Nurses' work in a hospice and in an oncological unit in Sweden

This paper presents the results of a work-sampling study aimed at describing and comparing the activities of nurses at a free-standing in-patient hospice and a hospital oncological unit. Data suggests that although patient care at both sites is structured by organizational routines, the content and quantity of the nurses' physical and emotional labor differed markedly. Hospice nurses spend significantly more of their working time with patients and/or relatives (37%) than the oncological nurses (21%). When they are with patients the nurses in both settings are most often performing a physical activity such as helping patients with their daily activities in the hospice, and helping patients with needs in relation to investigations and treatment in the oncological unit.