Appendix F_Correspondence

Appendix F: Correspondence - Focus Group Invitation Email

SUBJECT: Help inform a national effort of the NIH

Dear [NAME]:

The National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), a component of the National Institutes of Health, is developing a pilot communications campaign to address challenges in pediatric palliative care. As a health care professional working with children who have a serious illness or life-limiting condition, we are reaching out to see if you would be willing to participate in an online focus group to help inform this important effort. The campaign aims to make it easier for health care professionals working in a hospital-based setting to start and manage ongoing palliative care conversations with pediatric patients, parents/caregivers, and families. NINR is engaging a range of health care providers to provide feedback on campaign concepts and materials.

The online focus group will last approximately 90 minutes and will occur in the evening of (date TBD). All information disclosed during the focus group discussion will be kept private under the Privacy Act and none of the information discussed will be shared with any other individual or organization outside of the focus group. Your identity will remain anonymous and no personal information with be shared with NINR. An honorarium will be provided.

If you would like to be considered, please respond to this email, and we will follow-up with next steps, including a brief online questionnaire to determine if you are eligible to participate in the focus group.

We look forward to working with you. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions via email at [[email protected]/[email protected]] or phone at [202.729.4211/202.729.4129].

Sincerely,

*[Ashley Wolos/Karen Costa
on behalf of the National Institute of Nursing Research

[email protected]/[email protected]

202.729.4211/202.729.4129]

* Note- The contact person listed on this email is different than the one listed on the follow up and reminder emails because this is the initial outreach about participating in the focus group and does not have anything to do with the technical aspects of the screener. The follow up and reminder emails have to do with the technical part of actually taking the screener and participating in the focus group, therefore, they require a different contact.

Appendix F: Correspondence - Phone script invitation to participate in focus group screening (to be used if emails are unavailable)

• Hi, my name is [name]. I’m calling on behalf of the National Institute of Nursing Research, a component of the National Institutes of Health. May I please speak with [name]?

• Is now a good time to talk briefly?

[Participant Response]

[If yes, continue // If no, ask when would be a better time.]

• The National Institute of Nursing Research is currently developing a pilot communications campaign to address challenges in pediatric palliative care. As a health care professional working with children who have a serious illness or life-limiting condition, we are reaching out to see if you would be willing to participate in an online focus group to help inform this important campaign. The campaign aims to make it easier for health care providers working in a hospital-based setting to start and manage ongoing conversations about palliative care with pediatric patients, parents/caregivers, and families.

• The online focus group will last approximately 90 minutes and will occur in the evening (date TBD). All information disclosed during the focus group discussion will be kept private under the Privacy Act and none of the information discussed will be shared with any other individual or organization outside of the focus group. Your identity will also remain anonymous and no personal information with be shared with the National Institute of Nursing Research. An honorarium will be provided.

• If you are interested and would like to be considered, can you provide me with a work email address where we can reach you?

[Participant Response]

[If yes, continue // If no, then thank them for their time and say goodbye.]

• We will follow-up with next steps, including a brief online questionnaire to determine if you are eligible to participate in the focus group.

• Do you have any additional questions I can answer for you today?

• Thank you for your time.

Appendix F: Correspondence - Follow-up email for those who agreed to participate in the focus group screening

SUBJECT: Questionnaire for NIH focus group

Dear [Name],

The National Institute of Nursing Research, a component of the National Institutes of Health, invites you to help inform a communications campaign on pediatric palliative care. We hope you will take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire in the link provided below to determine if you are eligible to participate in a nationwide focus group to discuss concepts, materials, and messages of this new initiative. It should only take 10 minutes to complete.  Your individual responses will be private under the Privacy Act. Your answers will be tabulated, but not attributable to you, and they will not become part of any record.

To start this short questionnaire, please click on the link below or cut-and-paste the full link into your browser's URL address or location box.

<STRATALYS PROVIDED LINK>

IMPORTANT: THE QUESTIONNAIRE INVITATION LINK WITHIN THIS EMAIL MAY ONLY BE CLICKED ONCE AND MAY ONLY BE USED BY YOU.

Thank you very much for helping with this initiative. Your opinions are of great value to us.

Sincerely,

The National Institute of Nursing Research

– More on the Questionnaire –

This questionnaire requires no special software or hardware and is estimated to take 10 minutes to complete.  The questionnaire is being administered by Stratalys Research, a nonpartisan public opinion research firm based in Washington, DC. We have not shared your email address with anyone.

– Technical Difficulties –

*Please do NOT reply to this email. If you encounter any technical difficulties while completing this questionnaire please CLICK HERE for help or send an email to [email protected]. If you have questions or concerns, please email [email protected].

*Note- The contact person listed on this email is different than the one listed on the email invitation because this email contact has to do with the technical part of actually taking the screener. The email invitation is the initial outreach about participating in the focus group and does not have anything to do with the technical aspects of the screener.

Appendix F: Correspondence - Focus Group reminder email with instructions

SUBJECT: NIH focus group log-in information

Dear [Name],

You recently agreed to participate in a 90-minute online focus group. Here is the information you will need to log on tonight.

WHEN:

TODAY ([day]) from [X-Xpm EASTERN (X-Xpm CENTRAL; X-Xpm MOUNTAIN; X-Xpm PACIFIC)]

HOW:

Click on the link below (or copy-and-paste it into your browser) UP TO 20 MINUTES PRIOR to the scheduled start time of the session.

http://stratalys.com/sss/index.php?s11157pXXXXXXXXXX

The link will not work if you click on it more than 20 minutes prior to the scheduled start time.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact *Christina Beckerman at [email protected] or 202-729-4261.

We'll talk with you at [X]pm EASTERN this evening.

Regards,

Scott Letz

Stratalys Research

www.stratalys.com

NEED TO CANCEL? Reply to this email with the Subject line 'Cancel'. Log in early to ensure you are able to access the system. If you need technical assistance, please email [email protected].

*Note- The contact person listed on this email is different than the one listed on the email invitation because this email contact has to do with the technical part of actually participating in the focus group. The email invitation is the initial outreach and does not have anything to do with the technical aspects of the focus group.