The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the experiences in the transplantation coordinators' practice.

Data was collected through a tape-recorded in-depth interview from nine participants who were transplantation coordinators of their hospitals. It was analyzed using the phenomenological method proposed by Colaizzi(1978).

From significant statements, six categories of themes were integrated into the essential structure of the experiences of transplantation coordinators. Six categories of themes were ‘ continue to be professional during dash this way and rush that’, ‘ burden due to persistent heavy work’, ‘ the uniqueness in family care of the brain-dead patients’, ‘ support of family and a professional group’, ‘ worthiness and achievement of the patients' recovery’, and ‘ establishment of self-confidence as a coordinator’.

Although the transplantation coordinators played various roles, they had a conflict in role identity due to poor working environments. The results of this study suggested that development of an educational program, an increase in understanding for the coordinators' role, and institutional support for better working conditions are needed to get professional acknowledgement for transplantation coordinators.

The purpose of this study was to identified the male nurses' encounter in adapting themselves in the hospital settings dominated by the female nurses in number.

Data were collected through the in-depth interview of 16 male nurses and analysed through the grounded theory methodology.

The behaviors of male nurses for job-adaptation can be summarized as a series of struggles to consolidate their own ground. They have made tremendous efforts to hold their own ground in the nursing profession composed of a large numbers of female nurses, while they have experienced many difficulties and problems as minorities. They have struggled to adapt themselves professionally through efforts such as; challenging the social and professional barriers, identifying the job identity, empowering themselves through self-development and dedication, expanding their influence among colleagues. In spite of these efforts, they had the perception that nursing is not a lifelong occupation for them. Thus, they had tendency to find outlets of change to occupations.

A specific strategy is needed to provide an environment that is helpful for males in integrating into and adapting to the nursing profession.

This study aimed to uncover the fundamental nature of living alone in female elderly.

The phenomenological research approach developed by van Manen was adopted.

The theme was ‘taking a firm stand alone on the edges of life’. The composition elements of living alone experienced by elderly women were as follows: 1) Corporeality: participants perceived their bodies by their health status. Unhealthy participants were suffering with diseases and dependant on other persons, while healthy participants were free from family responsibility and kept on moving. 2) Spatiality: participants felt both freedom and loneliness while they stayed home. 3) Relationality: participants felt pity and yearning for their bereaved husband and sometimes talked to his picture. According to their children’s filial piety, participants were pleased or displeased. However, they incessantly devoted themselves to their children. 4) Temporality: participants considered the rest of their life as extra-time which was proceeding to death, and tried to keep themselves busy before they died.

A nurse should understand the multifarious aspects of elderly women’s life, and then intervene to consolidate their strengths for self-supporting the final years of life.

It is important to understand the nature of the identity through the live experiences of Home Care Nurse Practitioner(HCNP) because the role identity of a professional is constructed by continuous social interactions, This study aims to understand the construction of the role identity of HCNP.

Data was collected from 12 hospital based HCNPs. This study involved two focus group discussion sand four in-depth individual interviews. The main question was “what is the role of HCNP?” The debriefing notes and field notes were analyzed using consistent comparative data analysis method.

First, Home care (HC) is a small clinic. HCNP brings it to home to provide various services. Second, HC is the real nursing and HCNP is the ‘genuine’ nurse who actualizes the essence of nursing in practice. Third, HC is empowering activity to promote self-care ability of the patients and their caregivers. Forth, HC is like the dish-spinning required high-level mastery and HCNP is an expert who provides the most appropriate services to the patients.

HCNPs have the role identity as a highly qualified professional who delivers services from hospital to home, actualizes the essence of nursing in practice, empowers the patients and their caregivers to have self-efficacy to recover, and offers the most appropriate nursing care.

This study was done to uncover the nature of hope experienced by clients with chronic schizophrenia.

A phenomenological approach developed by Van Manen was adopted. Data was collected from intensive interviews on 7 clients with chronic schizophrenia and the expatients' biographies and arts. A phenomenological reflection was done in terms of the four life world existentials.

Corporeality: Perceiving the body feeling better, proudness of self, accepting their own ill body and transcending the limitation of the body, expressing self, and staying within the boundary of a healthy body were disclosed as the body's experience of hope. Spatiality :A place with safety, freedom, peace, and sharing was the space of hope. Temporality :The essential experience of time with hope was the continuity of moving forward amid cycling and moments being filled up with something. Relationality : Connecting with someone, having someone who is dependable, understandable and exchanging interest and love were identified as the relationships of hope with others.

The results of this study show that chronic schizophrenic patients always strive hard to keep hope and they really need someone who can support them.