Objectives

To evaluate how the co-designed training programme ‘No conversation too tough’, can help cancer, palliative and wider healthcare professionals support patients to communicate with their dependent children when a parent is dying. We examined perceptions of learning provided by the training, its contribution to confidence in communicating with families when a parent is dying, and subjective experience of, and reactions to, the training. We also explored potential changes in practice behaviours.

Design Pre-post, convergent, parallel, mixed-methods study. Motivations for practice change measured quantitatively, and qualitatively through semi-structured interviews. Non-parametric analysis was conducted for self-efficacy and outcome expectancy measures; descriptive statistics examined perceptions of usefulness. intentions to use learning in practice, and reactions to the training. Semi-structured interviews examined motivations and perceptions of learning in depth. A six-week, practice log recorded immediate practice effects and reflections.

Setting One-day training delivered three times, total delegates 36: online December 2021, February 2022, face-to-face March 2022. Questionnaires delivered correspondingly in online or paper formats, semi-structured interviews online.

Participants Pre-Post: palliative care professionals (n=14/12), acute cancer clinical nurse specialists (n=16/11), other healthcare professionals (n=5/5).

Results

Positive changes were observed in self-efficacy (17 of 19 dimensions p< 0.003) and outcome expectancies (3 of 14 beliefs p<0.036). Perceptions of usefulness and intentions to use learning in practice mean scores were 82-94 (scales 0=low-100=high). There was high affirmation for sharing learning and influencing change in the workplace and wider practice. Content, style, and delivery were positively endorsed. Further elements to be included in the training were identified.

Conclusions

The training programme has the potential to effect change in practice behaviours. A large-scale study will evaluate the rollout of the training delivered to individual professionals and whole teams across the UK. It will provide longer-term feedback to understand practice behaviour and mediators of change across professional roles.