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.