Journal List > J Korean Acad Community Health Nurs > v.28(1) > 1058500

Kim and Choi: A Phenomenological Study on the Lived Experience of Train Operators Exposed to Person under Train (PUT)

Abstract

Purpose

To understand the meaning of the lived experience with Person under train (PUT) for train or subway operators.

Methods

The study was built on hermeneutic phenomenological themes from individual interviews of present-day train or subway operators in South Korea. Eight participants were selected to participate in the study. All qualitative data were analyzed using the heuristic guides of Van Manen.

Results

Four fundamental lifeworld themes and eight sub themes emerged in the findings. The first theme of spatiality had’the place pressed by the darkness’ and ‘the train drags me there’. The second theme, corporeality had ‘a foreboding fear’, and ‘debris of death that gets stuck in the whole body’. The temporality theme had’distorted time in chaos’, and ‘memory trapped in time’. Finally the last existential theme of relationality had ‘intrapersonal encounter’ and ‘resentment and guilt’.

Conclusion

The four existential lifeworld themes provided a framework for in-depth investigation of the operator’s “lived experience.” This leads to clear understanding of effects of PUT experience on related individuals. The findings imply that specific active nursing intervention strategies are necessary in order to treat affected train operators, and to prevent further issues in their work and private life.

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Table 1.
Categories of The Lived Experience of Train Operators Exposed to Person Under Train (PUT)
Themes Sub themes
Spatiality The place reigned by the darkness The train takes me there
Corporeality Fear experienced right before the accident The sound sensed through whole body
Temporality Distorted time in chaos Memory trapped in time
Relationality Intrapersonal encounter Resentment and guilt
TOOLS
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