Excellent Practices

Education

Practice Category: Education

Centre: Leuven Cancer Institute

Johan Van Lint

Director of Research of the Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI)

johan.vanlint@kuleuven.be

Challenge addressed by the practice

To provide a comprehensive training programme, tailored to different professionals, throughout their entire career (from student to advanced professional)
To remain aware of the training needs of the various types of prosessionals (doctors, researchers, nurses, social workers, and allied health professionals)
To continuously receive feedback about the quality of the training, in order to ensure continuous improvement
To respond to a rapidly changing world with scientific advances, technical innovations, and increased skill requirements
To ensure talent development for all employees (including top talents)
To ensure efficient dissemination of knowledge and skills amongst the workforce
To ensure that the higher education that we provide, matches the requirements and expectations of the care sector, also outside our own university (hospital) environment

Solution

The main development of this solution was carried out by the university and university hospital, where the Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI) is fully integrated and contributes complementary elements. LKI members play an active role in university/hospital policies, as “enablers” on the workfloor, and providers of input for continuous optimisations, and as members of relevant education boards (who follow up programme needs and design improvements).
The entire career trajectory of each type of healthcare professional is immersed in continuous education.
At the start, detailed onboarding takes place for each type of professional (e.g. a mandatory 2-day incoming oncology nurse schooling). For each onboarding, content is defined in great detail.
Mentorship is a widespread practice within our organisation, and every employee has an annual discussion with their supervisor about training needs.
The set of topics on which a particular type of professional should be continuously trained is defined in detail and followed up in a portfolio that must be kept up to date and is regularly reviewed for progress. Some nurses are trained as expert nurses and consultant nurses with advanced knowledge on a particular topic. They are embedded in the wards and spread best practices amongst their colleagues.
Continuous education training for our healthcare professionals is integrated/managed by the University Hospital Leuven learning center. It takes many forms: short seminars, dedicated training days/weeks, walk-in events for nurses and allied health professionals, and a wide range of e-learning modules that can be followed at one’s own pace (with mandatory completion, with content depending on the profession).
Our Oncology Doctoral School trains future cancer researchers through a dedicated cancer research course, journal clubs, seminars, interdisciplinary lab visits, meet-the-patient sessions, and a portfolio of coursework and skills development. Clinician scientists often work in close collaboration with basic scientists to ensure cross-pollination.
Patients are also educated through tailor training materials on how to live with cancer (brochures, videos).
Any type of training receive feedback from trainees to ensure continuous improvement and adaptation to changing needs.

Impact

Our attention to education creates a workforce that is fully up to date with international best practices.
This also contributes strongly to our quality culture. For example, it reduces risks for patients, e.g. even simple education on hand hygiene strongly reduces infection risks.
Continuous feedback ensures the relevance and applicability of training content.
Continuous education and training also promote rapid dissemination of scientific advances and practice innovations through the workforce at all professional levels.
Importantly, increased workforce satisfaction through a sense of continuous growth contributes to staff retention (particularly important in the context of workforce shortages in the healthcare sector).
Training and education of patients contributes to better coping with the disease and to improved quality of life.
The breadth of skills acquired by our PhD students (not narrowly limited to their own research subject) increases their success in various post-PhD trajectories (academia, industry, government).
Co-promotorship of physicians and basic scientists for many PhD students increases the clinical relevance and applicability of many findings.

Critical success factors

Good communication between training providers and the professionals for whom the education is tailored is crucial (continuous information on training needs and feedback on the quality of training provided).
The e-learning system creates flexibility in when to follow a course, while its mandatory nature ensures that everyone has the required knowledge on a particular topic.
The clear definition of mandatory knowledge/skills and the follow-up in a portfolio ensures that every professional is automatically involved in lifelong learning.
A quality culture for education: all training is continuously evaluated by participants to ensure ongoing improvement.
Organisation: courses and training are not just offered but are part of a broader vision and embedded in enabling structures (e.g. the Learning Centre of our University Hospital).
Infrastructure: the IT environment for e-learning and the physical environment of the STEPS skills centre contribute strongly to the quality and efficiency of training.
Attention to the skills of the trainers themselves (“train-the-trainer” sessions).
The large majority of our teaching are actively involved in scientific research, thereby transmitting an enquiring scientific attitude to trainees (beyond pure knowledge or skills).

Next steps

Training programmes require continuous monitoring for quality and improvement.
Sharing of best practices with other networks to which LKI belongs (e.g. OECI) or to which KU Leuven and UZ Leuven (University Hospital Leuven) belong (e.g. EUHA, U21).
Early detection of top talents and specific guidance along their trajectory to enable their growth.
Strengthening of care education (nursing, social workers, etc.) by better coordination amongst different trainings, increased coordination with care “actors” to further increase professionalisation of (and recruitment into) the care professions, and interdisciplinary modular trainings via distance education.
Providing high-quality internships in the hospital (for all possible roles, including supportive ones).
Increased use of simulation trainings, immersive systems, and extended reality applications for skills training.
Exploration of the possible applications (but also complications) of AI in education.
Expansion of lifelong learning based on novel trends, research results, and developments in teaching and care.