The purpose oft his study was to use phenomenological perspectives to identify the meaning and structure of the observational experience of labor and delivery by student nurses in the clinical setting. The participants were 115 junior and senior students from Christian College of Nursing in Kwang Ju. The students were asked to write about their observational experience in the delivery room. Colaizzi's method was used for phenomenological analysis. The investigator analysed the data to identify and categorize themes and basic structural elements. Twelve themes and eight basic structure were identified. The process of the observational experience in labor and delivery has three proposed phases : anticipatory, observational and post-observational In the anticipatory phase nursing students were related only to the event of anticipated labor and delivery of clients. Structure 1, feeling of expectation and fear, was identified In the observational phase, students were related to the labor and delivery situation, a woman delivered and a newborn. Structure 2, shock and suffering, was identified in relation to the labor and delivery situation. Structure 3, need for caring and satisfaction, was identified in relation to the woman delivered. Structure 4, feeling of mystery and joy, was identified in relation to the newborn. In the post-observational phase, relations between students and the life of a human being, students and self in the future, students and their mothers and students and women and God appeared. and in these relations, , and were identified.