Abstract:
Although cancer clinical pathways (CPs) are standardized care plans for
the treatment of specific cancers, they are not commonly used in
Nigerian hospitals. Many Nigerian clinicians do not have the requisite
skill for developing and implementing the use of CPs. Critical reflections
provide an important perspective in the philosophy, design,
implementation, and outcome of interventions. This paper critically
reflects on the design and implementation of a multidisciplinary, blended
learning (i.e. online and in-person) course which sought to improve the
competence of local doctors, nurses, and allied students in developing
clinical pathways. Reflective feedback was obtained from a mix of
project designers (n=4) and participants (n=3). The group critically
analyzed the project planning and implementation in comparison with
best practices. The analysis considered the design of the online course,
the distribution of learners, the conduct of the in-person workshops, and
the overall evaluation of the educational intervention. Positive aspects
of the online learning included the unique design of the green-themed
PowerPoint slides and the vibrant discussions through a WhatsApp
group. Poor internet services in many parts of Nigeria affected
synchronous online discussions that were conducted on Google Meet.
The in-person workshops at the three locations enjoyed great
community support, especially because the course provided free cancer
screening. Future courses should emphasize asynchronous models
while ensuring that online tools that allow for low bandwidth are used for
synchronous meetings. Community involvement must be emphasized
during the planning of blended learning courses in which participants
would need healthy volunteers to practice skills. The use of
multidisciplinary teams for the planning and implementation of courses
should be the standard of practice
