Creating a palliative care skills training for health care professionals in allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients: symptom management to end-of-life care

Background Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) presents a complex procedure with curative intent in haematological disorders, but is associated with high toxicity. Acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and infections are early complications with high mortality, while fatigue and chronic GvHD contribute to significant late morbidity. Our preceding study revealed substantial palliative care needs, including patients’ uncertainty and existential fears, alongside Health Care Professionals (HCP) reported uncertainty and call for further training in addressing these challenges. Methods To address these needs, we developed and piloted a one-day training for HCPs, based on Brown’s Design Thinking principles, covering symptom management, end-of-life care, patients’ and family caregivers’ perceived life threat, and goals-of-care discussions. The training, led by a palliative care specialist, was held in three 6-8 h sessions with a total of 28 participants. It was delivered through various learning modules, interactive components, and group discussions. The programme was evaluated at three time points (pre-training, post-training, one-month follow-up) using self-confidence and practice transfer surveys, complemented by open feedback, and analysed descriptively. Results At one month post-training, participants reported increased self-confidence across all domains on a 10-point scale (Δmdn = + 1 to + 2), with the most substantial gains in goals-of-care discussions and end-of-life care. Training content was positively evaluated across all HCP groups, and practice transfer was rated as moderate. Feedback highlighted the value of case-based discussions, with calls for more interactive and interdisciplinary elements. Conclusions Despite a small sample, single-centre design, and short-term follow-up, this study provides a scalable model for integrating palliative care education into haematology settings. The findings suggest that structured, interdisciplinary training can strengthen HCPs’ confidence and competence in addressing palliative care needs in the allo-HSCT context. Future studies should evaluate the intervention across multiple centres to assess its broader applicability and impact. Trial registration It was registered in the German Registry of Clinical Trials (DRKS00027290) on January 10, 2022.