Exploring Nunchi in Nursing and Healthcare Among Korean American and Korean Immigrants: A Scoping Review

This scoping review will examine Nunchi (눈치 in Korean), a Korean cultural construct of social attunement, rooted in collectivist values and social harmony. Nunchi involves sensing context, anticipating others’ needs, and adapting behavior through often nonverbal cues to maintain relational balance. In healthcare, where multiculturalism is prevalent, Nunchi can play crucial roles in fostering effective communication, building reliable relationships, and promoting teamwork across cultures.However, nunchi has received limited scholarly attention in nursing and healthcare research. This review aims to map and synthesize the existing literature on nunchi and related cultural constructs in nursing, healthcare, and leadership, with a particular emphasis on Korean American and Korean immigrant populations. The review will follow PRISMA-ScR guidelines and apply the PCC framework (Population, Concept, Context) to define eligibility. Both Korean and international databases will be searched. Findings will identify knowledge gaps, inform future research directions, and provide cultural insights to strengthen nursing education, practice, and leadership in diverse healthcare settings.