Antibiotic choice for a patient on warfarin
PEBC OSCE practice station
Drug information · 2 min to read · 7 min to perform
A written station. Free to try, no sign-up.
The task
You are a pharmacist in a community pharmacy. You have received a written drug-information request from a physician, Dr Naomi Fraser, in the patient folder. Use the information provided and the references you know. Write a short, clear reply to the physician in the response sheet, giving your recommendation, the reasons for it and the monitoring you suggest. If information is missing, say what you need. The assessor will not take part.
What this station tests
- Lead with the recommendation, then the reason, then monitoring.
- Warfarin interacts with many antibiotics; trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is a well-known one.
- Suggest specific alternatives and check doses in a reference.
- Ask for the information you need: culture, INR target, history.
- Name specific bleeding signs and say when to call 911.
Sources for the clinical content
- Ontario College of Pharmacists: assessment and prescribing algorithm for urinary tract infection
- Thrombosis Canada: warfarin patient information sheet
- Warfarin and antibiotics: drug interactions and clinical considerations (2023 review)
An original practice scenario with invented patients. Not an exam question.