Purpose: To highlight the experiences of nurses who are promoted through a career development system that recognizes and rewards their expertise based on their clinical experience. Methods: This study involved 11 nurses who voluntarily participated at Clinical Nurse III level or above from a tertiary hospital. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews from March 4 to 28, 2024, using semi-structured and open-ended questions. Analysis was performed using the Colaizzi' phenomenological method. Results: The results of the study were derived into 32 themes, 13 theme clusters, and 5 categories: ‘The promotion process you chose to grow as a leader’, ‘A rugged climb to professional recognition’, ‘Glorious CN III title’, ‘Reborn as a professional nurse’, and ‘The career ladder system needs improvement but it is essential’. Conclusion: This study revealed the experiences of CN III nurses who were promoted through the career development system. Nurses hope that this system will allow them to articulate their expertise more clearly and be rewarded for their valuable experiences. By assessing the career development needs of the nurses, we aimed to better recognize their skills and enhance the significance of their experiences.

서 론
    1. 연구의 필요성
    2. 연구목적
연 구 방 법
    1. 연구설계
    2. 연구자의 준비
    3. 연구참여자
    4. 자료수집
    5. 윤리적 고려
    6. 자료분석
    7. 연구의 엄격성
연 구 결 과
    범주 1. 리더로 성장하기 위해 선택한 승단 과정
    범주 2. 전문성을 인정받기 위한 험준한 등반
    범주 3. 영광스러운 CN III 타이틀
    범주 4. 전문성 있는 간호사로 거듭남
    범주 5. 개선이 필요하지만 꼭 필요한 승단 제도
논 의
결 론 및 제 언
REFERENCES

• 김보경(서울아산병원 간호사) | Kim Bo Kyung (RN, Department of Nursing, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea)
• 김연희(울산대학교 산업대학원 임상전문간호전공 부교수) | Kim Yeon Hee (Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Nursing, University of Ulsan, Seoul, Korea) Corresponding author
• 김정혜(울산대학교 산업대학원 임상전문간호전공 부교수) | Kim Jeong Hye (Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Nursing, University of Ulsan, Seoul, Korea)