Aim: To develop a cancer rehabilitation training package for allied health professionals and its effect on clinicians learning needs and clinical practice.
Method: A mixed methods approach drawing on co-design methods was used to develop and evaluate the training package. Two online co-design workshops were conducted with representatives from each allied health discipline and consumers to identify learning needs for the training package. Allied health staff (e.g. physiotherapists, dietitians, occupational therapists) from four metropolitan health services were invited to participate in a hybrid 2-day training workshop and provide feedback via survey. Evaluation was based on the Kilpatrick Model for learning evaluation. Surveys were completed before and after the workshop and a focus group and survey including the Determinants of Implementation Behaviour Questionnaire (DIBQ) completed 3-months after workshop participation to assess knowledge, skills and confidence. Thematic analysis of qualitative data was completed and paired t-tests used to assess changes in behaviour.
Results: Two consumers and eight clinicians (physical therapist n=3, occupational therapist n=2, social worker n=1, nurse n=1, allied health educator n=1) attended the online co-design workshops. Key learning needs identified included information related to medical treatments, symptom management, multi-disciplinary care and communication skills. Twenty allied health professionals attended a hybrid 2-day workshop. Most participants were junior-mid level clinicians (n=15, 76%) and primarily worked in an area other than cancer (n=14, 72%). Overall, feedback about the workshop was positive. Training was reported as helping consolidate existing cancer knowledge and was applied to participant's clinical practice. Participants also valued the multidisciplinary focus and balance of content. Participants demonstrated greatest improvement in their confidence (Items 9, 10, 11, median 5 points, p<0.05) to deliver cancer rehabilitation but also improved in the domains of skills and knowledge 3-months after workshop completion.
Conclusion: Allied health clinicians value education in cancer rehabilitation. Hybrid training workshops may be useful for building capacity in supportive cancer care.