Job satisfaction among oncology nurse practitioners

Cancer Nurses' Voices and Recommendations to Address Workforce Challenges: A Qualitative Analysis

OBJECTIVES

Amidst the fulfilment of making a positive impact on patients' lives, cancer nurses also contend with high workloads, limited resources, and barriers to career advancement. Understanding the perceptions of cancer nurses is essential in addressing these challenges and fostering an environment that promotes both professional satisfaction and optimal patient care. Our aim was to explore Australian cancer nurses' experiences and perspectives of workforce challenges and their proposed solutions to address them.

METHODS

The Cancer Nurses Society Australia workforce cross-sectional survey was distributed online in 2022 through professional networks and social media. Free text responses to open-ended questions were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and inductive processes.

RESULTS

Responses from 601 cancer nurses highlight the intricate interplay between rewards and obstacles experienced by the profession and identify key areas for improvement. Positive and negative quotes highlight the passion of cancer nurses which were summarized into themes and subthemes: 1) Finding fulfilment while struggling against the tide. While feeling undervalued and facing workload pressures, burnout and limited opportunities for career progression, nurses express love for their jobs, finding it rewarding yet emotionally challenging. 2) Grassroots solutions versus organizational inertia. Proposed solutions included addressing nurse-to-patient ratios, proactive succession planning, more specific education, dedicated time for learning, and mentorship and career development programs. Perceived barriers to initiatives included lethargic management and resistance to change. Networking opportunities, appropriate remuneration, and interdisciplinary teamwork with an appreciation of individual expertise are desired.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings give a voice to the cancer nurses of Australia. Nurses identified a range of solutions to address workforce challenges.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

Addressing the systemic issues that contribute to high workload and impede nurses' well-being and their recognition, and promoting policies to support professional growth will increase satisfaction, enhance patient care outcomes, and contribute to a sustainable workforce.

Mindful self-care among oncology nurses in China: a latent profile analysis

BACKGROUND

Oncology nurses are considered the group with the highest risk for moral distress, compassion fatigue and burnout. Mindful self-care may help oncology nurses improve their well-being and solve psychological problems. However, the investigation and in-depth analysis of mindful self-care among oncology nurses in China is lacking.

OBJECTIVES

To identify heterogeneity groups of oncology nurses on mindful self-care ability and examine the sociodemographic correlation to these profiles.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional descriptive study.

PARTICIPANTS

The study was carried out among oncology nurses in two affiliated comprehensive hospitals and one affiliated oncology hospital. A total of 839 oncology nurses were enrolled in this survey.

METHODS

From January to May 2023, a cross-sectional study was carried out among oncology nurses using convenient sampling. The subjects were given the brief Mindful Self-Care Scale (B-MSCS) and the General Demographic Information Questionnaire. Latent profile analysis using the Mplus 7.4 program was used to separate oncology nurses' mindful self-care into a variety of subgroups. The SPSS 25.0 statistical program was used to analyze the data. One-way ANOVA and the chi-square test were performed to compare the score of B-MSCS in each class and the difference in sociodemographic characteristics among the subgroups. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the influence of the sociodemographic variables on each class.

RESULTS

The total score of the B-MSCS was 76.40 ± 13.19. The support structure dimension had the highest score, with an average mean value of 3.60, and physical care had the lowest score at 2.57. The findings of the latent profile analysis showed that respondents were divided into three classes, moderate mindful self-care(51.2%), low-low mindful relaxation(14.8%), and high-high mindfulness self-awareness(34.0%). Across scale scores and dimensions, three groups demonstrated statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). Univariate analysis revealed significant differences between the three profiles in terms of professional title, position, concern about self-care, interest in mindfulness, and experience with meditation (p < 0.05). Profile membership was predicted by 3 factors, namely, self-care status, interest in mindfulness, and experience with meditation.

CONCLUSION

The mindful self-care among oncology nurses can be categorized into three latent profiles: moderate mindful self-care, low-low mindful relaxation, and high-high mindfulness self-awareness. Multinomial logistic regression results indicated that whether oncology nurses concern about self-care, interest in mindfulness and have experience with meditation influenced different latent profiles. Nursing manager should develop targeted intervention based on the typological characteristics of the oncology nurses to improve their mindful self-care ability and mental health.

The role experience of advanced practice nurses in oncology: An interpretative phenomenological study

AIM(S)

To understand the experiences of advanced practice nurses working in cancer care.

DESIGN

Phenomenological qualitative study.

METHODS

Three focus groups were held to collect qualitative data. Participants were recruited through theoretical non-probabilistic sampling of maximum variation, based on 12 profiles. Data saturation was achieved with a final sample of 21 oncology advanced practice nurses who were performing advanced clinical practice roles in the four centers from December 2021 to March 2022. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was performed following Guba and Lincoln's criteria of trustworthiness. The centers' ethics committee approved the study, and all participants gave written informed consent. Data analysis was undertaken with NVivo 12 software.

RESULTS

Three broad themes emerged from the data analysis: the role performed, facilitators and barriers in the development of the role and nurses' lived experience of the role.

CONCLUSION

Advanced practice nurses are aware that they do not perform their role to its full potential, and they describe different facilitators and barriers. Despite the difficulties, they present a positive attitude as well as a capacity for leadership, which has allowed them to consolidate the advanced practice nursing role in unfavourable environments.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION

These results will enable institutions to establish strategies at different levels in the implementation and development of advanced practice nursing roles.

REPORTING METHOD

Reporting complied with COREQ criteria for qualitative research.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTIONS

No patient or public contribution.

Association between Resilience, Professional Quality of Life, and Caring Behavior in Oncology Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study

PURPOSE

The degree of caring behavior of oncology nurses is a crucial factor in the care provided to patients with cancer. In this study, we aimed to investigate factors related to oncology nurses' caring behavior, including their resilience and professional quality of life.

METHODS

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 107 oncology nurses at an urban tertiary hospital from May 18 to 24, 2015. We used a self-report questionnaire to measure resilience, professional quality of life, and degree of caring behavior. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, correlations, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS/WIN 20.0.

RESULTS

Oncology nurses presented with low levels of resilience and caring behavior, and high levels of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. There was a statistically significant relationship between the degree of caring behavior, resilience (r = .43, p < .001), compassion satisfaction (r = .51, p < .001), and burnout (r = -.42, p < .001), as well as between secondary traumatic stress and burnout (r = .34, p < .001). Factors associated with oncology nurses' degree of caring behavior were compassion satisfaction (t = 6.00, p < .001) and educational level (t = 3.45, p = .001).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that oncology nurses' degree of caring behavior is related to their professional quality of life and education. These findings suggest that enhancing oncology nurses' healthy coping strategies at both the individual and organizational levels can further develop holistic nursing care. Additionally, it is necessary to examine the factors affecting nurses' compassion satisfaction and to try to promote this aspect.

Experiences of nurse practitioners working during the COVID-19 pandemic: A metasynthesis of qualitative studies

BACKGROUND

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic forced global changes to how nurses practice. Nurse practitioners adjusted their scope, changed how they delivered their service, and worked with limited resources. For some services, patient access was also compromised.

OBJECTIVES

To synthesize, combine, and present current evidence on the experiences of nurse practitioners working during the COVID-19 pandemic.

DATA SOURCES

CINAHL, Embase, and MEDLINE electronic databases were used to perform a structured search strategy.

CONCLUSION

During the COVID-19 pandemic, health care services had to leverage their workforce skills to accelerate COVID-19 identification, treatment, and care. Nurse practitioners rapidly found themselves at the forefront and were concerned about infecting others. They also identified the need for support and were able to adapt to the changing environment. Nurse practitioners also recognized the impact on their well-being. Having insight into nurse practitioner's experiences during the pandemic is valuable for future health care workforce planning. Understanding how they coped will help with critical preparedness and response actions to other health care crises.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Having insight into nurse practitioner's experiences during the pandemic is valuable for future health care workforce planning because, as we know, the nurse practitioner workforce is one of the most rapidly growing professions in primary health care. Any future work in this space will help inform future nurse practitioner education and also help by informing critical preparedness and response actions to future health care crises, whether global or local or clinical or nonclinical.

Job satisfaction of advanced practice nurses in cancer care: A systematic review

PURPOSE

To identify, evaluate, and summarise evidence about advanced practice nurses' (APNs') job satisfaction in cancer care and its related factors.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed including a narrative synthesis. Relevant evidence was identified from searches of three databases: Medline (PubMed), EBSCO (CINAHL), and PsychInfo. This systematic review searched for relevant articles published in English between 2000 and 2020. A structured process according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement was followed. The articles critical appraisal was based on the Mixed-Methods Appraisal Tool. Narrative data synthesis was based on the extracted data (study characteristics, type of questionnaire, level of job satisfaction, related factors, and risk of bias).

RESULTS

Just four articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review. Job satisfaction of APNs providing cancer care in different care settings varied from low to high. Satisfying factors were personal, role, work, and institutional factors, whereas dissatisfies included the work setting and stress factors. Different measurement tools of the job satisfaction level were used, which might lead to non-comparable results.

CONCLUSION

The number of included studies and the findings from this systematic review present underinvestigated content according to the influence of patient group demands on APNs' job satisfaction. Evidence of patient group-specific factors relevant to APNs' job satisfaction could not be found. Further research is needed to address the influence of advanced nursing practice and patient group-related factors on job satisfaction.