Work-family conflict and related factors among Iraqi emergency nurses: A cross-sectional study

Playing simultaneous roles with different, sometimes contradictory, expectations can lead to work-family conflict. The nursing profession, due to its nature, work in the emergency department, and specific characteristics, can lead to work-family conflict. The present study aimed to determine the level of work-family conflict and related factors among nurses working in hospital emergency departments in Salah al-Din, Iraq. The present cross-sectional study was conducted among 185 nurses working in the emergency departments of hospitals in the city of Salah al-Din, Iraq, in 2025. The samples were selected through the census method, and a two-part demographic-occupational-social information questionnaire and Carlson's Work-Family Conflict Questionnaire were used to collect data. The results of the present study showed that the majority of participating nurses were female (67.6%), married (54.6%), and had a preparatory degree (45.4%). The results showed that the overall level of work-family conflict was 46.14 (standard deviation [SD]=9.81), the level of work-to-family conflict was 23.08 (SD=4.49), and the level of family-to-work conflict was 23.21 (SD=5.51). Also, the highest levels of conflict were in the dimensions of family-to-work conflict based on behavior (8.16 [SD=2.61]) and work-to-family conflict based on strain (8.01 [SD=2.34]). Marital status (B=4.727; P=0.024), spouse's occupation (B=3.371; P=0.037), education level (B=-3.629; P=0.015), and organizational position (B=4.140; P=0.031) were effective in predicting work-family conflict among emergency department nurses at the 95% confidence level. Given the high level of family-to-work conflict among emergency nurses, it is essential to increase support from family members and authorities for nurses, especially married nurses with employed spouses and those in organizational positions.