Working through grief and loss: oncology nurses' perspectives on professional bereavement.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To determine facilitators and barriers to managing patient loss from the combined perspectives of oncology nurses and to extract essential components of a supportive intervention.

RESEARCH APPROACH

Qualitative, descriptive.

SETTING

The comprehensive National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center of a mid-Atlantic university teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

34 nurses from inpatient and outpatient adult and pediatric oncology units.

METHODOLOGIC APPROACH

Focus groups were held with oncology staff nurses to identify challenges regarding work-related bereavement, current support for managing grief and loss, and how to support interpersonal functioning and resiliency.

MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES

Work-related bereavement, bereavement support, and interventions and management strategies for bereavement and loss.

FINDINGS

Two primary themes emerged: dimensions of work-related loss and working through bereavement. Participants also provided many concrete suggestions for the creation of a supportive self-care environment.

CONCLUSIONS

Support issues were numerous, multilevel, and varied. However, addressing those concerns can improve job satisfaction and decrease compassion fatigue. The findings lay the foundation for appropriate interventions to assist nurses in managing those situations.

INTERPRETATION

Administrators, managers, and individuals interested in furthering the multifaceted goals of oncology care, including nurses themselves, are challenged to create and maintain mutually supportive environments for providing optimal care to patients and families.