Paradoks Keseimbangan dalam Ekosistem 24 Jam: Dekonstruksi Korelasi antara Work-Life Balance dan Stres Kerja Perawat Rawat Inap

Abstrak

Background: Work-life balance (WLB) is frequently advocated as a primary intervention for mitigating occupational stress among nurses. However, this construct often inadequately captures the extreme realities of the 24-hour clinical environment. Aim: This study aims to deconstruct the paradox of WLB and examine its association with occupational stress among inpatient nurses, while also identifying the systemic implications of the empirical findings. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional quantitative design was employed, involving 83 nurses at a general hospital in Kediri City, selected through proportionate stratified random sampling. The instruments adapted the WLB interference dimensions (WIPL and PLIW) alongside the Indonesian Nurses' Occupational Stressor Scale (INOSS-21). Data were analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. Results: The majority of nurses exhibited moderate WLB (57.8%) and low occupational stress levels (50.6%). A statistically significant yet weak negative correlation was observed between WLB and occupational stress (*p* = 0.015; *r* = -0.266). Conclusion: The weak correlation indicates that WLB does not serve as a sole or primary determinant of occupational stress within the hospital ecosystem. Occupational stress is more substantially driven by structural job demands — including nurse-to-patient ratios, emotional burden, and shift systems — which cannot be adequately resolved through individual-level WLB interventions alone. These findings challenge conventional management paradigms and underscore an urgent imperative to transition from the concept of Work-Life Balance toward Work-Life Design, with a focus on systemic restructuring and professional autonomy.