Nursing Students' Understanding of Terms and Concepts Around Medication Review, Polypharmacy, and Deprescribing: A Cross‐Sectional Survey Study

Nurses play a key role in medication review. This study explores nursing students' awareness and understanding of concepts (pharmacology, medication review, polypharmacy, and deprescribing) and gives insight into their preparedness to engage with these in clinical settings. This cross-sectional survey was conducted at a London higher education institution. The sample comprised 127 third-year undergraduate adult and paediatric nursing students. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, which included free-text items to capture qualitative insights. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while thematic analysis explored qualitative responses. Respondents were familiar with the terms medication review (94%, 118/125) and polypharmacy (76%, 96/126), but not deprescribing (37%, 46/125). Although respondents could identify triggers for initiating a medication review, their understanding of the collaborative nature of the process for healthcare professionals and patients was inconsistent. Respondents were able to identify medications that may warrant review and potential deprescribing. Core concepts related to medication review were generally understood by respondents. However, understanding of deprescribing, as well as the nurse's role in advocating for patients during medication review, was less consistent.