title: Nurses as family caregivers - barriers and enablers facing nurses caring for children, parents or both.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the dual caregiving and nursing responsibilities of nurses in New Zealand with a view to identifying potential strategies, policies and employment practices that may help to retain nurses with caregiving responsibilities in the workplace.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  As the nursing workforce ages, child-bearing is delayed and older family members are living longer, family caregiving responsibilities are impacting more on the working life of nurses. This may complicate accurate workforce planning assumptions.
  
  
  METHODS
  An explorative, descriptive design using interviews and focus groups with 28 registered nurses with family caregiving responsibilities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A depth of (largely hidden) experience was exposed revealing considerable guilt, physical, emotional and financial hardship. Regardless of whether the nurse chose to work or had to for financial reasons, family always came first.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Demographic and societal changes related to caregiving may have profound implications for nursing. Workplace support is essential to ensure that nurses are able to continue to work.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased awareness, support, flexibility and specific planning are required to retain nurses with family caregiving responsibilities.
authors.affiliation: New Zealand Nurses Organisation, Wellington, New Zealand.|Graduate School of Nursing and Midwifery, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clendon
authors.affiliation: New Zealand Nurses Organisation, Wellington, New Zealand.|Graduate School of Nursing and Midwifery, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Léonie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D009726:Nurses / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology
keywords: New Zealand; caregiving responsibilities; nurses; retention; workforce