Nurses Prevail Over Stressors Like Burnout, Educational Costs

For many oncology nurses, caring for patients with cancer is the driving force inspiring them to come in to work, day after day. But issues with hospital or clinic administration plus the global coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) pandemic are causing health care professionals to experience burnout or compassion fatigue. Thankfully, research on burnout has come a long way in recent years. In our cover story, we explore this research and analyze how COVID-19 is affecting stressors put on oncology nurses. A special callout in the story lists steps that nurses can take to prevent or lessen the impact of burnout.

Another anxiety-inducing factor that some oncology nurses face is the financial burden of paying back student loans from nursing school and/or higher nursing education. Our feature story sheds light on this issue, while also providing resources for eligible nurses to reduce—or eliminate—their debt. We will hear from a nurse who found value in furthering her education, even though it came with a hefty price tag.

In our “Social Hour” column, seasoned nurses as well as patients offer advice to new oncology nurses who are just starting their careers. Words of wisdom focus on making connections with patients and their families, taking the time to explain medications and their adverse events, and finding time to disconnect from work.

Finally, head over to our continuing education (CE) section, which highlights 5 articles from the 2020 American Society for Clinical Oncology Virtual Program. Do not forget to go online and take the quiz for 1 CE credit hour.

I hope you find the information in this magazine informative and helpful. As always, thanks for reading.

Mike Hennessy Sr

Chairman and Founder