Measuring the Effectiveness of CAR T-CELL Therapy Nursing Education

Abstract

Topic Significance & Study Purpose/Background/Rationale Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-Cell therapy standardized professional education is critical to help oncology team members understand the science behind this cellular immunotherapy and best practices for managing side effects. A multidisciplinary approach to education optimizes the focus of patient and caregiver centered care designed to meet not only the physical but emotional and educational needs. Interprofessional education (IPE) is thought to best prepare nurses and other health professionals for successful collaborative practice. Methods, Intervention, & Analysis Two short, highly interactive IPE 30-minute elearning modules were developed to serve as foundational CAR T-Cell therapy education for the five Sarah Cannon Blood Cancer Network Cellular Therapy Programs. The CAR T-Cell Therapy: A New Frontier module provides an overview of CAR T-Cell therapy, while the CAR T-Cell Therapy Toxicities module focuses on assessment and management of key side effects. Short term outcomes measurements assess current practice and intent to change practice immediately upon completion of the module. Findings & Interpretation The majority of participants included inpatient staff nurses, between the ages of 25-34 years of age with a bachelor's degree, and less than 3 years of oncology experience. Participants indicated an increase in confidence of understanding immune effector cell therapy and the process/timeline after completion of the Frontier module (N = 408) with 39% and 42% improvement respectively. After completion of the toxicity module (N = 195), there was significant intent to improve toxicity management (31% - 66%), patient education (33% - 64%), and psychosocial support (33-68%). Discussion & Implications Analysis at 3 months after the initial launch of these online modules demonstrates an improvement in self-reported knowledge. Evaluation is ongoing as more professionals complete the modules with over 1000 participant responses to be presented with the 2019 year-end data. Other outcomes measurements are being explored to measure the impact of this education. Overall, these modules are providing key information that nurses and other oncology team members need to care for patients receiving CAR T-Cell Therapy. These 2 modules are the first of a larger blood cancer oncology nursing curriculum aimed at standardizing education across a large network to improve outcomes for staff and patients.