Purpose: To investigate the experiences and perceptions of traditional Korean nurses and utilize the findings for policy recommendations on how nurses can effectively practice nursing in traditional Korean hospital settings. Methods: Through purposive sampling, 12 nurses were recruited from a university-affiliated traditional Korean hospital in Seoul. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with two focus groups between January and February 2018. Results: The results comprehensively demonstrated that traditional Korean nurses consistently struggle to build a professional self in practice environments with deficient structural support. This overarching phenomenon unfolded across three distinct yet causally interconnected themes: 1) the emotional tension between relational reward and caregiving burnout, 2) regulatory constraints and structurally reproduced unpreparedness, and 3) role erosion through institutional role ambiguity and structural exclusion. Conclusion: This study highlights nurses’ eagerness to deepen their traditional Korean nursing practice proficiency, underscoring the need for targeted interventions and comprehensive educational frameworks to address their professional challenges and aspirations.
Kang et al. (2026) studied this question.