Oncology Nurse-Patient relationships based on nurses’ sampling characteristics. An exploratory study

Background Ensuring care for patients is the first duty of nurses and it represents one of the most important factors of human development and survival. Objective To explore nurse-patient interactions according to nurses’ characteristics, such as: gender, work experience in oncology field and shift work. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out during September-October 2023 among Italian nurses who were employed in oncology settings. Gender, years of work experience in oncology field, shift work and the “Caring Nurse-Patient Interactions Scale” (CNPI) were administered. The CNPI investigated four specific sub dimensions in the nurse-patient relationship, like clinical, relational care, humanistic care and comforting care. Results A total of 306 Italian oncology nurses were enrolled. Significant differences were recorded in all four sub dimensions of the CNPI since males reported higher levels than females in clinical (p = 0.006), relational (p = 0.010), humanistic (p = 0.047) and comforting care (p = 0.009) sub dimensions. Conclusions Future investigations on individual characteristics which probably influence nurses’ caring attitudes will be considered, like personality traits, personal priorities, and commitment, beyond individual characteristics, as: conscience, spiritual beliefs, personal philosophy and altruism predisposition, a sense of duty.