Psycho-emotional impact of work in oncology and invisible challenges of the nursing professional. Scoping Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32776/kk9gzv42Keywords:
Nursing, Oncology nursing, Stress Psychological, Risks, Psychological Well-BeingAbstract
Introduction: The evolution of nursing work in hospital environments has generated an increase in stress and burnout, especially in oncology areas, due to the high burden of care required by hospitalized patients. Objective: Systematize information related to emotional and psychological risks in nursing professionals through a scoping review. Materials and method A bibliographic search was carried out for the last 5 years (2019-2023), in the databases: EMBASE, PubMed, Medline and Dialnet, in three different languages, using DeCS and MeSH descriptors, in addition, guidelines were followed according to the PRISMA-ScR methodology, for scoping review. Results: Seventeen articles were selected for inclusion in the results. Following content analysis, they were grouped into four main themes: psychological and emotional risks in oncology nursing, burnout in oncology nursing, emotions in oncology nursing professionals, and factors predisposing to psychological and emotional risks. Conclusions: Nursing professionals working in oncology settings experience a significant impact on their emotional and psychological well-being, as they are at risk for compassion fatigue, stress, anxiety, depression, burnout syndrome, depersonalization, and moral distress. To address this, it is proposed to implement strategies for caring for healthcare professionals, as well as ongoing education or educational approaches on emotional intelligence and soft skills.
References
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15. Fernandez A, Estrada M, Arizmendi E. Relacion de estres-ansiedad y depresion laboral en profesionales de enfermeria. Revista de Enfermeria Neurologica [Internet]. 2020 Aug 20 [cited 2022 Dec 9];18(1):29–40. Available from: https://revenferneurolenlinea.org.mx/index.php/enfermeria/article/view/277
16. Aquino R, Souza P, Fonseca Da Silva A, Ribeiro De Lima J. Depressão em profissionais de enfermagem da oncologia: revisão integrativa. UNIFUNEC CIÊNCIAS DA SAUDE E BIOLOGICAS [Internet]. 2018 Aug 22 [cited 2023 May 16];2(3):18–28. Available from: https://seer.unifunec.edu.br/index.php/rfce/article/view/2813
17. Jais F, Yan Choo T, Kahan H, Shahbudin S, Abdul-Mumin K, Rahman H. Psychosocial factors and burnout among oncology nurses in Brunei Darussalam: A pilot study. Belitung Nurs J [Internet]. 2021 Aug 9 [cited 2023 May 21];7(5):418–24. Available from: https://belitungraya.org/BRP/index.php/bnj/article/view/1519
18. De la Fuente-Solana EI, Pradas-Hernandez L, Ramiro-Salmeron A, Suleiman-Martos N, Gomez-Urquiza JL, Albendin-Garcia L, et al. Burnout Syndrome in Paediatric Oncology Nurses: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Healthcare [Internet]. 2020 Aug 29 [cited 2023 May 21];8(3):309. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/8/3/309
19. Canadas-De la Fuente GA, Gomez-Urquiza JL, Ortega-Campos EM, Canadas GR, Albendin-Garcia L, De la Fuente-Solana EI. Prevalence of burnout syndrome in oncology nursing: A meta-analytic study. Psychooncology [Internet]. 2018 May 1 [cited 2023 May 21];27(5):1426–33. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pon.4632
20. Paiva B, Mingardi M, Valentino T, De Oliveira M, Paiva C. Prevalence of burnout and predictive factors among oncology nursing professionals: a cross-sectional study. Sao Paulo Medical Journal [Internet]. 2021 Aug [cited 2023 May 21];139(4):341–50. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-31802021000400341&tlng=en
21. Garin C, Nuneza F, Parraa F, Pereza D, Ruiz M. Vivencia emocional de enfermeras oncologicas en la entrega de cuidados a pacientes adultos con cancer terminal. Revista Confluencia [Internet]. 2020 Aug 17 [cited 2023 May 22];3(2):90–5. Available from: https://revistas.udd.cl/index.php/confluencia/article/view/469/431
22. Delgado C, Sanhueza O. Experiencias y sentimientos de las enfermeras que trabajan en oncologia: una revision integradora. Ciencia y enfermeria [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2023 Jun 3];27(22):1–10. Available from: http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0717-95532021000100303&lng=es&nrm=iso&tlng=en
23. Bastos R, Quintana A, Carnevale F. Psychological Distress Experienced by Nurses who Work with Patients in Death Process: A Clinical-Qualitative Study. Trends in Psychology [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2023 May 16];26(2):795–805. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/j/tpsy/a/FtTbdsvLBKnp9dKqfCj6kZJ/abstract/?lang=en
24. Phillips C, Volker D. Riding the Roller Coaster: A Qualitative Study of Oncology Nurses’ Emotional Experience in Caring for Patients and Their Families. Cancer Nurs [Internet]. 2020 Sep 1 [cited 2023 May 21];43(5):E283–90. Available from: https://journals.lww.com/10.1097/NCC.0000000000000734
25. Giraldo-Montoya I, Mesa-Marin A. Cuidar a personas con cancer: vivencias desde el afrontamiento en enfermeros. Revista Ciencia y Cuidado [Internet]. 2021 Sep 1 [cited 2023 May 22];18(3):32–42. Available from: https://revistas.ufps.edu.co/index.php/cienciaycuidado/article/view/3024/3591
27. Miguelez F, Miguelez R, Fernandez J. Fatiga y satisfaccion por compasion en el personal de enfermeria oncologica: una revision sistematica. Tiempos de Enfermeria y Salud [Internet]. 2022 [cited 2023 May 16];4(12):28–37. Available from: https://www.tiemposdeenfermeriaysalud.es/journal/article/view/128
28. Silva J, Sergio A, De Oliveira S, Larissa A, Caldas F, Conceição De Lima F, et al. Occupational stress in nurses that work in palliative oncological care: Integrative Literature Review. Research, Society and Development [Internet]. 2021 Feb 13 [cited 2023 May 16];10(2):e22710212411–e22710212411. Available from: https://rsdjournal.org/index.php/rsd/article/view/12411
29. Eche I, Phillips C, Alcindor N, Mazzola E. A Systematic Review and Meta-analytic Evaluation of Moral Distress in Oncology Nursing. Cancer Nurs [Internet]. 2023 Mar [cited 2023 May 21];46(2):128–42. Available from: https://journals.lww.com/10.1097/NCC.0000000000001075
30. Vargas I, Concha C. Angustia moral, senal de problemas eticos en la practica de enfermeria oncologica: revision de literatura. Aquichan [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2023 Jun 7];19(1):3. Available from: https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=7075163&info=resumen&idioma=ENG
31. Marrero C, Garcia A. Vivencias de las enfermeras ante la muerte: Una revision. ENE Revista de Enfermeria [Internet]. 2019 Nov 1 [cited 2023 Jun 26];13(2):1–13. Available from: https://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1988-348X2019000200001
32. Ordonez B, Medina-Quevedo P, Ordonez M. Cuidados del profesional de enfermeria hacia pacientes oncologicos en etapa terminal: Una revision de la literatura. Revista Electronica de Portales Medicos [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2023 Jun 26];15(16):1–10. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351847738
2. Contreras Z, Ramirez P. Comparacion de metodos utilizados en la valoracion del riesgo biologico. Revista de la Asociacion Espanola de Especialistas en Medicina del Trabajo [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2023 Jun 3];28(2):91–108. Available from: https://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1132-62552019000200002&lng=es&nrm=iso&tlng=pt
3. Henao F. Riesgos quimicos [Internet]. 2a Edicion. Vol. 1. Bogota, Colombia ; 2015 [cited 2023 Jun 3]. 1–209 p. Available from: https://books.google.com.ec/books?hl=es&lr=&id=2NvDDQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT5&dq=riesgos+qu%C3%ADmicos+salud&ots=fteWpFBvl8&sig=71mfm1qi2JFEY0iIDSUHEoK6BOI&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Riesgos%20qu%C3%ADmicos%20&f=false
4. Rojas F, Vasquez P, Barboza V, Lopez A, Zavala M. Riesgos psicosociales percibidos por trabajadores oncologicos asociados a su calidad de vida. Rev Bras Enferm [Internet]. 2019 Aug 19 [cited 2022 Dec 2];72(4):854–60. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/j/reben/a/xqdgM5f5HLnkcnMWmyG5DDF/abstract/?lang=es
5. Naomar F, Castiel L, Ayres J. Riesgo: concepto basico de la epidemiologia. Salud Colect [Internet]. 2009 [cited 2023 Jun 3];5(3):323–46. Available from: http://www.scielo.org.ar/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=s1851-82652009000300003
6. Fraguas F, Fraguas R, Fernandez J. Vista de fatiga y compasion por compasion en el personal de enfermeria oncologica: una revision sistematica. Tiempos de Enfermeria y Salud [Internet]. 2022 [cited 2023 May 23];1–37. Available from: https://www.tiemposdeenfermeriaysalud.es/journal/article/view/128/113
7. Castro N. Influencia de la inteligencia emocional percibida en la ansiedad y el estres laboral de enfermeria. Ene Gris [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2023 Jun 26];13(3):1–26. Available from: https://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1988-348X2019000300010#:~:text=Encontramos%20relaciones%20directas%20y%20significativas,predictores%20negativos%20de%20la%20ansiedad.
8. Montealegre M. Papel de la enfermeria oncologica en el manejo del paciente oncologico. Revisiones en cancer [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2023 May 23];34(5):289–92. Available from: https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=8648263
9. Rosado-Perez G, Varas-Diaz N. Experiencias y proceso de duelo entre profesionales de enfermeria oncologica pediatrica. Rev Puertorriquena Psicol [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2022 Dec 2];30(2):290. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7195809/
10. Castano Rodriguez AM, Palacios-Espinosa X. Representaciones sociales del cancer y de la quimioterapia. Psicooncologia (Pozuelo de Alarcon) [Internet]. 2013 Jun 6 [cited 2022 Dec 5];10(0):79–93. Available from: http://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/PSIC/article/view/41949
11. Sierra-Siegert M. La despersonalizacion: aspectos clinicos y neurobiologicos. Rev Colomb Psiquiatr [Internet]. 2008 [cited 2023 Jun 26];37(1):40–55. Available from: http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-74502008000100004&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=es
12. Gonzalez C, Sanchez Y, Pena G. Fatiga por compasion en los profesionales del servicio de emergencia. Dominio de las Ciencias [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2023 Jun 26];4(1):483–98. Available from: https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=6313248&info=resumen&idioma=ENG
13. Tricco AC, Lillie E, Zarin W, O’Brien KK, Colquhoun H, Levac D, et al. PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and Explanation. Ann Intern Med [Internet]. 2018 Oct 2 [cited 2024 Sep 1];169(7):467–73. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30178033/
14. Sukhera J. Narrative Reviews: Flexible, Rigorous, and Practical. J Grad Med Educ [Internet]. 2022 Aug 1 [cited 2025 Apr 11];14(4):414. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9380636/
15. Fernandez A, Estrada M, Arizmendi E. Relacion de estres-ansiedad y depresion laboral en profesionales de enfermeria. Revista de Enfermeria Neurologica [Internet]. 2020 Aug 20 [cited 2022 Dec 9];18(1):29–40. Available from: https://revenferneurolenlinea.org.mx/index.php/enfermeria/article/view/277
16. Aquino R, Souza P, Fonseca Da Silva A, Ribeiro De Lima J. Depressão em profissionais de enfermagem da oncologia: revisão integrativa. UNIFUNEC CIÊNCIAS DA SAUDE E BIOLOGICAS [Internet]. 2018 Aug 22 [cited 2023 May 16];2(3):18–28. Available from: https://seer.unifunec.edu.br/index.php/rfce/article/view/2813
17. Jais F, Yan Choo T, Kahan H, Shahbudin S, Abdul-Mumin K, Rahman H. Psychosocial factors and burnout among oncology nurses in Brunei Darussalam: A pilot study. Belitung Nurs J [Internet]. 2021 Aug 9 [cited 2023 May 21];7(5):418–24. Available from: https://belitungraya.org/BRP/index.php/bnj/article/view/1519
18. De la Fuente-Solana EI, Pradas-Hernandez L, Ramiro-Salmeron A, Suleiman-Martos N, Gomez-Urquiza JL, Albendin-Garcia L, et al. Burnout Syndrome in Paediatric Oncology Nurses: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Healthcare [Internet]. 2020 Aug 29 [cited 2023 May 21];8(3):309. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/8/3/309
19. Canadas-De la Fuente GA, Gomez-Urquiza JL, Ortega-Campos EM, Canadas GR, Albendin-Garcia L, De la Fuente-Solana EI. Prevalence of burnout syndrome in oncology nursing: A meta-analytic study. Psychooncology [Internet]. 2018 May 1 [cited 2023 May 21];27(5):1426–33. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pon.4632
20. Paiva B, Mingardi M, Valentino T, De Oliveira M, Paiva C. Prevalence of burnout and predictive factors among oncology nursing professionals: a cross-sectional study. Sao Paulo Medical Journal [Internet]. 2021 Aug [cited 2023 May 21];139(4):341–50. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-31802021000400341&tlng=en
21. Garin C, Nuneza F, Parraa F, Pereza D, Ruiz M. Vivencia emocional de enfermeras oncologicas en la entrega de cuidados a pacientes adultos con cancer terminal. Revista Confluencia [Internet]. 2020 Aug 17 [cited 2023 May 22];3(2):90–5. Available from: https://revistas.udd.cl/index.php/confluencia/article/view/469/431
22. Delgado C, Sanhueza O. Experiencias y sentimientos de las enfermeras que trabajan en oncologia: una revision integradora. Ciencia y enfermeria [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2023 Jun 3];27(22):1–10. Available from: http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0717-95532021000100303&lng=es&nrm=iso&tlng=en
23. Bastos R, Quintana A, Carnevale F. Psychological Distress Experienced by Nurses who Work with Patients in Death Process: A Clinical-Qualitative Study. Trends in Psychology [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2023 May 16];26(2):795–805. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/j/tpsy/a/FtTbdsvLBKnp9dKqfCj6kZJ/abstract/?lang=en
24. Phillips C, Volker D. Riding the Roller Coaster: A Qualitative Study of Oncology Nurses’ Emotional Experience in Caring for Patients and Their Families. Cancer Nurs [Internet]. 2020 Sep 1 [cited 2023 May 21];43(5):E283–90. Available from: https://journals.lww.com/10.1097/NCC.0000000000000734
25. Giraldo-Montoya I, Mesa-Marin A. Cuidar a personas con cancer: vivencias desde el afrontamiento en enfermeros. Revista Ciencia y Cuidado [Internet]. 2021 Sep 1 [cited 2023 May 22];18(3):32–42. Available from: https://revistas.ufps.edu.co/index.php/cienciaycuidado/article/view/3024/3591
27. Miguelez F, Miguelez R, Fernandez J. Fatiga y satisfaccion por compasion en el personal de enfermeria oncologica: una revision sistematica. Tiempos de Enfermeria y Salud [Internet]. 2022 [cited 2023 May 16];4(12):28–37. Available from: https://www.tiemposdeenfermeriaysalud.es/journal/article/view/128
28. Silva J, Sergio A, De Oliveira S, Larissa A, Caldas F, Conceição De Lima F, et al. Occupational stress in nurses that work in palliative oncological care: Integrative Literature Review. Research, Society and Development [Internet]. 2021 Feb 13 [cited 2023 May 16];10(2):e22710212411–e22710212411. Available from: https://rsdjournal.org/index.php/rsd/article/view/12411
29. Eche I, Phillips C, Alcindor N, Mazzola E. A Systematic Review and Meta-analytic Evaluation of Moral Distress in Oncology Nursing. Cancer Nurs [Internet]. 2023 Mar [cited 2023 May 21];46(2):128–42. Available from: https://journals.lww.com/10.1097/NCC.0000000000001075
30. Vargas I, Concha C. Angustia moral, senal de problemas eticos en la practica de enfermeria oncologica: revision de literatura. Aquichan [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2023 Jun 7];19(1):3. Available from: https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=7075163&info=resumen&idioma=ENG
31. Marrero C, Garcia A. Vivencias de las enfermeras ante la muerte: Una revision. ENE Revista de Enfermeria [Internet]. 2019 Nov 1 [cited 2023 Jun 26];13(2):1–13. Available from: https://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1988-348X2019000200001
32. Ordonez B, Medina-Quevedo P, Ordonez M. Cuidados del profesional de enfermeria hacia pacientes oncologicos en etapa terminal: Una revision de la literatura. Revista Electronica de Portales Medicos [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2023 Jun 26];15(16):1–10. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351847738
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Psycho-emotional impact of work in oncology and invisible challenges of the nursing professional. Scoping Review. (2026). Revista Salud Y Bienestar Social [ISSN: 2448-7767], 10(1), 78-92. https://doi.org/10.32776/kk9gzv42
