PURPOSE: This study was done to identify the relationship between nurses' compliance with safety guidelines for the use of antineoplastic agents, observable symptoms, and stress from occupational exposure. METHODS: The participants were 172 nurses from six general hospitals in a metropolitan area. They had administered antineoplastic agents at least three months prior to the study. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires, and then analyzed using SPSS/WIN 23.0 for descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffé method, and Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The average score on the guideline for safety compliance was 87.75 points out of a total of 100. The average score for observable symptoms of exposure to antineoplastic agents was 30.12 (28~56) points, and that for mean stress was 33.52 (15~60) points. Observable symptoms and stress from occupational exposure showed a statistically significant positive correlation (r=0.34, p < .001). CONCLUSION: To increase the degree of compliance with safety guidelines for antineoplastic agents, hospitals should lower the chance of exposure to antineoplastic agents, as well as minimize the observable symptoms and stress from occupational exposure. Periodic education and policy support are needed to improve compliance with safety guidelines for antineoplastic agent use.
Antineoplastic Agents* ; Compliance* ; Education ; Hospitals, General ; Methods ; Occupational Exposure*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome and factors related to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in university students. METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted using a self-report structured questionnaire with 420 university students. Data collection was done during May and June, 2017. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a t-test, χ² test, and binary logistic regression analysis with IBM SPSS/WIN 22.0 program. RESULTS: The prevalence for IBS was 24% among Korean university students. Family history of IBS (OR=2.98, 95% CI=1.32~6.70), history of stomach and intestinal disease (OR=2.24, 95% CI=1.36~3.77), sleep quality (OR=2.01, 95% CI=1.16~3.48), mild anxiety (OR=2.75, 95% CI= 1.19~6.33) and more than moderate anxiety (OR=2.02, 95% CI=1.02~4.00) were found to be factors related to IBS. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of IBS was high among university students, and sleep quality and anxiety significantly influenced prevalence of IBS in these students. Therefore, interventions to decrease symptom of IBS must focus on management of sleep quality and anxiety.
Anxiety ; Data Collection ; Humans ; Intestinal Diseases ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome* ; Logistic Models ; Prevalence* ; Stomach

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to build a model to predict the fall prevention behavior of nurses in small and medium sized hospitals. METHODS: Participants were 382 nurses from 13 hospitals who responded to the structured self-reported questionnaire. The research model was based on previous study of fall prevention, theory of planned behavior, and the health belief model. RESULTS: The modified model generally showed higher levels than recommended level of model fit indices and acceptable explanation. Of 17 hypothetical paths, 14 were supported. Predicting variables explained 51.6% of fall prevention behavior. The fall prevention behavior of nurses showed a direct influence of fall prevention expectations, fall prevent threats, perceived behavioral control for fall prevention, and intention to prevent falls and an indirect of influence of patient safety culture, attitude toward fall prevention, and the subjective norm. CONCLUSION: Findings show a need to identify a range of barrier factors to increase the benefits of fall prevention behavior and enhance the perceived control of fall prevention so that nurses will be able to promote fall prevention behavior in hospitals. Also, it is critical to increase awareness of patient safety culture among nurses.
Accident Prevention ; Accidental Falls ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Intention ; Nurses* ; Patient Safety ; Safety Management

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of the action learning approach on the self-confidence and knowledge of health assessment, critical thinking ability and class satisfaction in students taking health assessment courses. METHODS: This non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest study enrolled 127 nursing students as participants, with 64 and 63 in the experimental and control group, respectively. These two groups attended 33 hours (2 or 4 hours per week for 11 weeks) of action learning and traditional classes, respectively. Differences in the dependent variables between the two groups were compared before and after the intervention using independent t-test. RESULTS: The action learning group reported significantly greater self-confidence in health assessment (t=5.10, p < .001) and critical thinking ability (t=2.23, p=.027) than the control group. There was no significant difference in knowledge of health assessment or class satisfaction between two groups (p>.05). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that action learning is an effective intervention for enhancing self-confidence and critical thinking ability in nursing education.
Education, Nursing ; Humans ; Learning* ; Nursing* ; Students, Nursing ; Thinking*

PURPOSE: This study was done to assess the influence of application time of Lidocaine patch on pain intensity following venipuncture in hospital. METHODS: The participants were 31 adult patients admitted to J hospital in G city. Patients' anxiety, blood pressure and pulse were measured when no patch was applied and when a patch was applied. To evaluate the pain intensity and physiological index caused by venipuncture, blood pressure, pulse and pain intensity were checked for patients in the no patch group, and for a 5 minutes of application and 30 minutes application patch. Pain was evaluated using a visual analogue scale, anxiety using the Profile of Mood states developed McNair et al. and modified by Lee. Data were analyzed using one-way repeated measures ANOVA with the SPSS 21.0 program. RESULTS: Anxiety and pain were significantly reduced when a lidocaine patch was applied following venipuncture. There was no significant difference in pain intensity whether the lidocaine patch application is for 30 minutes or application for 5 minutes. CONCLUSION: Results of this study show that application of lidocaine patch can be used as a nursing intervention for pain reduction by showing that there is no need to wait a long time for pain to be reduced.
Adult ; Anxiety ; Blood Pressure ; Humans ; Lidocaine* ; Nursing ; Phlebotomy*

PURPOSE: The study was done to explore whether the duration of perioperative prophylactic antibiotics therapy influenced uncertainty of recovery in patients with elective laparoscopic uterine myomectomy. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted using self-report questionnaires and electrical medical records for patients with uterine myomectomy. According to the length of the perioperative prophylactic antibiotics therapy, the patients were divided into three groups: single-dose antibiotic treatment group, short-term antibiotic treatment group, and long-term antibiotic treatment group. Data were collected from December 20, 2016 to July 31, 2017 from 161 patients who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy at a metropolitan city general hospital. RESULTS: Level of uncertainty of recovery was 2.98±0.22. The uncertainty was highest in the long-term antibiotic treatment group, followed by the short-term antibiotic treatment group and the single-dose antibiotic treatment group (F=89.40, p < .001). In the regression analysis, factors influencing uncertainty of recovery among uterine myomectomy patients were duration of perioperative prophylactic antibiotic therapy (β=.70, p < .001) and duration of NPO (β=−.11, p=.047) which explained 51.5% of the variance (F=83.75, p < .001). CONCLUSION: Based on these results, information including the administration of antibiotics before surgery should be provided to the patients to help reduce the uncertainty of postoperative recovery.
Anti-Bacterial Agents* ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Prospective Studies ; Uncertainty* ; Uterine Myomectomy*

PURPOSE: This study was done to understand nursing students' exposure of needlestick and sharp injuries (NSSI), level of anxiety as well as experience of practicing injection with human beings during Fundamentals of Nursing (FN) practice. METHODS: Data consisted of self-report questionnaires completed by 571 nursing students who had completed an injection practice in FN. The questionnaire included questions on general characteristics, exposure to NSSI, experience of practicing injections with human beings, level of anxiety and other experiences. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. RESULTS: Of the students, 17.5% experienced NSSI and 83.2% performed invasive injection procedures in the FN practice. The level of anxiety was 4.62–6.46/10 points when injecting a classmate and 1.27–1.93/10 points when using manikins. The feeling most often reported was worried about making a mistake that could hurt my classmate (57.2%). CONCLUSION: Nursing students are exposed to NSSI and experience a high degree of anxiety in invasive injection practice. These results indicate that it is necessary to develop and implement standardized NSSI prevention and anxiety reduction programs in FN.
Anxiety* ; Humans* ; Manikins ; Needlestick Injuries* ; Nursing ; Students, Nursing

PURPOSE: This study was done to examine the effects of heat therapy on low back pain, blood pressure and pulse rate after percutaneous coronary intervention. METHOD: The participants in this study were 40 patients who were admitted after having percutaneous coronary intervention. The experimental group, 20 patients, had heat therapy and the control group, 20 patients, maintained a supine position for 12 hours after the intervention. Back pain (VAS), blood pressure and pulse rate were measured just after removal of the sheath, and at 2-hour intervals up to 6 hours. Data were analyzed using SPSS 15.0. RESULTS: The experimental group had significantly lower VAS for low back pain (F=23.44, p=.001). However no significant differences were found between two groups for blood pressure and pulse rate. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that heat therapy is effective in reducing low back pain in patients who have had percutaneous coronary intervention. Therefore, heat therapy could be used as nursing intervention percutaneous coronary intervention.
Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Back Pain ; Blood Pressure ; Heart Rate ; Heating ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Supine Position

PURPOSE: Purposes of this study were to develop a community-based respite program for family caregivers and to test the effects of the program. METHODS: Focus group interviews were performed to extract meaning of respite care for family caregivers (13 participants) and a survey was done to identify respite needs of family caregivers (157 participants). The community-based respite program for family caregivers was developed based on results of the focus group interview and survey. The program was used with 41 participants (19 experimental and 22 control). Independent t-test and Mann-Whitney U-test were used to test differences between control and experimental groups for respite needs, burden of caregivers, subjective wellbeing, social support, fatigue and functional status of elders with dementia. RESULTS: There were statistical differences in caregiver burden, subjective wellbeing, and social support after the program, but, none for respite needs, fatigue and functional status of elders with dementia. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that a respite program can be useful to decrease burden of caregivers and increase subjective wellbeing and perceived social support of family caregivers in community settings. Further intervention research is needed to increase the functional status of elders with dementia and decrease fatigue in caregivers.
Caregivers ; Dementia ; Fatigue ; Focus Groups ; Humans ; Respite Care

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of cancer-overcome BeHaS exercise program on shoulder joint function, stress, body image and self-esteem in women who have had surgery for breast cancer. METHOD: A non-equivalent control group pre-post test design with an experimental group (n=25) and a control group (n=25) was used. The experimental group participated in the program once a week for eight weeks. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi square and t-test with the SPSS Win 17.0. RESULTS: There were significantly increased in shoulder joint function (p=.012), body image (p=.001), and self-esteem (p=.013), and significantly decreased in stress (p=.003). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that breast cancer-overcome BeHaS exercise program had beneficial effects on shoulder joint function, body image, self-esteem and stress in patients who have had surgery for breast cancer.
Body Image ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Female ; Humans ; Shoulder ; Shoulder Joint