Feuz Carina, Rosewall Tara, Willis Susan
Radiation Therapy Department, Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Canada; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Department of Health and Wellbeing, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK.
Radiation Therapy Department, Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Canada; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
J Med Imaging Radiat Sci. 2015 Sep;46(3):271-279. doi: 10.1016/j.jmir.2015.06.001. Epub 2015 Jul 17.
Although radiation therapy students are highly interested in providing palliative and end-of-life care (PEOLC), students often lack understanding of what palliative care is and express a lack of confidence when interacting with palliative patients. This study examined radiation therapy students' existing knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs toward PEOLC for cancer patients and how professional and personal experiences influenced those factors.
This study used a cross-sectional online questionnaire. After informed consent, data were collected from a sample of students in an undergraduate radiation therapy program in Canada. Questions were both quantitative and qualitative in nature. Responses were comprised of Likert scales and true or false responses, a case study-based vignette and several short open-ended questions.
Sixty-one students completed the questionnaire; the response rate was 42%. Responses indicate students had an incomplete understanding of PEOLC principles despite reporting positive views and interest in the topic. Professional and personal experiences improved students' knowledge regarding the role of PEOLC and attitudes and beliefs became more positive with increased real-life experiences.
Experiential learning influences students' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about PEOLC. To better prepare students for their future professional roles, it is necessary for radiation therapy undergraduate programs to include PEOLC educational initiatives in its curricula. These initiatives should emphasize holistic care to prepare students to be competent radiation therapists who can address patients' complex PEOLC needs.
尽管放射治疗专业的学生对提供姑息治疗和临终关怀（PEOLC）有着浓厚兴趣，但他们往往对姑息治疗的内涵缺乏了解，且在与姑息治疗患者互动时表现出信心不足。本研究调查了放射治疗专业学生对癌症患者PEOLC的现有知识、态度和信念，以及专业和个人经历如何影响这些因素。
本研究采用横断面在线问卷调查。在获得知情同意后，从加拿大一个本科放射治疗项目的学生样本中收集数据。问题兼具定量和定性性质。回答包括李克特量表、是非题、一个基于案例的 vignette 和几个简短的开放式问题。
61名学生完成了问卷；回复率为42%。回答表明，尽管学生对该主题报告了积极的看法和兴趣，但他们对PEOLC原则的理解并不完整。专业和个人经历提高了学生对PEOLC作用的认识，随着现实生活经历的增加，态度和信念变得更加积极。
体验式学习会影响学生对PEOLC的知识、态度和信念。为了让学生更好地为未来的专业角色做好准备，放射治疗本科项目有必要在其课程中纳入PEOLC教育举措。这些举措应强调整体护理，以使学生成为有能力满足患者复杂PEOLC需求的合格放射治疗师。
