Purpose
The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the process of illness adaptation of patients with Atrial Fibrillation (AF).
Methods
Data were collected from December 2017 to July 2018 through individual in-depth interviews with thirteen patients with AF. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using the grounded theory methodology developed by Corbin and Strauss.
Results
The core category about the illness adaptation process of patients with AF was identified as “living a life managing the silent insurrection of the heart.” The process of illness adaptation of patients with AF consisted of four phases: “withdrawal”, “transition”, “practice”, and “adeptness”.
Conclusion
An in-depth understanding of the illness adaptation process of patients with AF will guide nurses in proactively developing and implementing effective nursing interventions to better support patients with AF in Korea.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to explore the process of symptom acceptance of tinnitus patients.
METHODS
Data were collected from October 2017 to March 2018 through individual in-depth interviews with 15 tinnitus patients. Verbatim transcripts and field notes were analyzed using grounded theory methodology developed by Corbin and Strauss.
RESULTS
The core category about the symptom acceptance of tinnitus patients was identified as “accepting tinnitus as an alarming sign to escape from the prison of ear ringing and maintain good health.” The acceptance of tinnitus consisted of three phases: “desperate effort”, “resigned reflection on the past stage”, and “voluntary change in viewpoint stage”.
CONCLUSION
The findings from this study show that tinnitus had a great impact on the life of the patients. The core category: “accepting tinnitus as an alarming sign to escape from the prison of ear ringing and maintain good health” shows the agony and endeavor of the patients in the process of accepting the symptom as the part of their life amid lack of social insight into tinnitus. Healthcare providers' cooperation is needed to build a supportive social atmosphere to help these patients empathetically and enhance their coping capabilities and symptom management. This finding will be helpful for developing educational programs and intervention guidelines and providing appropriate counseling services for these people.

Citations

• Predictors of Depression in Individuals Aged over 60 with Tinnitus: A Cross-Sectional Study
  Seohyeon Kim, Sunghee H. Tak
  Korean Journal of Adult Nursing.2025; 37(1): 25.     CrossRef
• Mediating Effect of Sleep Discomfort in the Relationship between Tinnitus Distress and Depression: A Cross-sectional Study
  Woo Joung Joung
  Korean Journal of Adult Nursing.2024; 36(3): 251.     CrossRef

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to understand and describe the adjustment experiences of nurses to an oriental medical unit.
METHODS
Fourteen nurses who worked or were working in oriental medical units participated. Data were collected through in-depth interviews from April to December, 2013. Analyses of the transcribed interviews were done using Corbin and Strauss's grounded theory.
RESULTS
Through the constant comparative analysis method, the central phenomenon was identified as ‘constant mental fluctuation’. Nurses reported their adjustment to an oriental medical unit through four stages. The stages were described as ‘the discouraged’ stage, ‘the conflicted’ stage, ‘the restructuring’ stage and lastly ‘the coexistence’ stage.
CONCLUSION
As the participants reported the process of adjusting, they reported continuous constant conflicts and struggles with the oriental medical doctors, the nursing department, patients and their guardians and lastly with themselves. The process of becoming integrated into an oriental medical unit is a complex study and should be studied further in terms of whether this process is the same or different adjusting to other units.

Citations

• Experience of Clinical Adaptation among Nurses in Intensive Care Unit
  Jin Young Hong, Sue Kyung Sohn
  Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing.2024; 17(1): 1.     CrossRef
• The Effect of Coffee Aromatherapy on Reducing Fatigue and Stress Levels of Female Caregivers Caring for the Elderly in Hospitals
  Roxsana Devi Tumanggor, Anna Kasfi, Nur Baiti, Diah Lestari Nasution
  Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences.2022; 10(G): 382.     CrossRef
• Effects of aromatherapy on stress, fructosamine, fatigue, and sleep quality in prediabetic middle-aged women: A randomised controlled trial
  Myung-Haeng Hur, Jun Hwa Hong, SeongHee Yeo
  European Journal of Integrative Medicine.2019; 31: 100978.     CrossRef
• Comparing the effects of relaxation technique and inhalation aromatherapy on fatigue in patients undergoing hemodialysis
  Mohammadali Hassanzadeh, Fatemeh Kiani, Salehoddin Bouya, Mohammad Zarei
  Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice.2018; 31: 210.     CrossRef
• Effect of aromatherapy via inhalation on the sleep quality and fatigue level in people undergoing hemodialysis
  Gamze Muz, Sultan Taşcı
  Applied Nursing Research.2017; 37: 28.     CrossRef
• Effects of Aroma Massage on Pruritus, Skin pH, Skin Hydration and Sleep in Elders in Long-term Care Hospitals
  So Young Roh, Kye Ha Kim
  Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing.2013; 43(6): 726.     CrossRef

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to describe and explore the adaptation process of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).
METHODS
Using a grounded theory methodology, 15 interviews were performed with nine men and six women, 43-83 years of age, suffering from MDS. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative analysis method.
RESULTS
The core category emerged as “To do my best in uncertainty”. MDS patients engaged in three stages: Panic, Active fighting against illness, and Putting down/Adaptation phase. Causal conditions were unexpected cancer diagnosis, endless painful treatment, and uncertainty. Contextual conditions were physical deterioration and differences in recovery. The central phenomenon of the illness adaptation process among the patients with MDS was powerlessness at the dead end. Action/Interaction strategies included dependence on the constant medical care, physical energy conservation, mind control and environmental control. Intervening conditions were social support and desire to live. Consequences were hope for recovery and tug-of-war from repetition of exacerbation and recuperation.
CONCLUSION
When caring for these patients, it is important to identify needs, allow patients to express what they want at that moment and support them in maintaining a daily life.

PURPOSE
This study was to explore and describe the reported experiences of elderly spouses who care their bedridden spouse in the home.
METHODS
The participants of this study were 14 male and female elderly spouses who live in B metropolitan city and have provided care for more than six months. Data were collected from July 3 to November 6, 2014. Data analysis was done simultaneously with data collection, using the analytical methods of Strauss and Corbin for Grounded theory.
RESULTS
The core category was identified as ‘ going together bearing a heavy burden of care in old age.’ In this study, the caring process of elderly spouses can be explained in terms of three stages such as ‘ a period of trial and error,’‘ a period of mastering a role,’ and ‘ a period of role transcendence’.
CONCLUSION
The results of this study can provide an intervention framework to reduce the heavy burden of caring for an elderly spouse.

Citations

• Mechanism for meeting the care of older adults in rural China—relying on spouse, offspring or community?
  Ziyue Dong, Jianliang Nie, Dan Li, Yufeng Wu
  BMC Geriatrics.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Understanding the Roles of over 65-Year-Old Male and Female Carers: A Comparative Analysis of Informal Caregiving
  Purificación Ballester, Clara Pérez-Esteve, Alicia Sánchez-García, Eva Gil-Hernández, Mercedes Guilabert, José Joaquín Mira
  Geriatrics.2025; 10(3): 75.     CrossRef
• Validity and Reliability of the Korean Version of the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire–Carer
  JuHee Lee, Young H. Sohn, Seok Jong Chung, Sung Hae Kim, Yujin Suh, Jungah Park, Yielin Kim
  Journal of Clinical Neurology.2023; 19(6): 547.     CrossRef

PURPOSE
This study was a grounded theory research aimed at generating a substantive theory that accounts for the explanatory social processes in which immigrant Korean single-mother families were engaged in the United States.
METHODS
In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 immigrant Korean single mothers who were living with children under 18 years of age at the time of the interviews. Data collection guided by theoretical sampling and concurrent constant comparative analysis of the transcribed data was conducted to identify the core social process.
RESULTS
The emerged core social process was "living for the children," which represented the driving process by which these women made transition to their new lives as single-mother families. The major task throughout the entire transition was re-creating their families. The women's transition involved practical and psychological transitions. The practical transition involved three stages: assuring family survival, struggling between the father role and the mother role, and stabilizing. The psychological transition involved becoming strong and settling in with a new supportive network.
CONCLUSION
Study results added to the literature by elaborating the women's emphasis on maternal identity and the resilience-provoking nature of the women's transitions.

PURPOSE
This research was conducted to explore the experiences of graduate student women with children fulfilling multiple roles and to generate a substantive theory.
METHODS
This study uses the grounded theory method based on Strauss and Corbin(1988)'s method. Interviews were conducted with 11 graduate student women who had children aged three of older.
RESULTS
The core category of this research is 'Role balancing for self-generativity'. Based on the core category, three types of married women graduate students' experiences were found. They are 'concentrating on graduate-work' 'postponing graduate-work' and 'adjustment between two roles' CONCLUSIONS: Through understanding the married women's multiple roles experience process, there can be a basis for making a women's health system and social support system for the married women graduate student. Also, this research is to generate a substantive theory which can helps to change social perspectives on the quality of life for the women who will contribute in Korean society as professionals.

PURPOSE
The purposes of this study were to explore and describe the use of restraint on patients and to generate a grounded theory of how the use of restraint affects patients who have been restrained.
METHODS
Interview data from seven patients with physical restraint was analyzed using the Strauss and Corbin's grounded theory method. Data were collected and analyzed simultaneously. Unstructured and in-depth interviews were conducted retrospectively with patients recalling their memories of ICU following their transfer to general unit.
RESULTS
'Safety belt' was emerged as a core category and it reflected that physical restraint provided a sense of security to patients. On the basis of core category, a model of the experience process of restrained patients in ICU was developed. The experience process were categorized into four stages: resistance, fear, resignation, and agreement. Stages of these proceeds appeared to have been influenced by the nurses' attitude and caring behavior such as the frequency of nurse-patient interaction, repetition of explanation, and empathetic understanding.
CONCLUSION
These findings indicate that patients have mixed feelings towards restraint use, although negative feelings were stronger than positive ones. The result of this study will help nurses make effective nursing intervention.

PURPOSE
The purpose of the present study was to explore the meaning of quality of life in patients with chronic cardiovascular disease.
METHODS
A grounded theory method guided data collection and analysis. A total of 16 adult outpatients with chronic cardiovascular disease was participated. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews. All interviews were audio taped and transcribed verbatim. Coding was used to establish different concepts and categories. A theoretical sampling technique was used to obtain diverse data from many relevant categories.
RESULTS
Seven categories were extracted, and they divided into constructing and intervening factors of quality of life. Constructing factors were uncertainty, recovery in the sense of control and maintaining social life. Intervening factors were symptom experiences, social support, taking care of themselves, and reflecting life. 'Keeping restrictive conditions under control' was emerged as a core category. The meaning of quality of life in patients with cardiovascular was explained according to the levels of keeping restrictive conditions under control.
CONCLUSION
The result of this study may contribute for health professionals to understand the quality of life in patients with cardiovascular disease.

PURPOSE
This research was conducted to explore the experience of middle-aged women parting with their children and to develop a grounded theory. METHOD: The participants were 11 women in their 50's who had experienced parting with their children due to schooling, military service and marriage. The grounded theory methodology based on symbolic interactionism was used. RESULTS: 106 concepts, 30 subcategories and 14 categories were derived from the analysis through processes of open coding, axial coding and selective coding. The central phenomenon was 'happy but sad' and the core category was a process of 'independence that is sorrowful yet delightful'. Four types were identified; the independent-type; submissive -type; family-reliant-type ; and fragile-type; based on the attachment to the child, state of mind, satisfaction of the situation, family support system and self-achievement. CONCLUSION: This research identified that the modern Korean middle-aged women who are considered to be the 'sandwich generation' since they have experienced a turbulent history and the change from a confucian parent-child lifestyle to a couple-oriented one, moved away from an attitude dependent on children in parting with them and started preparing for an independent late life. Based on the results, the verification research is advised on the variables that affect the experience of parting with children.

PURPOSE
This research was done to establish a theoretical foundation for the adjustment process of patients with hemophilia.
METHOD
For this study, 14 patients with hemophilia participated. The data was collected through the in-depth interviews and analysed in terms of Strauss and Corbin's grounded theory methodology.
RESULT
The core category was identified with "uncertainty". The adjustment process was classified into two stages: the 'unstable stage' before the moment they learn about the Hemophilia Foundation and the 'stable stage' since then. The two stages were further divided into four groups, namely 'the stage of isolation ', 'the stage of maintaining survival', 'the stage of pursuing hope', 'the stage of ambivalence'. The categories of these stages include a series of subcategories to describe the adjustment of patients. The quality of life for these patients has increasingly improved based on support from hemophiliac organizations. But due to the uncertainty of disease, the patients have four stages of adjustment process from the stage of isolation to that of ambivalence and might turn to feedback.
CONCLUSION
Therefore the nursing interventions reflecting adjustment process of patients with hemophilia should be developed.

In Korea, most of the patients with chronic liver diseases have been using some kind of alternative therapies at home. however, the question is why do people turn to alternative therapy and how the patients are able to use the alternative therapies widely, though the effects have not been proven scientifically. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the process of the patients' experiences using the alternative therapies. The 16 participants were from internal- medical departments in hospital and the permission was received to participate in this study from the subjects. The data were collected with interviews and participants observations, analyzed by the grounded theory methodology of Strauss and Corbin(1990). With the analysis of the data, 15 categories were generated such as psychological pressures, barriers of role performances, distrusts of western medicine, blind obediences to the treatments, attitudes towards alternative therapies, supportive systems, obstacles to taking alternative therapies, financial burdens, collecting informations, pursuing alternative modalities, efforting diversities, analyzing by themselves, managing the body, accepting the disease, and ambivalence. The paradigm model was developed to identify the relationships of categories. The central phenomenon of the experiences of seeking alternative therapies was named jagi momdasrim. The central concept of jagi momdasrim is a mind-set to desire to wellness and to take more responsibility for one's own healing by pursuing alternate healing modalities rather than the western medical system. The process of jagi momdasrim evolved several stages such as seeking, finding, struggling, overcoming, fulfilling, and governing the diseases. Four patterns of taking alternative therapies were found as follows: the bulsin-chujong-hyung, the suyoung-hyung, the yangdari-gulchiki-hyung, the chamjae-hyung. In conclusion, the phenomenon of alternative therapies as consumer-driven force to heal the chronic liver diseases of the patients could be explained as an adaptive behavior through the process of jagi momdasrim. However, since most of the participants practicing some kind of alternative therapies had no evidences of its effects and never tried to consult with their medical doctors about alternative therapies, we should approach more actively. Therefore, it is recommended for nurses to listen and watch the patients behaviors of using alternative therapies and find out how to educate the patients about the proper and safe way to take the alternative therapies.

The purpose of this study was to understand and describe how people with kidney transplantation experience using grounded theory method. Purposeful sampling was employed. Total of 20 kidney recipients participated in the study. To collect the data 11 individual in-depth interviewes and two focus group interviews were utilized. Each interview took about one hour, ranging from one to three hours and were audio-taped under the permission of the participants. All interviewes were transcribed to analyze. The results of the study show three stages of life process after kidney transplantation; 1) honeymoon stage, 2) anxiety and depression stage: 3) recovery and stable stage. In the honeymoon stage, all kidney recipients were exhilerated after the operation. They were happy receiving healthy kidney from others, often from beloved families. In the anxiety and depression stage, however, they experienced numerous psychosocial problems mainly due to the health, interpersonal, financial, and physical appearance problems. In the recovery and stable stage, they came out from the psychosocial problems by viewing their situation more objectively and by using many effective coping strategies to imporve their quality of life. Nine strategies which were identified as significant are 1) complying therapeutic regimens, 2) seeking information, 3) keeping their own job, 4) restricting social activities, 5) lowering aimes in their life, 6) managing the fact about their own kidney transplantation, 7) comforting themselves by comparing with others, 8) living religious or altruistic life, and 9) accepting redialysis and retransplantation. In the end, most of them experienced changed value system of life. They were satisfied with their current life, and thanked for living so many years after the transplantation. However, some of them, especially younger ones, regreted of losing hope and ambition they had planned when they were young. And many of them also experienced restricted social life, financial difficulties, and continuous fear of rejection of kidney. The results of the study might help nurses who work with kidney recipients in establishing and implementing effective nursing interventions by understanding the stages of life after kidney transplantations as well as their problems and strategies.