Purpose: This study aimed to explore the experiences, essence, and structure of charge nurses operating in rotational appointment systems in tertiary hospitals. Methods: This qualitative study adopted a phenomenological approach. The participants were 11 charge nurses with rotational role experience working in tertiary hospitals in a metropolitan area. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews lasting an average of 40~60 minutes and, conducted between July 8 and August 30, 2024. Colaizzi's phenomenological method was used for data analysis, which led to the identification of 35 themes, 14 theme clusters, and five categories. Results: The study revealed five categories: (1) ‘Taking the first step as a charge nurse,’ (2) ‘Enduring the weight of being a charge nurse,’ (3) ‘Creating my own charge nurse role,’ (4) ‘Mixed emotions returning after completing the rotation,’ and (5) ‘Ready to take the leap to the next level.’ The findings indicated that charge nurses experienced significant personal and professional growth while performing their roles. They demonstrated leadership, coordinated tasks and personnel, supported staff development, resolved issues, and facilitated communication. This role had a positive impact on both individual professional development and organizational efficiency. Despite initial feelings of anxiety and fear, charge nurses embraced challenges and contributed to improvements in organizational culture and patient safety while setting new goals for continuous growth even after completing their roles. Even in the post-term, they continued to expand their perspectives as nursing managers, increased their influence, and set new goals while pursuing ongoing growth and development. Conclusion: This study provides an in-depth understanding of the experiences of charge nurses in rotational systems in tertiary hospitals. Given the crucial role of charge nurses in the nursing leadership pipeline, it is essential to establish comprehensive hospital-wide programs to nurture leadership skills among front-line nursing managers and create supportive policies that fully enable their engagement.

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
    1. 연구참여자의 일반적 특성
    2. 상급종합병원 순환보직제 책임간호사의 역할 경험
논 의
결 론 및 제 언
REFERENCES

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