Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus? Differing Effects of Shift Work on Nurses' Marital Satisfaction.

Background: Shift work can affect quality of life, especially marital satisfaction.

Objective: To compare marital satisfaction between nurses doing shift work in intensive care units (ICUs) and inpatient departments, focusing on gender differences.

Methods: A descriptive-comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 126 nurses. Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires, including the ENRICH Marital Satisfaction scale.

Results: The study included 76 ICU nurses (54 women [71%]) and 50 inpatient department nurses (31 women [62%]). The mean ENRICH Marital Satisfaction score was higher (indicating greater marital satisfaction) for ICU nurses (mean [SD], 51.58 [11.03]) than for inpatient department nurses (mean [SD], 49.00 [9.90]), although the difference was not significant (P = .94). Gender-specific differences (mean [SD]) were significant among inpatient department nurses in roles and responsibilities (men, 4.47 [0.53], women, 3.97 [0.62]; P = .004), partner communication (men, 4.32 [0.67], women, 3.80 [0.48]; P = .01), time spent with partner (men, 4.05 [0.91], women, 3.20 [0.96]; P = .003), and religious beliefs (men, 4.21 [0.78], women, 3.70 [0.98]; P = .02) components. Linear regression indicated that the partner's profession in health care (β = -0.21; P = .02) and the partner's satisfaction with the nurse's shift work (β = 0.18; P = .04) were significant predictors of marital satisfaction.

Conclusions: Addressing gender, unit, and other personal factors while promoting the connection between employee well-being and the work environment may enhance marital satisfaction among nurses, foster a more balanced work-family system, and improve professional performance.