Dissertation Abstract

Perceived Sources of Stress Among Pediatric Oncology Nurses

This study examined the stressors most commonly experienced by pediatric oncology nurses. A descriptive, correlational design was used, and Hans Selye's stress theory served as the basis for the theoretical framework. The final sampling consisted of 155 members of the Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses (APON) who returned the two questionnaires sent; the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the author's Pediatric Oncology Nurse Stressor Questionnaire (PONSQ). Results revealed that pediatric oncology nurses found the relapse or sudden death of a favorite patient to be the greatest source of their stress. The second highest ranking stressor was a workload perceived as too great to give quality patient care. The nurses studied had no more state or trait anxiety than the reference group. The implication for this study is that pediatric oncology nursing is a stressful profession and additional research is needed to identify positive strategies for reducing this stress.

This dissertation citation and abstract are published with permission of ProQuest Information and Learning. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission.