A phenomenological study of nurses' experiences with maternal guilt in Turkey

This study aims to describe nurses' views on what it is like to be a working mother in Turkey.

Most mothers are in the workforce but continue to fulfil their traditional roles at home. This emerges as an important factor causing mothers to try to find a balance between work and home.

For this purpose, a semi-structured form was used in face-to-face interviews conducted with 17 participants. A phenomenological design was preferred in this qualitative study.

The findings obtained from the study revealed the six themes of 'the sense of inadequacy/helplessness, the sense of responsibility, the strong desire to have a positive effect, gender role stereotypes, the choice between achieving a successful career and being a good mother, but with a sense of depletion'.

The results obtained from the study of nurses in Turkey have shed light on how policies should be developed to eliminate work-life barriers in realizing the roles of motherhood.

The study results will guide nurse managers in taking the steps needed to incorporate arrangements that will result in balanced conduct of work and home for nurses.