Nurses' experiences of cancer

This paper provides an overview of research into nurses' experiences of working with cancer, both how nursing care is experienced by people with cancer and the effects on nurses of working in cancer treatment and care settings. The literature, although slim, suggests that the work of nurses is experienced as valuable and supportive, although this is not consistently the case. Although nurses find working with people with cancer rewarding, it is also emotionally demanding. Evidence for stress among nurses working in cancer settings is mixed and may be related to structural factors more than the difficulties of working with patients who may be dying, although this warrants further exploration. Studies of nurses' communication skills are limited by a measurement-orientated approach that measures behaviour against predetermined criteria. Observational studies provide rich insights into the complex relationship between how nurses work with people who have cancer, or who are dying, as they adjust to their predicament, how this is therapeutic, but also where it may go wrong. Little detailed or comparative work has been undertaken into the skills and experiences of nurses working in different roles, in particular those of nurse specialists. Research is needed to further elucidate themes identified, in particular to shed light on how nurses and other health professionals may be assisted to develop expert practice in working with cancer, but also to sustain health professionals in this work.