Distress Screening for Men with Prostate Cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology Nursing
• Psychosocial Oncology
• Health Professions Education

Background:

• Distress screening is a vital but inconsistently implemented aspect of prostate cancer care.
• Barriers to effective distress screening include lack of awareness, knowledge, and skills among healthcare professionals.
• Prostate cancer patients require timely referral to psychosocial support to enhance their quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an e-learning module, the Distress Screening for Prostate Cancer (DSPC) module.
• To address perceived challenges and barriers faced by healthcare professionals in distress screening.
• To improve the provision of psychosocial care for men with prostate cancer.

Main Methods:

• The DSPC module was designed as an interactive, evidence-based educational platform.
• The module was piloted with five senior prostate cancer specialist nurses.
• Participant satisfaction and knowledge acquisition were assessed using the Satisfaction with the Distress Screening Prostate Cancer E-Learning Module instrument.

Main Results:

• Piloting involved five senior specialist nurses (average age 49.8 years; 3 female, 2 male).
• Participants reported high overall satisfaction with the e-learning module (mean score 108.2/125).
• Measurable improvements in pre-post knowledge acquisition scores were observed.

Conclusions:

• The DSPC e-learning module is a well-received educational resource for nurses.
• The module demonstrates potential to increase distress screening rates in prostate cancer care.
• Improved screening and referral can enhance the quality of life for men throughout their cancer journey.