Child‐rearing experiences of female nurses working three shifts in South Korea: A qualitative study

Abstract

To explore the experience of balancing a career with raising school-aged children and working three shifts and to suggest working environment changes to balance these roles BACKGROUND: Female nurses working three-day shift rotations experience irregular life patterns, parenting conflicts, and confusion over nursing roles. This qualitative study examined nurses with early school-aged children who work three-day shift rotations in South Korea. A descriptive phenomenological approach employed in-depth interviews to collect data from 12 married, female nurses with children aged 4-9 years. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method, and reporting rigor was demonstrated using the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist. Four themes emerged in our findings: (1) challenging phase: facing a great crisis that completely shatters the axis of life; (2) chaos phase: endless inner conflict between work and parenting; (3) solutions for coping phase: struggling to continue a nursing career; and (4) expanding phase: stepping into the expanded world of care. Nurses working three-day shift rotations try to balance their lives through interactions between nursing and child-rearing. Further research is needed to create an environment that promotes this balance. To provide a better work-life balance, policymakers should foster a participatory and supportive management style, ensure adequate nurse staffing, implement a flexible work system, provide clinical career opportunities, encourage professional autonomy and responsibility, and promote in-service and shared social information or continuing education.