title: Development and preliminary evaluation of a training workshop for the collection of patient-reported outcome (PRO) interview data by research support staff.
abstract: This paper describes the development and initial evaluation of a didactic curriculum to prepare research support staff with the core knowledge and skills required to collect patient-reported outcomes (PROs) via interviews. Research support staff members (N = 77) were recruited for eight separate workshops, each consisting of a didactic presentation followed by role-play scenarios with trained actors depicting common scenarios they may encounter as part of patient interaction. Trainees were observed and received feedback on their performance from trained facilitators and peers. In comparison to their pre-training assessment, trainees showed significant improvement in their confidence to conduct a research interview, handle a distressed participant, manage a wandering interview, ask participants sensitive questions, and handle irritated patients. Training research support staff in the effective collection of PROs via patient interviews can improve the confidence of these individuals in interacting with patients, which can ultimately lead to increased accuracy of data collection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA. atkinsot@mskcc.org
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hurley
authors.forename: Carma L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Bylund
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berk
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Diminni
authors.forename: Jamie S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ostroff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D003479:Curriculum; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D004493:Education; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D016730:Program Development; D057566:Self Report; D013192:Staff Development