The relationship between aging anxiety, job stress and psychological resilience in oncology nurses: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Oncology nurses play an essential role in the care of oncology patients. Providing care for cancer patients and managing complex treatment processes can be challenging for oncology nurses. The psychological effects of caring for cancer patients and facing their illness and death are often overlooked. The relationships between aging anxiety, job stress, and psychological resilience remain unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between aging anxiety, job stress, and psychological resilience in oncology nurses. METHODS: This cross-sectional, correlational and descriptive study was conducted with 220 nurses working in an oncology hospital from December 2023 to February 2024. The Personal Information Form, Relational Aging Anxiety Scale (RASS), Nurse Stress Scale (NSS), and Resilience Scale for Nurses (RSN) were used to collect the data. Descriptive analyses, correlation analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were performed. RESULTS: Correlation analyses revealed a statistically significant low positive correlation between the relational aging anxiety subscale and NSS scores (r = 0.240, p < 0.05), and a low negative correlation with RSN scores (r = - 0.182, p < 0.05). SEM indicated that RAAS scores were a significant negative predictor of RSN scores (β = -0.214, p < 0.05) and a significant positive predictor of NSS scores (β = 0.608, p < 0.05). No significant direct effect between RSN and NSS scores (β = -0.007, p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that higher aging anxiety among nurses is associated with greater stress and lower psychological resilience, highlighting the need for comprehensive training programs to reduce aging anxiety and job stress, and to enhance psychological resilience among oncology nurses. Interventions focusing on stress management, emotional regulation, and self-care are recommended. Experimental studies to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions are encouraged.