Caroline Paradis (Meda Valeant Pharma Canada Inc.); Vyvian Nguyen-La (HIT Global Consulting Services Inc.)

Synopsis

The “Caring for Patients with Breakthrough Cancer” was a case-based simulation CME program designed for multidisciplinary healthcare teams to address clinical assessment and management of breakthrough pain (BTP) in cancer patients. Case simulation activities for interprofessional education are powerful tools for participants to 1) assess the roles of individual multidisciplinary team members and 2) improve their knowledge of the different components of the clinical care of cancer patients.

Purpose

The “Caring for Patients with Breakthrough Cancer Pain – A Multidisciplinary Team’s Perspective” was a case-based simulation CME program designed for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals to address the clinical assessment and management of breakthrough pain (BTP) in cancer patients.

Methods

Focusing on a clinical practice scenario, a case-based simulation was created to demonstrate the clinical assessment skills for the diagnosis and management of BTP in cancer patients in a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals. A team comprising 2 physicians, 2 nurses, and 2 pharmacists practicing in the field of palliative care, oncology, and pain management was recruited to develop the case-based program. After completing a pre-test, participants were presented to a clinical simulation of a patient with cancer. The simulation, addressing clinical issues from different perspectives within a multidisciplinary team, included multiple decision points consisting of multiple choice and shortanswer questions to assess participants’ knowledge and responses relative to their peers. Following the case, participants completed an evaluation form and a post-test. Results of the post-test were provided to participants to encourage reflection after completing the case simulation.

Results

Preliminary results show that through the simulation for interprofessional education, participants demonstrated an improvement in self-identified knowledge and performance gaps for the assessment and management of BTP in cancer patients.

Conclusions

Case simulation activities for interprofessional education are powerful tools for participants to 1) assess the roles of individual multidisciplinary team members and 2) improve their knowledge of the different components of the clinical care of cancer patients.

Declaration

Ms. Paradis is an employee of Meda Valeant Pharma Canada Inc.