• 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 reviewThis article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software
Correspondence Conflict of interestNone 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
AcknowledgementsThe 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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