This case study recounts the experience of Libby, a 48-year-old female diagnosed with breast cancer. This case study aims to facilitate the development of competencies that reflect the role of the Specialist Cancer Nurse (SCN) in providing supportive care, information, and education to a person diagnosed with breast cancer at various points across the cancer journey. This case study focuses on issues during and following active treatment, including specific issues associated with diagnosis and treatment of a contralateral second primary breast cancer.

The case study contains four sections:

• Reduce risk
• Find the condition early
• Have the best treatment and support during active treatment
• Have the best treatment and support between and after active treatment.

This case study recounts the experience of Burt, a 68-year-old male diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. This case study aims to facilitate the development of competencies that reflect the role of the Specialist Cancer Nurse (SCN) in the delivery of evidence-based supportive care, including provision of information and education for people affected by oesophageal cancer. The case study contains four sections: Reduce rist; Have the best treatment and support during active treatment; Have the best treatment and support between and after active treatment; Have the best care at the end of life.

Series of online presentations on psycho-oncology (available in different languages) was designed to provide cancer care professionals with core knowledge in key areas of psychosocial oncology.

Topics include:

Symptom Detection and Management:

• Delirium
• Depression and Suicide
• Central Nervous System
• Effects of Drugs Used in Cancer Treatment
• Distress Management in Cancer

Standards and Clinical Practice Guidelines:

• Cancer-Related Fatigue
• Substance Abuse in the Oncology Setting
• Anxiety and Adjustment Disorders
• Psychosocial Screening Goes Mainstream: A Prospective Problem-Solving System

Interventions:

• Online Support Groups for Women with Breast Cancer: A Pilot Study of Effectiveness
• Maximizing Psychosocial Health
• Making a Therapeutic Connection: Counseling cancer patients and their caregivers
• Cognitive and Behavioral Strategies for Cancer Patients
• Psychiatric Emergencies in the Oncology Setting

Population-Specific Issues:

• Cancer Survivorship
• Psychosocial Issues

Program Administration:

• Establishing a Psychosocial Program: Challenges and Strategies.
• Introduction to Oncology: Oncology for Psycho-Oncologists.

The resources have been developed through an unrestricted educational grant generously provided by Ortho Biotech.

Series of online presentations on psycho-oncology available in different languages.

Topics include:

• Communication and Interpersonal Skills in Cancer Care
• Anxiety and Adjustment in Cancer Patients
• Distress Management in Cancer
• Depression and Depressive Disorders in Cancer Patients
• Psychosocial Assessment in Cancer Patients

This Continuing Education program is intended to educate cancer care professionals about the psychosocial issues faced by cancer survivors, to help create follow-up to cancer care in which the psychosocial aspect is fully integrated, and to help ensure that no survivor who is distressed goes unrecognized and untreated.

The objectives of this program (4 webcasts) are for participants to be able to:

• understand the psychosocial issues faced by cancer survivors;
• rapidly identify the survivors who are distressed; 
• treat distressed survivors or refer them to appropriate counseling resources.

The modules include:

• Psychosocial Aspects of Cancer Survivorship:
• Adult Survivors;
• Psychosocial Aspects of Cancer Survivorship:
• Pedatric Survivors;
• Psychosocial Growth After Cancer;
• Psychosocial Assessment 
• Referral Model for Adult Cancer Survivors.

The program has been developed through a generous educational grant from the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Effective communication is a key element of cancer care. The NBOCC has developed a series of evidence-based modules that provide a summary of the relevant research and guidelines about how best to address issues when communicating with patients with cancer.

The website is designed to support and promote communication skills training for all health professionals working in cancer and aims to support health professionals to implement evidence-based communication skills training at the local level, as well as promote communication skills as a compulsory professional competence for all health professionals.

Modules include:

• Breaking bad news
• Eliciting and responding to emotional cues
• Effectively communicating prognosis in cancer care
• Communicating effectively within the multidisciplinary team
• Discussing the transition from curative to palliative care
• Addressing the needs of younger women with breast cancer
• Communication skills for radiographers performing mammography.

Included is a facilitator‘s guide to assist with organising and facilitating a workshop.

ECHO strengthens and supports continuous improvement and enhances consumer experiences and outcomes by providing workshops that extend the capacity of healthcare organisations.

Workshops facilitate consumer participation, quality improvement, service review and program evaluation with a focus on mentoring, supporting and building upon existing skills of individuals.

Workshops and tailored training programs offered throughout Australia and New Zealand include:

• Supportive care in cancer
• Communication skills for front line staff
• Consumer participation - guiding service planning, delivery and improvement

The Frontline tutorial explores how to respond to cancer patients who are experiencing acute distress and in need of immediate psychosocial support.

In this tutorial professionals are introduced to practical supportive techniques when responding to a patient who is either angry, distressed or in a state of depression; and techniques to promote hope and dignity in patients facing advanced cancer.

Video vignettes and a group facilitator‘s guide are included.

An instructional manual and video to provide health professionals with a comprehensive teaching guide of how to improve communication with their patients.

Patients, health professionals, and researchers all agree that good communication between health practitioner and patient is of prime importance when faced with diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Most patients wish to understand as much as possible, yet the issues are often complex, and health professionals vary in their natural ability to communicate.

Workshops on communicating various types of cancer information are designed to provide safe learning environments for health professionals mostly working in the field of cancer. Participants explore options, work from evidence available within the situation, and extend their repertoire of communication skills.

Health professionals can provide sound, practical strategies based on current evidence to help reduce patient and family distress during and after diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Developed by Cancer Australia and RACGP, the Strengthening Cancer Care: Psychosocial Support Module on gplearning is a free indivdual Category 2 activity that aims to assist health professionals to provide optimal, evidence-based psychosocial care of adults with cancer, and their families.

The module draws heavily upon the Clinical practice guidelines for the psychosocial care of adults with cancer which ensures that the best available evidence is used as a basis for meeting the psychosocial and other support needs of people with cancer.

The module has also been included in a new gplearning Active Learning Module Category 1 activity (for members only), Female Cancer and Psychosocial Support.

Contact gplearning for registration and subscription information on 1800 284 789 or: gpeducation@racgp.org.au. Click here to enter gplearning.

A teaching package for health professionals including a manual, video and framework for addressing difficult issues about how cancer may affect a patient‘s sexuality, body image, sexual functioning, relationships, identity and self-esteem.

The package has been reviewed by a national advisory group of oncologists, general practitioners and cancer nurses and is accredited by the RACGP as a Continuing Professional Development Category One (5 points per hour) activity.

Advance Care Planning (ACP) is Part 1 of the Respecting Patient Choices (RPC) education course geared to provide a broad introduction to ACP.

The course consists of six modules that take approximately one hour to complete and cover basic definitions, legal aspects, considerations regarding end of life decision-making and communication, the actual process of holding advance care planning conversations, as well as systemic matters that underpin ACP.

Part 2 is a full day workshop that focuses on communication skills giving you the opportunity to train and build your advance care planning skills in an applied setting to assist you in leading end of life decision-making discussions. 

This support and educational resource package, for carers of adults who are dealing with cancer and its treatment, acknowledges and validates common psychosocial needs of carers and offers strategies to assist with coping and wellbeing.

It is hoped that this will decrease carer burden and promote an optimal home environment that best supports adults with cancer following initial diagnosis and treatment.

Each session can be downloaded as a PowerPoint presentation:

• Introductionary Information
• Session 1 - Information and effective communication.ppt
• Session 2 - Feelings and relationships
• Session 3 - Managing treatment side effects
• Session 4 - Strength for caring, part one
• Session 5 - Strength for caring, part two

There are comprehensive faciliator notes included with each PowerPoint, and a course guide to assist organisers to coordinate and conduct a group workshop.

For further information, please contact: Michelle Carter

A document detailing the core competences and principles determined in the UK that underpin all levels of practice for health care professionals whose work includes care and support for people approaching, and at, the end of their lives, whether their primary involvement is healthcare related or social care and support.

This continuing education program is intended to educate mental health professionals about cancer, its treatment, and common symptoms and side-effects.

The objectives of this program (4 webcasts) are for participants to be able to:

• describe the etiology and incidence of cancer
• examine treatment strategies for most common forms of cancer
• appreciate the incidence and management of common symptoms associated with cancer.

The modules include:

• Cancer Overview - Part I
• Cancer Overview - Part II
• Palliative and Supportive Care
• Cancer Pain Management

The program has been developed through a generous educational grant from the Bristol Myers-Squibb Company.

This continuing education program of 4 webcasts is intended to educate oncology nurses on the recognition and management of distress among cancer patients and their caregivers and to provide cancer care professionals with core knowledge in key areas of psychosocial oncology.

Modules include:

• The Oncology Nurse‘s Role in Recognizing Distress in Patients and Family Caregivers
• Psychiatric Complications Associated with Cancer - Assessment Recommendations
• Psychiatric Complications Associated with Cancer - Treatment Strategies
• Psychiatric Complications Associated with Cancer - Principles and Guidelines for Psychotherapy and Referral.

The modules were jointly developed by APOS Institute for Research and Education (AIRE) and the Individual Cancer Assistance Network (ICAN) through an unrestricted educational grant generously provided by Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation.

This program seeks to support the continuing professional development needs of Victoria‘s allied health workforce by delivering presentations and workshops, and making them available online. The Program covers four key components:

• Interprofessional clinical presentations and workshops
• Generic educational presentations to support clinical leadership, inter professional teamwork and evidence-based practice
• Presentations on population health and cultural safety in clinical practice
• Self-management, team management and leadership skills training.

Each of the components can be delivered through face-to-face sessions in selected rural locations.

In addition, parts of the program can be delivered via videoconferencing networks (as available) or the internet at any time after the event(recorded sessions will be available for download through the website for an indefinite period which will enable practitioners who are unable to attend or access the session live to gain access at a time that is convenient to them) or via CD ROM when requested by practitioners.

The Counselling Connection Blog was designed to enhance communication, to educate counsellors, students and counselling enthusiasts and to encourage networking between industry participants. The content is reviewed weekly and updated by a support team and online contributors.

Mental Health Academy is a leading provider of professional development education for the counselling and mental health industry. The diverse range of courses are delivered online for convenient access. Many courses are supported by video and audio presentation to enhance your learning experience.

Courses are between 4 to 10 hours duration; are developed by a team of highly qualified professionals; can be completed progressively; and are recognised by The Australian Counselling Association.

Based in Victoria, Banksia Palliative Care's Learning Centre offers a broad range of palliative care educational opportunities.

Workshops and sessions for all staff are available regarding:

• Pain management
• Symptom management
• Complementary therapies
• Loss and Grief
• Communication skills
• Staff support 
• The palliative approach
• Advance care planning
• Ethical issues

An extensive Palliative Care Resource Nurse Course, credited by Melbourne University for Registered Nurses Division One, is offered as well as  one and two day courses covering a variety of palliative care topic areas including endorsed injectables, analgesics and calculations, nausea and vomiting, dyspnoea, massage and music therapy.

Banksia Learning Centre also offers National Training Units of Competency  in:

• Delivery of Care Services Using a Palliative Approach
• Plan for and Provide Care Services Using a Palliative Approach

The brochure for 2010/2011 is available here.