Purpose: This study aimed to explore in-depth the experiences of nurses placed on unpaid leave following the mass resignation of resident physicians and to interpret the essential structure of these experiences. Methods: Participants included 10 nurses who had been placed on unpaid leave for four weeks or longer due to medical disputes. Data were collected through in-depth interviews conducted between November 8 and November 25, 2024. The collected data were analyzed using a conventional content analysis. Results: The study identified 18 themes and five theme clusters: ‘Redefining leave amidst an imposed crisis’, ‘Experiences of exhaustion recovery and emotional recharging,’ ‘Realistic anxiety and tension hindering rest,’ ‘Shifts in organizational and professional perception post-return,’ and ‘Institutionalizing autonomous and stable unpaid leave.’ Conclusion: This study explored the experiences of nurses who were placed on unpaid leave as a measure to mitigate hospital management crisises caused by the unprecedented mass resignation of resident physicians. Participants involuntarily selected unpaid leave in response to the hospital’s situation, utilizing a period of four weeks or longer for personal reasons such as health, childcare, and rest. During this time, they experienced genuine respite and restored their capacity to care for themselves and their surroundings. However, they simultaneously harbored concerns regarding job insecurity and the potential loss of future opportunities for leave. Upon returning to work, they gradually readjusted to their daily duties but expressed a strong desire for future unpaid leave systems to be based on autonomous choice. While this involuntary unpaid leave, implemented during a management crisis triggered by mass resignations of resident physicians, differs from conventional leave, it was found to provide a vital opportunity for nurses to alleviate job stress and achieve comprehensive physical and mental recovery. However, the fact that nurses, essential personnel in patient care, were pressured to take leave to resolve a management crisis led them to experience psychological contract breaches with the hospital organization. As such a breach can increase emotional exhaustion and decrease organizational trust, meticulous policymaking is required to maintain trust without inducing psychological contract violations. To ensure that unpaid leave is perceived as a form of compensation and welfare, securing adequate staffing must be prioritized, and a process for collecting opinions should precede implementation to ensure that nurses’ autonomy is not constrained.

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
    주제모음 1. 위기 상황 속에서 재구성된 휴직의 의미
    주제모음 2. 소진 회복과 정서적 재충전의 경험
    주제모음 3. 불확실성 속에서 제약된 휴식경험
    주제모음 4. 복직 후 조직과 직업인식의 변화
    주제 모음 5. 자율성 기반의 휴직제도에 대한 요구
논 의
결 론 및 제 언
REFERENCES

• 김연희 (울산대학교 산업대학원 임상전문간호전공 부교수) | Kim Yeon Hee (Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Nursing, University of Ulsan, Seoul, Korea)
• 이미연(서울아산병원 중앙공급실 간호사) | Lee Mi Yeon (RN, Central Supply Room, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea) Corresponding author
• 장재혁(분당서울대병원 간호부 간호사) | Jang Jae Hyeok (RN, Department of Nursing, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul, Korea)
• 성수미(서울아산병원 간호부 간호사) | Sung Su Mi (RN, Department of Nursing, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea)
• 이보라(서울아산병원 간호부 간호사) | Lee Bo Ra (RN, Department of Nursing, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea)
• 정은경(서울아산병원 간호부 간호사) | Jung Eun Kyung (RN, Department of Nursing, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea)