護理是隨著時間改變的動態過程，護士在提供護理措施時必須考慮個案所處的時間定位及意義。本研究旨在探討經產婦於產後初期因新生兒進入家庭，致使經產婦之家庭結構發生急遽變化，於此角色執行及調整的過程中，運用時間時所產生之蘊意。本研究之方法是採田野研究法(field method )研究結果發現:經產婦於產後居家初期常運用時間的對象包括:自己(36.1%)、新生兒(49.7%)、較長子女(9.7%) 及其他家人(4.8%)。經產婦對時間之運作蘊意包含兩大範疇;即量性意義及質性意義，量性意義佔27%是指經產婦將時間視為生活中之重要資源( resource) ，再由主觀知覺經驗評估時間可應用量度(amount)的不足或充裕、或應用速度( tempo)的快、慢，其中91.7%的經產婦表示時間不足運用。質性意義佔73%，是指經產婦將時間視為生活事件之標誌(marker) ，並以時間作為改變後的生活型態之定向(orienting )、調整(modifying)及描繪(depicting) ，而其中以將時間用做生活定向的比例為最高佔59.6%。本研究之結果，可作為護理人員提供經產婦產後護理時之參考。

This study explores the operational meaning of time for multipara during the early postpartum at home. This study has been conducted by qualitative method.
The results show that the operational meaning of time for multipara during the early postpartum at home can be categorized as follows: Mothers spend 36.1 % of their time on themselves, 49.7% on the new-born babies, 9.7% on older children, and 4.8% on other family members. The assessment encompasses both quantatative and qualitative meanings. The rates are 27% (435/1614) and 73% (1179/1614). On the one hand, the quantitative meaning implies that time is an important resource of life that the multipara evaluate their new life patterns according to the sufficency and efficency of the amount or tempo of usage of time through their subjective experiences. Most multipara complain about the pressure of time. Amazingly, the rate is as high as 96.7% . On the other hand, the qualitative meaning indicates that time is a marker of life events. The postpartum women regard time a means to orient, modify, and depict their living patterns after change. The result of this study can be applied as a reference for nurses when taking care of multipara during postpartum.