Psychological resilience and effort-reward imbalance as predictors of work-life balance among nurses

The nursing profession, pivotal in healthcare and on the front lines during the coronavirus outbreak, faces significant physical and psychosocial risks.The study was conducted to evaluate the work-life balance, psychological resilience, and effort-reward balance of nurses, and to explore the relationships between these factors.The study was a as a cross-sectional correlational study and the sample consisted of 360 nurses in a hospital. Data were collected using the Work-Life Balance Scale, the Abbreviated Version of the Connor-Davidson Psychological Resilience Scale, and the Effort-Reward Imbalance Scale.It was indicated that the average score of the participants' effort-reward imbalance ratio was above 1 and they received low reward for high effort. The Psychological Resilience Scale mean score was 21.89 ± 7.22 and the Work-Life Balance Scale mean score was 47.53 ± 8.49, and the scale scores were at an average level. It was concluded that psychological resilience significantly predicted work-life balance. (F = 61.124; <i>p</i> = .000), psychological resilience did not have a significant effect on effort-reward balance-ratio (F = 2.277, <i>p</i> = .132). In line with these results, it can be said that nurses received poor rewards despite their great efforts, which was accompanied by high occupational stress and work-life balance and psychological resilience. It is necessary to identify nurses experiencing low levels of resilience, work-life balance, and effort-reward imbalance, provide targeted support programs (e.g. stress management and coping techniques), and protect nurses' physical, mental, and professional resilience.