Introduction: The relationship between emotions and coping strategies of people with cancer that encounter transplant-related stressors for health care providers is unknown. This study was designed to help explain role of personal factors in coping of adults with leukemia undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Method: This qualitative study conducted 18 in-depth interviews between 2009 and 2011 on 10 adults in Shariati Hospital’s Hematology- Oncology Research Center and Stem Cell Transplantation in Tehran, Iran with leukemia undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Recorded audio interviews were transcribed verbatim in Persian and coded and analyzed using qualitative technique.

Results: The two main concepts that emerged from the data included emotions and intuition. “Emotions” included “fear”, “hope”, “feeling deficient and abnormal”, “changed body image”, feeling shame or uneasiness”, “worry” and “being prepared physically and emotionally”.

Conclusion: Understanding the personal factors including emotions and intuition of patients may help healthcare providers’ better care and improve the nurse-patient relationship. Nurses are well positioned to play a decisive role in helping patients cope effectively with their disease and treatment.