Striving for Emotional Survival in Palliative Cancer Nursing

Abstract

In this grounded theory study, the authors analyze interviews and participant observation data related to palliative cancer nursing in hospitals. Striving for Emotional Survival emerged as the pattern of behavior through which nurses deal with their main concern, the risk of being emotionally overloaded by their work. It involved three main strategies: Emotional Shielding through Professional Shielding or Cold Shielding; Emotional Processing through Chatting, Confirmation Seeking, Self-Reflecting, or Ruminating; and Emotional Postponing through Storing or Stashing. Emotional Competence is a property of Striving for Emotional Survival that explains more or less adequate ways of dealing with emotional overload. The theory Striving for Emotional Survival can be useful in the nurses' daily work and provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how nurses deal with emotional difficulties. The authors suggest that health care organizations encourage self-care, prioritize time to talk, and offer counseling to nursing staff with emotionally difficult working conditions.