Effect of the Clinical Support Nurse Role on Work-related Stress for Nurses on an Inpatient Pediatric Oncology Unit

Abstract

High patient acuity, heavy workload, and patient deaths can all contribute to work-related stress for pediatric oncology nurses. A new leadership role, the clinical support nurse (CSN), was recently initiated on the oncology unit of a large Canadian pediatric hospital to support frontline staff and reduce some of the stresses related to clinical activity. The CSN assists nurses with complex patient care procedures, provides hands-on education at the bedside, and supports staff in managing challenging family situations. This study explores the effect of the CSN role on the nurses' work-related stress using the Stressor Scale for Pediatric Oncology Nurses. A total of 58 nurses participated in this study for a response rate of 86%. The results show that the intensity of work-related stress experienced by nurses in this study is significantly less (P < .001) on shifts staffed with a CSN compared with shifts without a CSN.