Caring Under Challenges: Exploring the Experiences of Oncology Nurses in a Tertiary Hospital in Northern Iran

Oncology nursing, as one of the most challenging areas of healthcare, requires special attention to nurses' caregiving experiences. This study was conducted to explore the care challenges of oncology nurses in northern Iran.

This qualitative descriptive study, with a conventional content analysis approach, was conducted with the participation of 12 nurses working in oncology wards in northern Iran from August to December 2024. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Graneheim and Lundman's (2004) method. Sampling was purposive and continued until data saturation was reached.

Data analysis revealed four main themes with twelve subthemes of oncology nurses' care challenges: Supportive Care Paradox (conflict between the therapeutic communication standard and reality: mismatch between patient expectations and system capabilities, and patients' informational conflicts), Educational Paradox in the Healthcare System (inadequate specialized training, lack of clinical skills, and educational system limitations), Multilayered Occupational Burnout (adverse effects of cytotoxic exposure, emotional-cultural burnout, and ethical-systemic burnout), and Organizational Incongruence in the Healthcare System (imbalanced resource distribution, imbalanced responsibility distribution, and insufficient systemic support). These findings show deep-rooted systemic and cultural barriers affecting care quality.

This study reveals systemic and emotional challenges of oncology nurses that impede the provision of sustainable care. The pressure to compensate for shortcomings exacerbates nurses' burnout. The health system must strengthen the sustainable care and professional health of nurses through specialized training, human resource optimization, psychological support, and equitable allocation of resources.

Implementing targeted educational programs and systemic reforms can enhance care quality and nurses' well-being, providing implications for policy and practice in similar resource-limited settings.