose:

A
B
C
D
E

if both statements are true and the second statement is a correct explanation of the
first statement

if both statements are true but the second statement is NOT a correct explanation
of the first statement

if the first statement is true but the second statement is false

if the first statement is false but the second statement is true

if both statements are false

First
Statement
True
True
True
False
False

Second
Statement
True
True
False
True
False

Directions Summarised
2nd statement is a correct explanation of the first
2nd statement is NOT a correct explanation of the first

A
B
C
D
E

First
Statement
True
True
True
False
False

Second
Statement
True
True
False
True
False

Directions Summarised
2nd statement is a correct explanation of the first
2nd statement is NOT a correct explanation of the first

Question 9 concerns Mrs D who presents at your pharmacy with a prescription for the
following:

Furosemide tablets 40 mg bd
Mitte 56
She tells you that her dose of furosemide has just been increased from 40 mg in the morning
and wonders what time of day she should take the second dose.
9.
FIRST STATEMENT

SECOND STATEMENT

You should advise Mrs D to take her

furosemide in the morning and at lunchtime

Furosemide can cause nightmares if taken

in the evening

10.
FIRST STATEMENT

SECOND STATEMENT

All suspected adverse drug reactions in

children should be reported to the
Medicines and Healthcare products
Regulatory Agency (MHRA) even if the black
triangle symbol () has been removed

The black triangle symbol indicates

medicines that are monitored intensively
by the MHRA