Oncology Nurse Retreat: A Strength-Based Approach to Self-Care and Personal Resilience

Oncology nurses are at high risk for burnout and compassion fatigue. Self-care is an essential element that oncology nurses should incorporate into their daily lives but, instead, is often deprioritized. As a result, nurses do not seek out educational opportunities that focus on self-care or personal growth. This article describes the curriculum that was developed for an oncology nurse retreat that promoted self-care and building personal resilience using tools that could be adapted for use with patients and families.

AT A GLANCE

• Oncology nurses do not often attend programs designed to support self-care and promote personal development.
• Practicing self-care is essential, not a luxury, for building personal resilience and being effective at working with others in the healing process.
• Oncology nurses can easily adapt learning tools to support self-care for use with patients and families.