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Supervision of Clinicians in Oncology by Psycho-oncologists : Evaluation

NCT ID: NCT07268378

Last Updated: 2025-12-16

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

62 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-08-11

Study Completion Date

2026-10-31

Brief Summary

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Communication in the oncology setting involves cognitive as well as emotional challenges for both clinicians and patients, and interactional dimensions that emerge in their encounter. Supervision of oncology/haematology clinicians by psycho-oncologists is one of the most frequently used tools, which aims to enhance their communicative and relational competences, and at the same time to support them in their daily clinical work. However, little is known regarding its impact and how the supervisory process acts upon clinicians. This study thus aims to evaluate the efficacy of four 1-hour supervision sessions following a clinician-centred format, which allows supervisors to rapidly access supervisees' own difficulties in the encounter with certain patients. In addition, the supervisory process will be examined qualitatively by analysing in-depth audio-taped supervision sessions. The focus of analysis will be "what works" and "what does not". If beneficial effects are found, clinician-centred supervision -- thanks to its focused and time saving format -- could be realistically implemented for nurses and physicians working in the oncology and haematology settings. Effects are expected on clinicians' capacity to reflect on challenging encounters with patients, on potential negative feelings towards patients, and on clinicians' professional well-being. The clinician-centred supervision format could be easily taught to psycho-oncologists who wish to start supervising haematology and oncology clinicians. Clinicians who are less preoccupied with themselves, or with negative feelings towards their patients, have more supportive relationships with them, which is of utmost importance in critical settings such as oncology and haematology.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Healthy Participants

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Participants will be randomized in an intervention (Supervision group: SPV) group with supervision sessions and a waiting-control (CTRL) group.
Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Supervision group (SPV)

As baseline assessments (T0), participants will complete the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and 5-day clinical situation recordings (measuring supervisee's reflexivity) in which they describe a clinical situation that has remained in their mind during the day.

Each participant will then take part in four 60 min clinician-centred supervision sessions (bi-monthly supervisions). During each supervision, (i) clinicians' feelings toward the patients presented will be measured with the Feeling Word Checklist (FWC-58) at the beginning and end of each session, and (ii) specific aspect and the overall quality of the supervision wil be assessed with a 4-item ad-hoc questionnaire for both supervisee and the supervisor.

Assessments performed at T0 will be repeated after the 2-month intervention (T1). Finally, the MBI will be administered at follow-up assessments 3 months (FU3) and 6 months (FU6) after T1.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Supervision session

Intervention Type OTHER

In the first and thrid sessions, supervisees will comprehensively describe a clinical situation with a patient, which strongly affected them in a very negative way (e.g., feelings of rejection, anxiety, anger), or even lead to words (e.g., outbursts, impoliteness, cynicism) and actions (e.g., avoidance of the patient, forgetting appointments, deviation from good medical practice).

In the second and fourth sessions, the same proceeding takes place, with the exception that participants are invited to present a clinical encounter with a patient, which strongly affected them in a very positive way (e.g., feelings of intense closeness, sympathy, pronounced mourning after the patient's death), or even lead to words (e.g., self-disclosure, discussing private information, compliments) and actions (e.g., special favours, difficulties to end treatment, deviation from good medical practice).

Waiting-control group (CTRL)

As baseline assessments (T0), participants will complete the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and 5-day clinical situation recordings (measuring supervisee's reflexivity). The clinical situation recordings consist of describing a clinical situation that has remained in the clinician's mind during the day.

They will then not receive supervisions during the 2-month waiting period.

Assessments will be repeated after the 2-month waiting period (T1: MBI and 5-day clinical situation recordings) and follow-up evaluations with the MBI will take place at 3 months (FU3) and 6 months (FU6).

After the trial period (i.e., after FU6), participants in this arm will be offered the opportunity to reveice the intervention.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Supervision session

In the first and thrid sessions, supervisees will comprehensively describe a clinical situation with a patient, which strongly affected them in a very negative way (e.g., feelings of rejection, anxiety, anger), or even lead to words (e.g., outbursts, impoliteness, cynicism) and actions (e.g., avoidance of the patient, forgetting appointments, deviation from good medical practice).

In the second and fourth sessions, the same proceeding takes place, with the exception that participants are invited to present a clinical encounter with a patient, which strongly affected them in a very positive way (e.g., feelings of intense closeness, sympathy, pronounced mourning after the patient's death), or even lead to words (e.g., self-disclosure, discussing private information, compliments) and actions (e.g., special favours, difficulties to end treatment, deviation from good medical practice).

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Physician or nurse in oncology or hematology
* Specialized in medical oncology or hematology

Exclusion Criteria

* Participation to individual supervision by psycho-oncologists as part of the following training courses: CAS in psycho-oncology and course "Mieux Commu iquer"
* Participated in a study involving supervision by psycho-oncologists
Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Heidelberg University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Friedrich Stiefel

Head of Psychiatric Liaison Service

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Psychiatrie de liaison

Lausanne, Canton of Vaud, Switzerland

Site Status

Countries

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Switzerland

Other Identifiers

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KLS-6188-08-2024

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

SCOPE

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id