Developing a digital communication training tool on information-provision in oncology: uncovering learning needs and training preferences

Abstract

BackgroundAdequate information-provision forms a crucial component of optimal cancer care. However, information-provision is particularly challenging in an oncology setting. It is therefore imperative to help oncological health care practitioners (HCP) optimise their information-giving skills. New forms of online education, i.e. e-learning, enable safe and time and location independent ways of learning, enhancing access to continuous learning for HCP.As part of a user-centred approach to developing an e-learning to improve information-giving skills, this study aims to: 1) uncover the learning needs of oncological healthcare providers related to information- provision, and 2) explore their training preferences in the context of clinical practice.MethodsFocus groups and interviews were organised with oncological HCP (medical specialists and clinical nurse specialists) addressing participants’ learning needs concerning information- provision and their training preferences with respect to a new digital training tool on this issue. All sessions were audiorecorded and transcribed verbatim. Using an inductive approach, transcripts were independently coded by three researchers and discussed to reach consensus. Main themes were summarised and discussed.ResultsFour focus group sessions (total n = 13) and three interviews were conducted. The first theme concerned the patient outcomes HCP try to achieve with their information. We found HCP to mainly strive to promote patients’ understanding of information. The second theme concerned HCP reported strategies and challenges when trying to inform their patients. These entailed tailoring of information to patient characteristics, structuring of information, and dealing with patients’ emotions. Regarding HCP training preferences, an e-learning should be neatly connected to clinical practice. Moreover, participants desired a digital training to allow for feedback on their own (videotaped) information-giving skills from peers, communication experts, and/or patients; to monitor their progress and to tailored the training to individual learning needs.ConclusionsAn e-learning for improvement of information-giving skills of oncological HCP should be aimed at the transfer of skills to clinical practice, rather than at enhancing knowledge. Moreover, an e-learning is probably most effective when the facilitates individual learning needs, supports feedback on competence level and improvement, and allows input from significant others (experts, peers, or patients).

Developing a digital training tool to support oncologists in the skill of information-provision: a user centred approach

“…One of the qualitative studies, i.e. a focus group study, has previously been published in a separate paper [14]. Here we again, yet, briefly report on this study, to illustrate how the findings of this study fit in the larger design process.…”

“…Using focus group interviews, we aimed to investigate oncologists' learning needs related to their informationprovision skills, and explored their user-preferences about a digital training tool. Full details are presented in a separate paper [14], here we briefly describe the method and main findings.…”

“…Detailed findings are described elsewhere [14], but it should be highlighted that the most prominent educational needs perceived by the health care professionals included how to 1) tailor their information to the needs of the individual patient, 2) structure and prioritise information during a consultation and 3) deal with patients' emotions. The oncologists desired a digital training tool to be customized to their individual learning needs, to allow for feedback on their competence and improvement in (recorded) information-provision skills from peers, communication experts, and/or patients and to be able to monitor progress.…”

“…Additionally, promoting behavior change, i.e., the transfer of skills to clinical consultations, should be a key-feature of such a training. Oncologists in training, rather than senior oncologists, appeared to be most interested in considering digital as opposed to more conventional face-to-face communication skills trainings [14].…”

“…Information-provision can be considered more effective when it is tailored to patients' information needs and level of understanding, is structured and balanced, enhances recall of information, is honest and realistic without destroying hope or creating false hope, and is provided in an empathic way [12]. Thus, informationprovision is a highly complex skill which, against clinicians' own beliefs [13,14], is not an inborn quality or a natural consequence of professional experience [15], but which needs to be trained. Providing information to cancer patients is particularly challenging due to the complexity of cancer treatment and the strong emotional responses of patients involved.…”