PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify pain intensity according to activities over postoperative days and to identify factors of patient satisfaction with pain management after abdominal surgery. METHODS: The subjects were 123 patients who were admitted at a general surgical ward and had abdominal surgery from Mar. 2005 to June 2005. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS 12.0 program. RESULTS: The average postoperative pain scores were 6.13 at POD 1, 5.46 at POD 2, and 4.22 at POD 3. In stepwise multiple regression analysis a total of 40% of variance in satisfaction with pain management was accounted for by pain intensity on POD 3 at rest (29.4%) and attitude toward using pain medicine (6.6%), and side effects of pain medicine (4.0%). CONCLUSION: According to the findings of this study, patients had inadequate pain management after abdominal surgery. Therefore, nurses need to provide educational programs focused on changing attitudes toward using pain medicine, to reduce side effects of pain medicine, and to develop nursing intervention for relieving pain.
Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; Humans ; Nursing ; Pain Management ; Pain, Postoperative* ; Patient Satisfaction

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to propose a theoretical model of hope commonly held by the cancer patients just after surgery, under the assumptions that hope of those patients is not only realistic and disease oriented but in dialectical circulation. METHOD: A theoretical model was generated through 4 steps: exploring a hope structure by synthesizing the relevant hope structures expressed in Kim and Tae's studies, in-depth literature review, examining the meanings of the concepts consisted of the structure in use and their causal relations in logical adequacy, proposing a theoretical structure through synthesizing the causal relations, and diagramming the structure. RESULTS: The proposed theoretical model involves concepts such as Cancer Related Uncertainty (CRU), Efforts to Find out the Possibility of Cure or Recovery (EFPCR), and Hopefulness or Hopelessness. The 'EFPCR' is stipulated as 'Behaviors Related to Looking for Evidences or Cues (BRLEC)' and 'Formation of Cognitive Schema (FCS)'. In the model, Hopefulness is directly influenced by 'CRU in low', which is affected by 'FCS in good' from the result of EFPCR started with 'CRU in increase' while 'CRU with increase' from the result from EFPCR has direct effect on Hopelessness. CONCLUSION: The theoretical model would be used to enhancing hope of the cancer patients in post-operation.
Cues ; Hope* ; Humans ; Logic ; Models, Theoretical* ; Uncertainty

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to develop a set of standardized nursing interventions and their associated nursing activities according to the NIC system to guide home care nurses in performing nursing intervention activities for hospice patients. METHOD: This study was a descriptive survey that first identified frequently used & specialized hospice nursing interventions based on the NIC systems and next validated a set of standardized nursing interventions and their associated nursing activities. One hundred chart records of home hospice patients were used to identify nursing interventions. Also, thirty-nine hospice specialized nurses participated twice using the Delphi technique to test the content validity of the standards. RESULTS: Among the nursing interventions, 19 important nursing interventions and 418 associated nursing activities were selected after two rounds of Delphi technique by hospice specialized nurses. The mean content validity of the final nursing activities was 0.82. In this paper, only the 3 most frequently used nursing interventions and 3 hospice specialized nursing interventions with their associated nursing activities are presented since space is limited. CONCLUSION: The nursing intervention standards will be a basis for home hospice nurses to improve quality of hospice care for hospice patients.
Delphi Technique ; Home Care Services ; Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing ; Hospice Care ; Hospices* ; Humans ; Nursing*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to study complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) used among cancer patients in Korea. METHOD: This study was a descriptive survey. Study participants were 1,150 cancer patients selected from 28 representative hospitals in Korea. Data were collected between December 1, 2004 and March 30, 2005. RESULTS: Their diagnosis were as follows : 20.0% for breast cancer, 15.6% for stomach cancer, 14.4% for liver cancer, 10.8% for lung cancer, 10.0% for colon cancer, and 10.0% for uterine cancer. 75.0% of cancer patients had used CAM. The most popular categories of CAM use were diet with 153.2%, non-prescription of oriental medical doctor 47.9% and mind-body control 20.3%. CAM use gender, age, cancer type, cancer treatment method, and current treatment type was significantly different in. CONCLUSION: CAM use among cancer patients in Korea was very popular (75.0%) and so systemic guidelines of CAM use are needed.
Breast Neoplasms ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Complementary Therapies* ; Diagnosis ; Diet ; Humans ; Korea* ; Liver Neoplasms ; Lung Neoplasms ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Uterine Neoplasms

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate foot ulcer risk factors, foot care knowledge, and foot care practice in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHOD: One hundred fifty type 2 diabetic patients were in and out-patients in a large urban hospital. The data were collected using a self-report questionnaire, chart review and foot examination. The questionnaires were developed by the researchers through the experts consultation and literature review. High risk for foot ulcer was evaluated by peripheral neuropathy(PN), peripheral vascular disease(PVD), and prior foot ulcer. Foot risk scores(FRS) means numbers of present risk factors. RESULTS: 31.3% of subjects show 1 FRS, and 13.3% showed 2 FRS. Mean foot care frequency was 3.5 times per week. There were significant differences in foot care knowledge according to DM education (t=2.96, p=.004) and foot care education (t=3.65, p=.001). There were significant differences in the foot care practice activities according to duration of DM (t=3.48, p=.010) and educational levels. CONCLUSION: There were high proportion of foot ulcer risk among the patients. It is necessary to screen high risk foot ulcer patients and provide practical education for foot care practice of diabetic patients.
Education ; Foot Ulcer* ; Foot* ; Hospitals, Urban ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the factors influencing the quality of life of patients with hemophilia and to provide the data for health promoting intervention in order to improve their quality of life. METHOD: The subjects of this study were involved 186 male patients with hemophilia by convenience sampling. These results were analyzed statistically by frequency, percentage, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson Correlation Coefficient, and Stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the quality of life according to the frequency of bleeding. Quality of life showed negative relationships and health problems, bleeding, limitation of joint motion, and depression with stepwise Multiple Regression analysis for quality of life revealed that the most powerful predictor was depression. Depression, health problem, and limitation of joint motion accounted for 64.6% of the variance in the quality of life of patients with hemophilia. CONCLUSION: Therefore it is necessary to develop nursing interventions with these variables to increase the quality of life for patients with hemophilia.
Depression ; Hemophilia A* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Joints ; Male ; Nursing ; Quality of Life*

PURPOSE: To identify the agreed opinion of experts on oriental health promotion services and nursing in Korea. METHOD: The study is based on the 3-round Delphi method. As a Delphi panel, a total of 28 people with at least three years of experience in the area of oriental medicine consisted of this. RESULTS: The experts suggested that Yangsaeng, lectures on prevention of CVA, correct understanding of the misuse/abuse of oriental medicine, daily health care, meridian/acupoints massage, and Kigong therapy should be included in the promoting oriental health nursing servies. CONCLUSION: The agreed opinions by the experts on the oriental health promotion services and nursing, can help enhance the understanding of oriental health promotion. The curriculum should be developed further and tested with the development of the Korean oriental nursing intervention methods which is appropriate to Korean culture.
Curriculum ; Delivery of Health Care ; Health Promotion* ; Korea ; Lectures ; Massage ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional ; Nursing*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the current attitudes and knowledge toward Koryo Hand Therapy(KHT) by the experienced people. METHOD: The Subjects for this study included 3,351 people living in Korea who experienced KHT. The data were collected from April 6 to November 25, 2004 using a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed through the SAS 8.1 Windows Program using frequency, percentage, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The results of the study are as follows: 1) Families and relatives were a main source of information about Koryo Hand Therapy. The subjects were very satisfied with therapeutic and preventive effects of the therapy. Sujichim was the most preferable choice in the KHT. Most of the subjects thought that KHT could be applied to modern medicine. 2) Those who experienced KHT had a high level of knowledge and very positive attitudes toward KHT. 3) There were statistically significant differences in the attitude toward KHT according to age, gender, educational level, religion, income, place of residence, marital status and experience which studied KHT. 4) There were significant differences in the knowledge of KHT according to age, educational level, income, marital status and experience which studied KHT. 5) The data showed positive correlation between attitude and knowledge. CONCLUSION: According to the above findings, it can be concluded that KHT needs to be actively informed and more easily approached by general peoples. Nursing protocols of KHT needed to be developed.
Hand* ; History, Modern 1601- ; Humans ; Korea ; Marital Status ; Nursing Assessment ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to understand the meaning of mind control as it is understood by elderly persons in Korea. METHOD: This study was conducted by engaging three elderly persons who are over the age of sixty five and presently residing in Seoul. Several in depth interviews were conducted with these individuals from March 2003 until November 2003. The contents of the interviews were analyzed using the Giorgi Method (1985), which places the emphasis on discovering meaning within the phenomenological context of an individual's experience. RESULTS: The analysis of the contents revealed the following four components with regard to the meaning of mind control for elderly persons (1) Settling the mind (2) Gradual lowering of expectations and hope for the success of offspring, (3) Having good thoughts and acting accordingly, and (4) Making up one's mind to follow the 'natural flow of life'. CONCLUSION: By allowing a wider and deeper understanding of the meaning of mind control for elderly persons the results of this study provide a basis for improving the care of elderly with a holistic perspective.
Aged* ; Hope ; Humans ; Korea* ; Life Change Events ; Seoul

PURPOSE: The descriptive-correlational study was undertaken in order to investigate the relationships between critical thinking disposition and critical thinking skill in clinical nurses. METHODS: A convenience sample of 50 registered nurses was obtained from E University Hospital. The instruments used in this study were general characteristics, California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) and California Critical Thinking Skill Test(CCTST) developed by Facione & Facione (1994). The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Duncan test and Pearson's Correlation Coefficient with SPSS 12.0 Program. RESULTS: 1) There was a statistically significant difference in critical thinking disposition according to age (F=3.23, p=.03) and educational background (F=39.07, p=.00). 2) There was a statistically significant difference in critical thinking skill according to age (F=3.40, p=.02), educational background(F=32.51, p=.00), and period of professional nursing experience(F=3.56, p=.02). CONCLUSION: A significant positive correlation between critical thinking disposition and critical thinking skill was found(r=.68, p=.00). Critical thinking disposition and critical thinking skill according to age and educational background had statistically significant differences. Therefore, it is needed to emphasize the necessity of continuous education and training of nurses which prepare their critical thinking ability.
California ; Education ; Nursing ; Thinking*