Unwavering Empowering Presence seminar for rehabilitation teams.
Seminar in Unwavering Empowering Presence Optimized for Rehabilitation Teams
This three-hour communication skills training will try to improve the comfort and confidence of rehabilitation professionals who care for children with serious illness when having difficult conversations with patients and families.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 25 (estimated) |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Memphis, Tennessee) |
| Trial ID | NCT07071116 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
The program delivers a three-hour, multidisciplinary, co-designed interactive communication skills training tailored to pediatric rehabilitation professionals. It includes three parts: practice drills for responding to emotion, a panel with bereaved parent educators, and instruction plus role-play using the VitalTalk REMAP framework for sharing serious news and eliciting goals and values. Learners will engage in small-group role-plays emphasizing psychological safety and learner autonomy, with facilitators including bereaved parent educators. Participants will provide demographic information and complete pre-intervention, immediate post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up self-assessment surveys to measure feasibility, acceptability, and potential impact.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal participants are licensed pediatric rehabilitation professionals (e.g., physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists) employed at St. Jude and St. Jude bereaved parent educators who are willing and able to attend the in-person training.
Not a fit: Individuals who are not rehabilitation professionals, cannot attend the in-person session, or do not work with pediatric oncology patients are unlikely to receive benefit from this specific intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the training could improve clinicians' communication skills, leading to clearer, more compassionate conversations that reduce family distress and better align care with patient goals.
How similar studies have performed: Communication skills trainings using VitalTalk, REMAP, and other CST approaches have previously improved clinician confidence and communication behaviors, though programs specifically tailored to pediatric rehabilitation teams with bereaved parent educator involvement are less commonly studied.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Intervention Participants * Licensed rehabilitation professionals (e.g., physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists) employed at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital actively involved in the care of pediatric oncology patients. * Willingness to participate in the communication skills training (CST) intervention and associated study activities. Inclusion Criteria: Intervention Facilitators * St. Jude Bereaved Parent Educators who have participated as an educator in at least one other institutional educational event * Willingness to facilitate the communication skills training (CST) intervention and complete associated study activities. Exclusion Criteria: Intervention Participants * Non-rehabilitation professionals * Individuals unable to attend the CST intervention session. Exclusion Criteria: Intervention Facilitators * Individuals unable to attend the CST intervention session.
Where this trial is running
Memphis, Tennessee
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital — Memphis, Tennessee, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Brittany Cowfer, MD — St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Study coordinator: Brittany Cowfer, MD
- Email: referralinfo@stjude.org
- Phone: 888-226-4343
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.