Test yourself: the 2023 CPD and Learning quiz

Assess your knowledge on topics ranging from infectious diseases, to professional skills, to cardiology, in our end-of-year CPD and learning quiz.
Image collage of different topics from the quiz with a large question mark in a circle in the centre

Here at The Pharmaceutical Journal, it’s time to round off another year and reflect on your learning with our end-of-year quiz. It has been another busy year for the journal, from hosting our first webinar on COVID-19 antivirals to our continued dedication to alternative learning formats, such as podcasts, as well as our recent focus on prescribing skills — with this content linking directly to the RPS Competency Framework for All Prescribers. Our forward thinking allows us to produce highly relevant resources to continue effectively supporting pharmacists in their learning and development.

Our end-of-year quiz is broken down by clinical area, giving you the chance to identify any areas that may benefit from focused learning ahead of revalidation. Work your way through the quiz by expanding the questions in the answer boxes below. When you have answered all the questions, select ‘Finish quiz’ at the bottom of the page to see your score.

Depression

In any given week, it is estimated that one in six people are affected by depression in the UK. Patients should be encouraged to access treatments that are optimised to their specific circumstances, drawing from both pharmacological and non-pharmacological options. Expand question 1 to test your knowledge.

A pie chart showing the share of recommended treatments for less severe depression

The Pharmaceutical Journal

This question is from ‘Depression in adults: screening, treatment and management’. Please refer to the original article if you would like to learn more.

Antidepressants

It is now recognised that withdrawal effects from antidepressants are common and can be more severe and long lasting than previously understood. Expand question 2 to test your knowledge.

Photo of separable medication squares

Shutterstock.com

This question is from ‘Case-based learning: safe withdrawal and tapering of antidepressants’. Please refer to the original article if you would like to learn more.

Women’s health

The term perimenopause describes the period preceding menopause, with accompanying endocrinological, biological and clinical features​. Expand question 3 to test your knowledge.

Photo of a woman putting on a hormone patch

GARO / PHANIE / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

This question is from ‘Perimenopause: symptoms and management’. Please refer to the original article if you would like to learn more.

Antibiotics

Timing is one of the five main components of the national criteria for intravenous-to-oral switching of antibiotics. Expand question 4 to test your knowledge.

Photo of IV and table antibiotics

Shutterstock.com

This question is from ‘Switching patients from IV to oral antimicrobials’. Please refer to the original article if you would like to learn more.

Skin infections

Early identification and referral of skin and soft tissue infections can minimise the risk of complications and prevent further progression. Expand question 5 to test your knowledge.

Photos of different kinds of skin and soft tissue infections

DR P. MARAZZI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY; Shutterstock.com; MID-ESSEX HOSPITAL SERVICES NHS TRUST/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY; GROOK DA OGER CC-BY-SA

This question is from ‘Skin and soft tissue infections: risk factors and presentations’. Please refer to the original article if you would like to learn more.

Viral infections

Chickenpox is an illness caused by the varicella-zoster virus. There are three stages of symptoms from the onset of chicken pox. Expand question 6 to test your knowledge.

Photos of different stages of chickenpox

Shutterstock.com

This question is from ‘Chickenpox: symptoms, treatment and potential complications’. Please refer to the original article if you would like to learn more.

Genetic disorders

In individuals with cystic fibrosis, the transport of chloride ions into and out of the cells that regulate the movement of water necessary to produce free-flowing mucus is disrupted. Expand question 7 to test your knowledge.

Diagram showing the difference in function of a normally functioning airway and that of a person with cystic fibrosis.

The Pharmaceutical Journal

This question is from ‘Cystic fibrosis: management and monitoring of respiratory manifestations’. Please refer to the original article if you would like to learn more.

Respiratory

Pharmacological management of asthma can be achieved using a stepwise strategy. Expand question 8 to test your knowledge.

Photo of a child using an asthma inhaler and spacer

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This question is from ‘Children and young people with asthma: pharmacological management and monitoring’. Please refer to the original article if you would like to learn more.

Cardiology

The electrocardiogram (ECG) is a commonly performed, non-invasive diagnostic test to record the electrical activity of the heart. Increasingly, pharmacists are taking on clinical and prescribing roles, where interpretation of ECGs has become important in their day-to-day practice to help guide treatment interventions. Expand question 9 to test your knowledge.

An ECG trace of an
attrial flutter

This question is from ‘Interpretation of electrocardiograms’. Please refer to the original article if you would like to learn more.

Men’s health

The health challenges faced by men is a societal problem which needs to be urgently tackled. Expand question 10 to test your knowledge.

A pharmacist take an older man's blood pressure in a pub

Ade Williams

This question is from ‘How to conduct effective men’s health promotion in community pharmacy’. Please refer to the original article if you would like to learn more.

Poisoning

Patients experiencing mental health conditions are one of the groups that may present to emergency departments acutely for poisoning and overdose. Expand question 11 to test your knowledge.

Photo of empty pill packets next to a glass of water

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This question is from ‘Management of poisoning: the pharmacist’s role’. Please refer to the original article if you would like to learn more.

Person-centred practice

Active patient engagement is of utmost importance in healthcare decision making, specifically when it comes to decisions related to medication​. By prioritising the needs, preferences and values of the individual, person-centred practice ensures that prescribing decisions align with their overall wellbeing. Expand question 12 to test your knowledge.

Illustration of a pharmacist talking to a patient

Wes Mountain/The Pharmaceutical Journal

This question is from ‘Principles of person-centred practice for prescribers’. Please refer to the original article if you would like to learn more.

Communication for prescribing

It is essential that prescribers actively listen and ask effective questions in a manner that allows patients to be empowered and have control over their health and wellbeing. Expand question 13 to test your knowledge.

Illustration of two sets of hands of people in deep discussion

Wes Mountain/The Pharmaceutical Journal

This question is from ‘Communication techniques for prescribing’. Please refer to the original article if you would like to learn more.

Cultural competency

Microaggressions are a subtle but damaging form of discrimination. Expand question 14 to test your knowledge.

Photo of three people in a line, the man closest to us smiles directly at the camera

Shutterstock.com

This question is from ‘Addressing microaggressions to deliver cultural competence in pharmacy’. Please refer to the original article if you would like to learn more.

Medication review

There are multiple types of medication review, but they all primarily focus on ensuring safety, monitoring side effects, supporting adherence, managing polypharmacy and optimising medicines use. Expand question 15 to test your knowledge.

Photo of a hand writing in the foreground, a patient just in focus in the background

Shutterstock.com

This question is from ‘How to conduct a clinical review of a patient’s medicines’. Please refer to the original article if you would like to learn more.

Last updated
Citation
The Pharmaceutical Journal, PJ, December 2023, Vol 311, No 7980;311(7980)::DOI:10.1211/PJ.2023.1.203656

4 comments

  • Robert Smith

    a good quiz but moveable responses were not enough easy or even possible to do on a phone.
    Suggest this is stated up front- i.e. Please complete on a laptop or computer

    • Alex Clabburn

      Hi Robert. Please allow me to introduce myself as the senior editor for research and learning. Thanks very much for taking the time to share this feedback with us. The quiz functionality is designed to work on mobile so we will need to investigate this further. Can I ask you to drop me an email so we can ask some follow up questions please? My email address is Alex.Clabburn@rpharms.com

  • ilt

    Expected to get question 15 wrong and did.
    Can you supply the reference for the "correct" answer please

    • Alex Clabburn

      Hello. Many thanks for your comment. I am the senior editor for research and learning at the pharmaceutical journal. Question 15 was derived from the article 'How to conduct a clinical review of a patient’s medicines' and the specific references behind the question statement are copied below:

      Green AR, Aschmann H, Boyd CM, Schoenborn N. Assessment of Patient-Preferred Language to Achieve Goal-Aligned Deprescribing in Older Adults. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(4):e212633. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.2633

      Jansen J, Naganathan V, Carter SM, et al. Too much medicine in older people? Deprescribing through shared decision making. BMJ. 2016;:i2893. doi:10.1136/bmj.i2893

 

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