Exploring the Effects of Nurses’ Family-Work Conflict on Patient Care Quality: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: Nurses need to perform different roles and fulfill different responsibilities. Thus, they experience great levels of strain, which result in conflicts between their family and work. Such conflicts may negatively affect their professional performance. Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the effects of nurses’ family-work conflict on patient care quality. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using the content analysis approach. Fifteen nurses (ten females and five males) were purposively selected. In-depth unstructured interviews were held for data collection. The data were analyzed through Graneheim and Lundman’s content analysis approach. Results: The effects of nurses’ work-family conflict on patient care quality fell in three main themes, namely reduced mental ability for care provision, low care-providing morale, and damages to professional communications. Each of these themes had two subthemes, which were respectively poor concentration on care provision, impreciseness in care provision, poor job motivation, job dissatisfaction, challenges in establishing relationships with patients, and problems in establishing relationships with other hospital staff. Conclusions: Family-work conflict negatively affects patient care quality. Thus, appropriate strategies were needed for its prevention and management. These strategies may include job enrichment, job rotation, and in-service continuing education about stress management, time management, and conflict management.