CN53 - Healthcare professionals’ wellbeing in post-pandemic oncology settings: A cross-sectional multisite study

Background

Following the global Covid-19 pandemic, the healthcare sector, especially oncology inpatient settings, has encountered unprecedented challenges. Oncology healthcare professionals, who navigate the intricacies of cancer care, have faced unique stressors that could have impacted their well-being, job satisfaction, and the overall quality of the healthcare environment. This study aims to investigate the well-being of cancer nurses and physicians in inpatient units during the post-pandemic era, while also evaluating staffing levels and the work environment.

Methods

This is a secondary analysis of data collected between June 2022 and July 2023 from a multisite cross-sectional study that investigated the wellbeing of healthcare professionals. The data were obtained through an online survey consisting of various validated tools, and targeted oncology healthcare professionals working in inpatient cancer units across 8 Italian hospitals.

Results

The study included 119 oncology nurses, mean age of 44.1 years (SD ± 10.1), and 37 oncology physicians, mean age of 47.5 years (SD ± 9.79). A significant portion of nurses (35.3%) and physicians (45.9%) reported dissatisfaction with their job. Additionally, 44.5% of nurses and 40.5% of physicians expressed a desire to leave their hospital employment within a year due to job dissatisfaction. The study revealed that 37.1% of nurses and 40.6% of physicians suffer from high levels of burnout. Concerning the work environment, 72.7% of nurses and 90.3% of physicians felt that hospital managers did not listen to or address their concerns. On average, each oncology nurse cared for 7.2 (SD ± 3.8) patients, each physician 14 (SD ± 6.06) patients.

Conclusions

The findings of this study underscore the critical need for an immediate reassessment of working conditions within oncology settings. This emphasizes the imperative to increase staffing levels, improve communication between management and staff, and prioritize the mental well-being and job satisfaction of healthcare professionals. Implementing comprehensive strategies to tackle these challenges is paramount for enhancing both patient care outcomes and the overall workplace environment for oncology healthcare professionals.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The authors.

Funding

Federazione Nazionale degli Ordini degli Infermieri (FNOPI).

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.