• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.45-59
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• 1998

Suffering is a human burden that may not be truly avoidable. In order to put that view in perspective we must examine suffering in a form as isolated from self-inflicted behavior as possible. The suffering of a child is one such example. The purpose of this study is to understand the meaning of suffering in the teenager and is to analyze difference of suffering in children and adult. The subjects of this study were 6 childrens (12year-17year) including in-patients and out-patients of a general hospital who were diagnosed as having cancer. The data was collected from October 10, 1996 to April 15, 1997. Qualitative research methods of in-depth interview and participant observation were used for data collection. Data analysis progressed according to the fieldwork phases suggested by the Hybrid Model. According to the results of the study, the meaning of suffering in the teenager can be described as follows : Suffering is an inevitable experience of all human beings. When each child experiences pain and destroying child-adult relationship, suffering in which threaten one's personal integrity is perceived differently among each child depending on their personal inner factors, one's significant others, exterior circumstances and stimuli. Suffering brings severe and unendurable distress which accompany anguish, depression, anxiety and fear. This findings provide data for new insights of suffering. When caring for teenager who experience suffering, nurses need to consider the influence of suffering. Moreover, appropriate nursing interventions aimed at relieving suffering need to be developed.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.121-130
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• 2001

Although the general concept of suffering care includes palliative care technology for terminally ill person to alleviate his pain, it is much more holistic including emotional, spiritual and other life dimension. This inclusive concept of caring can be possible with the fundamental reflection on the human suffering. Far from the concept of pain understood in the context of materialist medical approach, human suffering has many dimensions including aesthetic, psychological, and religious: its meaning is holistic. With this perspective, the experience of the suffering client must be reconsidered before one starts with an objective side or a subjective side of suffering. Indeed, the actual strategies of suffering care can be different depending on the definition of human suffering accepted by practicians. In this caring perspective, the body, mind and spirit are integrated so the objectivity and subjectivity can merge; the extended awareness with inner resource or energy, and the positive thinking about the God is meaningful especially for dying person, his family members and the caring team. Despite this impending importance of the inclusive understanding of human suffering, the actual nursing practice still does not reflect this growing understanding of human suffering. This approach, which tried to pursuit the more fundamental meaning of human suffering, can contribute to the development of nursing education and practice which pay attention to the more inclusive view of human suffering.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.561-570
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• 2001

Purpose: This study was conducted to detect the correlations and the main factors influencing depression, life satisfaction, burden, defenition of suffering, meaning of life, and suffering. Method: The samples were composed of 160 cancer patients who were or outpatients of four hospitals in Seoul. The reliability of the 6 instruments was tested with Cronbach's alpha which ranged from .62 to .90. The data was analyzed using a SAS program for descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression. Results: The results were as follows: 1. The scores on the suffering scale ranged from 132 to 40 with a mean of 87.3 (SD 17.5). 2. There were significant correlations between all the predictive variables and even the amounts of suffering (r=.27-.84, p〈.05). 3. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that depression was the main predictor of suffering, and accounted for 71.6% of the variance. In addition burden accounted for 4.6% of the variance in suffering. The two variables combined to account for 76.2% of the variance in suffering. Conclusion: In conclusion and depression, burden were identified as important variables in explaining the suffering of patients with cancer.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.290-303
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• 1996

There is a need to define the concept of suffering more appropriate in the context of Korean culture. This research is an attempt to analyze and develop the concept of suffering by applying the Hybrid Model suggested by Schwartz-Barcott and Kim. The data were collected from March 20, 1995 to September 17,1995. The subjects of the study were eight persons including in-patients and out-patients of a general hospital who were diagnosed as having cancer and those resting in sanatoria for natural treatment of cancer. Qualitative research methods of in-depth interview and participant observation were used for data collection. The contents of the interviews were recorded on tape. Data-analysis progressed according to the 3 phases suggested by the Hybrid Model. For each case, in-depth interview data and participant observation data were included and the attributes of suffering revealed in these data were analyzed. Finally, by summarizing the results from each case, the attributes of suffering, its dimensions, definition, and processes observed in the field were suggested. According to the results of the study, the followlng new definition of suffering is suggested : Suffering is a fundamental and inevitable experience of all human beings. When each individual experiences loss, damage, and pain which threaten one's personal integrity, suffering is perceived differently among each individual depending on their personal inner factors, one's significant others, exterior circumstances and stimuli, and the ultimate meaning of life. Suffering brings severe and unendurable distress which accompany despair, powerlessness, anxiety, bitterness, fear, anguish, guilt, depression, withdrawal and anger. The results of this study suggest that the more responsibility and burden a cancer patient felt, the more suffering she/he experienced and it tended to be more relevant to one's significant others and exterior circumstances and stimuli : the less responsibility and burden a cancer patient had, the less suffering she/he experienced and it tended to be related to one's inner factors. These findings have implications for nursing profession. When caring for patients who experience suffering, nurses need to consider the influence of responsibility, burden, and each dimension of suffering. Moreover, appropriate nursing interventions aimed at relieving pain and satisfying the spiritual need of patients experiencing loss need to be developed and implemented more widely.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.40-48
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• 2009

Although the general concept of suffering care includes palliative care for the terminally ill that is designed to alleviate pain, it is much more holistic and encompasses emotional, spiritual and other life dimensions. Human suffering is multi-dimensional including spiritual and religious aspects, which diverge from the concept of pain understood in the context of materialistic medical approach. In this caring perspective, the body, mind and spirit are integrated so that objectivity and subjectivity can merge. The extended awareness with inner source or energy, and positive thinking about the personally-relevant God can be meaningful the dying person, family members and the caring team. Despite the importance of an inclusive understanding of human suffering, actual nursing practice still does not fully embrace the full understanding of human suffering. A more fundamental meaning of human suffering from the nursing perspective may fruitfully adopt a more inclusive view of human suffering.

• The Korean Nurse
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.39-48
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• 1997

There is a need to define the concept of suffering more appropriate in the context of Korean culture. This research is an attempt to reanalyze the concept of suffering by applying Walker & Avant's process of concept analysis. The steps of concept analysis are : 1. Select a concept. 2. Determine the aims or purpose of the analysis. 3. Identify all uses of the concept that you can discover. 4. Determine the defining attributes. 5. Construct model, contrary, borderline, related and invented cases. 6. Identify antecedents and consequences. 7. Define empirical referents. The concept of suffering can be defined as follows: Suffering is a fundamental and inevitable experience of all human beings. When each individual experiences loss, damage and pain which threaten one's personal integrity, suffering is perceived differently among each individual depending on their personal inner factors, one's significant others, exterior circumstances and stimuli, and the ultimate meaning of life. Suffering brings severe and unendurable distress which accompany despair, powerlessness, anxiety, bitterness, fear, anguish, guilt, depression, withdrawal and anger. The attributes of suffering were analyzed. Model case, contrary case, borderline case, related case, and invented case were described. Antecedents, consequences and empirical referents were explored. This concept analysis provides data for new insights of suffering. These findings suggests that appropriate nursing interventions aimed at relieving suffering of patients need to be developed and implemented more widely.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.331-341
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• 2000

Since cancer is not easily curable, patients who suffer from cancer may have physical, psychological and spiritual problems for the rest of their lives. Especially when cancer patients do not have much to live for and are placing a burden on their family they will experience more suffering emotionally as much as physically. This study was conducted to provide a basis of data for nursing intervention strategies to minimize a cancer patient`s suffering and to understand the relationship between suffering, burden and the meaning of life in cancer patients. The samples were composed of 160 cancer patients who were inpatients or outpatients of two university hospitals and two general hospitals in Seoul. Data collection were carried out from January, 25, 1999 to February, 26, 1999. The data were analyzed using a SAS program for descriptive statistics, pearson correlations, ANOVA, and Duncan tests. The results were as follows; 1. The scores on the two suffering scale ranged from 132 to 40 with a mean of 87.3(SD 17.5). The mean scores on the burden scale is 28.9(SD 6.9) and the score of the meaning of life ranged from 35 to 51 with a mean of 95.6(SD 18.4). 2. There were significant correlations between the amount of suffering and the magnitude of burden (r=.74, p=.00), the suffering and the meaning of life (r=-.59, p=.00) and the burden and meaning of life (r=-.61, p=.00). 3. In the degree of the suffering, the burden and the meaning of life were two very strong factors, the level of the suffering in cancer patients by age (F=2.64, p=.03) and education level (F=4.16, p=.00). The level of the burden in cancer patients differed by education level (F=4.70, p=.00) and type of cancer (F=2.97, p= .03). Also the level of the meaning of life in cancer patients was different by education level (F=3.55, p=.02). In conclusion, the burden and the meaning of life was identified as important variable that is contributed to reduce the suffering of cancer patients.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.35-50
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to identify the perception of hospice nurses on suffering, the type of stracture and characteristics of suffering. The research process is followed : First, the researcher selected 35 statements on suffering using content analysis of in-depth interviews and a literature search Second, the researcher asked 38 hospice nurses to classify the statement cards. The result of the research showed that the hospice nurse's perception of suffering can be divided into 4 types (Self-recognition, Suffering-elimination, Relation-restoration, and Meaning-endowment). The total explained variance was 46 percent. In relation to this, nursing intervention skills could be presence, listening touch, hope, reassurance, and comforting which result in positive effects between nurse and hospice client.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.638-647
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• 2020

This study reflects on suffering, a theme of anthropology, from a Christian theological point of hope. It suggests that suffering is not a negative experience, rather a medium of hope that can be a positive driving force in life and an opportunity to reach personal maturity. It aims to deepen the content of anthropology regarding the meaning of suffering by discovering a new harmony within the relationship between pain and hope. The book of Job denies the theodicical concept that justifies suffering as punishment for human sins and opens a new horizon of understanding the suffering as a space of hope, where men can experience the Love of God in the relationship with God. In his theology of suffering, Moltmann broadens and deepens the horizon of understanding as the book of Job discovered. First, he interprets the history in the hope of an eschatological future when the resurrected Jesus Christ will bring the final victory over evil and suffering. Then he invites men to proactively resist the absurdity and suffering revealed through this interpretation. Second, Moltmann reflects on the problem of suffering in the concept of the Trinity of God who endures active suffering with love for men shown in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. He offers another hope that enables men to overcome the suffering in God's love. Therefore, the Christian faith can confess that we can hope in suffering.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.174-183
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• 2002

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of nurses' pain experience on the inference of their patients' suffering. Method: Study subjects were sampled from 184 nurses who worked in general wards in one S university hospital located at Seoul. Nurses' pain experience consists of personal pain experience and professional pain experience. The Standard Measure of Inference of Suffering (Davitz & Davitz, 1981) was used for suffering inference measure, and patients' suffering which consists of physical pain and psychological distress. Result: Suffering inference scores of nurses without personal pain experience revealed a higher value than that of nurses with personal pain experience. But these differences were not statistically significant. The higher intense pain was experienced, the higher were suffering inference scores. This physical pain inference score was statistically significant(p=.044). Of the nurses who had personal pain experience, suffering inference scores of nurses with unrelieved pain experience revealed a higher value than that of nurses with relieved pain experience. Physical pain and psychological distress inference scores were statistically significant(p=.010, p=.006). Suffering inference scores of nurses without professional pain experience(internal medicine, general surgery, orthopedic surgery) revealed a higher value than that of nurses with professional pain experience. Professional pain experience of internal medical illness was statistically significant in psychological distress of internal medical illness(p=.044), and professional pain experience of orthopedic surgical illness was statistically significant in physical pain of orthopedic surgical illness(p=.027). Conclusion: Nurses who have experienced low pain intensity or good pain relief are inclined n to underestimate patient' pain. Although nurses who care for the same patient over a long time deal skillfully with that patient, nurses are inclined to underestimate that patients' pain. Nurses need to be aware of possible biases related to pain assessment as a result of pain experience.