J Korean Clin Nurs Res.  2024 Dec;30(3):244-255. 10.22650/JKCNR.2024.30.3.244.

Nursing Experiences of Ward Nurses Caring for Foreign Inpatients

• Baek MK
• Kim HE
• Jeong SJ
• Song SA
• Kim EY

• KMID: 2567666
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.22650/JKCNR.2024.30.3.244

Abstract

Purpose
This study aims to explore and deeply understand the essence of the nursing experiences of ward nurses who have cared for foreign inpatients.
Methods
In this study, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 nurses at a tertiary hospital in Seoul from May 1 to June 30, 2023. The collected data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s phenomenological method.
Results
The nursing experiences of ward nurses caring for foreign inpatients yielded five theme clusters-"A welcome yet challenging encounter," "A journey to navigate language barriers," "New competencies needed to face unfamiliar cultures," "Exerting every possible effort," and "Discovering and embracing the value of coexistence"-along with 11 themes. Ward nurses found caring for foreign inpatients challenging due to cultural differences and language barriers, which often felt burdensome. Nonetheless, they accepted it as a necessary duty, handling additional tasks beyond basic care to support patient recovery. Despite communication challenges, they strived to provide the best care, demonstrating self-efficacy in respecting cultural differences, which fostered a sense of accomplishment and pride in their roles.
Conclusion
This study identified the complex emotions and challenges experienced by ward nurses caring for foreign inpatients and the process of overcoming these obstacles and building a sense of pride. These findings can serve as an important reference for understanding how ward nurses adapt to their roles in caring for foreign patients and provide foundational data for improving nursing environments to enhance the quality of care for foreign inpatients.

Keyword

Inpatients; Transcultural Nursing; Communication Barriers; Cultural Competency; Qualitative Research