Exploring the Impact of Work-Life Balance on the Retention of Nursing Faculty: A Scoping Review

Introduction

Nursing faculty face immense pressure to maintain a delicate work-life balance, but does that balance impact their decision to stay as faculty members? This scoping review seeks to examine the extent to which work-life balance influences the retention of nursing faculty.

The Importance of Work-Life Balance for Nursing Faculty

Nursing faculty, like all professionals, require a balance between work and personal life to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The nature of their work, however, makes it challenging as they face long hours and high-stress situations on the job. Work-life balance is essential to ensure job satisfaction and, as a result, employee retention.

The Impact of Vulnerability to Burnout

A lack of work-life balance can lead to burnout among nursing faculty. Burnout can affect a person’s mental and physical health, resulting in absenteeism and, in severe cases, turnover. It’s worth noting that nursing faculty burnout can lead to adverse consequences in terms of student performance and quality of education.

Flexible Work Arrangements to Address the Issue

Employers in the healthcare industry are exploring various options to address the issue of work-life balance for nursing faculty. One option is a flexible work arrangement that allows faculty members to maintain a balance between work and their personal lives. Such an approach can include offering reduced workloads, telecommuting options, or compressed schedules.

Conclusion

The issue of work-life balance for nursing faculty members is critical. It influences not only their mental and physical health but also their decision to stay as faculty members. Employers need to be aware of this issue and explore various options to ensure that their nursing faculty maintains a healthy balance between work and their personal lives. This, in turn, will improve faculty retention and benefit the healthcare industry as a whole.