PURPOSE: This study aimed to provide preliminary data for a nursing intervention plan for puerperal women to reduce postpartum depression by investigating factors that affect depressive disorder during the puerperal period. METHODS: A total of 153 pregnant women were recruited from a university hospital in Gimhae city in Korea. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: Mothers' quality of sleep, breast-feeding confidence, discomfort with breastfeeding, depressive feeling during pregnancy, and baby's feeding capability and growth were significant predictors of postpartum depression. These variables explained 36.1% of the variance in postpartum depression in puerperal women. CONCLUSION: The aforementioned results indicate that puerperal women are less likely to experience postpartum depression when their quality of sleep is higher, breast-feeding confidence is higher, discomfort with breast-feeding is lower, when they did not feel depressed during pregnancy, and when baby's feeding capability and growth is better. Therefore, to decrease puerperal women's depression, a nursing intervention program and a research study to verify the effects of the program are necessary to increase mother's sleep quality and breast-feeding adaptation and prevent depression during pregnancy.
Breast Feeding ; Depression ; Depression, Postpartum ; Depressive Disorder ; Female ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Humans ; Korea ; Nursing ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women

No abstract available.
Carcinoid Tumor* ; Rectum*

No abstract available.
Leiomyoma*

No abstract available.
Leydig Cell Tumor*

Purpose: Smoking is a way of coping with anxiety and stress. This study aimed to identify the effects of forest-thermal combined therapy on anxiety and depression in smokers who desire to quit smoking. Methods: Thirty participants were included in the study, 15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group. Those in the experimental group participated in a three-day forest-thermal combined therapy program. The program includes forest walks, meditation and thermal therapy in the charcoal kiln. Results: Before and after the program, physiological indicators such as cortisol, heart rate variability, and serotonin anxiety level using the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI), and stress level using the psychosocial well-being index (PWI) were measured in both groups. The differences in STAI (p = .012) and PWI (p = .006) scores between the experimental and control groups were statistically significant. However, cortisol, heart rate variability, and serotonin were not significantly different between the two groups after the program. Conclusion These results show that forest-thermal combination therapy effectively reduces anxiety and stress in smokers. It suggests that forest-thermal therapy can potentially increase smoking cessation rates.

Purpose: We aimed to review and provide a quality improvement for the document utilized by the relevant Korean government body to verify and evaluate foreign university/college graduates’ eligibility for nursing and qualification to take the Korean nursing licensing examination. Methods: This was a descriptive study. We analyzed the current Korean qualification system for foreign graduates to Korean nursing licensing examination and the same system utilized in some other countries. Then, we created a draft of the reviewed qualification standards document based on the 2 prior analyses and their comparisons, and applied a questionnaire in an open hearing with 5 experts to enhance the draft’s quality. Finally, we presented and discussed the final draft. Results: The reviewed criteria of the qualification standards included confirming whether the foreign graduate’s university has an accreditation provided by its relevant government body, the exclusion of foreign graduates’ provision of several documents previously required, a minimum number of credits (1,000 hours) for their original course, a 3-year minimum enrollment period for their original course, and a mandatory reassessment of the foreign graduates’ university recognition in a 5-year cycle. Conclusion We believe that by creating a review draft that addresses the flaws of the current document utilized to determine the qualification for foreign graduates to take the Korean nursing licensing examination, we have simplified it for a better understanding of the application process. We hope that this draft will contribute to a more objective and equitable qualification process for foreign university nurse graduates in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Nosocomial urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most frequent nosocomial infection and could be prevented through the intensive nosocomial infection control (NIC) or restricting the use of indwelling urinary catheter. The efficiency of the intensive NIC to prevent UTI for the patients with indwelling urinary catheter was investigated. METHODS: Study population consisted of 296 patients with indwelling urinary catheter in the intensive care unit (lCU) who didn't have UTI on admission. The incidence rates of nosocomial UTI were compared between 146 patients being provided with ordinary NIC from March 15 to July 31, 1995 (control group) and 150 patients being provided with intensive NIC from January 16 to October 31, 1996 (NIC group). RESULTS: There was significant decrease in the incidence of nosocomial UTI in the NIC group (35 UTI among 150 patients, 23.8%) than in me control group (68 UTI among 146 patients, 46.6%) (P<0.01). But there were no differences in age distribution, sex, admission route to the ICU and underlying diagnoses between two groups. Interval between insertion of urinary catheter and development of UTI was significantly prolonged in the NIC group (10.0 +/- 3.5 days) than in the control group(7.6 +/- 3.9 days) (p < 0.01) despite there were no differences in the duration of urinary catheterization in two groups. The most common organism isolated from the urine of the patients was Candida tropicalis in both groups and the other organisms were in the order of Enterococcus faecium, Pseudomonas putida, Staphylococcus epidermidis in the control group and in the order of Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterococcus faecalis in the NIC group. Four of five Staphylococcus aureus isolated in NIC group were MRSA. CONCLUSION: This study result confirms the efficiency of intensive NIC fur decrease in the incidence of nosocomial UTI in patients with indwelling urinary catheter. But the incidence of nosocomial UTI should be decreased further through the continuous emphasis on NIC and it seems to be necessary to study the effect of each component of NIC with proper control of the risk factors for the development of nosocomial UTI in the future.
Acinetobacter baumannii ; Age Distribution ; Candida tropicalis ; Cross Infection* ; Diagnosis ; Enterococcus faecalis ; Enterococcus faecium ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intensive Care Units* ; Critical Care* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Pseudomonas putida ; Risk Factors ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Staphylococcus epidermidis ; Urinary Catheterization ; Urinary Catheters ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*

Dissecting aneurysm involves development of a hematoma in the media of aorta, which is usually contagious with the lumen of the aorta via a tear in the media. The high percentage of co-existing diseases such as other cardiovascular diseases in these patients accounts for much of the surgical morbidity and mortality. Complications in Dacron patch graft surgery for repair of descending thoracic aortic aneurysm include massive hemorrhage, myocardial ischemia, myocardial infarction, heart failure, paraplegia and renal failure. A 60 year-old, 59kg woman underwent Dacron patch graft surgery for descending thoracic aortic aneurysm, under the high thoracic epidural block supplemented with light general anesthesia(N2O-O2). During operation, systolic blood pressure of upper extremities ranging from 120 mmHg to 100 mmHg was maintained, while diastolic pressure was maintained from 60 mmHg to 4) mmHg. Mean arterial pressure of 15-20 mmHg was maintained in lower extremities. When aorta was declamped, hypotension and bradycardia continued for 10 minutes. After administration of epinephrine and CaCl2, vital signs were stable. Total aorta cross-clamping time was 47 minutes, and total urine output was 200 ml. Although mannitol and steroid were administered for prevention, paraplegia occured postoperatively because of prolonged aorta cross clamping time.
Aneurysm, Dissecting ; Aorta ; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic* ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Bradycardia ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Constriction ; Epinephrine ; Female ; Heart Failure ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Lower Extremity ; Mannitol ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Paraplegia* ; Polyethylene Terephthalates ; Renal Insufficiency ; Transplants ; Upper Extremity ; Vital Signs

BACKGROUND: Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is primarily secreted from the cardiac ventricles. Circulating concentrations of BNP are known to be increased in established chronic heart failure and acute myocardial infarction and to correlate well with left ventricular dysfunction and prognosis. It may also act as an index of ischemic severity. This study was performed to evaluate the value of plasma BNP measurement during exercise test in patients with ischemic heart disease for an assessment of myocardial ischemia. METHOD: This study included a total of 63 cases who had suspected ischemic heart disease or suffered from myocardial infarction. The subjects underwent treadmill exercise with modified Bruce protocol. Tc-99m MIBI (methoxyisobutyl Isonitrile) SPECT image was obtained by one-day or two-day protocol with rest-stress sequence. They were divided into 3 groups by findings in exercise TC-99m MIBI SPECT; 16 cases with reversible perfusion defect into angina pectoris group, 12 cases with myocardial infarction and fixed perfusion defect into myocardial infarction group and 35 cases without perfusion defect into control group. Venous blood was obtained at rest and just after peak exercise. Plasma levels of BNP level were measured by radioimmunoassay. RESULT: BNP levels increased with exercise from 20.1 +/- 28.2 to 33.2 +/- 44.0 pg/ml in the control group, 33.9 +/- 48.8 to 44.6 +/- 49.2 pg/ml in the angina pectoris group and 86.6 +/- 85.0 to 140.9 +/- 116.2 pg/ml in the myocardial infarction group (p<0.01, respectively). BNP levels in the myocardial infarction group were significantly higher than those in the control and angina pectoris group both at rest and after peak exercise (p<0.01, respectively). The changes in BNP levels with exercise were also significantly higher in the myocardial infarction group compared with those in the control and angina pectoris group (p<0.01). The BNP levels at rest were correlated significantly with the extent of perfusion defect and METs (r=0.465, p<0.001; r=-0.283, p<0.05, respectively). The BNP level after peak exercise correlated closely with the extent of perfusion defect and left ventricular ejection fraction (r=0.481, p<0.001; r=-0.301, p<0.05, respectively). The changes in BNP level with exercise were correlated well with the extent of perfusion defect and the ischemic severity (r=0.352, p<0.01; r=0.272, p<0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the changes in BNP level during an exercise test could be used for an index of ischemic severity in patients with ischemic heart disease.
Angina Pectoris ; Brain* ; Exercise Test ; Heart Failure ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain* ; Perfusion ; Plasma* ; Prognosis ; Radioimmunoassay ; Stroke Volume ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left

In ocular surgery, many studies have been carried but in order to evaluate intraocular pressure chance during induction and maintenance of anesthesia. In this study, Vecuronium (Norcuron), new monoquaternary analogue of pancuronium, has been used in a group of patient undergoing elective sugery in order to evaluate its influe-nce on intraocular pressure. 40 patients without a history of eye digease, in age from 20 to 60 years, were evaluated. Their condition fell into ASA class l. On arrival, initial measurement of intraocular pressure(as control value) was taken with Shiotg tonometer after instilling a 0.5% pontocaine into conjuntival sac. Subsequent measurements were taken after thiopental injeotion as soon at the lid reflex was lost, then 2 minutes after Vecuronium injection, 1,3,5,10 and 20 minutes after endot-racheal intuhation. Blood pressure and pulse rate were measured together. The results were as follows, 1. At 2 minutes after intubation, intraocular pleasure was decreased as compared with the control value. 2. At 1 minute after intutation, intraocular pressure was more increased than the value of 2 minutes after vecuronium injection. but was not significantly changed as compared with control valule. 3. All values measured followed 3 minutes after intubation were significantly derceased. 4. Mean arterial pressure and pulse rate were increased at 1 minute after intubation but all the other values were not significantly changed as compared with control value.
Anesthesia ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure* ; Intubation ; Pancuronium ; Pleasure ; Reflex ; Tetracaine ; Thiopental ; Vecuronium Bromide*