Development and evaluation of a brief, peer‐led communication skills training program for cancer clinicians

Abstract

AbstractAim: To develop a brief, peer‐led communication skills training program for cancer clinicians working in the state of Victoria in response to mounting evidence of the detrimental effects of poor doctor–patient communication. The first workshop module developed by The Cancer Council Victoria for the Victorian Cancer Clinicians Communication Program (VCCCP) focused on delivering bad news to patients and their families.Methods: The workshops consisted of four‐and‐a‐half hour interactive sessions co‐facilitated by an oncology clinician and clinical psychologist. Data on the participants' psychosocial beliefs about patient care, confidence and practice behavior were collected via self‐administered questionnaires before the workshop and 6 weeks after it. Evaluations on the structure and content of the sessions were collected immediately after the workshop.Results: Data were collected from 11 programs involving a total of 93 cancer clinicians. The results showed a high level of participant satisfaction with the broad aims of the workshop components, in particular the performance of the facilitators and the role‐play sessions. Pre‐ and post‐workshop data showed significant improvements over time on items relating to clinician confidence. Despite little change in subjective reports of clinical behavior and beliefs about psychosocial care, most participants reported changes in the way they delivered bad news since attending the VCCCP workshops.Conclusion: The Cancer Council Victoria responded to the needs of cancer clinicians working in the state and established a program that appears acceptable to clinicians who choose to participate.