Effect of an educational program based on a psychological support on the perceived stress levels and coping mechanisms of nurses in the pediatric oncology ward in dealing with occupational stressors: A quasi-experimental study

The current study aimed to develop, implement, and evaluate a psychological support program specifically designed for nurses working in the Pediatric Oncology Critical Area, assess the impact of this training program on the nurses' level of perceived stress, and determine the efficacy of the program in enhancing nurses' coping mechanisms to deal with different occupational stressors. A quasi-experimental, pre-test/post-test design was conducted at the Children’s Cancer Hospital in Egypt. A convenience sample of 100 registered nurses participated in a 12-week intervention consisting of weekly 60-minute psychoeducational sessions (e.g., resilience workshops, cognitive strategies, and stress management skills). Data were collected using the perceived stress scale and a 29-item coping mechanisms scale. Following the program, a significant reduction was observed in the frequency of feeling nervous and stressed (P=0.046), while being upset due to unexpected events showed a borderline significant improvement (P=0.050). The proportion of nurses with high perceived stress slightly decreased from 17.0% to 14.0% after the program. Regarding coping strategies, no significant changes were observed in problem-focused coping, self-blame, wishful thinking, or avoidance. However, seeking social support improved significantly in the item “talked to someone about how I was feeling” (P=0.037), indicating enhanced emotional expression after the program. The psychological support program is an effective immediate strategy for reducing perceived stress and fostering social support-seeking behaviours among pediatric oncology nurses. However, ingrained, non-adaptive coping strategies like avoidance and wishful thinking may require longer-term, more intensive behavioural interventions to change.