Unwavering Empowering Presence seminar for rehabilitation teams.
Official title: Seminar in Unwavering Empowering Presence Optimized for Rehabilitation Teams
Run by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital · NCT07071116 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 25 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Memphis, Tennessee) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | July 9, 2025 |
| Main results expected | July 2028 |
| Study ends | October 2028 |
| Registry record updated | July 13, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07071116 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a 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.
✕Probably 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.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
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.
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 gone: 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.
Who can join: the full rules
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 it's running
-
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
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
One-Page Truth-Telling Aid to Guide Cancer Discussions
A one-page tool is tested to help doctors quickly understand a cancer patient’s information preferences before a consultation.
-
Testing AI translation vs. professional translation for knowledge resources for parents
We’re testing whether an AI translation of parent-focused health resources works as well as professional translation for Mandarin, Punjabi, Tagalog, and Urdu-speaking families in Canada.
-
CONNECT: Extra Post-discharge Phone Support to Reinforce After-Visit Summaries
This pilot tests whether adding a detailed, language-concordant post-discharge phone call helps patients who prefer Spanish, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Cape Verdean, or Vietnamese understand their after-visit summary and avoid problems after leaving the hospital.
-
A program to empower community health workers to combat vaccine misinformation
This study is testing a program that helps community health workers from Hispanic backgrounds use their personal stories to fight vaccine misinformation and boost vaccination rates in their communities.
-
Improving communication skills in anesthesiology residents
This study is testing if a special training method can help anesthesiology residents improve their communication skills better than traditional learning methods.
-
Writing exercises for young cancer patients
This study tests if writing about their cancer experiences can help young patients aged 15-25 feel better and improve their well-being.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.