PURPOSE
This study was designed to explore what experiences nurses had while caring and providing emotional support for patients.
METHODS
Participants were eight nurses working at hospitals for more than one year. Data were collected from June, 2006 to January, 2007 through in-depth interview by using tape-recordings. Data were analysed with the phenomenological method proposed by Colazzi(1978).
RESULTS
From significant statements, 4 clustered themes, 7 themes and 23 sub-themes were extracted from the essential meaning of the emotional experience of hospital nurses. The 4 clustered themes were 'movement of mind', 'affection and service for patients', 'worthwhile and conflict' and 'control oneself'. The 7 themes were 'special feeling', 'rapport formation', 'consideration', 'human interaction', 'value discovery', 'loss of volition', and 'keep to balance'.
CONCLUSION
Although nurses had tough experiences for providing care for patients' emotional support, they had also experienced spiritual maturity from its experience. The result of this study would contribute for nurses not only to care for patients who need emotional support but also to develop knowledge in nursing.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of supportive nursing intervention on the anxiety and nursing satisfaction of mothers with children undergoing open-heart surgery.
METHODS
The research design involved a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest non synchronized design. The subjects consisted of 43 mothers of children who were expected to undergo open heart surgery, and were divided into two groups; an experimental group of 22 and a control group of 21. The experiment was administered to the experimental group a total of four times, following supportive nursing intervention protocols. The research tools used were Spielberger's State Anxiety Inventory for anxiety and Park Jung-Eun's nursing satisfaction. The data were analyzed using the chi-square-test, and t-test with SPSS/WIN 12.0 program.
RESULTS
Hypothes 1, 'The experimental group who are given supportive nursing intervention will have a lower anxiety score than the control group' was supported(t=5.658, p=.000). Hypothesis 2, 'The experimental group who are given supportive nursing intervention will have a higher nursing satisfaction score than the control gropu wasl supported(t=-9.549, p=.000).
CONCLUSION
The supportive nursing intervention protocol was effective in reducing anxiety and increasing the nursing satisfaction of mothers with children undergoing open-heart surgery.

PURPOSE
S: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent of performance on activities in critical pathway (CP) according to eight domains and six admission days on nursing records of patients who received total hip replacement surgery.
METHODS
We reviewed 90 nursing records of patients who received total hip replacement surgery from June, 2004 to July, 2005 at C University Hospital. Data were collected using Hong's CP (2002) and were analyzed using ANOVA.
RESULTS
The domain of diet was valued the highest in CP performance scoring, followed by the domains of assessment, activities, and test. There were differences in the performance scores according to the period of admission in all of the domains. Among 132 activities in the CP, 18 activities were completely performed, of which most included activities belonging to the domain of assessment on the admission day. Twelve activities were never performed, of which most included activities belonging to the domain of treatment on the day of operation and the first day after operation.
CONCLUSIONS
Therefore, further studies on the development of a new system to increase CP utilization and on updating the contents of CP from the best practice based on evidence is recommended.