The effect of work-life balance on depression and suicide likelihood in nurses

The aim of the study is to examine the effect of nurses' work-life balance on depression and suicide likelihood. The research is a descriptive cross-sectional and relational study design. The population of the study consists of nurses working at Tokat State Hospital, Tokat Gaziosmapaşa University Hospital, and Tokat Dr. Cevdet Aykan Mental Health and Diseases Hospital. The sample of the study consists of 296 nurses who volunteered to participate. The study was conducted through face-to-face questionnaire administration. The data collection tools used in the study include the Personal Information Form, Work-Life Balance Scale (WLBS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Suicide Likelihood Scale (SLS). The data were analyzed using SPSS 24 (Statistical Program for Social Sciences). The average total score of the WLBS was 2.909±0.453, the average total score of the BDI was 14.53±7.95, and the average total score of the SLS was 86±8.9. It was determined that the nurses had a moderate level of work-life balance, mild depression, and moderate suicide likelihood scores. A low-level significant relationship was found between increasing WLBS scores and decreasing depression and suicid scores. When the relationship between the descriptive characteristics and the scales was examined, a statistically significant relationship was found between WLBS and monthly income (p: 0.017) and between SLS and the number of children (p: 0.004). No significant relationship was found between BDI and the descriptive characteristics. Supporting the mental health of nurses is crucial for them to provide more efficient and healthy services. It is recommended that detailed and long-term studies on this issue be conducted, strengthening the psychological health of healthcare professionals, implementing psychosocial intervention strategies, and establishing measurement and feedback mechanisms for the effectiveness of support systems. Keywords: Nurse, Work-Life Balance, Depression, Suicide.