Best practices on team communication: interprofessional practice in oncology

Physiotherapists' training in oncology rehabilitation from entry-level to advanced education: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Physiotherapy is gaining a central role in oncology. However, the training and competencies needed by physiotherapists in oncology rehabilitation are still unclear. This study aims to articulate the training trajectory of physiotherapists in oncology rehabilitation from entry-level education to advanced education degrees.

METHODS

Qualitative focus group study following a 'Reflexive Thematic Analysis' for data analysis. Participants were Italian physiotherapists with expertise in Oncology Rehabilitation (either clinically or academically) and Physiotherapy Bachelor of Science (BSc) course leaders, selected through purposive sampling.

RESULTS

Two focus groups were conducted with 14 participants. Six themes were developed: 1. 'Entry-Level Education in Oncology Rehabilitation: Let's Have a Taste', as the BSc introduces oncology rehabilitation. 2. 'Basic Knowledge: Building up the Library' as students acquire basic knowledge on oncology rehabilitation during their BSc; 3. 'Learning by Experience: The Relevance of the Placement' to answer the question "Is this the right road for me?"; 4. 'Clinical Reasoning and Competencies in Oncology Rehabilitation Embedded in Uncertainty' because oncology physiotherapists need to deal with the uncertainty of their patients' status; 5. 'Advanced Education Degree Skills: from Appetiser to the Main Course', as advanced education degree courses allow for becoming an expert in the field; 6. 'A Call to Action for Physiotherapists: Prevention-Diagnosis-Survivorship & End of Life', to realise their critical role in all the phases of the oncology path.

CONCLUSIONS

The BSc in Physiotherapy provides a foundation for future physiotherapists to understand oncology rehabilitation, but advanced education is necessary for expertise. The findings of this study have important implications for creating a shared physiotherapy curriculum in oncology rehabilitation.

IMPLICATION FOR PHYSIOTHERAPY PRACTICE

This study has significant implications for improving physiotherapy curricula in oncology rehabilitation, positively impacting the skills and competencies of practitioners in this paramount field.

Like Frying Multiple Eggs in One Pan: a Qualitative Study Exploring the Understanding of Inter-speciality Training in Cancer Care

H igh-quality cancer care is a key priority worldwide. Caring for people affected by cancer requires a range of specific knowledge, skills and experience to deliver the complex care regimens both within the hospital and within the community environment. In June 2022, the European Cancer Organisation along with 33 European cancer societies began working together to develop a curriculum for inter-speciality training for healthcare professionals across Europe. As part of the project, this research consisted of a qualitative survey distributed to the European Union societies via email. The aim of this paper is to disseminate the qualitative findings from healthcare professionals across Europe. Questionnaires were sent out to a convenience sample of 219 healthcare professionals and patient advocates with a response rate of 55% (n = 115). The findings identified that there were four key themes: 'What is inter-speciality training?', 'Barriers and challenges', 'Support throughout the cancer journey' and 'New ways of working'. These results are part of a larger needs analysis and scoping review to inform the development of a core competency framework which will be part of an inter-speciality curriculum for specialist cancer doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals across Europe. Healthcare professionals will be able to access education and training through the virtual learning environment and workshops and by clinical rotations to other specialties.

Creativity, Critical Thinking, Communication, and Collaboration: Assessment, Certification, and Promotion of 21st Century Skills for the Future of Work and Education

This article addresses educational challenges posed by the future of work, examining “21st century skills”, their conception, assessment, and valorization. It focuses in particular on key soft skill competencies known as the “4Cs”: creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. In a section on each C, we provide an overview of assessment at the level of individual performance, before focusing on the less common assessment of systemic support for the development of the 4Cs that can be measured at the institutional level (i.e., in schools, universities, professional training programs, etc.). We then present the process of official assessment and certification known as “labelization”, suggesting it as a solution both for establishing a publicly trusted assessment of the 4Cs and for promoting their cultural valorization. Next, two variations of the “International Institute for Competency Development’s 21st Century Skills Framework” are presented. The first of these comprehensive systems allows for the assessment and labelization of the extent to which development of the 4Cs is supported by a formal educational program or institution. The second assesses informal educational or training experiences, such as playing a game. We discuss the overlap between the 4Cs and the challenges of teaching and institutionalizing them, both of which may be assisted by adopting a dynamic interactionist model of the 4Cs—playfully entitled “Crea-Critical-Collab-ication”—for pedagogical and policy-promotion purposes. We conclude by briefly discussing opportunities presented by future research and new technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality.

Translating interprofessional collaboration competencies to an international research team

INTRODUCTION

While there has been strong emphasis on enhancing interprofessional education and interprofessional care in the published literature, there is relatively little literature focused on advancing interprofessional research. In extrapolating from the current frameworks of interprofessional collaboration (IPC), it becomes clear that the core competencies of IPC are transferable to research teams. The aim of this paper is to present our experience of an international research team framed within core competencies for IPC.

METHODS

A simplified narrative inquiry approach was used to share the experience of an international research team framed within six core competencies of IPC.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

By way of our international research collaboration, we demonstrate the translation of key core competencies for IPC. We share key learnings and mitigation strategies for the successful outcomes of the research team.

CONCLUSION

To embark on a successful international research collaboration requires integrating IPC core competencies across the entire research continuum. In addition to the core competencies of collaboration, enablers to success also include digital collaborative forums, existing professional relationships and research projects that offer global meaning and value.

Perceptions and attitudes of different healthcare professionals and students toward interprofessional education in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional survey

Interprofessional education (IPE) is now regarded as an extremely important approach in the academic field for preparing healthcare students to provide patient care in a collaborative team environment. In this study, we examine the perceptions and attitudes toward IPE in a Saudi specialized health sciences university. This study is a cross-sectional survey at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences and King Abdulaziz Medical City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The instruments used in this study were pre-designed self-administered questionnaires identified from the literature (The Nebraska Interprofessional Education Attitudes Scale (NIPEAS) and The Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education-Revised (SPICE-R). A total of 668 individuals participated in the study. The majority of the participants were between the ages of 18 and 25 (79.2%) and were students (77.1%) from medicine, nursing and applied medical science. The participants' responses were primarily positive for all items of the NIPEAS and most of the items of the SPICE-R. The results of this study indicate that students and healthcare professionals have positive perceptions and readiness toward IPE, and implementation of shared learning is highly encouraged. The integration of IPE in the curriculum is recommended to improve teamwork and patient care outcomes.