Managing symptoms is core business for palliative care. The management of medicines is a problem. It is estimated that more than half of people with a chronic condition fail to take their medicines as prescribed. This has flow on effects of increased risk of adverse drug reactions, exacerbations of underlying conditions and costs.
Nurses are available to patients in a number of means providing an opportunity to identify and discuss symptom management and medication management problems. This may be in relation to non-pharmacological approaches as well as administering medication as prescribed, supporting others in this role, or in providing feedback to the prescriber. Patients and families will also require advice and support including information on the medications that they are taking and nurses will often fulfil this role.