• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.35 no.7
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• pp.1333-1342
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• 2005

Purpose: This paper was aimed to inquire into Ricoeur's self -hermeneutics and narrative ethics, and apply it to personal identity constituting caring and care ethics in the practice of nursing. Its purpose is to provide a philosophical foundation for caring in nursing. Method: According to Ricoeur's narrative identity, ontological caring was interpreted as personal identity constituting caring. His ethics were described as care ethics, which contributed to preserving and promoting the personal dignity of the client, as self in search for the good life in the nursing practice. Results: Narrative understanding of the client pointed to the ontological role of care in the constitution of personal identity. From an ethical aspect of the narrative, respect for personal identity and personal dignity of the client was crucial to an ethical caring attitude, promoting self-esteem in the nursing practice. Conclusion: This paper suggested that Ricoeur's ethics could provide a philosophical basis for understanding ontological and ethical caring in nursing. This contributed to protection of the client from the threat of personal identity, as well as respecting their personal dignity.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.138-145
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was done to provide fundamental ontological understanding of caring and inquiring into the possibility of a caring practice in nursing based on existential phenomenology. Methods: According to Heidegger's existential phenomenology, caring has been interpreted as a fundamental ontological basis for caring practice in nursing. Further, based on Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology, the meaning of the lived experience of illness and the way of caring practice have been described from the aspect of the existential involvement in the embodied life world. Results: Heidegger's phenomenology provided ontological thinking about caring, which is understood in a basic way as the possibility of human existence and dwelling in oneself in the confrontation of the illness experience. Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology offered a meaning of human existence according to bodily intention and situated freedom in the life world. This perspective of embodiment enables nurses to understand bodily experiences of patients and recovery of their bodily capacity in responding to the situation in caring practice. Conclusion: Existential phenomenology gives insight into fundamental reflection for caring attitude and practice in nursing. Existential phenomenological nursing research can provide descriptions and meaning of the lived experience of illness and a way of coping with the crisis of human existence in caring practice.