Work-family conflict, job satisfaction and spousal support: an exploratory study of nurses' experience

• Published in: Curationis (Pretoria) Vol. 31; no. 1; pp. 38 - 44
• Main Authors: Patel, C J, Beekhan, A, Paruk, Z, Ramgoon, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: South Africa Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) 01.03.2008; AOSIS
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Age Factors; Attitude of Health Personnel; Biology; Burnout, Professional - etiology; Burnout, Professional - prevention & control; Burnout, Professional - psychology; Employment - organization & administration; Employment - psychology; Family Conflict - psychology; Female; Gender Identity; Health Care Sciences & Services; Health Policy & Services; Hospitals, Public; Humans; Job Satisfaction; Middle Aged; Nursing; Nursing Methodology Research; Nursing Staff, Hospital - organization & administration; Nursing Staff, Hospital - psychology; Risk Factors; Social Support; South Africa; Spouses - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Management; Women, Working - psychology; Workload - psychology; South Africa; Work-family conflict; spousal support; nurses; job satisfaction
• ISSN: 0379-8577; 2223-6279; 2223-6279
• DOI: 10.4102/curationis.v31i1.906

In recognising the highly stressful nature of the nursing profession, the added burden of hospital staff shortages, and patient overload, the present study explored the impact of work on family functioning, its relationship to job satisfaction and the role of spousal support in a group of 80 female nurses working in a government hospital. Using a descriptive, correlational design, the relationships among job satisfaction, work-family conflict (WFC) and spousal/partner support were explored. The hypotheses that job satisfaction and WFC would be negatively correlated, that job satisfaction and spousal support would be positively correlated, and that WFC and spousal support would be negatively correlated, were tested using correlation techniques. All hypotheses were confirmed. The role of spousal support in the relationship between job satisfaction and work -family conflict was highlighted.