Does a communication skills program enable symptom and distress screening?: The impact of training on radiation therapists' confidence, knowledge, and use of distress screening.

Introduction: Due to the prevalence of distress following a cancer diagnosis, routine symptom and distress screening is recommended as best practice. RTs perceive psychosocial support and screening to be part of their role, however feel they lack the education and skills to perform this confidently. The study aimed to evaluate the impact of providing communication skills training (RT Prepare CST) on the perceived barriers, knowledge, attitude, role, and confidence of radiation therapists (RTs) in using routine symptom and distress screening.

Do radiation therapists feel able to routinely screen for symptoms and distress in people with cancer: barriers impacting practice.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate radiation therapists' (RTs) perceptions regarding the perceived barriers, knowledge, attitudes, confidence and role in administering an electronic screening tool to routinely screen for cancer patients' symptoms and distress.

Methods: RTs at two radiation therapy departments completed a cross-sectional paper/pen survey to assess their demographic and workplace characteristics, perceptions of barriers, knowledge, attitudes, confidence and opinion of their role in symptom and distress screening. Responses were evaluated using simple frequencies and free-text responses using thematic analysis.