Chemo Chair Conversations: A Qualitative Study of How Life and Death Influence Oncology Nurses' Well-being and...

Oncology nurses provide relational care with patients and families that require high levels of skill and empathy. This emotionally demanding work can lead to compassion fatigue, burnout, and unprocessed grief. Strategies to support oncology nurses are crucial for maintaining their well-being and delivering high-quality care. The purpose of this study was to analyze stories written by oncology nurses to understand the emotional experiences of caring for people with cancer.

A secondary qualitative analysis of 35 oncology nurses' stories was conducted using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis framework. The nurses were participants in two Storytelling Through Music intervention studies, which included writing stories to process work-related emotions. Themes were developed to identify patterns and shared experiences across the narratives.

The meta-theme of "Seeking Emotional Balance" emerged and was interwoven throughout the six themes: emotional labor, above and beyond, connections and mutual healing, cumulative grief and loss, coping and remembrance, and finding meaning. Nurses described the challenges of maintaining emotional balance while navigating professional and personal emotional demands.

Oncology nurses face unique relational and emotional challenges. While some found resilience in patient connections, others experienced chronic distress and burnout. Storytelling provides a reflective outlet to process emotions, strengthen resilience, and foster shared understanding among peers. Storytelling interventions show promise as tools for emotional regulation and professional sustainability.

Deep nurse-patient connections foster meaning and resilience but can blur boundaries, increasing risks like countertransference. Reflective practices help safeguard nurses' well-being and care quality. At the individual level, nurses should adopt self-care strategies and engage in reflective practices. Organizational support is vital. Institutions can provide emotional resilience training, implement bereavement overload policies, and offer group storytelling opportunities to reduce stress, enhance regulation, and build supportive peer connections.