Purpose: This study verifies the meaning on application experiences of learning portfolio in nursing students. Method: Participants of this study included 22 nursing students divided into 3 focus groups who had experienced on application of Learning Portfolio in university Y and university S in Kyungpook and Daegu, respectively. Data were collected from December 2013 to January 2014 through in-depth, recorded focus group interviews and subsequently analyzed via Colaizzi’s (1978) phenomenological methodology. Results: The essential theme of this study is ‘Finding a vision from confusion and suffering.’ From 35 significant statements, 5 theme clusters, 16 themes and 32 sub themes were extracted from the essential meaning of the practical use of nursing student experiences. The five theme clusters were: Being a learning guide, Being a medium for communication, Providing an opportunity for inner growth, Difficulties about new learning, and Would like to no more in a better way. Conclusion: The results of this study contribute to providing direction to the formation of learning portfolios, which in turn enable nursing student to develop competency in self-directed learning. These findings indicate that an outcome-based nursing curriculum needs to consider the importance for nursing student’s effective application of leaning portfolio.