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Communication Skills Training on How to Break Bad News for Japanese Nurses in Oncology: Effects of Training on Nurses’ Confidence and Perceived Effectiveness

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Abstract

Delivering bad news is an important communication skill for oncology nurses. No Asian study has developed a communication skills training program. We investigated the effect of such a program on the confidence and practical competence of Japanese oncology nurses. Thirty-one nurses participated, based on Western work in a 6-h workshop; the effect was assessed for 3 months. We evaluated the program effect by measuring nurse-rated confidence regarding communication with patients three times (before, immediately after, and 3 months after the program), in addition to interviewing them on the perception of the program at T3. On nurse-rated confidence in communication, 16/21 items were significantly increased 3 months after the program, and almost all nurses were positive about the course effectiveness. Communication skills training increased Japanese nurses’ confidence as well as being perceived as effective.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by a grant-in-aid for scientific research from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and a grant from the Pfizer Health Research Foundation in Japan. We thank all the institutions for their cooperation in this study. We are also grateful to Mr. Masao Ohtsuka, Ms. Chiaki Kusano, Ms. Masayo Tokuhiro, Ms. Kazuko Tanaka, and Ms. Asako Tamura for their generous research assistance. The authors also would like to acknowledge much helpful support and comments on our manuscript by Maiko Fujimori, Ph.D., and Yosuke Uchitomi, M.D., Ph.D., the Psycho-Oncology Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute East.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nursing, The Japanese Red Cross University, Hiro-o 4-1-3, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-0012, Japan

    Sakiko Fukui

  2. School of Nursing, Musashino University, Tokyo, Japan

    Keiko Ogawa

  3. Department of Etiology, Clinical Research Center, National Hospital Organization Sagamihara Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan

    Naoshi Fukui

Authors
  1. Sakiko Fukui
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  2. Keiko Ogawa
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  3. Naoshi Fukui
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Correspondence to Sakiko Fukui.

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Fukui, S., Ogawa, K. & Fukui, N. Communication Skills Training on How to Break Bad News for Japanese Nurses in Oncology: Effects of Training on Nurses’ Confidence and Perceived Effectiveness. J Canc Educ 25, 116–119 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-009-0027-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-009-0027-8

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