隨著老年人口的增加，疾病型態轉變成慢性病，醫學科技的進步雖減少疾病的死亡率，卻往往留下許多功能上及認知上的障礙，需他人長期協助日常生活起居。居家失能病患的照顧工作約有 70% 是由家中的女性來承擔。 本研究的目的在於瞭解女性照顧者在承擔照顧工作的經驗感受及文化上意義。概念架構是以女性特質為切入點瞭解照顧經驗。本研究乃採民族誌的方法論，由理論性抽樣決定樣本，共有十一位參與者，運用民族誌晤談法及非參與式的觀察收集資料，在自然的情境中和個案進行訪談，經由女性照顧者本身主觀經驗的呈現， 用持續性比較分析法及民族誌分析之方法，歸納出五個文化性主題：（ 1 ）被動性酬賞；（ 2 ）女性自我觀；（ 3 ）命定論；（ 4 ）孤獨的歷程；（ 5 ）持續照顧工作之策略。本研究結果可促進本土化護理臨床實務，協助護理人員在與長期女性照顧者互動中，瞭解女性照顧者對照顧工作反應之文化特殊性，進而提供個別性及完整性的護理措施，促使照顧者之安寧，反映於被照顧者安寧之提昇。

　　　　　Although illness-related deaths hvave decreased due to longevity,medical technology and chronic illnesses, the resulting functional and cognitiveimpairments require long-term care. About 70% of caregivers of home-bounddisabled patients are female. The purpose of this research was to explore theculturally specific female caregivers' experiences. The concept of culturallyconstructed womanhood is essential to guide the study. Ethnography was used,while ethnographic interviews and non-participant observation were employed tocollect data. Theoretical sampling was applied for sample selection. As aresult, 11 female caregivers were interviewed from December 1995 to April 1996.Their ages ranged from 39 to 76 years. Each caregiver was interviewed 1-2 timesand each interview lasted for 1 to 2 hours. The constant comparative method andethnographic analysis generated five cultural themes: (1) Passive rewards, (2)Women's selfhood, (3) Fate, (4) Solitary journey, (5) Strategies of sustaining.The findings facilitate the development of culturally sensitive nursinginterventions in working with Taiwanese female caregivers. This study furthercontributes to cross-cultural nursing clinical practice.