Assessing Work-Life Balance On Career Development And Job Satisfaction Among Female Midwifery And Nursing Staff In Kumasi

Abstract

Despite the critical role of female midwifery and nursing staff in Ghana's healthcare sector, there is a noticeable gap in our understanding of how work-life balance influences their career development and job satisfaction. This study examined the effects of work-life balance on female nurses and midwives’ career development and job satisfaction in Kumasi. It employed quantitative methods, using primary sources of data. A survey of three sampled public hospitals in Kumasi (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology’s Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, and, Manhyia District Hospital), involving 48, 110, and 89 respectively were undertaken with nurses and midwives using a questionnaire. Data from the nurses and midwives survey were analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, version 22). Descriptive statistics including percentages, mean, standard deviation and frequencies as well as inferential (ordinal regression) statistics were used for analyzing the quantitative data. Results show that there are a number of work-life balance practices in the study setting, although some of the work-life practices are not properly observed. The proper observed practices included flexibility of the working arrangement, opportunity in participating in programs and training, taking leaves as required in meeting the family obligations, enjoying children services among others. Those that were not properly observed included the organization understanding each employee’s family issues, opportunity to take career break and study leave in furthering education in a shortest possible time. It was also revealed that the career development of female nurses, and midwives with regards to their career goal and professional ability development were progressing. That being said, with regards to their promotion and remuneration, the study found a negative response. This is because they indicated that these were not progression as they anticipated them. Further, the study found that there is a significant positive association between the practices of work-life balance and the career development of female nurses and midwives in the study setting. Furthermore, the study found a positive relationship between work-life balance practices and the job satisfaction of the female nurses, and midwives in the study setting. The study recommends that the ministry of health as well as the management of the sampled study hospitals to design a strategy that will recognize the family issues of workers including the nurses and midwives since the current work-life balances programmes did not capture it properly. In doing so, management at the study hospital could foster a sense of belonging among staff members by providing chances for nurses and midwives to socialize both inside and outside the workplace.