Moral resilience of oncology nurses and its influencing factors: a cross-sectional study

Oncology nurses are more likely to experience intrinsic distress than non-oncology nurses because they must constantly consider the implications of multiple intensive cancer-directed therapies, which can result in a variety of moral sufferings. Moral resilience recently emerges as a viable resource for relieving nurses' moral sufferings. However, limited knowledge exists regarding the moral resilience of oncology nurses.

This study aimed to investigate the moral resilience of Chinese oncology nurses and to learn more about the factors that influence moral resilience among oncology nurses.

A cross-sectional survey study was employed. A convenience sample of 466 Chinese oncology nurses was recruited through an online platform from February to December 2023. Measures were the demographic data, the Chinese version of Rushton Moral Resilience Scale (Chi-RMRS) and Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent-sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson correlation coefficient, and linear regression.

The mean score of moral resilience and professional burnout of Chinese oncology nurses is (2.79 ± 0.42) and (43.65 ± 17.79), respectively. Chinese oncology nurses' moral resilience was highly negatively correlated to their professional burnout (r=-0.654). Gender, educational level, and professional burnout were factors influencing oncology nurses' moral resilience.

Our study highlights the necessity of targeted interventions to enhance oncology nurses' moral resilience, particularly considering the influence of gender, educational level, and professional burnout. By addressing these factors, healthcare systems and nursing administrators can improve the well-being of oncology nurses and ensure the delivery of high-quality patient care.