Multiple Myeloma Education: Results From the ACE Program's Digital, Serial Learning Approach.

BACKGROUND: Understanding aspects of multiple myeloma (MM) from drug delivery to side effect management and survivorship are critical to patient management. The Advanced Clinical Educator (ACE) program in MM combined live and web-based activities to educate nurses to gain mastery of content and achieve ACE status. OBJECTIVES: The primary objectives were to improve ACE candidates' practice skills and knowledge of MM and prepare them to educate others. METHODS: 20 ACE candidates were paired with an advisor and educated through a structured learning program. The RealMeasure® methodology measures the effect on intended learner cohorts, analyzing pre- and post-assessment data, as well as follow-up data, with a multidimensional metric that serves as a surrogate marker for performance. FINDINGS: Learners from the ACE program and a national cohort improved substantially from baseline averages at pretest to high levels of proficiency at post-test. This curriculum model fosters subject matter expertise, leadership, professional networking, and peer-to-peer learning.

Multiple Myeloma Mentorship: Bridging Communication and Educational Gaps.

BACKGROUND: The 2014 Multiple Myeloma (MM) Mentorship Program provided a focused, interactive, peer-to-peer educational experience, including updates in MM, for 10 mentees that led to advanced clinical educator status. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the program was (a) to improve mentees' knowledge, competency, confidence, and level of performance in the management of MM and (b) to build speaking expertise. METHODS: From May 2014 to March 2015, 10 mentees were educated on MM with a structured serial learning curriculum. Mentees then presented slide decks, and modular activities were opened to a national audience of professionals. Pre- and post-test surveys were compiled, and a RealIndex® composite score was calculated. FINDINGS: Gains were measured across the curriculum in learning domains of knowledge, confidence, and practice strategy. Pre-/post-test scores show that the mentorship cohort's average scores on knowledge, confidence, and performance were higher compared to the national program.

Optimizing the Use of TKIs in the Management of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia.

INTRODUCTION: The goal of this study was to evaluate the proficiency of clinicians on multiple aspects of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) management, and to measure the impact of a multiple-activity educational curriculum on targeting those areas that presented the greatest clinical gaps in practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The findings show that before curriculum participation, clinicians demonstrated a high proficiency in their knowledge of first- and second-line therapies. However, they were challenged when asked to apply this knowledge to patient case studies. This clinical gap was then targeted through a multiple-activity educational curriculum platform that allowed participants to engage with nationally recognized CML experts about how to apply the latest clinical research and therapeutic advances to patient management. RESULTS: After evaluating these clinicians at the completion of the curriculum, the data showed that the program had successfully improved clinical performance regarding the treatment of patients requiring first-line therapies and treatment intensification in refractory CML (low-intermediate and high Sokal scores). However, participants remained challenged concerning the treatment of patients with intermediate Sokal scores who require treatment intensification after first-line therapy. The results also demonstrate the benefits of serial learning because participants who completed multiple activities achieved the greatest clinical performance gains from baseline. CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrate how a focused and high-engagement educational program, in conjunction with an outcomes methodology that can measure its efficacy, can effectively evaluate and target clinical challenges and provide a model for future educational efforts.