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Last update: 06/15/2026

The Nursing Equity Assessment Tool (NEAT) Education Resource

The NEAT education resource has been developed and evaluated as part of the NEAT-CARE study. We continue to refine it based on user feedback, so please complete the REDCap survey linked at the end of the course to help us improve it further.

This course has been developed to equip nurses with the knowledge and skills to identify and respond to patients’ complex physical and social determinant of health needs in cancer care through the systematic application of the Nurse Equity Assessment Tool (NEAT).

Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, nurses will be able to:

  • Recognise how social determinant of health needs influence patients’ access to and experience of cancer care
  • Demonstrate understanding of the purpose, structure, and application of the NEAT
  • Apply the NEAT confidently as an integrated component of clinical consultations with people affected by cancer

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this module, nurses will be able to:

  • Identify social determinants of health needs that may create barriers or facilitate access to cancer care
  • Integrate the NEAT into routine clinical practice utilising patient-centred communication skills
  • Recognise, and have skills to respond to complex physical and social determinant of health needs identified through use of the NEAT, and use data generated to inform comprehensive, person-centred care planning

Course Overview

  1. Introduction
  2. What is The Nursing Equity Assessment Tool
  3. Health Equity
  4. Applying The NEAT
  5. Essential Communication Skills
  6. Using the NEAT in Practice
  7. Summary

Who will I learn from? 

The course content was developed by the NEAT project team at the University of Melbourne, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the VCCC Alliance. 

Academic and Design Team

Project Lead

  • Prof. Mei Krishnasamy, Lead Investigator, University of Melbourne

Project Officers

  • Elizabeth Crone, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

  • Holly Chung, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Project Team

  • Kathleen Wilkins, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Alliance 

  • Shu-Yi Soong, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre 

  • Amelia Hyatt, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre 

  • Sharon De Graves, VCCC Alliance 

  • Lesley McKarney, VCCC Alliance

Education Development and Design

  • Erin Turner, VCCC Alliance

Acknowledgments

This education resource was supported by the VCCC Alliance. The views expressed in this resource do not represent those of the VCCC Alliance.

 

NEAT Implementation Pack Access here

 

 

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