Establishment of a Hospital Nursery for Sick Children, Its Factors for the Retention of Workplaces , and Perceptions for Female Nurses with Preschool Children

Abstract

This study aimed to clarify the factors affecting the establishment of the workplace of female nurses with preschoolers who are working in hospitals with a nursery for sick children facilities and their perceptions on a nursery for sick children.

Anonymous self-report questionnaire surveys were conducted by mail. For female nurses with preschoolers, we surveyed the basic attributes, family status, workplace status, facility usage, perceptions on a nursery for sick children, and likelihood of establishment in the current workplace. All variables underwent the Kruskal-Wallis test and other multiple comparisons. Nurses’ perceptions on a nursery for sick children underwent a qualitative inductive analysis.

The survey for female nurses with preschoolers generated 483 responses. Workplace retention was significantly influenced by years of experience, dual income, ease of workplace, ease of balancing work and childcare, understanding from the manager, existence of a model, and hope for rest. Perceptions on a nursery for sick children were extracted from four categories : [Call for improvements in usage], [I need self-care when my child is sick], [I realize that I receive support from a nursery for sick children], and [I wonder if it is good for children].

A nursery for sick children is not a factor in the establishment of a workplace, but a flexible response is required, such as being able to take a break from work when a child was sick.