Effect of Parenting stress and co-worker support on work-life balance in nurses reinstated after parental leave

Purpose: This was a descriptive study aimed at providing basic data on readaptation of hospital nurses after parental leave by exploring levels of parenting stress, co-worker support, and work-life balance and identifying factors affecting work-life balance. Methods: A survey using a convenience sampling was conducted with 86 nurses who were within their first year reinstatement after parental leave. Structured questionnaires were used, including the above named main variables and other general characteristics. Data were collected from February to May, 2019 from three tertiary hospitals in Seoul. Data were statistically analyzed using independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis. Results: Work-life balance showed a statistical difference depending on the level of education; it showed negative correlations with commuting time and fatigue and positive correlations with the attitude to job rotation, health status, and quality of sleep. There was a negative correlation between parenting stress and work-life balance and a positive correlation between co-worker support and work-life balance. Work-life balance was influenced by fatigue, parenting stress, health status, and co-worker support in the regression model. Conclusion: Parenting stress, co-worker support, health status and fatigue of nurses reinstated from parental leave should be improved to enhance their work-life balance.