Purpose: This study aimed to explore the meaning and essence of operating room nurses’ role transitions to surgical assistant nurses during a resident strike. Methods: The participants were 15 nurses working at three tertiary hospitals in the metropolitan area who transitioned from operating room nurses because of the gap in medical manpower caused by the suspension of resident duties. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews conducted from March 6 to May 9, 2025, and analyzed using Colaizzi’s phenomenological method. Results: The study identified 34 themes, grouped into 12 theme clusters and 5 categories. The five categories were: ‘‘First steps toward a new role’’, ‘‘Hardship and coping during the initial role adaptation process’’, ‘‘Confusion of the boundary between two fields’’, ‘‘Professional growth and stabilization as a surgical assistant nurses’’, and ‘‘Institutional support for the New Normal’’. Conclusion: In the unprecedented crisis of a mass resident strike, participants leveraged their extensive experience as operating room nurses to transition into surgical assistant (SA) roles. Despite their complete lack of systematic education, they demonstrated resilience through self-directed learning and relentless effort, eventually earning clinical credibility as essential team members. A distinct phenomenon emerged compared to the previous resident-led system: supported by ‘‘Bang-jang’’ nurses and their own proactive communication across multidisciplinary departments, these SA nurses ensured the delivery of high-quality surgical care. Consequently, they accepted the ‘‘New Normal’’—a state in which the once abnormal reliance on SA nurses has stabilized into a functional new structure for surgical continuity. However, for this New Normal to be firmly established, participants emphasized the urgent need for a systematic educational roadmap and a career-based compensation system. This study provides an evidence basis for developing institutional frameworks to certify professional expertise, define a clear scope of practice, and establish legal accountability guidelines.

서 론
    1. 연구의 필요성
    2. 연구목적
연 구 방 법
    1. 연구설계
    2. 연구자의 경험적 배경과 연구 준비
    3. 연구참여자 선정
    4. 자료수집
    5. 윤리적 고려
    6. 자료분석
    7. 연구의 엄밀성 확보
연 구 결 과
    1. 연구참여자의 일반적
    2. 전공의 근무중단으로 인한 수술실간호사의 수술전담간호사 역할 경험
논 의
결 론 및 제 언
REFERENCES

• 정은경(서울아산병원 간호사) | Jung Eun Kyung (RN, 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
• 김정희(울산대학교 산업대학원 임상전문간호전공 부교수) | Kim Jeounghee (Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Nursing, University of Ulsan, Seoul, Korea)