In the corridors of hospitals, healthcare meets humanitarian challenges, highlighting the role of oncology nurses as the first line of defence in supporting cancer patients and their families. However, this sensitive role carries a tremendous psychological and emotional burden, which prompted Dr. Asma Al-Yahyaei from the College of Nursing to delve into the details of these nurses’ lives to understand the factors that motivate them to stay or even drive them to leave.

Al-Yahyaei embarked on a comprehensive study of 456 nurses from two national cancer treatment centres in the Sultanate of Oman, using precise questionnaires to measure five variables: job satisfaction, burnout, secondary traumatic stress, psychological resilience and stress levels. She further aimed to identify the factors predicting the intention to resign among oncology nurses, with the goal of helping build a healthy and sustainable workforce that provides compassionate and sustainable care for patients and their families.

The study revealed that oncology nurses enjoyed high levels of job satisfaction, driven by a sense of fulfilment from making a positive difference in patients’ lives. However, they simultaneously experienced moderate burnout and emotional stress from dealing with complex medical cases. The results also indicated that their psychological resilience was at a medium level, suggesting they generally had the ability to adapt to pressure, although with room for improvement.

The intention to resign was found to be moderate, with notable variations among nurses. The study showed that those with high levels of job satisfaction were less likely to consider leaving their jobs, while increased levels of burnout and traumatic stress heightened the likelihood of resignation. Omani nurses and those with higher academic degrees were more inclined to think about leaving than their expatriate colleagues.

Al-Yahyaei proposed innovative solutions to tackle these challenges, including programmes to enhance psychological resilience, stress management, and the creation of supportive work environments focused on psychological and professional guidance. These initiatives aim to reduce burnout and increase job satisfaction, contributing to the establishment of a sustainable healthcare system that supports nurses and enhances their professional quality of life, thus enabling them to continue their noble humanitarian mission.