Communication Training for Family Caregiving

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Disqualifiers: Cognitive impairment, Under 12, Non-English, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to improve communication between healthcare providers and families caring for cancer patients. It trains nurses and social workers to better support families during a patient's hospital stay, focusing on challenges like noncompliance, conflict, and communication issues. The trial employs a special training program called Working with the Caregiving Family (WCF) to teach staff how to assist families in stressful situations. Eligible participants include caregivers or family members involved in the care of patients admitted to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the chance to contribute to enhancing family support systems in healthcare settings.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

What prior data suggests that this communication training program is safe for inpatient nurses and social workers?

Research shows that caregiver training programs, such as the Working with the Caregiving Family (WCF) training, are generally safe and manageable. These programs aim to enhance the skills and confidence of those caring for family members during hospital stays. Studies have found that similar training programs reduce stress and improve communication between caregivers and medical staff. No reports indicate negative effects from participating in these training programs. Therefore, joining a program like WCF should be safe for participants. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Working with the Caregiving Family (WCF) training because it focuses on improving communication and support for family caregivers in a hospital setting, which is often overlooked in current care models. Unlike traditional treatments that primarily address patient symptoms, WCF equips healthcare staff with skills to handle family distress and difficult situations compassionately and effectively. This approach could lead to better outcomes for both patients and families by fostering more collaborative relationships and ensuring that family concerns are addressed alongside patient care.

What evidence suggests that the Working with the Caregiving Family (WCF) training is effective for supporting caregiving families?

Research shows that programs designed to help family caregivers of cancer patients can reduce stress and improve coping abilities. Studies of these programs have found benefits for both caregivers and patients. These programs often make caregivers feel more supported and less stressed. Additionally, surveys of cancer centers reveal that many offer family caregiver programs, emphasizing their importance and potential benefits. In this trial, participants will receive the Working with the Caregiving Family (WCF) training, a new program designed to support families during hospital stays. While specific data on the WCF training is limited, the success of similar programs suggests it could effectively support families during hospital stays. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Talia Zaider, PhD

Principal Investigator

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for nurses and social workers at MSKCC who can attend most training sessions. They'll work with families of inpatient cancer patients, including a designated family friend involved in care. Excluded are those under 12, non-English speakers, or anyone with severe cognitive impairment.

Inclusion Criteria

Family members were identified as a close other (including a family friend) involved in the care of an admitted patient on a participating provider's floor

I plan to attend most of the training and consolidation sessions.

Patient has been admitted to an inpatient service at MSKCC

Exclusion Criteria

I am, or have a family member, younger than 12 years old.

Evidence of cognitive impairment severe enough to preclude completing survey instruments as per clinical or research staff judgment or EMR

Determined to not be appropriate for this study as per clinical judgment

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Training

Inpatient nurses and social workers receive communication training to assist caregiving families

2 years

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in skills and confidence in conducting family-centered consultations

2 years

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• questionnaires
• Working with the Caregiving Family (WCF) training

Trial Overview The study tests a communication training program called Working with the Caregiving Family (WCF). It aims to improve how healthcare providers support and interact with families of hospitalized cancer patients through didactic and consolidation sessions.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Working with the Caregiving Family (WCF) training Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

This is a new training curriculum for inpatient oncology providers called Working with the Caregiving Family (WCF) training, a program designed to teach MSKCC inpatient staff to address family-level concerns during acute hospitalization. The WCF training will teach staff to recognize and inquire about areas of family distress that are likely to impact the caregiving process; to provide brief, supportive interventions, and/or to transition families to specialized support services when needed. We will provide staff with skills to address especially challenging family situations (e.g., noncompliance with medical care, conflict, poor communication) in collaborative and compassionate ways. We will teach clinicians to intervene and respond more effectively when problematic relationships develop within families or between families and larger systems (e.g., medical team, institutional programs).

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,998

Recruited

602,000+

Ackerman Institute for Family

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

80+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3821732/

An Overview and Evaluation of the Oncology Family ... OUTCOME. 1. Create and implement a 5 item satisfaction survey for FC to assess and measure the effectiveness of their inpatient palliative care conference ...

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10997218/

Caregiving consequences in cancer family caregivers As cancer progresses, patients often become dependent on others for support. Family caregivers and members play a crucial role in the recovery ...

3. jamanetwork.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2810486

Availability of Family Caregiver Programs in US Cancer ... In this survey study of 238 Commission on Cancer–accredited US cancer centers, most had family caregiver programs; however, a quarter had none.

4. acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.3322/caac.21396

A review of family caregiving intervention trials in oncology The interventions were generally delivered jointly to patients and caregivers, resulting in reduced caregiver burden, improved caregiver coping, ...

5. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05511324

Simulation-Based Caregiving Skills Training for Family ... This project will examine the feasibility and initial evidence for efficacy of a caregiving skills intervention aiming to improve caregiver and patient ...

6. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2665/

Supporting Family Caregivers in Providing Care - NCBI - NIH Research supporting this caregiver-as-client perspective focuses on ways to protect family caregivers' health and safety.

7. caregiver.org caregiver.org/resource/caregiver-statistics-health-technology-and-caregiving-resources/

Health, Technology, and Caregiving Resources Caregivers largely use the Internet to assist them with their caregiving responsibilities through connecting with other caregivers, researching health ...

8. caregiving.com caregiving.com/research/2021/caregiver-training-survey-results

Caregiver Training Survey Results | 2021 We asked caregivers to explain their access to and utilization of caregiver training resources, classes, and programs.

9. research.aota.org research.aota.org/ajot/article/71/5/7105190010p1/6328/Family-Caregiver-Training-Program-FCTP-A

Family Caregiver Training Program (FCTP): A Randomized ... The purpose of this study was to examine whether (1) the Family Caregiver Training Program (FCTP) improved caregiver knowledge and confidence ...

10. osha.gov osha.gov/workplace-stress/solutions/parents-caregivers

Workplace Stress - Parents and Other Caregivers The constant pressure of trying to balance work and caregiving responsibilities can take a toll on their mental well-being.