Role Perceptions and Workplace Challenges Among Oncology Nurses: A Comparative Study of Türkiye and Australia

This study aimed to determine perceptions of the oncology nursing role and workplace challenges among oncology nurses working in Australia and Türkiye.

This cross-sectional comparative study used convenience sampling of from oncology nursing societies in Australia and Türkiye. Recruitment occurred via electronic invitations and social media. Participants (Australia: n = 846; Türkiye: n = 191) included registered nurses in clinical oncology; nonclinical roles were excluded. Data were collected using the translated and expert-validated Cancer Nursing Workforce Survey. Statistical analysis involved descriptive statistics and Pearson chi-square tests on dichotomized Likert-scale responses using SPSS.

A total of 1,037 oncology nurses participated. Over 50% of Australian and Turkish nurses reported high workload and information overload as key workplace challenges. Most Turkish nurses (>50%) reported the following items as workforce challenges: difficulties integrating digital health technologies, restricted career progression, lack of training opportunities, unclear role expectations, ineffective interagency collaboration, and low staff motivation. Confidence in core clinical competencies was high in both countries. No significant differences were observed in confidence related to comprehensive cancer care, physical and psychological symptom management, autonomy, or peer and educational support. However, Turkish nurses reported higher confidence in managing spiritual distress, while Australian nurses reported clearer scopes of practice and greater access to professional development (P < .001).

Oncology nurses in Türkiye and Australia reported high clinical confidence, with Turkish nurses expressing greater confidence in spiritual care and Australian nurses reporting clearer scopes of practice. High workload was a shared challenge, while Turkish nurses identified more structural barriers related to career progression, leadership support, and staff motivation, indicating that workforce experiences reflected system-level and career-related factors rather than individual competence.

Tailored workforce strategies are required to strengthen leadership, professional development, role clarity, and resource allocation to support sustainable oncology nursing practice across diverse healthcare systems.