Table 2.
Navigator Training Program
| Training Activity | Concepts | Educator(s) |
|---|---|---|
| In-House Training | ||
| Cancer Health Disparities Overview | Patient, provider, practice and health system barriers to care | Program director |
| Research 101 | Human subject protection, HIPAAa | Project coordinator |
| Standard Operating Procedures and Case Management | Project coordinator, PN supervisor | |
| Orientation to Participating Health Care Settings | Visit practices; computer medical database training | Project coordinator, PN supervisor |
| Cancer 101 | Physicians teach PN's basics of cancer diagnosis and treatment; shadowing MD's at patient office visits, colonoscopies; observing tumor board conference at cancer center; visit to pathology laboratory | Medical oncologist, surgical oncologist |
| Interpersonal Communication 101 | "How to talk to your doctor", "Patient empowerment", others |
PN Supervisor; communications researcher; staff of non-profit agency |
| Computer Literacy | Email; Microsoft office; computerized calendars; internet searches for resources and patient care guidelines | Project coordinator, research assistants |
| Domestic Violence | Child protective services and domestic violence lectures | Department of Health and Human Services |
| Community Resources | Transportation, financial counseling, interpreter services, child care, social work | Social worker from cancer center |
| Motivational Interviewing | Self-determination and empowerment | Research assistant |
| End of Life Care | Transition from treatment to palliation | Hospice nurse |
| Personal Safety | Actions to minimize risk | Police department |
| The Health System | Review of government and private health insurances | PN supervisor |
| The Initial Assessment Interview | A semi-structured interview was designed, and PN's learned to conduct it, using the skills of "joining", history-taking, assessment of patient barriers, and making follow-up plans | PN supervisor |
| External Training | ||
| Cornell Empowering Families Project | New York State program for CHWs. Topics include: relationship and communication skills; cultural competence; working with low-literacy patients; needs assessment; empowerment; CHW self-care | The Cornell Project |
| Simulated Patient Training | Simulated patients, with video-taping and feedback | Local, private agency that provides standardized patients for medical training |
| NCI/ACSa Navigator Training Summit | 4 day program with navigators from across the US | |
aHIPAA = Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; NCI = National Cancer Institute; ACS = American Cancer Society