PURPOSE
The study was undertaken to examine the degree of nurse's suffering experience and to identify the influencing factors on nurses' suffering experience in Korea. METHOD: Data were collected using a questionnaire for 271 nurses working at 5 general hospitals in Daegu and Kyung-book province from Sep. 1, to Sep. 30, 2003. The questionnaire consists of 54 items, general characteristics(10) and nurse's suffering experience(44). All surveys were sorted and studied by frequency analysis, mean score, standard deviation, range, independent t-test, one way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient and Multiple regression. RESULT: The findings of this survey indicate 1) The degree of suffering experienced by nurses caring for terminal cancer patients was 2.96; 2) Demographic variables affecting the degree of nurses' suffering experience were age(F=5.62, p=.000), marital status(F=20.53, p=.000), religion(F=5.44, p=.020), career of clinical experience(F=6.96, p=.000), and feelings of end-life care(F=3.11, p=.016); 3) There were slight correlation between the subitem of nurse's suffering experience and general characteristics of subjects. For 'expanding self consciousness', age, career duration, and position; for 'forming empathy with family', age and career duration ; for 'spiritual sublimation', age, and career duration were affected variables. 4) As a result of the multiple regression analysis for predictable variables affecting nurses' suffering, it was found that 'career of clinical experience' was most significant(F=23.100, p=.000). The explanatory power of this regression formula was 17.6%. CONCLUSION: This study can provide the basic data useful towards improvement of nursing services for terminal cancer patients and the health of the nurse.

PURPOSE
The purpose of the study was to compare symptoms, medical therapies, and nursing interventions with terminal cancer patients during the last four weeks of their lives in a hospice unit and general units.
METHOD
For the descriptive survey study, data were collected by reviewing the medical records of 243 patients who died of terminal cancer at K hospital in Seoul. The data was analyzed by using Chi-square test and t-test.
RESULT
The study findings are summarized as follows: There were higher frequencies in physical symptoms of constipation, itching sensation, pain, sleeping disturbance, soreness and dysuria for those patients in the hospice unit than those patient in general units. All emotional symptoms were recorded significantly higher for those patients in the hospice unit than those in general units. Regarding the major medical interventions, pain management was used more significantly for those patients in the hospice unit, but antibiotic therapy and resuscitation were used more significantly for those patients in general units.
CONCLUSION
The hospice unit provided more comprehensive nursing interventions including psychological, spiritual, and family cares as well as physiological care for terminal cancer patients. The facts showed that those patients who would need hospice care in general units should be referred to the hospice unit at an appropriate time.