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“Storytelling interventions show promise as tools for emotional regulation and professional sustainability” among oncology nurses, who often face “unique relational and emotional challenges” associated with their role, according to results from a recent study.
Carolyn Phillips, PhD, RN, of The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing, and colleagues conducted the study and published their findings in Seminars in Oncology Nursing.
The investigators explained that “the purpose of this study was to analyze stories written by oncology nurses to understand the emotional experiences of caring for people with cancer,” as oncology nurses “provide relational care with patients and families that require high levels of skill and empathy.”
Dr. Phillips further highlighted that the “emotionally demanding work” of oncology nurses and other oncology healthcare professionals “can lead to compassion fatigue, burnout, and unprocessed grief,” underscoring why “strategies to support oncology nurses are crucial for maintaining their well-being,” and their ability to deliver quality care.
Using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework, the researchers performed “a secondary qualitative analysis of 35 oncology nurses’ stories.” The nurses who were selected for inclusion in the study participated in two “Storytelling Through Music intervention studies, which included writing stories to process work-related emotions.”
In addition, Dr. Phillips and her colleagues developed themes to “identify patterns and shared experiences across the narratives” described in the intervention studies.
Six themes were identified in the study including emotional labor, above and beyond, connections and mutual healing, cumulative grief and loss, coping and remembrance, and finding meaning. However, the “meta-theme” of seeking emotional balance was identified as being “interwoven throughout” all six themes.
In reflecting on the implications for nursing practice associated with the themes, the investigators highlighted that “deep nurse-patient connections foster meaning and resilience, but can blur boundaries, increasing risks like countertransference” among oncology nurses.
Moreover, “reflective practices” were found to “help safeguard nurses’ well-being and care quality. The researchers also outlined organizational support strategies that healthcare systems could leverage to support oncology nurses in their roles, such as providing “emotional resilience training,” implementing “bereavement overload policies,” and offering “group storytelling opportunities to reduce stress, enhance regulation, and build supportive peer connections.”
“At the individual level, nurses should adopt self-care strategies and engage in reflective practices,” Dr. Phillips concluded. “Storytelling provides a reflective outlet to process emotions, strengthen resilience, and foster shared understanding among peers.”