PURPOSE: This study aimed to develop a scale measuring the Patient-Centered Nursing Culture (PCNC) and provide a basic tool to improve PCNC in Korea. METHODS: A conceptual framework and construct factors were extracted through extensive literature review and in-depth interviews with nursing professionals. In total, 59 items were derived based on the pilot survey. Data were collected from 357 nurses working at general hospitals and analyzed for verifying the reliability and validity of the scale. RESULTS: Nine factors containing 54 items were extracted from the exploratory factor analysis to verify the construct validity. The nine factors were top management leadership, policy and procedure, education and training, middle management leadership, supportive teamwork, nursing workplace environment, professional competence, patient-centered nursing activity, and nurses' values. These items were verified by convergent, discriminant, and concurrent validity testing. The internal consistency reliability was acceptable (Cronbach's α=.96). CONCLUSION: The developed PCNC scale is expected to be used as the tool for the development of theory and improvement of PCNC, the empirical testing for cause and effect of PCNC, the development of interventions, education and training programs for improving PCNC, and indicators for evaluation or accreditation of hospital service quality.
Accreditation ; Education ; Hospitals, General ; Korea ; Leadership ; Nursing ; Patient-Centered Care ; Professional Competence ; Reproducibility of Results

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pet dog-assisted activities on self-esteem, depression and cognitive function of elderly people. METHOD: The experimental group(pet dog-assisted group) consisted of 22 people over 65 years old out of about 90 elderly people registered with a home for the aged and the control group(non-pet dog assisted group) consisted of 22 people over 65 years old out of about 90 elderly people registered with another home for the aged in Daegu. Both groups had similar general characteristics, state of health, conduct on health and self-esteem, depression and cognitive abilities. Nineteen people who participated in the program at least 10 times out of 12, were chosen for the final analysis from the experimental group. For the control group, 20 people who responded to all three tests, which had been conducted before, 1 week after, and four week after the experiment, were analyzed. RESULT: Mean(+/-SD) differences between before and 1 week after the experiment for self-esteem, depression, and cognitive function were 5.84(+/-3.06), -3.26(+/-1.76), 1.47(+/-1.26), respectively. Those between before the experiment and 4 weeks after the experiment was 5.68(+/-3.64), -3.94(+/-2.32), 1.63(+/-0.96), respectively. Those for control group between before and after the experiment were -0.40(+/-1.27), 0.00(+/-0.92), 0.15(+/-0.93), respectively. Those for control group between before and 4 weeks after the experiment were -0.45(+/-2.24), 0.25(+/-1.68), 0.15(+/-0.93), respectively. All the differences between experiment and control group in mean differences between before and 1 week after experiment, between before and 4 weeks after experiment were statistically significant(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the pet-assisted activities can be useful solution for elderly people who have psychological and emotional problems caused by retrogression of physical, mental and social ability.
Aged ; Animals ; Depression ; Dogs ; Humans

PURPOSE: This study aimed to develop a scale measuring the Patient-Centered Nursing Culture (PCNC) and provide a basic tool to improve PCNC in Korea. METHODS: A conceptual framework and construct factors were extracted through extensive literature review and in-depth interviews with nursing professionals. In total, 59 items were derived based on the pilot survey. Data were collected from 357 nurses working at general hospitals and analyzed for verifying the reliability and validity of the scale. RESULTS: Nine factors containing 54 items were extracted from the exploratory factor analysis to verify the construct validity. The nine factors were top management leadership, policy and procedure, education and training, middle management leadership, supportive teamwork, nursing workplace environment, professional competence, patient-centered nursing activity, and nurses' values. These items were verified by convergent, discriminant, and concurrent validity testing. The internal consistency reliability was acceptable (Cronbach's α=.96). CONCLUSION The developed PCNC scale is expected to be used as the tool for the development of theory and improvement of PCNC, the empirical testing for cause and effect of PCNC, the development of interventions, education and training programs for improving PCNC, and indicators for evaluation or accreditation of hospital service quality.

Midurethral tension-free sling procedure has become one of the most popular techniques for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence. As the time elapsed, however, complications associated with a synthetic tape have been reported to occur. Recently, we experienced a rare case of urethral erosion with perineal cellulitis at anterior wall of vagina after midurethral sling procedure. So our experience was presented with a review of literature.
Cellulitis ; Suburethral Slings ; Urethra ; Urinary Incontinence ; Vagina

PURPOSE: Recently, reports in the mass media have implicated that bicycle riding increases the risk of erectile dysfunction and prostatic diseases. So, we evaluate the impact of bicycle riding on erectile function and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in healthy general men. METHODS: From 26 June 2010 to 20 July 2010, we investigate degree of LUTS (voiding and storage symptoms), using International Continence Society-male Questionnaire (ICS-mQ) and erectile function using International Index of Erectile Function-5 Questionnaire (IIEF-5) in 5 work places (personnel of public office, hospital, university, etc.) of which bicycle riding club members were doing active club activities. Respondents, who participated in club activities for 6 months and longer, were classified as the bicycle club (142 men; age, 44.02+/-8.56). Ones who do not ride bicycles were classified as the control group (83 men; age, 42.13+/-7.85). People who were having the history of urological and other chronic diseases (diabetes, vascular disease, heart disease, etc) were excluded from both groups. RESULTS: Bicycle club is not significantly associated with increased prevalence of LUTS (bicycle club, 2.1 to 57.7% control, 4.8 to 73.5%) and erectile dysfunction (bicycle club, 46.1% control, 55.4%). The total mean score (storage/voiding/erectile function) of bicycle club (13.93+/-1.95/11.14+/-3.49/20.46+/-5.30) were not significantly different from control (14.35+/-2.49/11.52+/-3.38/20.40+/-4.07) (P=0.190 to 0.968). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that bicycle riding as exercise or hobby has no negative effect on LUTS and erectile function in healthy general men, although this research data were limited to the questionnaire analysis.
Chronic Disease ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Heart Diseases ; Hobbies ; Humans ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms ; Male ; Mass Media ; Prevalence ; Prostatic Diseases ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Vascular Diseases ; Workplace

Brain-dead potential donors manifest devastating physiological changes associated with pulmonary edema, profound hemodynamic and metabolic abnormalities. These derangements may be more significant after apnea tests which result in severe hypoxemia and cardiovascular complications. De-recruitment can occur following apnea tests in the brain-dead donor whose ventilator support has been maintained with high positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), and recruitment maneuvers are intended to open collapsed lung units. We report a brain-dead potential donor with severe hypoxemia and hemodynamic instability after apnea tests, which improved after multiple alveolar recruitments with adequate vasoactive drugs. Multiple high-pressure recruitment maneuvers will be helpful for expansion of lung collapse with improvement of severe hypoxemia after de-recruitment which could be developed with apnea tests in brain-dead organ donor.
Anoxia* ; Apnea ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Lung ; Positive-Pressure Respiration ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Pulmonary Edema ; Tissue Donors* ; Ventilators, Mechanical