Abstract
The objective of the present study was to elucidate the process by which nurses working at an institution for severely handicapped children understood the responses of severely handicapped children and individuals and achieved mutual understanding using qualitative inductive analysis based on a modified grounded theory approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on 15 nurses who consented to participate in this study. Analysis revealed five categories as well as three additional concepts. While facing "shocking experiences", nurses worked to "establish ways to understand each individual" through "strategies for approaching each individual" and "diversification of nursing practice". Nurses based their actions on the concept that severely handicapped children and individuals should be "treated as humans", and had "synergy" with these individuals. In addition, a process in which nurses overcame "a sense of uncertainty" and achieved mutual understanding by providing nursing centered on the severely handicapped children and reducing the mutual tension was identified.
