The majority of health care professionals working in roles outside of specialty oncology settings do not have access to oncology education—especially outside of nursing.

Individuals with cancer and their families are cared for by a wide range of health care professionals.

Evidence demonstrates cancer care is complex and requires specialized knowledge and skills.

In 2018, the Oncology Practice Readiness Education Program (O-PREP) in Alberta Health Services partnered with the de Souza Institute in Ontario to launch Cancer Care Basics for Alberta—oncology education available

to all staff.

ONCOLOGY EDUCATION FOR ALL: Success in Meeting an Organizational Learning Need

INTRODUCTION

CONCLUSION & IMPLICATIONS

With the support of AHS’ Associate Chief Nursing Office, O-PREP continues to offer Cancer Care Basics for Alberta for all.

Data supports a need for oncology education across a variety of job titles in healthcare. Increased learner confidence and competence may translate to improved quality of care and

patient safety—further evaluation is needed.

Cancer Care

Basics

Accessible to all

AHS staff

Variety of oncology

topics

Certificates of

completion

No cost to the

individual

22 independent

e-learning modules

RESULTS

Annual data from self-reported pre and post-module completions continue to demonstrate:

Increases in confidence and competence. A majority of learners who access the learning modules

provide direct patient care to individuals with cancer. There is an ongoing need for oncology education in

AHS, regardless of job title, healthcare site, or location in Alberta.

2000+Learners

90Locations

100Unique Job

Titles

190Alberta

Sites

EVALUATION STRATEGY & FINDINGS

Farkas, Sydney RN, MN, CON(C) (AHS), Alison McLaughlin BEd, MEd, CHE (AHS), Candis Bilyk RN, BScN, MN (AHS), Jiahui Wong M.D., PhD (de Souza Institute),

Mathew Gancarz MMSc (de Souza Institute), Komal Patel, RN(EC), MN, CON(C), CHPCN(C), GN(C) (de Souza Institute), Allan Holtzman BSc (de Souza Institute),

Donalda MacDonald RN, CON(C) (de Souza Institute), Gayatre Maharaj RN, MN, CON(C), CHPCN(C) (de Souza Institute), & Samantha Scime RN, MN, CON(C) (de Souza Institute).

Self-reported pre-confidence (*n= 214 to 55) and post-confidence levels (*n=166 to 49)*dependent on which modules were completed and by how many learners.

Determine oncology learning needs beyond specialty nursing orientation within (AHS).

Provide an evidence-based and sustainable learning resource for basic oncology education.

Ensure accessibility to all professions.

OBJECTIVES

Evaluation data from February 2019 to March 2020.

Sydney.Farkas@ahs.ca

References

Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology (CANO/ACIO). (2019). Nursing Knowledge and Practice Framework and Toolkit for Cancer Care. Retrieved from https://www.cano-acio.ca/page/practiceframework

Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology. (2006). Practice Standards and Competencies for the Specialized Oncology Nurses. Vancouver, BC: Author. Retrieved from https://www.cano-acio.ca/resource/resmgr/standards/CONEP_Standards2006September.pdf

Davis, T. C., Williams, M. V., Marin, E., Parker, R. M., & Glass, J. (2002). Health literacy and cancer communication. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 52(3), 134-149. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.3322/canjclin.52.3.134

Head, B. A., Schapmire, T., Hermann, C., Earnshaw, L., Faul, A., Jones, C., ... & Pfeifer, M. (2014). The Interdisciplinary Curriculum for Oncology Palliative Care Education (iCOPE): meeting the challenge of interprofessional education. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 17(10), 1107-1114. Retrieved from https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/jpm.2014.0070

Purnell, M. J., Walsh, S. M., & Milone, M. A. (2004). Oncology nursing education: Teaching strategies that work. Nursing Education Perspectives, 25(6), 304-308. Retrieved from https://web-b-ebscohost-com.ahs.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=dcefde26-1bfb-4d26-9878-6c1a6c96e889%40pdc-v-sessmgr03

Vancouver Costal Health (2014). Health Literary Basics for Health Professionals. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8w9kdcRgsI

Acknowledgements: Our partners at the de Souza Institute

& AHS’ Associate Chief Nursing Office.

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Cancer Care Basics for Alberta: Self-Reported Pre & Post Confidence Intervals(2021)

Pre-Confidence Post-Confidence improvement