Exploring Brachytherapy Discharge Educational Needs of Gynecological Cancer Patients.

Brachytherapy (BT) plays a fundamental role in the treatment of gynecological cancers. Patient education for vaginal self-management and dilator use post-BT involves an interdisciplinary team of healthcare professionals (HCPs) and there is a paucity of post-BT education guidelines. Our objective was to determine the educational needs of gynecological cancer patients surrounding vaginal self-management post-BT and to determine enablers and barriers to the provision of education by HCPs. This cross-sectional study recruited gynecological oncology patients receiving external beam radiotherapy and BT for curative intent. Patients completed a questionnaire to assess their vaginal self-management educational needs, preferred education modality, and desired timing of post-BT education. HCPs were invited to complete a questionnaire to identify enablers and barriers to providing BT education. Twenty patients and 53 HCPs participated. All patients rated each topic as very important/important with information about preventing vaginal stenosis as the most important overall (89%). When asked about topics they addressed during BT education, most HCPs reported that "explaining what vaginal stenosis is and the negative effects of stenosis" was always discussed with patients (N = 37/49, 77%). Barriers to providing post-BT education, including the patients' language and culture, as well as enablers, such as the use of written resources and tools for patients, were identified. Despite a high level of engagement, current education surrounding vaginal self-management post-BT may be inadequate.

Using a Nominal Group Technique to Develop a Science Communication Curriculum for Health Professionals and Clinical Researchers.

Effective science communication is fundamental to closing the gap from research and innovation to clinical implementation. Existing paradigms of science communication are often challenged by a lack of skill and engagement, particularly from those who progress the science. Currently, a standardized curriculum on science communication, with global applicability, does not exist. The purpose of this project is to address the gap in training by health professionals and clinical researchers through the development of a globally relevant curriculum for science communication. The nominal group technique (NGT) was used whereby a convenience sample of eleven science communication experts from across the globe generated, discussed, and arrived at a consensus on topics that should be included in a standardized science communication curriculum. Experts represented diverse backgrounds within the health sciences. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and geographical constraints, the NGT was conducted virtually. The consensus-building methodology allowed for each expert to equally present ideas and collaborate with one another to create a robust and comprehensive curriculum for effective science communication. Expert panelists reached a consensus on 10 essential components of a standardized global science communication curriculum. Following the refinement of the curriculum topic areas, a virtual meeting with project co-investigators was held to review the topics and discuss relevance, applicability, and appeal to the local contexts. A standardized science communication curriculum is needed for health professionals and clinical researchers. The NGT achieved expert consensus on the core topics. The next steps are to develop the course ensuring optimal participation from learners across the globe.

Guiding the Clinical Nurse Specialist role in oncology within Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.

In 2019, the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) published the Advanced Practice Nursing: A Pan-Canadian Framework, defining and highlighting the competencies of the clinical nurse specialist role (CNS). In response to the CNA publication, the CNS Community of Practice (CoP) at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (PM) reviewed how the oncology CNS roles at PM aligned with the CNA competencies. The primary goal was to utilize the CNA (2019) document to guide the development of a PM CNS role-clarity document and new-hire CNS pathway to assist the onboarding process for new CNS hires at PM. The secondary goal was to raise awareness of the diverse CNS oncology roles at a local and national level through developing, implementing, and disseminating the PM CNS role-clarity document and new-hire CNS pathway.

Redesigning and implementing a Canadian oncology nursing curriculum for an international partnership.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death and disability globally. As a result, there is a need to provide specialized nursing care to the increasing number of complex oncology patients. Numerous healthcare centres do not have specialized oncology nursing education programs, creating an environment where oncology patients may be cared for by generalist nurses. To address this gap, advanced practice nurses in Princess Margaret Cancer Centre have redesigned a local program to provide specialized oncology education to nurses caring for oncology patients. The purpose of this article is to share the experience of redesigning and delivering a Canadian Specialized Oncology Nursing Education (SONE) program in the Middle East. The article describes learnings from an international collaborative project undertaken in Qatar.