Putting Evidence into Practice: nursing assessment and interventions to reduce family caregiver strain and burden

Family caregiving often is associated with multiple rewards, yet the diversity and intensity of caregiving roles also can result in caregiver strain and burden. Using interventions to reduce the strain and burden on caregivers of patients with cancer is an important role nurses play. This article is a critical review and synthesis of the evidence regarding assessment tools and interventions aimed at reducing caregiver strain and burden in the oncology population. Although the striking finding is the limited number of interventions targeted toward oncology caregivers, suggestions from the literature are offered to support and promote healthy outcomes for family caregivers.