For clinicians implementing supportive care; screening involves changing clinical practice which can be a challenging undertaking in an already busy clinical environment.
Change is an essential component of continuous quality improvement. A fundamental step in effecting change management is educating health care professionals as to the reasons why change is necessary. With this in mind GICS has developed an educational program consisting of an online self-directed education module and communication skills workshop.
The self-directed online module has been developed using resources from the Supportive Care Cancer Victoria Project. This module introduces learners to the policy context of supportive care and the practical steps of implementing supportive care screening into clinical practice. A peer review process has been completed to ensure the module aligns with best practice.
GICS has also developed a communication skills workshop that involves interactive sessions combining didactic presentations in communication skills and role play simulation with the use of professional actors. The workshops are run in hospitals throughout the Grampians region for those conducting supportive care screening, and compliment the self-directing online supportive care screening module.
The online module sits on the Grampians Loddon Mallee e-learning platform. Since its launch in October 2012, forty two health care professionals (33 from the Grampians and 9 from Loddon Mallee), have completed the module.
Thirty five health care professionals have attended four communication workshops in 2012. Participant feedback indicates that the workshops have met the learning needs of health care professionals in supportive care. Further workshops have been planned for 2013.
The education program has assisted GICS engage health care professionals in change management and in the development of clinical skills towards the implementation of supportive care in practice. Further evaluation is required to establish if the education provided changes professional practice over time and improves patient experiences or outcomes.