A compassionate communication skills training course for staff working in cancer services
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

A compassionate communication skills training course for staff working in cancer services

Elena Ivany Research associate for nursing research, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, England
Elizabeth Dunn Education and patient experience lead, Guy’s and Saint Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, England
Nikki Cannon Partnerships manager, C the Signs, London, England
Verna Lavender Head of nursing, research and education in cancer and surgery, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, England

Why you should read this article:
  • To reflect on the importance of compassionate communication in cancer care

  • To recognise that there is a gap in the provision of communication skills training for healthcare professionals

  • To read about the development and evaluation of a compassionate communication skills training course for nurses and other staff working in cancer services

People who receive treatment for cancer value empathic, compassionate communication from healthcare professionals, however there is a gap in the provision of communication skills training. To address this gap, a blended communication skills training course has been developed to support nurses and allied health professionals working in cancer care in southeast London to become more adept at communicating compassionately with patients and families. The Compassionate Communication in Cancer Care course (4Cs course) encompasses online learning modules on the principles of compassionate communication and a face-to-face workshop which aims to encourage learners to reflect on how to apply these principles in practice. Evaluation suggests the 4Cs course improves learners’ knowledge and it has received positive feedback. Future work includes longitudinal research to assess the effects of the course on learners’ behaviours and on patients’ experience of care.

Cancer Nursing Practice. doi: 10.7748/cnp.2024.e1867

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software

@vernalavender

Correspondence

elizabeth.dunn@gstt.nhs.uk

Conflict of interest

None declared

Ivany E, Dunn E, Cannon N et al (2024) A compassionate communication skills training course for staff working in cancer services. Cancer Nursing Practice. doi: 10.7748/cnp.2024.e1867

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the co-design workshop participants, the project steering group, Guy’s Cancer Academy and Sarah Beckett for their contribution to the development and delivery of the 4Cs course. They would also like to thank the South East London Cancer Alliance for providing the service development funds to support the development of the course

Published online: 16 July 2024

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