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Cancer and the family: assessment, communication and brief interventions—the development of an educational programme for healthcare professionals when a parent has cancer

Cancer and the family: assessment, communication and brief interventions—the development of an educational programme for healthcare professionals when a parent has cancer
Cancer and the family: assessment, communication and brief interventions—the development of an educational programme for healthcare professionals when a parent has cancer
Objective This study developed and piloted an educational intervention to support healthcare professionals (HCPs) to provide supportive care for families when a parent has cancer.

Methods Programme development followed the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework, beginning with examination of theory and research, and consultation with experts. The programme content incorporated attachment theory, child development and family systems theory. It was piloted thrice with HCPs from a cancer centre. The evaluation involved a questionnaire, comprising open-ended questions, completed before and after the programme. Data from the questionnaire were analysed using framework analysis.

Results 31 HCPs from varying disciplines participated. The programme was evaluated positively by participants. Before the programme, participants had significant concerns about their professional competence, which included: managing their own emotions; a perceived sensitivity around raising child and family matters with patients and a lack of specialist experience, skills and knowledge. After completing the programme, participants reported greater understanding and knowledge, increased confidence to approach patients about family matters, greater skill to initiate conversations and explore family concerns and guiding parent–child communication according to the child's level of understanding, and an increased engagement and resilience for caring for parents with cancer.

Significance of the results Supporting HCPs to provide family-centred care is likely to reduce psychological difficulties in families where a parent has cancer. Further work is planned to disseminate the programme, evaluate the transfer of skills into practice, assess how HCPs manage the emotional demands of providing supportive care over time, and consider on-going professional support for HCPs.
2045-435X
493-499
Grant, Lucy
9de456ba-6f44-4b74-87de-b01741246108
Sangha, Amrit
d9260c3c-a703-4fb7-9035-84624f098cb4
Lister, Sara
d54af3c0-6b57-403e-985c-e6bd759b6ce9
Wiseman, Theresa
e3ff42ae-97ef-4640-af3d-40eeae830df9
Grant, Lucy
9de456ba-6f44-4b74-87de-b01741246108
Sangha, Amrit
d9260c3c-a703-4fb7-9035-84624f098cb4
Lister, Sara
d54af3c0-6b57-403e-985c-e6bd759b6ce9
Wiseman, Theresa
e3ff42ae-97ef-4640-af3d-40eeae830df9

Grant, Lucy, Sangha, Amrit, Lister, Sara and Wiseman, Theresa (2016) Cancer and the family: assessment, communication and brief interventions—the development of an educational programme for healthcare professionals when a parent has cancer. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 6 (4), 493-499. (doi:10.1136/bmjspcare-2015-001006).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Objective This study developed and piloted an educational intervention to support healthcare professionals (HCPs) to provide supportive care for families when a parent has cancer.

Methods Programme development followed the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework, beginning with examination of theory and research, and consultation with experts. The programme content incorporated attachment theory, child development and family systems theory. It was piloted thrice with HCPs from a cancer centre. The evaluation involved a questionnaire, comprising open-ended questions, completed before and after the programme. Data from the questionnaire were analysed using framework analysis.

Results 31 HCPs from varying disciplines participated. The programme was evaluated positively by participants. Before the programme, participants had significant concerns about their professional competence, which included: managing their own emotions; a perceived sensitivity around raising child and family matters with patients and a lack of specialist experience, skills and knowledge. After completing the programme, participants reported greater understanding and knowledge, increased confidence to approach patients about family matters, greater skill to initiate conversations and explore family concerns and guiding parent–child communication according to the child's level of understanding, and an increased engagement and resilience for caring for parents with cancer.

Significance of the results Supporting HCPs to provide family-centred care is likely to reduce psychological difficulties in families where a parent has cancer. Further work is planned to disseminate the programme, evaluate the transfer of skills into practice, assess how HCPs manage the emotional demands of providing supportive care over time, and consider on-going professional support for HCPs.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 25 July 2016
e-pub ahead of print date: 16 August 2016
Published date: December 2016
Organisations: Faculty of Health Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 399735
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/399735
ISSN: 2045-435X
PURE UUID: 35932114-c027-49db-ba9f-60e9f4874648
ORCID for Theresa Wiseman: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3355-1269

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Date deposited: 25 Aug 2016 09:33
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 01:59

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Contributors

Author: Lucy Grant
Author: Amrit Sangha
Author: Sara Lister
Author: Theresa Wiseman ORCID iD

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