How parenting-related characteristics influence parenting stress among Korean nurses with young children: a cross-sectional study

Background Balancing work and childcare are a major challenge for working mothers, especially nurses, who face irregular shifts and high job demands. These factors contribute to significant parenting stress, affecting both their well-being and career stability. Despite growing concerns, research on nurses' parenting stress and its influencing factors remains limited. This study examines the parenting status of nurses, their stress levels, and key contributing factors to inform policies that support work-life balance. Methods This is a descriptive study conducted based on an evaluation of 142 nurses and all those who had a child under 5 years old. The data were collected from April 10 to June 4, 2023, and analyzed using SPSS v26.0 program. Results The most common childcare arrangement is for parents to leave their children at a daycare facility(69.7%) while they are at work and then care for them at home after work. The highest reason for resigning related to childcare is 'difficulty in responding to sudden problems with children'(33.8%). The most desired welfare benefit among the subjects is flexible working hours(47.9%). The factors influencing parenting stress were the low employment period (β=-.19, p = .013), economic reason for working (β = .08, p = .011), child rearing in house (β = .15, p = .042) and low spousal participation satisfaction in child rearing (β=-.25, p = .002). Conclusion To decrease the nurses' parenting stress, it is necessary to increase the active participation of spouses in childrearing. In addition, it is important to expand childcare facilities at various times, provide welfare benefits in hospitals, and implement a family-friendly system.