A pharmacy technician is preparing to dispense a prescription with the instructions: "1 capsule po tid for 7 days." How many capsules should the technician dispense?

To determine the correct number of capsules to dispense, it's essential to analyze the instructions provided in the prescription. The instruction indicates that the patient is to take 1 capsule by mouth (po) three times a day (tid) for a duration of 7 days.

First, calculate the total daily dosage: 1 capsule per dose multiplied by 3 doses per day results in 3 capsules consumed per day. Next, to find the total for the 7-day period, multiply the daily total by the number of days: 3 capsules per day multiplied by 7 days equates to 21 capsules.

This calculation clarifies that the pharmacy technician should dispense a total of 21 capsules to fulfill the prescription requirements for the specified period and dosing schedule.