The ASCO Cancer Education Slides are based on the Cancer.Net Guides to Cancer and provides reliable, oncologist-approved cancer information in a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. These slide decks are intended for oncologists, oncology nurses, and other health-care team members with prepared presentations for patient and community group lectures.

Endgames is intended to help junior doctors with their postgraduate exam preparation and continuing professional development based on published picture quizzes and case based reports.

Oncology specific cases are available.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Professional Oncology Education Web site, dedicated to sharing our experiences and best practices in preventing, diagnosing and treating breast cancer.

Further topics in the breast cancer series of faculty lectures features information on inflammatory breast cancer and survivorship, with future modules coming soon regarding the identification of women at high risk, psychosocial support, palliative care, nursing management, diet and exercise.

This free, peer reviewed module by Fred Kavalier, a GP, is designed to give GPs, practice nurses, hospital consultants, and doctors in training a basic understanding of cancer and genetics.

After completing this module, you should:

• Understand the role that genetics plays in the development of cancer
• Understand the importance of family history as a risk factor for cancer
• Be able to take a family history that is specifically related to cancer
• Know where to refer patients who need more specialist assessment and management.

Staging is the process of determining how much cancer there is in the body and where it is located that describes the extent or severity of an individual‘s cancer based on the extent of the original (primary) tumor and the extent of spread in the body, assisting clinicians to plan treatment and determine a prognosis.

Resources include:

• Staging Moments, a tumour specific series of succinct, case-based presentations featuring symptom presentation imaging work-up and pathology diagnosis, targeting difficult and common staging scenarios and clarifying the finer points of staging
• 'AJCC TNM Schema Slide Library a downloadable slide library consisting of site-specific material covering a variety of tumors including the site-specific TNM, stage grouping, and pertinent survival data.

This website specialises in providing original multimedia programs about cancer and cancer-related topics.

Featured activities include live teleconferences that participants can enter, videos, podcasts and professional development activities.

A calendar of events is included.

Cell Biology and Cancer—developed with the National Cancer Institute (NCI)—is a creative, inquiry-based instruction program, designed to promote active learning and stimulate student interest in medical topics. This curriculum supplement will:

1. Deepen students' awareness of the importance of basic research to advances in medicine and health
2. Foster students' abilities to think critically
3. Help students understand the effects of scientific discoveries on their own lives
4. Encourage students to take more responsibility for their own health

Each CME LLC Oncology program features renowned faculty presenters from leading universities. These experts provide healthcare professionals with the latest medical advances, treatment options and preventive healthcare methods.

Formats have expanded from live meetings and publications to include online courses, PDA resources, podcasts, and more.

Users can search by specialty topics including:

• Breast Cancer
• Colorectal Cancer
• Lung Cancer
• Renal Cell Cancer
• Ovarian Cancer
• Pancreatic Cancer
• Leukemia and Supportive Care.

Each activity includes a needs assessment and learning objectives, and many include a post test to assess outcomes.

The Cyber Cancer Registry is an interactive tool developed by CDC's National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) to prepare people for a career in the cancer registry field. By working through the exercises and quizzes, you will gain practical experience in the functions of a cancer registrar in both hospitals and central registries.

The Cyber Cancer Registry is an interactive virtual registry system for developing and assessing the skills of cancer registry personnel. This virtual registry provides new cancer registrars an opportunity to gain hands-on practice in core areas of cancer registry operations.

The Cyber Cancer Registry gives immediate feedback to the user through practical exercises and assessments to evaluate the level of competency, track training scores, and provide a certificate of completion for each assessment.

The Cyber Cancer Registry consists of modules pertaining to the core functions of cancer registration in hospital and central cancer registry settings. The first available module is Casefinding (cancer case identification). This module is a virtual hospital setting with casefinding sources that include pathology reports, medical record disease indices, medical discharge logs, radiation oncology logs, and medical oncology logs.

Using real, de-identified medical records provided by registrars working in the field, the Cyber Cancer Registry provides users a simulated registry experience through a Web-based application. The medical records present varying degrees of difficulty and challenging situations in which coding rules and instructions must be applied.

US focus but applicable to Australian cancer data management and registry training.

Online, interactive conferences that support professional development by focusing on a particular area of oncology. Each Cyberounds® conference is moderated by a distinguished academic who each month posts new presentations and the learning objectives for the conference, allowing registered members the opportunity to pose questions and comments directly to the moderators. Previous conferences are archived and available for review.

Interactive games provide a fun environment to learn about new that teach users about new treatments and management techniques for oncology patients: http://www.cyberounds.com/games/hema/index.html

In cooperation with various partners, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has developed a distance learning course to assist of radiation oncology students, aiming to address the shortage of qualified radiation oncologists for cancer treatment in the Asia and Pacific region. The distance learning material contains eight topics and 71 training modules covering specialist topics required by trainee radiation oncologists including:

• Communication
• Critical Appraisal
• Functional Anatomy (Oncologically relevant anatomy)
• Molecular biology, pathology and pathogenesis
• Patient care (palliative science)
• Physics and radiation technology
• Radiobiology
• Systemic therapy for cancer (chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, immunomodulators).

Patients often have misconceptions about clinical trials that could influence their decision to participate. Dana-Farber, in collaboration with Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, has produced an audiovisual program and PDF educational booklet (also available in Spanish) to dispel these misconceptions. Using their own words, patients and clinicians explain what clinical trials are and offer suggestions to help patients decide whether or not to enroll in a study.

ESO online grandrounds allow you to attend weekly online grandrounds live by logging into the website at the specified time each Thursday to hear discussions between international experts and discussants on a variety of cancer topics, or to view previously recorded sessions for up to 6 months following the event.

The ASCO General Oncology MOC Module consists of 30 multiple-choice questions which include patient case information, educational links to ASCO-SEP^™, Journal of Clinical Oncology and PubMed and answer rationales. This activity is a tool for self-assessment of medical knowledge as it relates to general oncology.

Upon completion of this educational activity, participants will be able to:

• Identify knowledge gaps toward improved competence in general oncology practice
• Apply knowledge gained to the treatment of individual patients, as appropriate;
• Demonstrate participation in life-long learning and enhancement of competence.

Modules are also available for:

• Genitourinary Cancers MOC
• Lung Cancer MOC
• Gastrointestinal Cancers MOC
• Breast Cancer MOC
• Cancer Prevention MOC

GuidelineStat™ is the only Website of its kind – a wholly CME guideline resource dedicated to the needs of busy, practice-based physicians, spanning multiple therapeutic areas and linked to guideline-oriented patient cases.

The Non-small cell lung cancer tool includes:

• A Slide Presentation, suitable for self-directed learning
• A Disease State Animation focused on the disease entity and its treatment
• Practical Case Studies exemplifying key teaching points and best-practice guideline recommendations
• Treatment and Diagnostic Algorithms
• An Executive Summary that addresses the practical, need-to-know information from the guideline
• Self-Evaluations
• Patient Education Resources for in-office communications with patients
• A Discussion Forum to promote information exchange between learners and guideline experts
• Breaking News with links to recent publications

The Institute for Medical Education & Research, Inc. (IMER) is a leading provider of continuing education for physicians, nurses, and other health professionals who specialize in oncology.

IMER provides no-fee continuing education through a variety of live, online, and print programs highlighting current research in:

• breast cancer
• colorectal cancer
• lung cancer
• head and neck cancers

Courses target either physicians or nurses and are sorted by cancer type. Several modules include post-tests to assess learning outcomes.

Learn Zone is open to healthcare professionals and members of the public and provides free and easy access to a wide variety of online resources, e-learning programs, professional development tools and information about Macmillan's latest learning and development opportunities in cancer care.

Access cancer specific e-programs and resources and explore professional development tools, including an extensive leadership and management toolbox. You can also get in touch with online learning advisers.

MedEdPORTAL is a free peer-reviewed publication service and repository for medical and oral health teaching materials, assessment tools, and faculty development resources.

It was designed to promote educational collaboration by facilitating the open exchange of peer-reviewed teaching resources such as tutorials, virtual patients, simulation cases, lab guides, videos, podcasts, assessment tools, etc. While MedEdPORTAL's primary audiences include health educators and learners around the globe, it is open and available for free to the general public. Users can access quality, peer-reviewed teaching material and assessment tools in both the basic and clinical sciences in medicine and in oral health.

Several oncology specific modules are available via the portal.

A wide variety of multi-media video presentations, many with anatomical animations to be used in a variety of teaching and learning environments.

Topics include tumour-specific information and treatments including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, tomotherapy and IMRT.

Also available on the site are over 100 cancer audio podcasts on a variety of topics: http://www.muschealth.com/multimedia/Podcasts/index.aspx?type=topic&groupid=2

MERLOT is a free and open online community of resources designed primarily for faculty, staff and students of higher education from around the world to share their learning materials and pedagogy. 

MERLOT is a leading edge, user-centered, collection of peer reviewed higher education, online learning materials, catalogued by registered members and a set of faculty development support services provideing access to a broad range of cancer specific learning activities and modules.

MERLOT's strategic goal is to improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning by increasing the quantity and quality of peer reviewed online learning materials that can be easily incorporated into faculty designed courses.

Access free, online, interactive educational activities including presentation webcasts, streaming videos, podcasts, and an audio library of presentations from the NCCN Annual Conference, Annual Congress, and Regional Guidelines in Oncology Symposia regarding latest treatments and clinical practice guidelines including:

• Brain Cancer
• Breast Cancer
• Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia
• Colon/Rectal/Anal Cancers
• Oesophageal Cancer
• Gastric Cancer
• Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment
• Genitourinary Cancers
• Gynecologic Cancers
• Head and Neck Cancers
• Healthcare Policy and Practice
• Hepatobiliary Cancers
• Kidney Cancer
• Lung Cancer
• Lymphoma
• Myeloma
• Pancreatic Cancer
• PET/CT Scanning
• Prostate Cancer
• Sarcoma
• Supportive Care
• Survivorship
• Thyroid Cancer

The NPCR Education and Training Series (NETS) is a series of educational tools for state trainers to support central cancer registries in their role of providing education to staff and reporters.

Each module provides—

• Specific instructions for the presenter.
• A comprehensive overview with slides.
• Complete speaker's notes.
• Case scenarios.
• Exercises with answer sheets that include the rationale for each answer.

This series is an excellent source of training materials for state trainers and educators to train cancer registry employees (both hospital and central), Certified Tumor Registrars, and incidence reporters. NETS provides educational materials for trainers to use in either the central or hospital cancer registry. For more information about how you may use the NETS modules, please see Guidelines for Using the NETS Modules.

Modules include:

1. Building a Quality Presentation
   This three-part module is designed for education coordinators within the central registries and helps trainers identify what training is needed, improve training methods, build presentations using Microsoft^® PowerPoint 2003, and develop exercises.
2. Abstracting for the Beginner
   This three-part module for beginning reporters explains why cancer data is collected, how information flows from the facility level to the national level, and how to maintain the confidentiality of health data, perform casefinding, and complete the electronic cancer reporting form.
3. Quality Control for Central Registries
   This module has nine parts: five that provide an overview of total quality management and continuous quality improvement, and four separate stand-alone modules for audits, reliability studies, and data quality management reports. Exercises are provided for several of the sessions.
4. Validating Data with Text
   This module provides instructions for reporters on the importance of text to validate coded data, how to record text, and what text to include. The exercises help students determine necessary text.
5. Head and Neck Malignancies
   The head and neck cancer advanced abstracting module consists of three parts: Overview (incidence and multiple primary rules), Putting the Pieces Together, and Treatment and Survival.
6. Gynecological Malignancies
   The female genital cancers advanced abstracting module consists of three parts covering Introduction, Work-up, Stage of Disease, Treatment, and Follow-up and Outcomes.
7. Colorectal Malignancies
   The colorectal cancer advanced abstracting module consists of three presentations covering six parts: Demographics, Diagnosis, Extent of Disease, Treatment, Follow-up and Outcomes, and Quality Assurance.
8. Lung Malignancies
   The lung cancer advanced abstracting module consists of six parts: Demographics, Diagnosis, Extent of Disease, Treatment, Follow-up and Outcomes, and Quality Assurance.
9. Breast Malignancies
   The breast cancer advanced abstracting module consists of five parts: Introduction, Diagnosis, Stage of Disease, Treatment, and Follow-up, Outcomes, and Quality Review.
10. Bladder, Prostate, and Testicular Malignancies
    This advanced abstracting module consists of three parts: Bladder, Prostate, and Testis.
11. Uses of Cancer Registry Data
    The materials in this module have been developed to provide an overview of the various ways in which hospital cancer registry data and central registry data can be used. The module consists of two parts: Uses of Facility Registry Data and Uses of Central Registry Data.

US focus but applicable to Australian cancer data management and registry training.

OncologyCorner.com is a specialty portal page on CMEcorner.com, a free multidisciplinary clearinghouse for continuing education and support tools that focus on the  treatment of a variety of cancers.

OncologyCorner.com provides clinicians with a one-stop shop for free CME activities, resources, news and upcoming events. Users can also subscribe to RSS feeds about the latest news and research, ask questions for answer by experts and receive information about the latest topics.

OncologyEducation.ca is a Canadian developed educational resource for medical oncology professionals.

The site includes a set of key resources and updated information to support daily clinical practice and educational needs, including:

• the latest tumour specific research and journal articles
• online CME activities
• links to treatment summaries, practice guidelines, decision aides and drug information
• a broad range of multimedia learning resources.

An e-learning environment for readers of the European Journal of Cancer Care. This site is designed to provide continuing education for a wide range of cancer professionals practicing in different countries. The interactive format provides a more flexible approach to learning and is a response to the ever changing pressures on time and financial support available to professionals.

Founded in 1987 by TMA with a grant from the Texas Cancer Council (now the Cancer Prevention and Resource Institute of Texas), the Physician Oncology Education Program (POEP) strives to provide Texas physicians, physicians-in-training, and those in training to become physicians (e.g., medical and undergraduate students) with the knowledge and the skills necessary to reduce cancer morbidity and mortality through collaboration among the public, private, and volunteer sectors of the state.

CME Opportunities include:

SEER's online, self-study training web site was developed for cancer registry staff, cancer registrars, health professionals and others with an interested in basic information about types of cancer, its staging, and treatment.

The Cancer Registration & Surveillance Modules include information about:

• Registries and their operations
• Basic anatomy, physiology and medical terminology
• Cancer tests and treatments
• Coding and staging standards for cancer registration
• Case finding and follow-up

The Site-Specific Modules cover cancers of individual systems and organs in the human body. Each module covers basic information about cancer including:

• Statistics
• Risk Factors
• Anatomy
• Staging
• Treatment

This course was developed at Harvard Medical School to teach 4 core urology topics, including prostate cancer screening with prostate-specific antigen (PSA); benign prostatic hyperplasia and erectile dysfunction to medical students.

In five randomized trials to date, this spaced education course has been found to improve students' learning and retention of core urology concepts. Importantly, the course is also well-accepted by busy students on their clinical clerkships.  In 2009, the course was incorporated as a resource in the American Urological Association's National Medical Student Core Curriculum.

Spaced Education was originally developed at Harvard Medical School and takes advantage of the psychological finding that educational encounters which are spaced and repeated over time result in more efficient learning and improved learning retention. 

Programs that use Spaced Education are built around participants answering small numbers of case-based multiple choice questions that are emailed to participants over a number of weeks. Upon answering a question, participants are given succinct feedback and links to further resources. Questions are repeated using an evidence-based adaptive algorithm which personalizes the spacing of a course to the demonstrated knowledge level of each participant. The program is completed once the participant has retired all the questions by answering them correctly twice.

This animated tutorial for health professionals provides an overview of an emerging approach to cancer treatment called targeted therapies. The tutorial includes representative examples of the main types of targeted therapies and describes their mechanisms of action. It also explains how advanced research techniques, such as whole-genome profiling, contribute to the development of targeted therapies.

Available to be viewed as:

Animated/Flash Version (Flash - 1:00 hr.)
HTML Accessible Version (For low-bandwidth connections)
Order the DVD

A resource that assists non-cancer specialists to familiarise themselves with cancer specific departments, treatments, tests and equipment, the Virtual Departments of Clinical Oncology and Clinical Radiology guide you through the experience of visiting these areas of a hospital by providing information and case studies to explain procedures including chemotherapy, mammograms and angiography performed in these departments.

Click on a hospital staff member to find out more about their responsibilities; click on the patient to find out more about their experience and click on a piece of equipment to find out what it does.

Graphic-rich tutorials regarding various cancer issues for educational use by science teachers, medical professionals, and the interested public.

Topics covered include:

• Angiogenesis
• Blood Stem Cell Transplants
• Cancer
• Cancer and the Environment
• Cancer Genome Project
• Cancer Genomics
• Estrogen Receptor/SERMs
• Gene Testing
• Genetic Variation (SNPs)
• HPV Vaccine
• Molecular Diagnostics
• Nanodevices
• Targeted Therapies
• The Immune System.

Each tutorial is also available in PDF and PowerPoint formats.

Anatomedia provides anatomy & multimedia learning resources, of global application, benefit and adoption; incorporating the latest advances in radiology and advancing the discipline of anatomy.

an@tomedia™ provides:

• detailed serial dissections of real human bodies
• coloured overlays of individual structures
• multiple perspectives to explore anatomy and compare
• flexibility to choose your approach, rate, sequence and depth of learning
• interactive text, labels and clinical questions
• new concepts in anatomy and relevant clinical applications
• capacity to 'build' systems, 'map' regions, 'dissect' layers and 'trace' images
• a self learning resource with a solid educational basis
• has a simple and consistent navigation system

Information about ordering the program is available here.

Developed by the CCORE (Collaboration for Cancer Outcomes Research & Evaluation) of the South Western Sydney Area Health Service, this distance learning material contains 8 topics and 80 modules covering:

• Radiobiology
• Physics
• Oncology anatomy
• Palliation
• Chemotherapy
• Communication skills
• Molecular bioogy

The full course can be downloaded for free from IAEA website and burned to 2 CDs.

Now co-hosted by Clinical Education and Training Institute (CETI) and the Cancer Institute NSW (CINSW), and conducted in partnership with the Faculty of Radiation Oncology, RANZCR, and the Medical Oncology Group, RACP, the popular Basic Sciences in Oncology course is a multidisciplinary program that provides an excellent opportunity to gain an overview of key issues in oncology. The course is designed to support best practice and provide core skills and competencies. Participants who successfully meet the course requirements will receive a Certificate of Participation at the end of the course.

Topics covered by the course include:

• anatomy
• clinical pharmacology
• communication skills training
• palliative care
• physics
• research and evidence-based medicine
• radiobiology
• tumour biology

The Professional Development Unit (PDU) within the Faculty of Health, Medicine, Nursing and Behavioural Sciences at Deakin University offers high quality educational learning packages that provide nurses with the opportunity to update their professional skills, support their current practice, take another career direction or seek an alternative entry pathway into Higher Education.

Learning packages are available in either full (with assessment) or audit (without assessment) form.

In the Cancer Care for Health Professionals suite of learning packages, participants are encouraged to reflect on their experiences, incorporating theoretical concepts while developing skills and strategies for application in practice. There are currently two (2) learning packages available. Two additional packages will be available in late 2011.

PDU401 Learning package one: Cancer Care Body Systems and Assessment

Assisting the health professional workforce to enhance the quality of cancer care for individuals and their families, this learning package provides an introduction to body systems, diagnosis of specific types of cancer and assessment of needs and includes:

• An overview of Cancer in Australia 
• Respiratory system
• Gastrointestinal system
• Haemopoietic System/Lymphatic System
• Reproductive System
• Genitourinary System

PDU402 Learning package 2: Cancer Care: Psychosocial Perspectives (available from Trimester 2, 2010)  

Exploring the psychosocial, cultural and spiritual dimensions of cancer care from the perspectives of the patient and strategies to be addressed by the professional and the team when caring for the patient with cancer, this learning package includes:

• Principles of communication 
• Psychosocial issues in cancer care
• Models of Care
• Caring for the Professional  

For further information, please contact hmnbs-support@deakin.edu.au or visit the website: www.deakin.edu.au/hmnbs/pdu 

In partnership with Royal College of Nursing Australia (RCNA) and Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education, the Australian General Practice Network have released a new professional development elearning module for practice nurses and registered Aboriginal Health Workers on the RCNA professional development site, 3LP, the e-Learning Training Package for Medicare Item 10997.

Medicare Item 10997 relates to the provision of monitoring and support to people with a chronic disease care plan, by a practice nurse or registered Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker on behalf of a general practitioner.

The elearning package is designed to enhance the role of practice nurses and Aboriginal Health Workers providing this service to patients with a chronic disease, including cancer, to support GPs to provide quality care to patients and to assist general practitioners to feel confident that practice nurses and registered Aboriginal Health Workers who successfully undertake the e-learning package are appropriately qualified and trained to provide monitoring and support for patients with a chronic disease care plan.

Information presented as elearning modules (generally Powerpoint/voice over format) that support health professionals to increase their knowledge and understanding about the various issues of patients diagnosed with gynaecological cancer.  T

he modules include:

• Gynaecological cancer patient management
• Psychosocial distress
• Sexuality
• Complementary therapies
• Pain management
• End of life
• Survivorship

The Management of secondary lymphoedema: workshop module for health professionals aims to provide health professionals with an understanding of best practice relating to the management of secondary lymphoedema.

The module has been accredited by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) as a QA & CPD Category 2 activity.

It is intended that the module be delivered by a GP and lymphoedema practitioner.

The CD-ROMs for the workshop include:

• PowerPoint presentation and presentation notes
• workshop agenda (template)
• promotional flyer (template)
• certificate of attendance (template)
• workshop evaluation form (template)
• The management of secondary lymphoedema - a guide for health professionals (MSLG)
• Lymphoedema - what you need to know (LNKC)
• Lymphoedema - Indigenous brochure (ILB)

Order:

If your organisation is interested in running a lymphoedema educational training program for health professionals or Indigenous health workers, please contact 1800 624 973 to order a copy of the relevant module.

The Management of secondary lymphoedema: workshop module for Indigenous health workers aims to provide Indigenous health workers with an understanding of the management of secondary lymphoedema, and is designed to be delivered as part of a comprehensive cancer training module for Indigenous health workers.

It is intended that the module be delivered by an Indigenous health worker or educator and lymphoedema practitioner. The presenters’ notes include tips for planning, promoting and delivering the workshop.

The CD-ROMs for the workshop include:

• PowerPoint presentation and presentation notes
• workshop agenda (template)
• promotional flyer (template)
• certificate of attendance (template)
• workshop evaluation form (template)
• The management of secondary lymphoedema - a guide for health professionals (MSLG)
• Lymphoedema - what you need to know (LNKC)
• Lymphoedema - Indigenous brochure (ILB)

Order:

If your organisation is interested in running a lymphoedema educational training program for health professionals or Indigenous health workers, please contact 1800 624 973 to order a copy of the relevant module.

PrimEd offers high quality educational experiences that engage a professional audience with the knowledge, skills, and ability to immediately implement learning.

PriMed also hosts other educational portals including UQ Health Insitu; PriMed GP and PriMed pharmacy.

Courses can be tailored to suit your educational needs. Contact PriMed for further information here.

Gynaecological Oncologists are specialists in obstetrics and gynaecology, awarded the FRANZCOG, who have completed a formal three year training program in gynaecological cancer care and have passed the examination for the CGO.

The CGO Handbook contains essential information about the RANZCOG CGO training program and should be read in conjunction with the Subspecialty Policies and Procedures Manual which contains essential information about the RANZCOG Subspecialties training programs.

This course targets Basic and Advanced Trainees in Medical Oncology. It is to be used by those new to prescribing, or soon to be prescribing chemotherapy.

The key objective is for learners to have a strong knowledge and understanding of commonly used chemotherapy protocols, and to be able to use this knowledge in real patient situations. This course is based on a review of the core curriculum for Basic Physician Training, the draft curriculum for Advanced Training in Medical Oncology and the COSA guidelines for prescribing chemotherapy. For each commonly used protocol, learners should be able to:

  1.  Look up incidence of side effects on eviQ
  2.  Identify steps taken to prevent side effects
  3.  Identify efficacy of protocol
  4.  Identify indications for dose modification
  5.  Identify supportive care needs
  6.  Identify rare but important side effects

This course is a collaboration between the Cancer Institute of NSW, Cancer Australia and the Workforce Education and Development Group, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney.

Spaced Education was originally developed at Harvard Medical School and takes advantage of the psychological finding that educational encounters which are spaced and repeated over time result in more efficient learning and improved learning retention. 

Programs that use Spaced Education are built around participants answering small numbers of case-based multiple choice questions that are emailed to participants over a number of weeks. Upon answering a question, participants are given succinct feedback and links to further resources. Questions are repeated using an evidence-based adaptive algorithm which personalizes the spacing of a course to the demonstrated knowledge level of each participant. The program is completed once the participant has retired all the questions by answering them correctly twice.

The Cancer Council NSW has a range of resources available for health professionals and educators including:

• Cancer Awareness Training Resource for Health Professionals
• Talking About Sexuality, Body Image and Cancer
• Managing Cancer Pain
• General Practitioner Screening Guide: A Desktop Decision Support Tool
• Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Module: Early Prostate Cancer
• Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Module: Rectal Cancer.

All resources can be purchased or downloaded through The Cancer Council NSW website. To order Cancer Council education resources contact Tmne Blair on 02 9334 1457.

The Cancer Council Victoria provides a range of education course, programs, workshops and seminars including:

Cancer Nursing Practice (including breast, lung and prostate nursing)

• BreastHealth
  A 1-day program for health and community workers new to breast health.
• BreastCare nurse inservice
  Download presentations from a recent inservice day.
• Communication for Clinicians
  A 1/2-day workshop delivered to small groups in your workplace.
• Sexuality & Cancer Workshops 
  Learn how to support patients through this difficult territory.
• Living with Cancer Facilitator Training
  A 2-day course. Learn to facilitate and deliver this group, patient-support program.
• Quit Educators
  The Quit website has details of 2-day courses for becoming an accredited Quit Educator.
• Education for general practice
  A range of workshops and seminars for GPs and practice nurses.

Cancer Council WA provides comprehensive information and events relevant to health professionals, including:

• Aboriginal health professionals
• Allied health professionals, including psychologists, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, exercise physiologists and dietitians
• General Practitioners, practice nurses and other primary care health professionals
• Palliative care professionals
• Cancer specialists (WA Clinical Oncology Group).

Further information regarding events and information is available: www.cancerwa.asn.au or education@cancerwa.asn.au.

The graduate courses in nursing are aimed at enabling the registered nurse to develop knowledge and consolidate skills to function as specialists within their chosen discipline. They are also aimed at providing currently specialised nurses with opportunities to advance their own sphere of professional practice.

The course flyer can be downloaded from the website.

For information regarding application procedures, see: http://www.nd.edu.au/fremantle/future%20students/domesticStudents/howToApply/auadmissions.shtml

The Graduate Diploma in Nursing Science (Oncology) is an academic plan designed to provide the registered nurse caring for people with cancer and their families the opportunity to develop further advanced theoretical knowledge and specialist skills in oncology nursing.

This program is designed to improve the student‘s knowledge of cancer disease processes treatments used and the possible out comes of these treatments improve the student‘s clinical skills necessary for practice in an area where technology is continually changing.

This will facilitate safe and competent practice; build on knowledge already acquired through working in the speciality. Encouraging the student to research and examine the literature in the area of cancer nursing will enhance this, which supports the care provided to the person with cancer, their families and friends.

The Master of Nursing (Breast Care) is a 1.5 year, full-time or 2-3 year, part-time award with exit options available at either the Graduate Certificate (one year, part-time, 60 credit points) or the Postgraduate Diploma (one year, full-time or two years part-time, 120 credit points).

The course is designed to prepare qualified nurses to care for people with breast cancer from the time of screening to diagnosis, and throughout the disease trajectory.The latest developments in research, treatments and psychosocial support are incorporated. This area of study is only available via flexi-mode delivery.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing Practice (PDNP) Cancer and Palliative Care provides you with the opportunity to extend your nursing knowledge in an area of specialty nursing and to develop a level of clinical competence consistent with proficient specialty practice. You will develop a depth and complexity of knowledge regarding Cancer and Palliative Care that enhances your specialty nursing practice in a variety of contexts and nursing roles.

Clinical research in oncology is an enormous field that integrates the efforts of a broad multi-disciplinary team; including medical, nursing, allied health, laboratory and other professionals.

The Specialist Certificate in Clinical Research (Oncology) has been designed to bring together this multi-disciplinary group to give them a better understanding of all types of research conducted in oncology as well as provide an understanding of the essential components and features of successful research activities and research careers.

Students will gain an understanding of the breath of research in oncology and the range of career opportunities. They will be presented with some of the ethical and legal considerations relevant to clinical research in oncology. They will learn of the many different outcomes assessed by oncology clinical trials, including how and why these might differ from other disciplines.

Students will gain an appreciation of how to develop a research proposal/study protocol and will develop skills in critically appraising presentations and publications concerning oncology research. Students will also be exposed to many of the current active areas of research in clinical oncology research.

A wide variety of web-based online courses to assist nurses to accrue CNE points to develop and maintain the highest standards of professional excellence.

The site also includes an personal electronic portfolio for members of RCNA and subscribers to track their professional development activity and points, an individual professional journal and certificates that can be printed on completion of a course.

Following the success of last year‘s course the CPG are pleased to offer this course again in 2010.

Designed to assist pharmacists in developing their clinical skills in cancer pharmacy practice, the 2-day course combines informative lectures with interactive workshops to assist practioners in developing their skills and abilities in the many processes involved in providing cancer treatment to patients. The course is aimed at pharmacists who

are already working in the area of cancer but have less than 2 years experience. A background knowledge of cancer therapy is essential to enable participation in workshops and discussions. A report regarding the 2009 course and a brochure can be downloaded here.

Free online courses that include a range of resources and activities including informational web pages that provide text, pictures and diagrams related to the course subject, including case studies and scenarios; self-assessment exercises to test your knowledge and understanding of each topic of the course; and further resources, covering books, journal articles and websites that have been selected by the course development team as being particularly relevant to those interested in the field.

Navigate through the course at your own pace, choosing your own route, and you can re-read any of the text and undertake any of the self-assessment exercises as often as you want.

Topics include:

• Palliative Care
• Pain Management
• Stomas, Cannulation, Syringe Drivers and Catheter Care
• Paediatric and AYA cancer
• Chemotherapy and specific cancers such as Prostate, Oesophageal and Renal

Training Packages are a key feature of vocational education and training in Australia. They are part of the National Training Framework that aims to make training and regulatory arrangements simple, flexible and relevant to the needs of industry.

Skill Sets in Training Packages are units of competency (one or more) grouped by industry as reflecting skills that meet a defined industry need or in some instances are required for a licence or regulatory requirement. Skill Sets can build on qualifications to provide specific work based skills and knowledge that enhance the work readiness of academically qualified workers. Skill sets can provide ‘parcels’ of skills and knowledge to workers to expand their ability without having to do another full qualification.

The CHCO8 Community Services Training package offers several skill sets relevant to the cancer health care comunity, including the Palliative Approach, Pastoral Care, Case Management, Chronic Disease Management and Working With Families.

The HLT07 Health Training package also has several relevant skill sets, including those targetted to allied health assistance, including nutrition and dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech pathology.

Implementation packages and resources are available on the website, together with other skill sets and training packages.

Population Health and Indigenous Health Resource Kits are also available on the site.

These supporting modules assist with the development of specialist cancer nursing competencies in conjunction with the EdCaN learning resources. Provision and coordination of care relates to the coordination, organisation and provision of nursing care. It includes the assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of care for people affected by cancer. Supporting modules include:

• The cancer journey and domains of specialist cancer nursing practice
• Population health concepts in cancer control
• The biology of cancer
• Cancer treatments
• Cancer treatment planning

- Fundamentals of cancer surgery
- Fundamentals of radiotherapy for cancer
- Fundamentals of systemic cancer therapies
- Fundamentals of cancer biological and molecular targeted therapies

• Supportive care
• Culture-centred approach in cancer control for Indigenous Australians

Educator resources are also included.

This course presents the foundational knowledge that physiotherapists need to know in order to perform an initial evaluation of a cancer patient to develop an appropriate care plan.

The basic principles of cancer development, general diagnostic procedures and general medical intervention strategies are presented, with a case scenario related to each of the foundational principles included and discussed.

The course is approved for continuing professional development (CPD) or education units (CEUs) in most countries and in most states in the USA.

Details of currently available educational opportunities in gynaecological oncology developed by a number of providers for non specialist health professionals. Some activities have been approved for CME points with various professional bodies. 

Information regarding course convenors, contacts, course dates, costs and further details are available on this webpage.

Available course include:

• Assessing symptoms that may be ovarian cancer
• Cervical screening upskilling for GPs
• Well women's screening course (nursing)
• Certificate in sexual & reproductive health (nursing)
• Female cancers and psychosocial care
• Ovarian cancer (in rural areas)
• Management of secondary lymphoedema
• Gynaecological Cancer Support
• Talking about sexuality, body image and cancer
• Caring for women with ovarian cancer, part 1: diagnosis and treatment
• Caring for women with ovarian cancer, part 2: living with ovarian cancer, palliative and end life care

HOPE CINV has been developed to assist pharmacists with the supportive care of oncology patients who experience chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). This innovative e-learning initiative is designed to update knowledge on the clinical practice guidelines and recent advances in the prevention and management of CINV.

The purpose of the program is to:

• review current understanding of the pathophysiology of CINV
• review the recommended management strategies for CINV
• focus on ways to minimize CINV.

The major objective of the new ISNCC webinar program is to offer ISNCC members and non-members the opportunity to engage in nursing educational opportunities on a range of cancer and cancer nursing topics at a reasonable cost and in the convenience of their own office or home.

Participants and speakers only require internet and phone access; therefore, webinars provide informative, timely and cost-effective international education. Multiple participants at one institution can benefit from the same webinar by using a speakerphone and communal monitor/projector.

The application typically lasts 1 hour and can consist of more than one speaker. Questions from the audience are usually addressed at the end of the presentations thus providing a fully interactive learning medium.

Lippincott’s NursingCenter.com develops credible, current, authoritative, evidence-based online resources and courses based on articles from more than 50 leading peer-reviewed nursing journals, including the American Journal of Nursing, Nursing2009, Nursing Management, The Nurse Practitioner, Nursing2009 Critical Care.

Select Oncology as your specialty for a list of multimedia education options on a wide variety of cancer topics, based on recent, peer reviewed, published articles. The relevant, referenced article is available for free download to PDF and registered members can pay a fee to undertake a knowledge test to determine their comprehension of the issues presented.

The Myeloma Nurse Learning Programme© is an innovative online learning course specifically designed for haematology and oncology nurses with a particular interest in myeloma. Whilst UK based, it is also extremely relevant to Australian nurses. It has been designed to inform and challenge nurses over a series of ten self-learning modules, which include reflective activities, 3D animations and video clips from myeloma specialists and patients. At the end of each module there is a self assessment quiz, and the programme is assessed by four formal examination assessments which should be completed at the end of the programme.

The Myeloma Nurse Learning Programme© is:

• Endorsed by Royal College of Nursing Australia (RCNA) for CNE points: upon completion of the programme, nurses can claim 170 points towards their continuing education requirement.

• Free and available to all nurses with an interest in myeloma

• Flexible to fit around nurses’ busy schedules

• Credit-rated by Edinburgh Napier University

• Interactive and complete with 3D animations and online media

• Up-to-date with relevant evidence and best practice to support nurses in their work

• Reviewed by doctor and nurse specialists in myeloma and uses the most up to date research and best practice to inform it.

The program can be ordered from Myeloma Foundation of Australia: http://www.myeloma.org.au/ or Myeloma Foundation of UK: http://www.magicfornurses.co.uk/

Western Schools is a well recognized, nationally accredited (US) provider of online continuing health education.

A wide range of short courses for cancer nurses are available including:

• Cancer in Women (25 hrs)
• Cancer Nursing: A Solid Foundation for Practice, 2nd Edition (36 hrs)
• Chemotherapies and Biotherapies (10 hrs)
• Holistic and Complementary Therapies (15 hrs)
• Lung Cancer (3 hrs)
• Pain & Symptom Management (1 hr)
• Pain Management: Principles and Practice (25 hrs)

A broad range of online CME modules regarding various aspects of cancer care nursing.

Modules include:

• Chemotherapy-Induced Anemia in Cancer Patients - Continuing Education
• Management of Chemotherapy Induced Cognitive Impairment - Continuing Education
• Management of Chemotherapy-Induced Diarrhea - Continuing Education
• Management of Chemotherapy-Induced Dysgeusia - Continuing Education
• Management of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting
• Management of Dyspnea in Cancer Patients - Continuing Education
• Management of Radiation Induced Xerostomia - Continuing Education
• Management of Radiodermatitis - Continuing Education
• Nursing Management of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy - Continuing Education
• Nursing Management of Patients with Cancer-Related Anorexia - Continuing Education
• Sleep Disturbances and Cancer - Continuing Education
• The Effect of Breast Cancer Treatments on Sexuality In Premenopausal Female Cancer Survivors - Continuing Education

Modules involve reading and a post test.

The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre runs a number of face-to-face workshops on oncology.

Courses include:

• Introduction to cancer
• Cancer care emergencies
• Cancer surgery
• Cannulation (peripheral) and central venous access devices
• Chemotherapy (3 modules -only open to Registered Nurses)
• Division II cancer nursing course
• Haematology malignancies

This course targets Nurses who are involved in handling cytotoxic drugs in their work.

The learning objectives for this course are based on the Oral and Intravenous Chemotherapy Nurse Training Program. The competency criterions for this program are:

1. Ability to access guidelines related to safe handling of cytotoxic drugs and related waste
2. Identify the packaging and transport requirements of cytotoxic drugs within your local setting
3. List the common causes of exposure to cytotoxic drugs and related cytotoxic contaminated waste, and steps to minimise exposure
4. Demonstrate the correct disposal of cytotoxic contaminated waste, linen and equipment
5. Explain the precautions to be taken for handling patients’ body waste following cytotoxic administration
6. Demonstrate correct use of PPE when handling cytotoxic drugs and related cytotoxic waste
7. Identify  the health surveillance requirements for staff handling of cytotoxic drugs and related contaminated waste in your local setting
8. Explain procedures for dealing with cytotoxic contamination of health professionals
9. Demonstrate the correct management of a cytotoxic spill

The program references the Safe Handling and Waste Management of Antineoplastic Drugs protocol in eviQ, which should be used in conjunction with the WorkCover Cytotoxic Drugs and related Waste Guide 2008.

Further information on The National Cancer Nursing Education (EdCaN) project the learning resources developed are availabel via this link.

Spaced Education was originally developed at Harvard Medical School and takes advantage of the psychological finding that educational encounters which are spaced and repeated over time result in more efficient learning and improved learning retention. 

Programs that use Spaced Education are built around participants answering small numbers of case-based multiple choice questions that are emailed to participants over a number of weeks. Upon answering a question, participants are given succinct feedback and links to further resources. Questions are repeated using an evidence-based adaptive algorithm which personalizes the spacing of a course to the demonstrated knowledge level of each participant. The program is completed once the participant has retired all the questions by answering them correctly twice.

These workshops, distance education and Graduate Certificate courses have been designed on a range of topics.

These include:

• Continuing professional development for enrolled nurses: palliative care
• Continuing professional development for registered nurses: breast cancer care
• Current issues in chemotherapy
• Distance education for registered nurses: breast cancer
• Chemotherapy and other systemic treatments in cancer care
• Communication in cancer care
• Principles of stoma care
• Graduate certificate courses in cancer and breast cancer nursing - for further information, see: http://www.nursing.edu.au/Online_Course/ShowCourseProfile.aspx?CourseID=582&CategoryID=1

Information about available courses and details are avaiable for download on the site.

The VEINS FOR LIFE* awareness program is designed to help you weigh the advantages and disadvantages of implanted ports and other vascular access devices (VAD) over peripheral intravenous devices (PIV) and educate patients about implanted ports as a viable vascular access option.

A range of information and education materials are avialable on the site to assist health professionals to select the most appropriate vascular access device that meets their patients' immediate and long-term needs.