Abstract: Objective To understand the cognition of and attitude toward TCM nursing clinic in TCM nursing staff, to understand the prospect and dilemma of TCM nursing clinic from the perspective of nurses, and to provide basis for the development of TCM nursing clinic. Methods The phenomenological research method was used to conduct semi-structured interviews in 20 nurses who had been engaged in TCM nursing for at least 5 years in 7 TCM/WM hospitals in Guangdong Province and Shanghai. Colaizzi 7-step analysis method was used to analyze the data. Results Three themes were extracted through data analysis: enhancing the sense of career benefit including professional value, job recognition and self-realization; meeting the needs of career development referring to more policy support, standardized education and training, and improvement of one's own ability; and expanding career development including preventive health care, chronic disease management and extending nursing. Conclusion TCM nurses have a positive attitude towards the development of TCM nursing clinics, and believe that TCM nursing clinics have a high sense of career achievement, but more policy support at the national and hospital level, and standardized training modes and training content should be considered, so as to enhance the competence of nursing staff and to promote the development of TCM nursing clinics in preventive health care, chronic disease management, and extended nursing.

Key words: traditional Chinese medicine nurse, TCM nursing clinic, cognition, attitude, qualitative research