Psychological supports and managing fear of recurrence for patients with melanoma

Published Erin Turner on

 

Melanoma Nursing Webinar Program

Psychological supports and managing fear of recurrence for patients with melanoma

This webinar was held on June 2, 2026.

This webinar focuses on psychological supports and the management of fear of cancer recurrence (FOCR) in people with melanoma, centred on survivorship and long-term quality of life.

Nurses will gain insights into the nature and prevalence of FOCR, how to distinguish normal worry from clinically significant concerns, and evidence-informed approaches to screening, brief interventions and escalation. The session will explore communication strategies for difficult conversations, practical nurse-led psychosocial supports when local psychology services are limited, and how models of care can be adapted to better meet individual patients’ emotional needs. Participants will leave with practical skills and resources to recognise, respond to and coordinate care for melanoma patients experiencing distress related to recurrence.
 

Learning outcomes:

  • Recognise FOCR: its nature, prevalence and when worry is clinically significant.
  • Understand how to screen and triage FOCR using brief formal and informal methods and escalate appropriately.
  • Identify how to apply core communication and deliver brief nurse-led interventions such as psychoeducation and relaxation strategies
  • Understand how to coordinate psychosocial care and referrals and adapt local models to support long-term survivorship needs.

Audience: MIA program nurses 


Speakers

Claire Gore
Clinical Psychologist 

Claire Gore is a clinical psychologist with over 15 years of experience. She has a particular interest in supporting people with the psychological, social and relational impacts of cancer. She currently works in the Clinical Psychology Service at the Melanoma Institute, where she is involved in the clinical care of patients, professional and community education, and supportive care and survivorship research for patients with melanoma.

   

Jake Thompson
Research Officer 

Jake Thompson is a research officer with 7 years of melanoma research experience. His research has had a strong focus on the unmet supportive care needs and survivorship issues of melanoma patients, as well as interventions and resources to address these unmet needs. He is currently a research officer at the Melanoma Institute and is the Co-Head of the Supportive Care and Survivorship research stream, where he oversees the supportive care research aiming to improve the lives of patients with melanoma.

  Chair: Kathe Holmes

Resource details

graphic of targeted treatment
Course type
Webinars
Duration
60 mins
Curriculum Area
Prevention, screening and diagnostics
Treatment (incl. Supportive Care)
Monitoring and Surveillance
Clinical Care
Speciality
Nurse
Melanoma
Nursing
Treatment Types

This course is brought to you by

Alliance members