Abstract P4-20-06: Results of an educational program delivered through e-learning, focused on nursing for primary breast cancer patients
Authors: K Abe, C Iseki, M Suzuki, H Kokufu, Y Arahori, T Ohno, M Kanazawa, Y Takeishi
Journal: Cancer Research (2017)

Abstract Aim: An educational program delivered through e-learning was conducted, focusing on nursing for primary breast cancer patients. This paper investigates the results of the program, clarifying changes in levels of understanding before and after the program, and evaluations of the program by nurses who participated. Methods: The content of the education program, which consisted of 24 lessons, each lasting 15-20 minutes, including case studies, covered concerns raised in questions by patients and families about diagnosis, multimodal treatment and nursing for primary breast cancer. Instructors were Certified Nurses in Breast Cancer Nursing and Certified Nurse Specialists in Cancer Nursing, and PowerPoint presentations with video and audio material were created. A dedicated website was created, and 1417 participants took the on-demand program, which was provided from September 2015 to March 2016. Survey participants were the first 500 nurses registered for the course to respond. A questionnaire created by the researchers was sent by post to respondents. Responses were anonymous with identifying information code, and questionnaires were sent with a return envelope before the program (within 2 weeks of registration) and after the program (within 1 month of the end of the program), with return of the questionnaire signifying consent to participate. The questionnaire comprised 24 items on level of understanding of breast cancer nursing, aligned to program content, plus 11 items on evaluation of the program. Responses were selected from a 5-point scale, where 1 meant “strongly disagree” and 5 meant “strongly agree”. Analysis: Responses were quantified, and mean scores for each item were calculated. In addition, respondents were divided into two groups, namely, those with less than 3 years of breast cancer nursing experience (Group A) and those with 3 or more years' experience (Group B), and were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. SPSS Statistics V22.0 was used. Ethical considerations: The study went through Research Ethics approval at the researchers' institute of affiliation. Results: A total of 126 people replied to both the pre-program and post-program questionnaire, and of these, the responses of 106 nurses (Group A: 34 nurses, Group B: 72 nurses) who were not qualified as Certified Nurses or Certified Nurse Specialists were used for analysis. Median age was 41.0 years (Group A: 38.5 years, Group B: 42 years), and median number of years of breast cancer nursing was 4.6 years. In terms of program evaluation, “I could study when it was convenient for me” scored 4.63, while “It will be useful for breast cancer nursing from now on” scored 4.57. In terms of comparison of level of understanding before and after the program, understanding improved on all 24 items, and was significant on 19 items. Comparison of the 2 groups showed significant difference on 2 items, “support for changes in body image” and “communication with the patient”, with changes in level of understanding in Group A being greater. Discussion: The study suggests that participants' understanding of breast cancer nursing increased and improvements in clinical practice can be expected through e-learning materials that facilitate effective learning. Citation Format: Abe K, Iseki C, Suzuki M, Kokufu H, Arahori Y, Ohno T, Kanazawa M, Takeishi Y. Results of an educational program delivered through e-learning, focused on nursing for primary breast cancer patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-20-06.