The influence of distress on knowledge transfer for men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The purpose of this inquiry was to evaluate the efficacy of prostate cancer education sessions. Implementation of 3-h patient educational sessions was intended to provide men newly diagnosed with localized prostate cancer, who face difficult and complex decisions, information about potential treatment options. Fifty-seven men completed the distress thermometer assessment before the education session to assess baseline levels of distress. Seven of the men were interviewed post-educational session to determine the degree of knowledge transfer from the session. This study explored the efficacy of the patients' learning experience using an interpretive phenomenological research approach. Resulting data revealed that these patients, as adult learners, were distressed and that, despite the availability of pertinent medical content, the subject material was not learned as intended or readily understood. The conclusion drawn from this preliminary applied educational research study was that the education model used was less than efficacious at ensuring that sufficient knowledge transfer was achieved for medical treatment decision-making processes. These findings suggest a need for future research to explore the application of adult learning theories and approaches that may offer enhanced knowledge translation and transfer for prostate cancer education programs.

Partners in our care: patient safety from a patient perspective.

The voice and role of "patient" in patient safety were explored by the Calgary Health Region's Patient and Family Safety Council perspective and the Calgary Health Region, Calgary, Alberta, Canada--an important collaboration for enhanced patient safety. Insights into patient safety were shared and coauthored in this article by the Patient and Family Safety Council with members of the Calgary Health Region staff. The Patient and Family Safety Council members were asked to respond to articles written about the role of patient in patient safety, without direct communication with patients. The authors of this article intended to demonstrate only a few of the ways in which patient involvement and feedback through partnership turn knowledge into action and help inform patients about safety practices and procedures.