Competencies for Cancer Patient Educators

1
Competencies for Cancer Patient Educators

• Jean A. Just RN,C, MSN, CS
• Chair CPEN
• Chair CPEN Staff Development Committee
• 2005

2
Purpose CPEN Staff Development Committee

• Staff Development activities that promote
  excellence in cancer patient education
• Establish competencies for staff
• Knowledge and skills required
• Make recommendations for development of skills
  related to competencies

3
Methodology

• Survey tool developed of key competencies
• 38 competencies identified
• Sent to current CPEN members - 2005
• Importance of competency
• Evaluate skill level
• Demographic data
• Educational data

4
Importance of Competency

• 1Not important learning will occur without
  this
• 2Somewhat important will most probably occur
• 3Important learning may not occur
• 4Very important it is probable learning will
  not occur
• 5Extremely important learning will not occur
  without it

5
Current Skill Level

• 1 Little or No Skill
• 2 Basic Skill
• 3 Adequate Skill
• 4 Proficient Skill
• 5 Expert Skill

6
Results

• 42 surveys collected (33)
• Demographics
• Discipline
• Length of Time in Oncology
• Proportion of Day Spent Teaching Patients
• Proportion of Job Dedicated to Patient/Consumer
  Education

7
Discipline
8
Length of Time in Oncology
9
Proportion of Day Spent Teaching
10
Proportion of Job Dedicated to Patient or
Consumer Education
11
Primary Work Setting
12
Primary Functional Area
13
Highest Degree Attained
14
Professional Certifications
15
Extremely Important Competencies

• Considers emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis
  on learning (72)
• Determines degree of health literacy and adjusts
  teaching methods accordingly (67)
• Individualizes patient teaching (59)
• Recognizes the impact frightening concepts
  related to a cancer diagnosis can have on
  learning (56)

16
Extremely Important Competencies

• Determines what is understood and what still
  needs to be taught (55)
• Builds rapport with patients and helps them to
  feel comfortable during the teaching interaction
  (55)
• Incorporates family/support person into teaching
  as appropriate (54)
• Determines the patients level of understanding
  of information provided (51)

17
Not or Somewhat Important

• Applies learning theories to patient education
  (21)
• Provides information on cancer prevention (13)
• Provides patients with various strategies to help
  them learn (11)
• Provides information in the right order as
  defined by the patient. (11)
• Assists patient to formulate questions about
  their care. (10)
• Documents teaching on appropriate form (10)

18
Expert Skill

• Builds rapport with patients and helps them to
  feel comfortable during the teaching interaction
  (59)
• Considers emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis
  on learning (48)
• Acts as a resource/coach for other staff related
  to patient education activities (i.e. identifies
  teaching tools, teaching approach or strategy) (
  47)
• Determines type of information desired (i.e.
  treatment, side effects, symptom management)
  (45) denotes extremely important competency

19
Expert Skill

• Verbally reinforces education from written
  materials (38)
• Recognizes the impact frightening concepts
  related to a cancer diagnosis can have on
  learning (38)
• Determines individual learning needs of patient
  (35)
• Determines priority learning needs and who needs
  to know what (35)
• denotes extremely important competency

20
Skill Level Proficient Expert

• Builds rapport with patients and helps them to
  feel comfortable during the teaching interaction
  (97)
• Determines the patients level of understanding
  of information provided (94)
• Verbally reinforces education from written
  materials (94)
• denotes extremely important competency

21
Skill Level Proficient Expert

• Determines type of information desired (i.e.
  treatment, side effects, symptom management)
  (93)
• Considers emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis
  on learning (93) 
• Individualizes patient teaching (91)
• Incorporates family/support person into teaching
  as appropriate (91) 
• denotes extremely important competency

22
Skill Level Little or Basic

• Applies learning theories to patient education
  (9)
• Refers to chart documentation to determine what
  has been taught (refers to communication from
  others) (9)

23
Adequate Skill Level

• Provides information on cancer prevention (47)
• Provides information in the right order as
  defined by the patient (42)  
• Applies learning theories to patient education
  (39)
• Considers cultural factors that impact learning
  (33)

24
Adequate Skill Level

• Refers to chart documentation to determine what
  has been taught (refers to communication from
  others) (33)
• Spreads teaching out over several encounters (30)

25
Conclusions

• Tool identifies competencies for staff educating
  patients with a cancer diagnosis
• Provides a way to prioritize competencies
• Identifies perceived skill levels
• Can be used to design education programs to
  target competency development

26
Special Thanks

• Cancer Patient Education Network (CPEN) Staff
  Development Committee Linda Abbott, Tina Ban,
  Megan Battaglia, Ann Breen, Susanne Brooks,
  Sarah Christensen, Debbie Essig, Audrey
  Friedman, Cynthia Griffo, Anne Kisak, Marilee
  Kuhrik, Nancy Kuhrik, Rosanne Ososki, Nita Pyle,
  Karen Stepan, Carolyn Weaver
• Roland Bassett, MS Senior Statistical Analyst
  Department of Biostatistics Applied
  Mathematics The University of Texas M. D.
  Anderson Cancer Center
• Karen A. Stepan, MPH, RN, CHES
  Patient Education Office Sr. Health
  Education Specialist The University of Texas M.
  D. Anderson Cancer Center
• Nita Pyle, MSN, RN
  Associate Director, Patient
  Education Office The
  University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center