Abstract:
The purposes of this qualitative study were to uncover the meaning of being cared for and to explore the perception of head nurses' caring behaviors as experience by professional nurses. A general hospital located in the South was purposively selected as the research site. This phenomenologic study involved indepth interviews with fifteen professional nurses who had at least one year working experiences with the present head nurses. Interview recordings were transcribed verbatim and later analyzed using a seven-stage process of Colaizzi. Based on the phenomenological approach, essential themes of the meaning of being cared for and the experience of being cared for by head nurses, including professional and personal caring were described. Four subthemes in professional caring were identified as being assisted, being supported, being opened mind, and being faired. For personal caring, five subthemes were being financially assisted, being apprehened, being cultural sensitive, being counseled, and being sympathy. Two subthemes of the meaning of being cared for were emerged as being mentored and being protected. On the basis of the finding, nursing administration, nursing education and nursing research implication were suggested.