Emotional toil: psychosocial care in rural settings for patients with cancer

Aim. This paper is a report of a study to identify experienced rural nurses' perceptions of key issues related to the provision of effective psychosocial care for people with cancer in rural settings. Background. A cancer diagnosis has a major impact on psychological and emotional wellbeing, and psychosocial support provided by nurses is an integral part of ensuring that people with cancer have positive outcomes. Although, ideally, people with cancer should be managed in specialist settings, significant numbers are cared for in rural areas. Methods. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, three focus groups were conducted in 2005 with 19 nurses in three hospitals in rural Victoria, Australia. Findings. Participants indicated that a key issue in providing psychosocial care to patients with cancer in the rural setting was their own 'emotional toil'. This Global Theme encapsulated three Organizing Themes - task vs. care, dual relationships and supportive networks - reflective of the unique nature of the rural environment. Nurses in rural Australia are multi-skilled generalists and they provide care to patients with cancer without necessarily having specialist knowledge or skill. The fatigue and emotional exhaustion that the nurses described often has a major impact on their own well-being. Conclusion. In the rural context, it is proposed that clinical supervision may be an important strategy to support clinicians who face emotional exhaustion as part of their cancer nursing role.