Pediatric oncology nurses are given the unique opportunity to make connections and build long-term relationships with their patients and families. The standard treatment protocol for many childhood cancers extends over years, with long-term surveillance and follow-up visits at the end of treatment. Due to their patients' chronic diagnoses and the severity of their conditions, pediatric oncology nurses work in an environment of increased stress. The high-stress environment puts nurses at greater risk for compassion fatigue; therefore it is the responsibility of both the nurse and the institution to be aware of the symptoms and effectively manage the condition if it occurs. Without adequate attention to stress management for pediatric oncology nurses, compassion fatigue can be a cause for concern and jeopardize patient care. Compassion fatigue is a complex form of secondary traumatic stress often experienced by nurses and other healthcare workers due to their stressful work environment. . Compassion fatigue is extreme exhaustion that penetrates all aspects of one's well-being, including the physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual aspects of life (Murphy-Ende, 2012). It is known that dealing with chronically ill or palliative care children is extremely stressful. Not only do nurses have to deal with their patients' physical symptoms, but they also have to attend to their fragile emotional states and be helpful to their anxious family members. Oncology diagnoses can throw a child and his family into turmoil. Since the nurse is the first and most constant point of contact, she often becomes responsible for ensuring the well-being of the entire family during... middle of paper... tiredness and fatigue. negative implications. Works Cited Murphy-Ende, K. (2012) “Mental Health Issues in Cancer”. In Payne, JK, (ed.) Current trends in oncology nursing. (pages 182-186). Pittsburgh: Oncology Nursing Society.Davies, B., Jin, J. (2006) “Grief and Bereavement in Pediatric Palliative Care” InFerrel, BR, & Coyle, N. (eds.) Textbook of Palliative Nursing Second Edition. (pp. 975) -977, 987-988). New York: Oxford University Press.Hecktman, H. M. (2012). “Stress in pediatric oncology nurses”. Journal of PediatricOncology Nursing, 29:356, 356-361. doi: 10.1177/104345212458367. Schuster, J. L. (2013, June 10). “With nurses at risk of compassion fatigue, hospitals are looking to relieve their stress.” The Washington Post. Retrieved October 25, 2013, from: http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-06-10/national/39865768_1_burnout-intensive-care-unit-nurses/2