Work–family conflict and burnout in night-shift nurses with children: the mediating roles of recovery experience and fatigue

Vollständiger Abstract

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Background Burnout among nurses is a major global concern, particularly among those working night shifts, which can compromise the quality of nursing care, increase turnover intentions, and threaten the stability of the nursing workforce. Previous studies have shown that work–family conflict correlates positively with burnout in nurses, but not enough research has been performed on its relationship among night-shift nurses with children. In addition, the mechanism of this relationship is not completely clear. Objective This study aimed to examine the relationships among work–family conflict, recovery experience, fatigue, and burnout among night-shift nurses with children, with particularly emphasis on the mediating roles of recovery experience and fatigue. Methods A multicenter cross- sectional survey was conducted between November and December 2025 among night-shift nurses with children recruited from four tertiary Grade A hospitals in Henan Province, China, using convenience sampling method. Participants completed an anonymous online questionnaire that included measurement of work–family conflict, recovery experience, fatigue, and burnout. Pearson correlation analyses were performed to examine the relationships among the study variables. Mediation effects were tested using Hayes’ PROCESS macro (model 6). Results A total of 305 night-shift nurses with children participated in the study. Work–family conflict was positively associated with fatigue and all three dimensions of burnout, including emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. Recovery experience was negatively associated with fatigue and all three dimensions of burnout. Mediational analyses revealed that work–family conflict was significantly associated with burnout, particularly emotional exhaustion and reduced personal accomplishment. Both recovery experience and fatigue independently mediated the relationship between work–family conflict and burnout. Moreover, a notable sequential mediation pathway was identified, indicating that work–family conflict is positively correlated with burnout. This relationship is sequentially associated with a diminished recovery experience and increased fatigue. Conclusion Work–family conflict is positively associated with burnout among night-shift nurses with children, both directly and indirectly via lower recovery experience and higher fatigue. Recovery experience and fatigue mediate this association both independently and sequentially. Given these associations, interventions aimed at promoting recovery experiences and mitigating fatigue may serve as potential strategies for alleviating burnout among night-shift nurses with childcare responsibilities.