A range of clinical practice tools and resources including guidelines, slides and patient information regarding supportive care, quality of life and survivorship.

MD Anderson's Professional Oncology Education web site is intended to provide educational resources for physicians, scientists, physicians' assistants, nurses, primary care providers and other allied health care practitioners.

This lecture series covers important information that is vital to every clinician who treats cancer survivors. As treatments become ever more effective, the growing population of cancer survivors requires thoughtful management to maximize their survival and enhance their quality of life.

A second module in the course, Cancer Survivorship 2, will be available in the future.

The guidelines in this module make recommendations on the identification, treatment, and management of depression in adults aged 18 years and older who also have a chronic physical health problem (such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, or a musculoskeletal, respiratory, or neurological disorder).

Depression is approximately two to three times more common in patients with a chronic physical health problem than in people who have good physical health and occurs in about 20% of people with a chronic physical health problem.

This module should help you to:

• Manage patients with depression and a chronic health problem
• Know when to advise medications or a psychological therapy for depression in patients with a chronic health problem
• Know when to refer patients for specialist help.

This free, peer reviewed module was written by Mari Lloyd-Williams to fill the information gap in managing the impact of a diagnosis of cancer.

After completing this module you should be able to:

• Appreciate better the psychological implication of receiving a diagnosis of cancer
• Understand the ongoing needs of patients and their carers through treatment and beyond
• Help patients access the resources they need

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.

These webcasts are 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.  It is jointly sponsored by the University of South Florida and APOS, with support from the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF).

The objectives of this program are for participants to be able to:

• understand the psychosocial issues faced by cancer survivors;
• rapidly identify the survivors who are distressed; and
• treat distressed survivors or refer them to appropriate counseling resources.
• Psychosocial Aspects of Cancer Survivorship: Adult Survivors
• Psychosocial Aspects of Cancer Survivorship: Pedatric Survivors
• Psychosocial Growth After Cancer
• Psychosocial Assessment and Referral Model for Adult Cancer Survivors

A broad range of online articles and case studies to provide information, strategies and advice to health professionals provided supportive care to patients and to those working in the counselling, psychology and social work areas of oncology.

Topics covered include clinical issues, children and adolescents, communication, ethical issues, stress and burnout and workplace issues.

Cancer Connections is an online community that links people with cancer, their carers and families.
Online information, forums and blogs have been created for:

• Partners, Family and Friends
• Cancer Survivors
• Young Adults
• Groups

Registration is free and confidential for all users.

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

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

In 2008, the Strengthening cancer care: psychosocial support module was developed in collaboration between Cancer Australia and RACGP to assist health professionals to provide sound, practical strategies based on current evidence to help reduce patient and family distress during and after diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

The original module has now been redeveloped into a new gplearning Active Learning Module Category 1 activity, Female Cancer and Psychosocial Support. The aim of the module is to help health professionals identify and provide psychosocial support for females affected by gynaecological cancers, their partners and families. The module is included as part of RACGP membership fees. 

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

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.

Free registration is required to access the module.

This online lecture series, made available by IPOS and the European School of Oncology (ESO), features webcasts translated from English into German, Spanish, French, Hungarian and Italian. Translation of some of the lectures into Chinese, Japanese and Portuguese has been supported by national psycho-oncology societies and by unrestricted educational grants from corporations.

The core webcasts are:

• Cancer: A Family Affair by Lea Baider PhD
• Loss, Grief and Bereavement by David Kissane MD
• Palliative Care for the Psycho-Oncologist by William Breitbart MD
• Ethical Implications of Psycho-Oncology by Antonella Surbone MD, PhD, FACP
• Psychosocial Interventions: Evidence and Methods for Supporting Cancer Patients by Maggie Watson PhD and Barry Bultz PhD
• Communication and Interpersonal Skills in Cancer Care by Walter F. Baile MD
• Anxiety and Adjustment Disorders in Cancer Patients by Katalin Muszbek MD
• Distress Management in Cancer by Jimmie C. Holland MD
• Depression and Depressive Disorders in Cancer Patients by Luigi Grassi MD and Yosuke Uchitomi MD, PhD
• Psychosocial Assessment in Cancer Patients by Uwe Koch MD, PhD and Anja Mehnert PhD

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.

Developed by National Centre for Gynaecological Cancers, Cancer Australia in conjuction with QUT Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, The Psychosexual Care of Women Affected by Gynaecological Cancers learning modules will help all health professionals develop the knowledge and skills to support women and their partners experiencing psychosexual concerns following gynaecological cancer.

Based around a Framework for the development of an interactive training module for health professionals to address the psychosexual care of women affected by gynaecological cancers, the modules comprise six components addressing the following topics:

• Module 1: Understanding sexuality
• Module 2: Understanding the experience of the Psychosexual Effects of Gynaecological Cancer for women and their partners
• Module 3: Enquiring and responding to the psychosexual sequelae of gynaecological cancers
• Module 4: Understanding psychosexual sequelae: Pathophysiological,Psychosocial , and Cultural Aspects
• Module 5: Undertaking a comprehensive sexual health assessment
• Module 6: Evidence based approaches to treatment of psychosexual sequelae of gynaecological cancers

The modules incorporate interactive learning activities and video vignettes to provide authentic learning materials based around the experiences of women treated for gynaecological cancers. The modules also promote critical reflection on personal attitudes and beliefs regarding psychosexual care.

In addition, an accompanying guide helps users select specific content and activities to meet their individual learning objectives. In addition, supporting resources, including psychosexual assessment and referral tools as well as information about psychosexual support, are included throughout.

This resource can be used for self directed learning by individuals, or by educators in both clinical and academic settings as part of a facilitated learning program. The program can be tailored to the needs of professionals from various disciplines working in a variety of healthcare settings, including general practitioners, nurses, allied health professionals and oncologists.

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 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.

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.

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.