“OncoNoesis”: Educational Program for Nurses on Lung Cancer
SOCIETY
CIVIL SOCIETY: 295 PRACTICES
TOPIC:
Initiative
SUBMITTED FROM:
FAIRLIFE LUNG CANCER CARE
Objective Action
The “OncoNoesis” initiative by FairLife Lung Cancer Care is the first innovative educational program in Greece specifically designed for nurses caring for patients with lung cancer, with the primary aim of improving the quality of care provided.
The program is implemented in collaboration with, and under the scientific guidance of, the Oncology Nursing Division of the Hellenic Nurses Association (ESNE), addressing a critical need within the healthcare system: strengthening nurses’ specialized knowledge, clinical skills, and psychological preparedness in oncology care.
Through a comprehensive educational program that includes webinar, training seminars, digital guides, a specially designed website, and certification for participants, “OncoNoesis” offers modern, evidence-based, and practically applicable knowledge.
The goal is to enhance nurses’ professional development and assist them in their daily clinical practice, from diagnosis and treatment to symptom management, palliative care, and communication with patients and caregivers.
At the same time, the initiative seeks to empower nurses’ emotional resilience and empathy, creating a lasting and sustainable legacy of knowledge, ultimately resulting in a better care experience and optimal support for lung cancer patients and their families.
Target Audience
The “OncoNoesis” initiative is addressed to nursing personnel involved in the care of lung cancer patients in public and private healthcare settings across Greece. Its primary audience is professional nurses in oncology and related specialties, who are called upon daily to meet the complex clinical, psychological, and communication needs of patients and their families.
The direct beneficiaries of the program are the nurses who participated in the educational process, who ultimately exceeding all initial expectations and reaching 126 participants from 17 prefectures across the country and more than 50 hospitals, clinics, and healthcare facilities.
At the same time, the initiative also indirectly reaches broader groups of healthcare professionals, nursing students and graduates, as well as lung cancer patients themselves and their caregivers, who benefit from the improved, more holistic, and human-centered care provided by trained nurses.
Duration
The initiative was implemented within 2025: a webinar on June 18, 2025, educational seminars from September 12 to 27, 2025, and final online assessment and completion by December 2025.
Description
The “OncoNoesis” initiative by FairLife Lung Cancer Care was designed to address a recognized gap in oncology nursing care in Greece: the lack of specialized training for nurses caring for lung cancer patients, coupled with the emotional burden and professional burnout associated with daily clinical practice.
With this rationale, FairLife, in collaboration with and with the scientific support of the Oncology Nursing Sector of the Hellenic Nurses Association (ESNE), developed the first innovative educational program in Greece for nurses caring for lung cancer patients, aiming to improve the quality of care, enhance their professional development, and meaningfully empower them in daily clinical practice.
The implementation of the initiative was organized as a comprehensive educational program to ensure the intervention would have longevity, coherence, and practical value. The program included an open informational webinar, held on June 18, 2025, which served as a key pillar for content dissemination and brought together 10 speakers and 1,674 live broadcast viewers.
In parallel, two educational cycles were developed, with a total duration of 36 teaching hours. Cycle A included four online sessions, each lasting 6 hours, focusing on symptoms, diagnosis, risk factors, treatment options, and the overall management of the disease. Cycle B included two online sessions, also lasting 6 hours each, focusing on counselling education, communication with patients and caregivers, as well as nurses’ personal psychological empowerment, resilience, and self-care.
The educational process was completed with online examinations, through which participants were able to receive certification from the European Oncology Nursing Society (EONS) and International Continuing Nursing Education Credits (ICNECs), through the ESNE accreditation committee and in accordance with the criteria of the International Council of Nurses (ICN).
A key element of the program’s design was also the specially developed website, the digital learning platform, and the digital repository, which includes two essays from the patient’s and caregiver’s perspectives, as well as six digital educational guides covering key milestones in the treatment pathway: post-diagnosis management, molecular testing and targeted therapies, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, and the management of symptoms and side effects.
The response to the program exceeded the initial forecast of 80 beneficiaries, reaching 126 nurses from 17 prefectures and more than 50 hospitals, clinics, and healthcare facilities. The program also created a strong digital footprint, with 1,462 downloads of the educational brochures.
In this way, “OncoNoesis” was not a standalone educational activity, but a stable and evolving hub of knowledge and practical support for healthcare professionals. Its content remains accessible and usable by nurses, patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and anyone interested, reinforcing the sustainability and long-term value of the initiative.
At the same time, a structured evaluation process was implemented to assess the program’s effectiveness, using questionnaires before and after the educational intervention. Upon completion of the program, participants completed an evaluation questionnaire, which captured their satisfaction, perceived improvement in their knowledge and skills, and enhanced psychological preparedness in clinical practice.
The innovative and distinctive features of the initiative lie in the combination of specialized lung cancer nursing education, psychological empowerment of healthcare professionals, empathy development, open digital access to evidence-based material, and certified evaluation with measurable impact.
“OncoNoesis” did not merely transmit knowledge; it served as a comprehensive empowerment intervention, strengthening psychological preparedness, scientific expertise, and practical skills for everyday clinical application, contributing to the advancement of nursing care for lung cancer patients in Greece..
Links
OncoNoesis
https://fairlifelcc.com/onconoesis/
OncoNoesis Webinar
https://fairlifelcc.com/events/webinar-onconoesis/
Educational Seminars
https://fairlifelcc.com/onconoesis/ekpaideytika-seminaria/
Digital Learning Platform / Digital Booklets
https://fairlifelcc.com/onconoesis/psifiaki-platforma-ekpaideysis-digital-booklets/
more...
Impact on Society
The “OncoNoesis” initiative recorded significant and measurable results, confirming both the need for and the impact of the action on its target audience.
The program exceeded its initial design of 80 spots, ultimately reaching 126 nurses from 17 prefectures across Greece and more than 50 hospitals, clinics, and healthcare facilities. This highlighted its nationwide reach and the pressing need for specialized lung cancer care training.
The training comprised 36 teaching hours with over 30 instructors, organized into two educational cycles, and concluded with online examinations and certification. A total of 85 nurses took part in the final certification examination, achieving a 100% success rate.
The initiative also had a strong dissemination impact. The informational webinar on June 18, 2025, brought together 10 speakers and 1,674 live broadcast viewers, while the program website recorded 10,783 visits. In parallel, a digital knowledge repository was created, including 6 digital educational guides and 2 from the patient’s and caregiver’s perspectives, which remain available after the completion of the program. The educational brochures recorded 1,462 downloads, strengthening the sustainability and long-term utility of the initiative.
The impact on participants was captured through a structured pre- and post-intervention evaluation. Before the start of the program, significant educational and psychosocial were identified: 86% reported professional burnout in the last six months, while only 13.5% stated that they felt highly prepared to provide psychological support to lung cancer patients.
Upon completion, a second structured evaluation questionnaire was conducted, with 89 respondents. The questionnaire assessed participants’ level of satisfaction, perceived improvement in their knowledge and communication skills, and enhanced psychological preparedness. The results showed very high overall satisfaction (average score 9.1/10), significant improvement in knowledge and communication skills (above 9/10), and an increase in psychological preparedness to 98.9%.
The initiative’s added value extends beyond the direct beneficiaries. Trained nurses now apply new knowledge, practical skills, and enhanced psychological readiness in daily clinical practice, improving the quality of care for lung cancer patients and their families.
Initiative Location
The initiative was implemented nationwide, through online educational sessions and a hybrid webinar. Nurses from 17 prefectures and 50+ hospitals, clinics and healthcare facilities participated, actively strengthening the national reach of the program across Greece.
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Working with Organization
The “OncoNoesis” initiative was implemented in collaboration with, and with the scientific support of, the Oncology Nursing Sector of the Hellenic Nurses Association (ESNE)..
Furthermore, the initiative was held under the scientific auspices of the following organizations:
- Hellenic Society of Medical Oncology (HeSMO)
- Hellenic Thoracic Society
- Hellenic Radiological Society
- Hellenic Society of Pathology
- Hellenic Society for Radiation Oncology
- Hellenic Society of Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgeons
- Hellenic Nurses Association (ESNE)
- European Oncology Nursing Society (EONS)
The program provided participants with the opportunity for certification by the European Oncology Nursing Society (EONS) and the awarding of International Continuing Nursing Education Credits (ICNECs) through the ESNE accreditation committee, in accordance with the criteria of the International Council of Nurses (ICN).
In addition, the program was supported by:
- Founding Donor: John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation
- Supporter of the Educational Seminars: VIANEX
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Workers Participation
External partners:
Website Development, Advertising & Communications: Catalytica
Audiovisual Equipment & Live Streaming: Wasp Studio
Graphic Design & Printed Materials: Sofia Filou
Copy Editing & Translations: Angeliki Souri
Publicity: Reputation Unique
Journalist / Webinar Moderator: Natassa Spagadorou
Media Monitoring Services: INNEWS
Courier Services: ACS
Volunteers (17):
- Indicative participants: Evi Lampropoulou, Eleni Moisiadou, Betty Cheimariou, Giota Dede, Despina Demeti, Nikoleta Panopoulou, Giorgos Plessas, Ilianna Giannatou, Nikos Koulouris, Sotiris Vlachopanagiotis
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Benefits for Οrganization
The implementation of “OncoNoesis” significantly strengthened the institutional role of FairLife Lung Cancer Care as the first organization in Greece dedicated exclusively to lung cancer, designing comprehensive, evidence-based interventions for patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.
Through the program, FairLife developed an innovative educational model with nationwide reach, combining scientific knowledge, digital education, certification, evaluation, and practical tools for lung cancer nursing care. The initiative enhanced the organization’s expertise in designing accredited educational programs, managing scientific content, creating digital guides, and assessing social impact through pre- and post-intervention evaluations.
At the same time, the program significantly strengthened FairLife’s network of collaborations with the scientific and healthcare community. The collaboration with the Oncology Nursing Sector of the Hellenic Nurses Association (ESNE), together with the participation of specialized scientists and healthcare professionals, reinforced the organization’s credibility, visibility, and role as a bridge between patients, healthcare professionals, scientific societies, and society at large.
The measurable results also highlighted FairLife’s communication dynamic. The informational webinar attracted 1,674 live viewers, with the participation of 10 speakers, while the program website recorded 10,783 visits. Additionally, Additionally, the educational brochures and digital guides saw 1,462 downloads, creating a permanent digital knowledge repository.
A particularly important benefit was the creation of a new community for dialogue and collaboration with 126 nurses from 17 prefectures and more than 50 hospitals, clinics, and healthcare facilities. Through this process, FairLife gained a direct and evidence-based understanding of the actual needs of nurses caring for patients with lung cancer, including the need for palliative care, psychological support, symptom management, communication skills, and prevention of professional burnout.
The successful completion of the program solidified FairLife’s credibility as an organization that is not limited to information and awareness-raising, but produces measurable social impact and contributes essentially to the improvement of oncology care in Greece.
The most important benefit for the Organization, however, is that “OncoNoesis” was not a standalone action, but functioned as a basis for continuity, evolution, and scaling.
The data, experience, and findings from the first cycle are already being utilized in the design of “OncoNoesis II”, a new, more targeted educational intervention for the specialization of nurses in palliative care for lung cancer patients. The need for this continuation emerged directly from the evaluation of the first program, as 72.6% of nurses stated a need for further training in palliative and supportive care.
With “OncoNoesis II”, FairLife utilizes the success of the first program as a long-term strategic intervention, strengthening sustainability, institutional continuity, and the multiplier impact for nurses, patients, and the healthcare system.
Connection with Global Goals
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“Healthy Lungs”
