Write the counselling a patient will actually follow when collecting a new or changed medicine — what it is for, how to take it, what to expect, and the one thing that would make them stop. Use when asked to write patient counselling, counsel on a new prescription, explain a medicine to a patient, or improve adherence at the counter. Produces the counselling script in plain language, the teach-back questions, the red-flag advice, the adherence anticipation, and the documentation line. A communication framework for a licensed pharmacist; it makes no clinical determination and substitutes for no product-specific information.
“Write counselling for a patient starting metformin”“How do I counsel on a new inhaler at the counter?”“Patient is switching to a generic and is worried — what do I say?”“Write a teach-back script for a new anticoagulant”“How do I improve adherence for a patient who keeps stopping their statin?”
What to give it
▸The medicine and the change — new start, dose change, formulation switch, or a generic substitution the patient will notice
▸The patient — age, comprehension, language, sensory needs, and who actually administers the dose
▸The context — other medicines, what this replaces, and any prior bad experience with this class
▸The practical realities — dosing times, food requirements, storage, and what happens if a dose is missed
▸Scope constraints — what your jurisdiction and the product information allow you to advise on
✅ The bar it holds itself to
Every skill in this library self-verifies — these are this skill's own quality checks, straight from its definition.
✓The purpose is stated in the patient's language, not the drug class
✓Dosing is anchored to an existing daily habit
✓One common side effect is named honestly, with its usual duration
✓There is exactly one clear stop-signal, not a list
✓Teach-back is used rather than 'any questions?'
✓The likely reason for discontinuation is anticipated and addressed
✓Counselling and teach-back outcome are documented
⚠️ What it refuses to do
**Reciting the leaflet.** Complete, unmemorable, and worse than three sentences.
**'Any questions?'** Almost always answered 'no', and proves nothing.
**Hiding the common side effect.** The patient discovers it at home and stops the medicine.
**Seven warning signs.** Nobody retains seven; give one and it might be acted on.
**Counselling the wrong person.** If a carer administers the dose, the counselling belongs to them.
Install
npx pm-claude-skills add --agent claude # or codex · cursor · gemini · hermes
# or one-line MCP (every skill, any client):
claude mcp add pm-skills -- npx -y -p pm-claude-skills pm-claude-skills-mcp