Nursing patients with cancer is associated with a high level of intensity of emotional engagement, which can result in compassion fatigue and burnout, with nurses leaving the profession as a result. Mindfulness involves paying attention to the present moment to improve health and well-being. This literature review sought to answer the question: ‘do mindfulness interventions reduce burnout in oncology nurses?’ A systematic database search was undertaken and seven articles were included in this review. Three main themes arose from content analysis of the articles: overall effectiveness of a diverse range of interventions; physical and psychological effect on nurses including skills acquisition to improve resilience; and the practicalities of using emotional support interventions.

Mindfulness interventions can reduce levels of compassion fatigue and burnout in oncology nurses, and in practice these nurses can use the techniques learned to reduce stress and to support them in coping with challenging situations. Thus, such interventions can reduce the emotional cost of caring, reduce staff absences due to ill health and reduce the number of nurses leaving the profession or department.