A phenomenological study on the healing experience of female cancer patients using integrative medicine at cancer nursing hospital

Objectives The purposes of this study were to identify healing experiences of female cancer patients using integrative medicine at cancer nursing hospital and the meaning structure of their healing experiences. Methods This was a qualitative study for which Colaizzi’s phenomenological study was applied. In this study, the following were selected as research participants: those who are currently using integrative medicine at cancer nursing hospital, those who are understand the purpose of the research, voluntarily agree to the research and can share their healing experiences. The researcher interviewed the participants who were wiling to participate in the study voluntarily after receiving the written consent for the study. Results As a result, it was discovered that there were 25 themes significant to the subjects, 9 theme groups and 4 categories through Colaizzi's phenomenological study. The four categories were: ‘Environment where you can focus only on healing’, ‘The mental and physical healing experience of integrative medicine’, ‘Meeting helpers of disease in nursing life’, ‘I who changed on the path of healing’. Conclusions Based on the above results, it is expected that it will draw a more in-depth understanding of the healing experiences of female cancer patients using integrative medicine at cancer nursing hospital and develop a holistic nursing intervention program for female cancer patients who have limitations in existing medical system.