Workplace Stress in Portuguese Oncology Nurses Delivering Palliative Care: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Oncology nurses often face complex end-of-life issues, underlining their need for specific training in palliative care. In this context, nurses experience several emotional and psychological dilemmas, which are often difficult to manage and result in high levels of workplace stress. This study aimed to determine the levels and work-related factors of workplace stress among oncology nurses. A descriptive baseline study was performed as part of a large four-phase study based on quantitative data collected from Portuguese oncology nurses. Of the 32 participating nurses, most were women, and the mean age was 42.69 ± 10.04 years. Overall, nurses revealed moderate levels of stress. Younger nurses with less professional experience had difficulties dealing with issues related to death and dying. This pilot study supported the development of a program of six Stress Management Training Workshops (SMTW) to reduce stress and increase adaptative strategies. Assessing workplace stress among oncology nurses should be the focus of intervention by managers and institutional leaders.

(Dis)Agreement with Dysthanasia, Religiosity and Spiritual Experience as Factors Related to Nurses’ Workload during End-of-Life Care

“…The nursing profession is generally associated with a high level of workload and work-related stress, especially for nurses who provide EoLC [5,7,8,[14][15][16]38]. The results obtained in this study indicated that the total mean value of the nurses' workload scale was 17.75 (range 7-35).…”

“…This indicates that almost all respondents understand and agree with involving patients in decision-making and respecting their wishes during EoLC. However, healthcare professionals in ICUs and other wards conducting EoLC are frequently under constant pressure applied by the patient's family to take all possible measures in order to keep a patient alive [5]. Preserving life at any cost has become a commonly accepted dogma in high-tech wards worldwide.…”

Assessment of Exoskeletons on Nurses’ Quality of Work Life: A Pilot Study at Foch Hospital

“…The links between work life quality and care quality led National Health Authorities (such as the French Health Authority, HAS) to include work life quality (WLQ) as one of the dimensions to be considered in the certification of hospitals and to systematically integrate it into the quality assessment, as observed in other countries [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Based on the strong and close link between the well-being of patients and the well-being of caregivers, hospitals have implemented actions to improve the work life quality of their employees, which consequently contributes to improving the quality of patient care [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ].…”

“…The prevention of occupational risks is part of WLQ, and it is a component that improves the physical work environment [ 2 , 10 ]. Among the occupational risks faced by care providers, musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of occupational illnesses and are responsible for significant absenteeism and high compensation costs.…”

Perceived Difficulties and Learning Needs Among Acute Care Ward Nurses Providing End-of-Life Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Comparison by Years of Clinical Experience

“…Nurses with less clinical experience may experience even more difficulties than their experienced counterparts in dealing with issues related to death and dying. 10 While some studies have examined the feelings and anxiety of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic in emergency wards 11,12 and ICUs, [13][14][15] few studies have targeted acute care wards. 16 In addition to nurses directly involved in the care of COVID-19 patients being exhausted, those in acute care wards who were not directly involved experienced difficulties owing to staffing shortages and various restrictions.…”