A review of stress management interventions for the oncology nursing workforce: What do we know and what should we be doing differently?

Abstract

Oncology nurses are at risk of chronic stress. In this narrative review we provide an overview of stress management intervention studies for oncology nurses, and suggest that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy/Training (ACT) provides a better intervention framework due to the relevance of underpinning therapeutic processes (e.g. acceptance, mindfulness, values clarification) to the role and stress-related experiences of this workforce population. Current evidence for the effectiveness of stress management intervention varies, with few studies describing how theory informs intervention content, or justifying why they should benefit this population specifically. ACT lends itself to data-driven intervention development, thus potentially addressing some methodological limitations in this field. Only one trial has tested ACT in this population, reporting only partial effects. Further empirical research is required given (a) the applicability of ACT for this population and context, and (b) the associated advantages of brief and/or group delivery to address known barriers to participating in stress management interventions.