Analysis of Unscheduled Telephone Calls Received by a Specialized Cancer Pain Nurse.

Background: A key to successful symptom management in patients with cancer is to adapt the treatment to patient needs and complexities in an individual and dynamic manner. Rapid access to a clinician via telephone consultation supports treatment compliance, safety, and effectiveness and reduces the number of patients unnecessarily consulting emergency departments.

Aims: To define the role of a cancer pain nurse in the management of unscheduled phone calls to the clinic.