International Collaboration for Thoracic Oncology Education

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The International Thoracic Oncology Nursing Forum (ITONF) is an international lung cancer nursing organization with a mission to educate nurses around the world about caring for patients with thoracic cancers. The mission of ITONF is accomplished through educational workshops, online educational modules and networking opportunities. Methods: During 2020-2021 ITONF had been collaborating with the Mersal Cancer Center in Egypt to provide an educational program to educate Egyptian oncology nurses on the latest treatments in thoracic cancers as well as nursing management strategies. This was based on a regional need’s assessment. Due to the COVID pandemic, as well as practical needs, a hybrid delivery was required. ITONF developed 5 learning modules to meet identified needs. Educational modules with detailed slides were pre-recorded and presented to the Egyptian nurses during an educational conference. Results: A total of 18 Egyptian nurses and social workers attended the conference. Participants viewed the 5 educational modules, each covering a different topic about lung cancer. On the final day of the conference, 3 ITONF presenters joined the conference via Zoom for a live question and answer session. One Egyptian nurse was present to translate questions and facilitate an interactive discussion. During the question and answer session, expert international thoracic oncology nurses from the United States and Australia were able to provide valuable nursing education and answer questions. The Egyptian nurses submitted feedback after the completion of the conference with positive results and constructive feedback. Also, several nurses joined the ITONF organization and have since attended ITONF virtual webinars. Conclusions: ITONF serves as a unified source of international thoracic oncology nurses eager to provide education to any country or organization using a robust educational program. The collaboration with the Mersal Cancer Center in Egypt was the first customized educational program to fit the needs of the Egyptian nurses. During the pandemic, when in person educational opportunities were limited, ITONF collaborated internationally to meet the needs of thoracic oncology nurses. Based on the positive feedback, ITONF feels that this effort can be replicated for other countries and cancer centers. A hybrid educational model of live meetings, recordings, and live-streaming education is a practical model for international oncology nursing education. [Formula presented] Keywords ITONF, Mersal Cancer Center, Collaboration