Work-family conflict and neck and back pain in surgical nurses.

Objective: Surgical nurses' work is physically and mentally demanding, possibly leading to work-family conflict (WFC). The current study tests WFC to be a risk factor for neck and lower back pain (LBP). Job influence and social support are tested as resources that could buffer the detrimental impact of WFC.

Methods: Forty-eight surgical nurses from two university hospitals in Germany and Switzerland were recruited. WFC was assessed with the Work-Family Conflict Scale. Job influence and social support were assessed with the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire, and back pain was assessed with the North American Spine Society Instrument.

Results: Multiple linear regression analyses confirmed WFC as a significant predictor of cervical pain (β = 0.45, p < 0.001) and LBP (β = 0.33, p = 0.012). Job influence and social support did not turn out to be significant predictors and were not found to buffer the impact of WFC in moderator analyses.

Conclusion: WFC is likely to affect neck and back pain in surgery nurses. Work-life interventions may have the potential to reduce WFC in surgery nurses.