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The Community Oncologist

The Forgotten Team Member: Meeting the Needs of Oncology Support Staff

^aMGH Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; ^bMGH Institute for Health Policy, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; ^cMassachusetts General Hospital, Simmons College, School of Social Work, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Key Words. Patient care team • Cancer care unit • Burnout • Stress • Staff attitude • Job satisfaction

Correspondence: Barbara J. Cashavelly, M.S.N., R.N., A.O.C.N., MGH Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Yawkey 7-7058, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA. Telephone: 617-724-9440; Fax: 617-643-1894; e-mail: bcashavelly{at}partners.org

Received January 31, 2008; accepted for publication April 1, 2008.

Disclosure: No potential conflicts of interest were reported by the authors, planners, reviewers, or staff managers of this article.

Introduction. The impact of working in an oncology setting has been widely researched for physicians, nurses, social workers, and chaplains. The experiences of nonlicensed support staff in an oncology setting have rarely been acknowledged or addressed. Few studies have addressed support or education initiatives for support staff caring for oncology patients. The intent of this study was to understand the work experiences of oncology support staff. Emotional impact, patient relationships, and team relationships were addressed. These data would help shape the development of an oncology support staff program.

Methods. A qualitative and quantitative approach was used to explore the experiences of support staff. Seven focus groups and individual interviews were conducted addressing work life in a cancer center. The quantitative survey collected baseline data on job satisfaction, working relationships, patient relationships, burnout, and support programs.

Results. Four predominant themes emerged from the focus groups. These included: relationships with patients and families, coping with death and dying, value and recognition, and balancing function with emotion. The quantitative survey reported the highest satisfaction with patient relationships and the lowest satisfaction with job recognition and supervisor support. High personal accomplishment scores declined with duration of employment. Educational grand rounds were a high interest.

Discussion. This study provides insight into the impact of caring for oncology patients on support staff. Burnout and job satisfaction can be costly. Recognizing the challenges inherent in the oncology environment is essential to supporting a successful oncology practice for licensed and nonlicensed support staff.