EXPLORING THE PROFESSIONAL QUALITY OF LIFE OF NURSING STAFF CARING FOR CANCER PATIENTS
Theodora Zogaki, Theocharis Konstantinidis, Urania Govina, Theodoula Αdamakidou
Saturday, April 1, 2023
Publication year:
2023
Authors:
- Zogaki Theodora, RN, MSc, MSc in “Management of Chronic Diseases”, specialty in “Oncology and Palliative Care”, University of West Attica
- Konstantinidis Theocharis, Associate Professor, Nursing Department, Hellenic Mediterranean University
- Govina Urania, Associate Professor, Department of Nursing,TEI of Athens
- Αdamakidou Theodoula, Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, University of West Attica, Greece
Keywords index:
Pages: 178-189
Abstract:
Introduction: Providing care to patients with cancer, is a particularly tough process for nurses, due to the many stress factors and demands they face daily.Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate compassion fatigue/sec-ondary traumatic stress, compassion satisfaction, and occupational burnout in a Greek sample of oncology nurses.Method: The sample of this study consisted of 71 nurses and nurse assistants that were working in oncology wards in central hospitals of Athens. The data were collected with a demographic questionnaire and the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL R-IV).Results: The mean age of the sample was 41.82±8.94 years and the majority were women (91.5%). Moderate values were noticed in all subscales. In compassion satisfaction the mean value and standard deviation was 35.73±6.85, in burnout was 26.72±5.91, while in compassion fatigue was 24.63±6.84. A statistically significant effect of the work environment was observed with the subscales of compassion satisfaction (p=0.04) and burnout (p=0.001). Teamwork also appeared to have a statistically significant effect in burnout (p=0.003). Participants who stated that they wanted to leave the department in which they worked had higher burnout (p<0.001). Finally, a negative correlation was found between compassion satisfaction and burnout (r = -0.72, p < 0.001) and a positive correlation between burnout and post-traumatic stress disorder (r = 0.49, p < 0.001).Conclusion: The development of special interventions that will aim in reducing the psychological and physical burden of the nursing staff is imperative, especially in areas where patients' symptoms are many and their management is difficult.
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