Family caregivers need adequate support from healthcare professionals to complete the demands associated with caregiving with minimal impact on their own health and well-being. An optimal balance of provision of care between family and support services has not been achieved; therefore, this literature review investigates how family caregivers endure and cope with the challenges of caring for an adult relative with cancer. This review considered the characteristics of caregivers and their functioning, the external and internal supports that help them cope, the ongoing challenges as they journey along the caregiving trajectory, the personal costs of caregiving, and how caregivers cope with supporting their family members through to the end of their journeys. The literature provides an abundance of research on the numerous challenges encountered by families living with cancer; however, little research has been conducted on the coping strategies used by family caregivers at specific stages along the illness trajectory that either optimize or hinder personal recovery. Even less information is available on interventions nurses can introduce to ease the caregiving burden. Improving nurses' understanding of the stressors and unmet needs associated with caregiving is fundamental to the development of effective family-focused clinical interventions.

This study examines the underlying determinants of nurses' behaviour regarding the conduct of pain assessments. One hundred nurses in a variety of health care facilities were invited to complete an Attitude Intention Questionnaire based upon the theory of planned action which is an extension of the theory of reasoned action. Results provide some support for the theory of planned action, as nurses' intention to conduct pain assessment was shown to be predicted by attitude, subjective norms and perceived control, although the latter was the only variable to make an independent contribution to intention. Additional support for the importance of perceived control was provided by the analysis of 'intenders' and 'non-intenders' (to conduct pain assessments), as perceived control was the only variable which differed significantly between the groups. The findings are consistent with earlier studies which showed that the variables in the theory of planned behaviour provided reasonably accurate predictions of behavioural intention.

This article presents findings of an exploratory descriptive study on the effects of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) odor in an oncology unit. The nursing staff, who had reported their concerns about the unpleasant odor emitted from patients undergoing peripheral stem cell transplantation, initiated the study. A literature review revealed some evidence of the possible ill effects on staff caring for patients having DMSO treatment, but many questions remain unanswered such as what staff experience in dealing with DMSO odor and whether nursing care is affected in any way? Data were collected through interviews with 22 oncology nurses who all had experienced direct and indirect exposure to DMSO odor. Of the 22 nurses interviewed, 20 reported that they found DMSO odor unpleasant and reported experiencing physical symptoms such as headaches and gastrointestinal reactions. The study also revealed a situation in which nurses described odor avoidance and distancing strategies that potentially compromised the nurse-patient relationship.