Experience Among Postnatal Nurses With Two or Three Children Returning to Work Within 3 Months in China: A Qualitative Study.
Meng Liu, Guangling Yang, Qingxiang Zhu and 1 others
PMID 39533529WHAT IT FOUND
Nurses returning to work within 3 months of having a second or third child described four main struggles: physical decline like fatigue and urinary incontinence, psychological maladjustment, breastfeeding conflicts, and a lack of clear career planning.
Key findings
01Participants reported physical issues including fatigue, sleep disturbance, pelvic floor disorders causing urinary incontinence, and perceived memory decline.
02Psychological maladjustment was driven by work-family conflict, breastfeeding difficulties due to workplace constraints, and role maladjustment upon returning to clinical duties.
03Nurses lacked clear career planning, which contributed to reduced work satisfaction and potential burnout.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Small sample size (12 participants) from a single hospital in China limits transferability. Convenience sampling may introduce bias. Qualitative design cannot establish causality or measure the effectiveness of any interventions. The study focuses on nurses' personal experiences, not on patient outcomes or nursing practice efficacy.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these findings as evidence that specific workplace interventions improve patient care or nursing outcomes. This is a descriptive study of nurses' personal challenges, not an evaluation of solutions.