Occupational stressors in oncology nurses: A qualitative descriptive study

Abstract

Aim and objectives: The present study aims at exploring oncology nurses' perceptions regarding work-related stressors.Background: Oncology nurses work in an environment with a high degree of stress, which can negatively affect their health. There is limited research on work-related stressors from the oncology nurses' perspective.Design: Qualitative descriptive study.Methods: Fifty-two oncology nurses were selected purposefully from eight cancer treatment centres in different cities of Iran. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analysed using conventional content analysis. The COREQ checklist was used to document the report of the study. Results:The extracted contents were classified into four main categories. The first category involved personal ability with two subcategories (person-job fit and psychological competencies). The second category included physical environment arrangements with two subcategories (physical working conditions and equipment and facilities). The third category involved psychosocial safety in the workplace with four subcategories (creating a safe work environment, overcoming the challenges of providing care to cancer patients, work/life balance and social recognition of the nursing status). The fourth category holds an organisational context with four subcategories (organisational support, interpersonal relations, justice at work and human resources). Conclusion:It is necessary to find measures attenuating work-related stresses in oncology nurses. These measures should be in line with developing personal abilities in nurses and creating a safe environment in terms of optimising physical, psychosocial and organisational conditions. It is also important to develop programmes protecting the oncology nurses' occupational health. Relevance to clinical practice:The results of this study can help improve nursing work conditions, attenuate work-related stresses in nurses and introduce efficient interventions reducing occupational stressors.

Relationships between depression, self-efficacy, and professional values among Chinese oncology nurses: a multicenter cross-sectional study

“…This may be related to the higher number of oncology patients and the increased pressure on oncology nurses in recent years. When patients’ conditions worsen, they show great physical and mental pain and suffering, which becomes a vital source of stress and makes nurses depressed [ 17 , 18 ]. The findings suggest that managers must be concerned about depression among oncology nurses.…”

“…Depression, as an adverse emotional state, can seriously disturb a person’s life and work [ 15 , 16 ]. Due to the concentration of oncology patients and the high frequency of chemotherapy drug exposure, oncology nurses are constantly exposed to the refractory and negative emotions of patients and their families [ 17 , 18 ]. This particular working environment and service focus make it inevitable for oncology nurses exposed to heightened professional risks for extended periods, making them prone to depression in their work [ 19 , 20 ].…”

Nurse intervention process for the thoughts and concerns of people with cancer at the end of their life: A structural equation modeling approach

“…However, many health professionals need to improve their communication skills for these processes (Slort et al, 2011), which can be stressful. (Kim & Kim, 2020; Soheili et al, 2021).…”

The Impact of Psychological Capital and Workplace Social Support on Pediatric Oncology Nurses’ Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptomology

“…A few studies have reported that supportive organizational climate and leadership styles are antecedents to psychological capital (Luthans & Youssef-Morgan, 2017); however, no studies have examined factors that influence pediatric nurses’ psychological capital. Qualitatively oncology nurses frequently cite organizational support and the importance of workplace interpersonal relations in mitigating occupational stressors (Soheili et al, 2021). Furthermore, the literature supports that receiving support from colleagues can promote the quality of care delivered and increase an individual's ability to deal with stressful situations in nursing (Sodeify & Habibpour, 2020).…”