Paediatric oncology nurse education: the development of a national framework

Nurse's difficulty and their educational needs regarding pediatric cancer care in Japan

Aim

Aiming at environmental arrangements for pediatric cancer patients and their families to receive appropriate medical care and support with a sense of security, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare designated 15 hub hospitals for childhood cancer. These hub hospitals have established networks with approximately 200 centers/hospitals treating pediatric cancer. In order to promote equal access to nursing, we investigated nurses' difficulties and needs at these treatment hospitals with limited experience in pediatric cancer nursing.

Methods

In order to examine education on pediatric cancer nursing, we investigated difficulties felt by treatment hospital nurses, their educational experience and their educational needs. A total of 584 nurses (66.51%) from 52 hospitals from which written consent was received completed the questionnaires.

Results

Nurses had difficulties regarding nursing care for patients with critical conditions, such as terminal care, and actions to be taken when a patient's physical condition rapidly changes. Nurses most strongly desired education on nursing care for patients with serious problems, such as terminal care, and follow‐up provided in the form of in‐ and hub‐hospital lectures.

Conclusion

Our study suggested that in order to provide nurses in treatment hospitals with education focusing on nursing care for patients with serious problems, education systems based on cooperation between hub and treatment hospitals are needed.

Widening Access; Developing an eLearning Resource for Health and Social Care Professionals Caring for Children and Young People with Cancer

Cancer is a key priority worldwide, and caring for children and young people with cancer requires a range of specific knowledge, skills and experience in order to deliver the complex care regimes both within the hospital or community environment. The aim of this paper is to disseminate work undertaken to design and develop pedagogical practice and innovation through an eLearning resource for health care professionals caring for children and young people with cancer across the globe. The work undertaken evaluated an existing cancer course (which has been withdrawn) that was developed and delivered through the Paediatric Oncology Nurses Forum, Royal College Nursing (Nurse Educators) and Warwick University. The evaluation consisted of 26 open and closed questions relating to the previous resource and was circulated to all health and social care professionals involved directly within specialist oncology services through the Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group. Questionnaires were sent out to a convenience sample of 773 health care professionals and the response rate was 14%. The findings identified that the course was predominantly accessed by nurses, but other health care professionals also found it useful. Participants highlighted several areas where they believed content could be developed or was lacking. This included areas such as palliative and end of life care, nutrition, sepsis and teenagers and young people. This feedback was then used to develop a site dedicated to the care of children and young people with cancer.

"A stressful and frightening experience"? Children's nurses' perceived readiness to care for children with cancer following pre-registration nurse education: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

In the UK children with cancer are cared for by children's nurses in a variety of settings, specialist and non-specialist. Whilst post-registration specialist education is available to some nurses, many nurses rely solely on pre-registration education to competently care for these children. This study explores whether nurses perceive that this adequately prepares them.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the extent to which qualified nurses perceive that pre-registration nurse education prepares them to care for children with cancer; to consider the implications for children's nursing pre-registration curricula.

DESIGN

A small-scale qualitative study was undertaken using an interpretivist approach.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six qualified children's nurses in two clinical areas - a specialist children's cancer inpatient ward, and a general children's ward where inpatients included children with cancer.

RESULTS

Findings are discussed in relation to three emergent themes: Learning in Theory and Practice, Care of the Child and Family, and Resilience. Participants attached significance to the quantity and quality of practice experience. They reflected on barriers to specific and transferable theoretical learning and stressed the importance of integrating theory and practice. Understanding of family-centred care formed a significant part of their preparation. Preconceptions, communication with families and the emotional impact of this speciality were stressful. Improved pre-registration preparation may have developed participants' resilience.

CONCLUSION

The complexities of caring for children with cancer and their families require well-prepared nurses. Participants' perceptions of preparedness were influenced by aspects of pre-registration education. Their experiences suggest that curricula should be practice-focused and include a range of placements. Specialist theoretical content must be integrated with practice and transferability of knowledge and skills made explicit. Reflection and problem-based learning may foster coping mechanisms and resilience that will equip them to care for children with cancer.

Exploring Family-Centered Care Among Pediatric Oncology Nurses

Family-centered care (FCC) is important within pediatric oncology nursing. However, pediatric oncology nurses often face challenges and barriers when attempting to provide FCC. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of pediatric oncology nurses in relation to FCC; identify how pediatric oncology nurses implemented FCC into their practice; identify what facilitated and enabled pediatric oncology nurses to implement FCC; and discern the barriers and challenges that were present in their setting when implementing FCC. A qualitative approach utilizing person-centered interviewing was used to collect data. Nurses (N=20) from a western Canadian children’s hospital were recruited through purposeful convenience sampling and were then interviewed. Five major themes were identified from the data set: Hospital support f FCC, How participants defined FCC, Establishing FCC, Enhancing FCC, and Barriers and Challenges to providing FCC. Recommendations for future research and implications for practice and education are offered.

What if continuing education became mandatory? Opinions of Belgian community pharmacists

Objective In July 2003, a survey (n = 1032) was conducted on issues related to continuing education for community pharmacists. This study aims to explore specific results of this survey in-depth. The objectives were to examine how current continuing education courses can be optimised, how much interest pharmacists have in distance learning, and how pharmacists think about mandatory continuing education.

Setting Community pharmacy in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium.

Method Six focus group discussions were held: two with attenders (n = 14), two with non-attenders (n = 13), and two with the management of the Institute for Permanent Study for Pharmacists (n = 12). A theme plan was used to moderate discussions. Framework analysis was applied to analyse data.

Key findings To optimise live courses, continuing education providers should select good speakers, provide extensive course notes, and focus on issues that are relevant to day-to-day pharmacy practice. The interest in distance learning as a continuing education format was limited. Non-attenders are likely to need a formal obligation to engage in continuing education, with the preferred format being live courses. By increasing patients' awareness and appreciation of pharmacists' capabilities, pharmacists could be more motivated to counsel patients, to engage in continuing education, and to accept a system of mandatory continuing education.

Conclusion Implementation of mandatory continuing education in Belgium might encourage more pharmacists to take part in live continuing education courses than in distance learning. The arguments for and against mandatory continuing education as well as the suggestions for improvement of live continuing education courses should be taken into account when implementing a system of mandatory continuing education.

Discrimination of educational outcomes between differing levels of critical care programmes by selected stakeholders in Australia: a mixed-method approach

OBJECTIVE

This study was designed to prioritise educational outcomes for three levels of postgraduate speciality critical care nursing programmes.

BACKGROUND

Postgraduate speciality education has proliferated within Australia over the past 20 years. However, there is little agreement regarding the expected characteristics, or relevant priorities, of these characteristics of graduates successfully completing these programmes of study.

METHOD

This study used a mixed-method approach comprising two phases. Initially a survey was mailed to volunteers between March and June 2005 to obtain priorities in educational outcomes for graduates of critical care programmes. This was followed by a stakeholder focus group in May 2006 to refine expected outcomes.

RESULTS

Survey respondents rated educational outcomes that described professional and legal aspects of practice to ensure safe patient care as highest priority for programme graduates. Although most educational outcome statements were considered important for graduates from all levels of courses, increasing levels of practice was described for increasingly higher levels of programmes from Graduate Certificate to Masters Degree.

CONCLUSION

This study provides an emerging description of the priorities of critical care nursing programmes, with priority given to professional and legal aspects of practice. Further delineation of priorities is necessary to inform ongoing educational development.

The impact of oncology education on practice—A literature review

Cancer care currently enjoys a high national profile in the UK, with a growing emphasis on cancer education for nurses and allied health professionals, however, there is dearth of research into the effectiveness and impact of cancer education on practice. This paper explores the context of cancer care and education and reviews the literature regarding the relationship between the two. It explores the assumption that education positively influences practice and contributes to the health care agenda by supporting the need for further research in this area.