Pilot Study of a Communication Coaching Telephone Intervention for Lung Cancer Caregivers.
Elaine Wittenberg, Betty Ferrell, Marianna Koczywas and 2 others
PMID 28753194WHAT IT FOUND
Family caregivers of lung cancer patients gained confidence talking to healthcare providers after a single nurse-led phone call, but distress did not decrease overall.
Most found the printed guide helpful, though survivors felt it was too general and role-playing exercises were largely rejected.
Key findings
01Combined results across cohorts showed statistically significant improvement in caregiver confidence when communicating with healthcare providers.
02Average distress scores declined slightly overall, but caregivers of patients at the end of life experienced increased stress from baseline to one-month follow-up.
03Caregivers were reluctant to participate in role-playing during coaching calls, preferring general discussion or focusing on existing support networks.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The sample was small (23 caregivers) and lacked cultural diversity, being primarily Caucasian and college-educated. There was no control group, so it is unclear if improvements in confidence were due to the intervention or natural changes over time. The study was not powered to detect significant differences in distress, which may not be the most appropriate outcome for this type of communication intervention. Attrition and scheduling difficulties meant that not all caregivers completed the coaching call within the intended one-week timeframe.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the improved communication confidence as evidence that this intervention reduces caregiver distress. The distress scores did not significantly improve overall, and they worsened for caregivers of patients at the end of life.