Nurses psychological experiences of caring for patients diagnosed with cancer in a public hospital, in Gauteng Province, South Africa

The aim of the study was to explore and describe the psychological experiences of nurses caring for patients living with cancer in a public hospital in Gauteng Province, South Africa. A qualitative design was used in this study and the descriptive qualitative approach was applied by using face-to-face interviews. Non-probability purposive sampling method was used in this study. The sample size in this study was 15 registered professional nurses when data saturation was reached. Data was collected using semi-structured in-depth interviews with individual participants while taking field notes. Data was analyzed thematical and five main themes were identified, namely: the role of oncology nurses, feelings experienced by oncology nurses, coping strategies used by oncology nurses, behavioural changes and suggestions for oncology nurses' psychological wellness.