[Life experiences of mothers in parenting children with Hunter's syndrome].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of Korean mothers in parenting children with Hunter's syndrome, an X linked recessive genetically inherited disease usually affecting boys. METHODS: Data were collected from 14 mothers having children with Hunter's syndrome, through two focus group interviews and individual in-depth interviews. Qualitative data from the field notes and transcribed notes were analyzed using the grounded theory methodology developed by Strauss & Corbin (1998). RESULTS: The core category about the process of rearing children with Hunter's syndrome was identified as "navigating in the maze". The process of rearing children with Hunter's syndrome passed through three phases; 'entering an unknown region', 'struggling to escape from the unknown region', 'settling down in the unknown region'. CONCLUSION: In this study "navigating in the maze", as the core category deeply showed joys and sorrows of mothers in the process of rearing their children with Hunter's syndrome. In this rearing process they gradually adjusted themselves to their given condition. Also they gained initiatively coping strategies to care for, and protect their children. Therefore health care providers can establish supportive programs in the clinical field to empower these mothers by reflecting their proactive coping strategies.

[The role adaptation process of the executive director of nursing department].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the role adaptation process experienced by executive directors of nursing department of general hospitals. METHODS: Data were collected from 9 executive nursing directors though in-depth interviews about their experiences. The main question was "How do you describe your experience of the process of role adaptation as an executive nursing director?" Qualitative data from field and transcribed notes were analyzed using Strauss & Corbin's grounded theory methodology. RESULTS: The core category of experience of the process of role adaptation as an executive nursing director was identified as "entering the center with pushing and pulling". The participants used five interactional strategies;'maintaining modest attitudes','inquiring about trends of popular feeling','making each person a faithful follower','collecting & displaying power','leading with initiative'. The consequences of role adaptation in executive nursing directors were'coexisting with others','immersing in one's new role with dedication', and'having capacity for high tolerance'. The types of role adaptations of executive directors in nursing department were friendly type, propulsive type, accommodating type. CONCLUSION: The results of this study produced useful information for executive nursing directors on designing a self-managerial program to enhance role adaptation based on interactional strategies.

[The lived experience of struggling against illness for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify and describe phenomenological structures of the lived experience of struggling against an illness for patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). METHODS: The participants were 7 patients with ALS recruited by snowball sampling who agreed to participate in this research and could verbally communicated with the researcher. Data were collected by long term-repeated interviews with participants in their own homes. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's method of phenomenology. RESULTS: Four categories were extracted as follows: 'Being seized with fear of death', 'Living a marginal life', 'Accepting hard fate', and 'Clinging to faint life'. Seven theme clusters were identified as: 'Wandering to find a healing method with ominous signs in the body', 'Having a diagnosis of ALS is like a bolt from the blue and struggling against illness with faint hope', 'Being forced out to the edge of life with anguish', 'Filling one's heart with hatred and longing toward becoming estranged from the world', 'Living with stigma as a stumbling block with bitter grief in one's heart', 'Accepting every things as one's fate with self controlled fear of death', and 'Attaching to desire to live'. CONCLUSION: The results of this study can be used to develop the programs to support patients with ALS and their family.