An Educational Intervention to Improve Knowledge and Communication Skills for Nurses

Date

2018

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Volume Title

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Abstract

Background: The process of informed consent (IC) for clinical trials is based on historic events, federal regulations and ethical principles. Deficiencies in patient understanding of IC are taken seriously by the research community, yet research dedicated to find ways to improve patient understanding has yielded mixed results. Teach-back is an evidence-based tool recommended for use during IC discussions. Nurse role in the IC process is important, particularly for patient education and advocacy. Objective: Initiate and evaluate an educational program for nurses to improve knowledge and communication skills used in IC for cancer clinical trials. Methods: An educational program, including the history of IC for clinical trials, review of current literature, assessment of patient understanding and health-literacy, the role of the nurse, and teach-back as a communication skill was presented to nurses at a Northeast Cancer Center. Anonymous pre/post/one-month post surveys measured nurses’ knowledge of research and importance and confidence using teach-back during IC discussions. Findings: Nurses had high research knowledge scores and statistically significant improvement in pre/post-test scores of conviction and confidence using teach-back. Nurses employed essential elements of teach-back before the program, however had greater recognition of elements after the program.

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Keywords

Informed Consent, cancer, nursing, patient understanding, teach-back , Informed Consent, Cancer, Nursing, Patient understanding, Teach-back

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