The effective management of nursing services, the main power in patients’ care and treatment in the front line of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and nurse managers’ effective leadership behaviors in the fight against the pandemic have been important key factors. It is thus critical to support nurse managers, strengthen them through training, and increase their competency so that they can successfully manage crises, disasters, or pandemics. This study aims to assess the effect of a web-based training program on the knowledge levels of nurse managers who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is a randomized controlled experimental study. The study population consisted of the members of the Nurse Managers Association. The intervention group had 30 participants, and the control group had 31 participants in the final.

There was no statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups’ mean number of correct pre-test responses (P = 0.843). However, the intervention group’s mean number of correct post-test responses was statistically significantly higher than the control group’s after the web-based training program (P < 0.001).

Web-based training programs can effectively increase nurse managers’ knowledge levels. Therefore, web-based training programs should be developed in ordinary times for the management of crisis situations.

Cancer-related distress has been endorsed as the sixth vital sign by many international cancer organizations, and some countries such as Canada have implemented national screening for distress programs. The completion of a screening tool is an important first step in improving responsiveness to cancer-related distress, but screening must be followed with skilled supportive care to make a difference in patient-reported outcomes. Our objective was to create a web-based education program to support nurses and other frontline staff in providing an initial response to screening results.

To address screening and supportive care learning needs, the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology (CAPO), with support from the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, created a web-based education program as one component of the national screening for distress agenda. The program provides clinically grounded and interactive learning through the use of PowerPoint presentations, video clips of clinical interactions with patients and family members, and test questions. Presentation topics include, for example, strategies for dealing with screening results, managing referrals, and supportive counseling. We employed a matched pairs, pre-post survey design to assess the effect of the education program on confidence in screening and in providing initial supportive care.

Our analysis of the first 147 matched pairs to complete the course suggests that satisfaction with the course was high. Statistically significant increases in confidence in relation to screening for distress and assessing distress, and in providing initial supportive care, were evident.

Our ongoing experience with CAPO's Interprofessional Psychosocial Oncology Distance Education (IPODE) project (www.ipode.ca) project suggests that healthcare professionals value web-based learning for its accessibility and convenience. Such programs appear to offer excellent opportunities for cost-effective education that supports practice change.