CAPO News


  • 19 Oct 2023 3:23 PM | John Chagnon (Administrator)
    • Job Title
      Health Care Social Worker (Masters)
    • Company
      Nova Scotia Health
    • Department
      Oncology Social Work
    • City
      Halifax

    • State / Province / Region
      NS

    Job Description
    • Reporting to the Health Services Manager, Cancer Care, NZ, the Health Care Social Worker provides a diverse range of interventions to clients and their families, enabling them to achieve their optimal level of functioning and health. These interventions include: psychosocial assessments, adjustment therapy, supportive therapy, crisis counselling, resource counselling, and discharge planning and case management.
    • Health Care Social Workers are actively involved in advocacy, education, program planning, consultation and collaboration on behalf of individuals/groups within the institution and community.

    Qualifications
    • Master of Social Work Degree from an accredited university
    • Current registration and membership in the Nova Scotia Association of Social Workers and Canadian Association of Social Workers
    • Two (2) years clinical experience as a Registered Social Worker required
    • Strong counselling and communication skillse
    • LEAP Palliative care training preferred
    • Knowledge of the fundamentals of human behaviour including systems theory, family dynamics, group dynamics and theories of behaviour change. Leap palliative care training preferred.

    • Application Instructions
      Applicants are encouraged to send their resume, cover letter and salary expectations.

    • Submit by Date
      11/19/2023
    APPLY HERE
  • 24 Aug 2023 3:51 PM | John Chagnon (Administrator)
    DEPARTMENT:
    Cancer Support

    JOB OVERVIEW:

    Senior Information Specialists for the Cancer Information Helpline respond to inquiries from Canadians, mostly in French, who are living with a cancer diagnosis, their loves ones and friends, and health care professionals through phone, Live Chat and email. They provide emotional support and compassionate understanding as appropriate to the circumstances of the client, answer questions about cancer, cancer treatment and related topics, and connect clients with resources within CCS or other organizations to meet information and supportive care needs they express. In addition, the Senior Information Specialists may answer questions from members of the general public about cancer prevention, screening or cancer statistics published by the CCS.

    WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING:

    • Responds to cancer information inquiries from people with cancer, their loved ones and friends and health care professionals by telephone, Livechat, e-mail and referrals on core topics such as cancer diagnoses, treatments, side effects, coping strategies, pain and side-effect management, clinical trials, screening, practical cancer support services, and more.
    • Assesses, researches and selects information tailored to each client's situation and information needs from appropriate resources; communicates information during the contact and follows up with additional informational and/or resources by email, as needed
    • Uses expert communications skills and probes to assist callers to identify their psychosocial needs and concerns, and offers appropriate resources and referrals in response
    • Provides understanding and compassion, and addresses emotional upset and distress, using active listening and supportive care communications skills, thereby creating an environment of support and high quality experience
    • Functions as the first direct line to CCS, responding to complex, nuanced questions about cancer and communicating the CCS organizational position regarding key issues both verbally and in writing.
    • Communicates professionally with attention to sensitivity, clarity and without personal bias.
    • Participates in self-directed learning to maintain expected knowledge base, acquires new knowledge/information and keeps abreast of the latest developments in oncology and related fields in a complex, quickly changing environment
    • Navigates the CCS ecosystem to identify and source information to address client concerns/issues - raising issues and risks proactively for the organization (horizon scanning) and provides resources to CCS that inform current topics/issues
    • Uses interview techniques to sensitively collect client data, and records data for each client interaction in the helpline CRM
    • Engages QA feedback process to address challenges in data capture and recording, and uses new techniques as provided
    • Works in collaboration with the Cancer Information department to identify information gaps required by the helpline, and shares resources from external resources when identified as potential inputs for Cancer Information
    • Ongoing training and knowledge transfer activities to advance core knowledge and skills, such as newly-published COVID-19 public health and vaccine protocols, AYA and onco-fertility, and the experiences of people living with advanced cancer.
    • Contacts clients on outbound basis when referred to the helplines by CCS referral pathway partners
    • Contributes to special projects as requested to support CCS mission; supporting COVID-19 initiatives, supporting navigation to key cancer system supports as outlined by the Canadian Cancer Control Strategy, updating CSL listings, enhanced client support for virtual access to wigs and prostheses, supporting other CCS grants/programs (e.g. BETTER Women program)

    QUALIFICATIONS

    • At least a bachelor's degree in health sciences, e.g. nursing, biology, nutrition, occupational therapy or a related field
    • At least 1 year of some practical or job-related experience;
    • Experience in a front-line, public-facing professional environment or role
    • An excellent command of French and English in oral and written forms.
    • Ability to multi-task
    • Experience in the use of common computer software (Office suite or others)
    • minimum of one year of related practical or clinical experience, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience
    • Examples of behavioural competency: Strong client service, supportive care, communication, active listening and interpersonal skills which contribute to a compassionate and caring experience
    • Strong information management and analytic skills, and excellent attention to detail, which contribute to high quality mission outcomes
    • Data management and database acumen; ability to sensitively collect personal information from clients, and accurate entry of client data in the CRM, which contributes to the CCS mission data strategy analytics, KPI reporting, and operational analyses
    • Expert verbal and written communication skills including the ability to communicate complex cancer information in a clear and understandable manner, write clearly and succinctly in a variety of communication settings and styles;
    • Ability to identify and escalate organizational risks as identified through workload.

    CITY:
    This position can be based anywhere in Canada

    APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

    Applicants are encouraged to send their resume, cover letter and salary expectations.

    APPLY BY:

    09/08/2023

    APPLY HERE
  • 24 Aug 2023 2:59 PM | John Chagnon (Administrator)

    The purpose of this presentation is to provide participants with an overview of the work undertaken by the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology to encourage and establish minimum benchmarks in hiring practices for PSO programming in Canada. This presentation will highlight the framework and an on-line calculator available to determine staffing ratios.
    Members of the Clinical Advisory Committee for CAPO reviewed the literature and met over two years with leaders in the field to gain consensus on various factors to be considered for hiring PSO professionals. Ten factors shape the framework using the example of MSWs working in tertiary cancer centres. What makes the framework unique is the inter-connection between the scope of practice, work setting, recognition of distress in PSO care and pragmatic factors such as allocation of time and cancer cases that informs the number of PSO professionals to be hired. The presenters will also review how to access the online calculator to input data to arrive at a recommended staffing ratio. The framework is fluid, continues to evolve and can be adapted for other disciplines

    FEATURING:

    Dr. Carole R. Mayer PhD. RSW

    CO- PRESENTERS:

    Marianne Arab
    Kimberley Thibodeau, MSW, CFT


    DATE: Thursday, October 26, 2023, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. EDT

    Webinar registration now open :

    • FREE to CAPO Members. 
    • FREE to non-members
    REGISTER HERE

    Webinar access details will be provided in your registration confirmation email. Pending quality of recording, this webcast will be available within 30 days of the live webinar.

    If you are not a current member of CAPO, find out more about membership by going to https://capo.ca/apply

  • 5 Jul 2023 11:29 AM | John Chagnon (Administrator)

    The Bultz best student oral award recognizes a student member of the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology for an oral research presentation demonstrating excellence in psychosocial oncology research in Canada.

    Congratulations to award winners Justine Albert and Lily Rogers.

    Congratulations to award winner Justine- Albert -Experiences of informal caregivers regarding MAiD in Canada: A Narrative Review



    Congratulations to award winner Lily Rogers -Transforming Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Care through Creativity and Theatre

  • 5 Jul 2023 11:28 AM | John Chagnon (Administrator)

    The Bultz Student Award Series was established to honour the vision and memory of Ben and Molly Bultz, and is a tribute to their compassion, love of education and generousity of spirit.
    The Bultz best student poster award recognizes a student member of the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology, for a poster presentation of a research project demonstrating excellence in psychosocial oncology research in Canada.
     
    Congratulations to award winner Katherine-Anne Piedalue - High-Fidelity Testing in a Smartphone App to Treat Insomnia in Cancer Survivors (iCANSleep App)

  • 5 Jul 2023 11:25 AM | John Chagnon (Administrator)

    The Canadian Virtual Hospice has established an award to acknowledge the exemplary work of psychosocial oncology professionals and students.
    The purpose of this award is to promote progress in research, education and clinical practice in the area of palliative care and grief and the dissemination of information related to the psychosocial care. It is given to support oncology professionals in continuing education activities.

    Congratulations to award winner Sarah Alonzi - Mortality-Focused Language of Palliative Care Descriptions and Clinician Willingness to Recommend the Service

  • 5 Jul 2023 11:23 AM | John Chagnon (Administrator)

    The Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada has established an award of excellence to acknowledge the exemplary work of psychosocial oncology professionals, in collaboration with CAPO.

    The purpose of this award is to promote the dissemination of information related to the psychosocial care of children/adults/families with brain tumours and is given to support oncology professionals in continuing education activities.

    Congratulations to award winner Marco BonannoTranslating research data into practice to improve the trajectories of AYA pediatric brain tumour survivors (PBTS) following treatment: Preliminary results of two focused workshops, with different stakeholders, in Québec.


  • 12 May 2023 1:04 PM | Peter Traversa (Administrator)

    The Current Oncology Student Travel Award is established by Current Oncology to acknowledge the exemplary work of a trainee presenting psycho-oncology research and to promote the dissemination of information related to psychosocial care.

    We are pleased to announce the Sydney Wasserman has won for her paper titled: An Evaluation of Interactive Mobile Health (mHealth) Applications for Adults Living with Cancer.

    Sydney Wasserman is a registered nurse clinician, working clinically as an Emergency Trauma nurse at the Montreal General Hospital. Having recently graduated from the master’s in advanced nursing, she will now be pursuing her PhD in Nursing at McGill University. Sydney balances her passion for clinical work with teaching and research. She has been a Teaching Assistant, Clinical Instructor and Preceptor Support throughout her graduate degree. She also values her mentorship role as a First Aid training instructor and training coordinator for St. John Ambulance, and the President of the Nursing Graduate Students Association (NGSA). She has been very involved as a research assistant at St. Mary’s research centre and McGill University, where her research primarily focuses on self-management interventions curated for both patients and their caregivers. She also has a special interest in mobile health applications and implementation sciences for psychosocial oncology. With Dr. Lambert as her supervisor, she will be starting her PhD in the Fall studying the acceptability of Coping-Together Advanced for patients and caregivers facing advanced cancer with a pilot SMART. She is active in disseminating findings from her research by presenting at the Canadian Association for Psychosocial Oncology (CAPO), International Psycho Oncology Society (IPOS) and Canadian Centre for Applied Research in Cancer Control (ARCC) conferences.

    Sydney will present her paper at the CAPO Conference in Montreal in June.
  • 12 May 2023 12:53 PM | Peter Traversa (Administrator)

    The CAPO Student/Trainee Committee is currently seeking both professional and student/trainee members who would be interested in participating in the CAPO Mentorship Consultation Program. 

    The overall purpose of this program is to create meaningful connections between students/trainees and CAPO professionals. Mentoring is a shared learning experience that not only benefits the mentee but the mentor as well. For the mentor, the experience expands leadership and coaching skills and is a way to help build future leaders in the field of psychosocial oncology. For the mentee, the partnership is a learning experience that provides the opportunity to gain practical knowledge and valuable career insights.  

    CAPO’s Mentorship Consultation Program was designed to include a first meeting between mentors and mentees during the annual conference and potential future collaboration that both members are free to arrange with each other post-conference. 

    If you are interested in this opportunity, please let us know before June 5th, 2023, by responding to this survey below. 

    Sign-Up as a MENTOR

    Sign-Up as a MENTEE

    Thank you in advance for your time and consideration of this invitation. 

    For more information, please contact Justine Albert, CAPO Student Liaison: [email protected]

  • 12 Dec 2022 10:41 AM | Peter Traversa (Administrator)

    Justine Albert is currently an M.Sc. candidate in Experimental Medicine at McGill University under the supervision of Dr. Carmen Loiselle and is the recipient of the Kuok Fellowship provided by the Rossy Cancer Network. Justine’s graduate research focuses on the experiences of English-speaking informal caregivers in Quebec of patients who have undergone medical assistance in dying or palliative sedation until death. Prior to her M.Sc. Justine completed a Bachelor of Arts with an Honours in Psychology from Western University as well as a Graduate Diploma in Oncology from McGill University with a specialization in Psycho-Oncology and Palliative Care.

    Justine has also worked as a research assistant for Dr. Melissa Henry on various psychosocial oncology projects including research on body image concerns in patients with head and neck cancer, the representation of psycho-oncology in national cancer care plans, and studies relating to suffering at the end-of-life. Justine is originally from White Rock, British Columbia and is now located in Montréal, Quebec. 

The Canadian Association of
Psychosocial Oncology (CAPO)

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Toronto, ON M5A 1S2
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