https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5355-8639
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ABSTRACT
Background
Nurses suffer from psychological stress at twice the rate of other professions. Oncology nurses face additional work-related stressors because of the nature of the disease, complex treatment, and constant encounters with suffering and dying patients and their families. International reports have correlated stress with turnover among these nurses; however, clinical settings in Jordan have reported a high turnover rate among oncology nurses that remains unexplored.
Aim
To explore the impact of occupational stress on turnover among oncology nurses.
Methods
This qualitative study involved 24 purposively selected nurses from the oncology department of a large governmental hospital in Amman, Jordan. Data were collected in semi-structured interviews, and analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results
Four main themes were extracted: Swimming through an ocean of psychological distress; Living in two overlapping worlds; Giving up the fight and leaving for a less stressful workplace; and Doubts about cancer treatments.
Conclusion
This study indicated that oncology nurses’ working environment is highly stressful and negatively impacts nurses’ well-being. Policymakers and nursing managers need to consider this situation and develop interventions to improve oncology nurses’ psychological health to ensure the stability of the workforce and the quality of services provided.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Ahmad Rajeh Saifan
Ahmad Rajesh Saifan is an Associate Professor at the Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan. Dr Ahmad completed PhD in Nursing from the University of Nottingham. I have published around 40 articles and one book in the nursing field. I also served as a reviewer in three nursing journals. My experience includes lecturing in Jordan, UAE and the UK.
Ahmad M. Al Zoubi
Ahmad M. Al zoubi is a senior nursing staff in King Fahad Speciality Hospital in Tabuk-Saudi Arabia. He earned his Bachelor degree in Nursing from University of Jordan and His Master degree in Nursing from Applied Sciences Private University – Amman – Jordan.
Intima Alrimawi
Dr. Intima Alrimawi is an Associate Professor in nursing at Georgetown University. Her research interest focuses on improving the quality of care for vulnerable families and children with complex health concerns or critical illness and developing health services in low and middle-income countries, as well as developing the quality of nursing education.
Nabeel Al-Yateem
Nabeel Al-Yateem is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nursing, College of Health Sciences – University of Sharjah – Sharjah – UAE. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Binawan University – Jakarta – Indonesia, and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the School of Nursing, Paramedicine and Healthcare Sciences at – the Faculty of Science and Health – Charles Sturt University – NSW – Australia.
Raghad Abdelkader
Raghad Abdelkader is an associate professor of Pediatric Nursing, maternal and child health department, and faculty of nursing at Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan. Dr Raghad completed her PhD in Pediatric Nursing in 2013 from the University of Jordan. She has 17 publications in international journals, her scientific interests include family centred-care, neonatal care, pediatric with chronic disease, and palliative care.
Enas A. Assaf
Enas A. Assaf is an assistant professor at the Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan; her speciality is public health /reproductive health. Research interest is nursing, women's health, maternity nursing, and community public health issues.