The Nurses' Experiences of Clinical Practice

간호사의 임상 실무 경험

Purpose: This study was conducted to describe qualitatively the entities of nurse's experiences in general hospitals and to suggest basic data guiding research on developing Standards of clinical nursing practice in Korea. Method: Fourteen nurses working at general hospitals with over 300 beds in Seoul were interviewed in-depth until saturation using tape-recorders and transcription. Result: The central theme of clinical nursing practice experienced by subjects was "being with clients" that means accepting client's personal character, solving client's needs and providing client-centered nursing. A also "being with clients" was felt to be the responsibility of nurses which was learned from their nursing schools. The nursing strategies performed in order to be with patients were proving skillful nursing techniques, accepting, educating, emotional support, advocating, and self-reflecting, the subjects experienced somewhat problematic affects such as difficulties in interpersonal relationship, work overload, negative image of nursing, deficit of self-confidence for nursing actions, poor working conditions, and unfair treatment. Nurses at the hospital practiced with pride when they felt that they were accepted by clients. Conclusion: Further research is needed to analysis problems in clinical practice and the comparison of nurses' experiences of clinical practice, with nurses' experiences in various settings.