[Re-employment experience of nurses who have left the profession]

The purpose of this study was to explore the re-employment process of inactivated nurses returning to the nursing field and to develop a grounded theory about their re-employment experiences.

Data was collected through a face-to-face interview and telephone interviews from 10 nurses. The ground theory methodology of Strauss and Corbin (1998) was used for theoretical sampling in accordance with their unemployment period and reason for leaving prior to re-employment; whereas works of data collection and analysis were performed concurrently.

The core category was discovered to be 'identifying a career path by striking a balance between the practical and the ideal'. This series of processes was categorized into five stages: 'trying to get a job again', 'tolerating difficulties as a beginner', 'trying their best to remain a nurse', 'trying to get another job', and 'staying in the profession till the end'.

The results of this study suggest an understanding and profound insight on the issue of a nursing shortage.