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: An umbilical arterial catheter (UAC) in the high position reduces the lumen of the aorta and may thereby impair blood supply to the intestine. Effects of UAC on intestinal blood flow were investigated. METHODS: With the measurement of the aortic diameter, pulsed Doppler ultrasonography was performed in 23 fasting newborns to measure blood flow velocities (peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, mean velocity, time velocity integral and resistive index) in the celiac trunk (CT) and the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) before and after removal of the UAC in the high position. RESULTS: UAC reduced the cross-sectional area of the aorta by 3.5-15.0% (mean 7.5%), with the percentage of reduction being inversely related to birth weight (r=-0.86, P<0.0001). Blood flow velocities in the CT and the SMA did not change significantly after removal of the UACl left in place for 7 days. There were also no differences in blood flow velocities pre- and postremoval of the UAC which stayed in place for 17.3 days and caused a mean aortic obstruction of 11.7%. However, a longer indwelling time of the UAC may lead to a higher velocity in the CT with UAC in place, as reflected by a correlation by multiple regression analysis (r=0.42, P=0.045). CONCLUSION: Although UAC remaining in place for up to 2 weeks in fasting newborns does not lead to direct alterations in blood supply to the intestine, the possibility of blood flow impairment to abdominal organs by prolonged use cannot be excluded.
Aorta ; Birth Weight ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Catheterization* ; Catheters* ; Fasting ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intestines ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Pulsed

No abstract available.
Animals ; Embryonic Structures* ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Fetal Blood* ; Humans* ; Mice* ; Quality Control* ; Sperm Motility* ; Spermatozoa*

A research survey was conducted on 112 nursing educational institutes with three year associate and four ear baccalaureate programs and 36 institutes with master programs to determine the status of computer and informatics education in Korea. Seventy-seven(68.8%) of the 112 schools with associate and baccalaureate programs responded and 20(55.6%) of 36 schools with master program responded. Out of 77 institutions only 16 schools indicated that Nursing Informatics was offered as a separate course. It was taught mostly to the first year or the second year students and number of credits ranged from 1 to 3 while 2 credit being the most popular one. Further analysis of the syllabus indicated that the contents covered by different schools varied from school to school. They were computer basics, internet and communication, application program, the concept and the elements of the nursing informatics, utilization of nursing informatics in nursing practice, education, research, and administration, and health information system. Sixty schools out of 77 addressed computer related subjects in their curriculum. Computer related subjects were taught mostly to the first year students as a 2 credits class. Contents covered in computer related subjects were computer basics, internet and communication, and application program. Strategies for the implementation of nursing informatics in nursing education and exemplary programs are presented based on the findings.
Academies and Institutes ; Curriculum ; Ear ; Education* ; Education, Nursing ; Health Information Systems ; Humans ; Informatics ; Internet ; Korea* ; Nursing Informatics* ; Nursing*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore characteristics of and risk factors for accidental inpatient falls. METHODS: Participants were classified as fallers or non-fallers based on the fall history of inpatients in a tertiary hospital in Seoul between June 2014 and May 2015. Data on falls were obtained from the fall report forms and data on risk factors were obtained from the electronic nursing records. Characteristics of fallers and non-fallers were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Risk factors for falls were identified using univariate analyses and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Average length of stay prior to the fall was 21.52 days and average age of fallers was 61.37 years. Most falls occurred during the night shifts and in the bedroom and were due to sudden leg weakness during ambulation. It was found that gender, BMI, physical problems such elimination, gait, vision and hearing and medications such as sleeping pills, antiarrhythmics, vasodilators, and muscle relaxant were statistically significant factors affecting falls. CONCLUSION: The findings show that there are significant risk factors such as BMI and history of surgery which are not part of fall assessment tools. There are also items on fall assessment tools which are not found to be significant such as mental status, emotional unstability, dizziness, and impairment of urination. Therefore, these various risk factors should be examined in the fall risk assessments and these risk factors should be considered in the development of fall assessment tools.
Accidental Falls* ; Dizziness ; Gait ; Hearing ; Humans ; Inpatients* ; Leg ; Length of Stay ; Logistic Models ; Nursing Records ; Patient Safety ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors* ; Seoul ; Tertiary Care Centers* ; Urination ; Vasodilator Agents ; Walking

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis is a rare hip disorder that mainly occurs in pubertal children. Although the exact cause of this disorder is unknown, it is known to be associated with obesity, trauma, delayed sexual development, delayed bone maturation, chronic renal failure, genetic diseases, endocrine disorders (growth hormone deficiency, hypothyroidism, hypogonadism), growth hormone therapy, and gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRH agonist) therapy. We report 2 cases of slipped capital femoral epiphysis in adolescent females who were receiving growth hormone therapy. The first case is of a 16 year-old-girl with chronic renal failure and renal osteodystrophy. The second case is of an 11 year-old-girl with idiopathic precocious puberty who had received GnRH agonist and growth hormone therapy. Unilateral or bilateral slipped capital femoral epiphysis developed at 1 year 3 months after treatment in both the cases. The chief complaints were pain in the hip joint and lower extremities. Growth hormone and/or GnRH agonist therapy was stopped, and in situ screw fixations of the involved hip epiphyses were performed.
Adolescent ; Child ; Endocrine System Diseases ; Epiphyses ; Female ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Growth Hormone ; Hip ; Hip Joint ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Lower Extremity ; Obesity ; Puberty, Precocious ; Renal Osteodystrophy ; Sexual Development ; Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphyses

PURPOSE: Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) is one of the most common causes of community-acquired pneumonia in children. The clinical course is typically self-limited and benign; however, rare cases of severe pneumonia can develop despite appropriate antibiotic therapy. We studied the effects of methylprednisolone pulse therapy on severe refractory M. pneumoniae pneumonia in children. METHODS: The clinical effects of methylprednisolone therapy were evaluated retrospectively in 12 children with severe refractory M. pneumoniae pneumonia, which was diagnosed serologically. All patients developed respiratory distress, high fever, and initial lobar pneumonic consolidation based on radiological findings. All clinical symptoms deteriorated despite appropriate antibiotic therapy. Thus, children were treated with intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy in addition to antibiotics. RESULTS: The average febrile period before admission was 4.9+/-1.7 days, and fever persisted in all children until steroid administration. Methylprednisolone pulse therapy (30 mg/kg) was given 5.4+/-2.5 days after admission. After methylprednisolone pulse therapy, clinical symptoms improved in all patients without adverse events. The fever subsided 0-2 h after initiation of corticosteroid therapy. The abnormal radiological findings resolved within 2.6+/-1.3 days, and the high C-reactive protein levels (6.7+/-5.9 mg/dL) on admission decreased to 1.3+/-1.7 mg/dL within 3.0+/-1.1 days after starting corticosteroid therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Three-day methylprednisolone pulse therapy could be applied to treatment of refractory M. pneumoniae pneumonia despite appropriate antibiotic therapy and appeared to be efficacious and well-tolerated.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; C-Reactive Protein ; Child* ; Fever ; Humans ; Methylprednisolone* ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Pneumonia* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma* ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: Eosinophilia is common in premature infants, and its incidence increases with a shorter gestation period. We investigated the clinical significance of eosinophilia in premature infants born at <34 weeks gestation. METHODS: We analyzed the medical records of premature infants born at <34 weeks gestation who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital between January 2003 and September 2010. Eosinophilia was defined as an eosinophil percentage of >3% of the total leukocytes. Perinatal parameters and clinical parameters were also analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 261 infants born at <34 weeks gestation, 22.4% demonstrated eosinophilia at birth. The eosinophil percentage peaked in the fourth postnatal week at 7.5%. The incidence of severe eosinophilia increased after birth up to the fourth postnatal week when 8.8% of all patients had severe eosinophilia. Severity of eosinophilia was positively correlated with a lower gestational age, birth weight, and Apgar score. Respiratory distress syndrome, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, nephrocalcinosis, intraventricular hemorrhage, and sepsis were associated with a higher eosinophil percentage. The eosinophil percentage was significantly higher in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia from the first postnatal week and the percentage was the highest in the fourth postnatal week, with the maximal difference being 4.1% (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Eosinophilia is common in premature infants and reaches peak incidence and severity in the fourth postnatal week. The eosinophil percentage was significantly higher in bronchopulmonary dysplasia patients from the first postnatal week. Severe eosinophilia was significantly associated with the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia even after adjusting for other variables.
Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia* ; Eosinophilia* ; Eosinophils ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Leukocytes ; Medical Records ; Nephrocalcinosis ; Parturition ; Pregnancy* ; Sepsis

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare a 1% chlorhexidine gluconate/6l% ethanol (CHG/Ethanol) emollient and 7.5% povidone-iodine (PVI) scrub for antibacterial efficacy and effect on skin condition. METHODS: Twelve healthy newly employed nurses were recruited for this clinical study to evaluate the two hand cleansing agents. The CHG/Ethanol emollient hand preparation was applied without scrubbing and 7.5% PVI was applied using a scrub brush in 5-minute surgical scrubbing. Subjects used one method for 5 days and switched to the other method for another 5 days. Samples were taken for bacterial counts using the glove juice technique before and one minute after hand cleansing and again at the end of surgical operation on Day 1, 2, and 5. The VSS (Visual Scoring of Skin condition) scores and HSA (Hand Subject Assessment) scales were used to evaluate skin condition. RESULTS: Log reduction in bacterial counts by CHG/Ethanol emollient was greater than by PVI immediately after hand cleasing (log3.73 vs log1.66) and at the end of surgical operation (log3.49 vs log1.93) on Day 1. But there were no significant difference on Day 2 and 5. CHG/Ethanol emollient caused fewer skin problems than PVI; the VSS scores of the CHG/Ethanol emollient were better than those of PVI on Day 2, 3, 4, and 5 (P<0.05), and also HSA scale for change from baseline to the end of Day 5 was significantly better for the CHG/Ethanol emollient (22.5-->24.5 vs 23.0-->19.3). CONCLUSION: Compared to PVI, the CHG/Ethanol emollient hand preparation was shown to be more antibacterial and less irritation to skin. The results showed the possibility of using the waterless, scrubless agent for surgical hand scrub in Korea.
Bacterial Load ; Chlorhexidine ; Detergents ; Ethanol ; Hand ; Hand Disinfection ; Korea ; Povidone-Iodine* ; Skin ; Weights and Measures

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is an uncommon disease that is characterized by inflammation and destruction of cartilaginous structures. When tracheobronchial tree is involved, respiratory obstructive symptoms can occur. A 35-year-old man, with a previous diagnosis of RP, was scheduled for rigid bronchoscopy to relieve dyspnea, caused by subglottic stenosis. After laser splitting of the subglottic web, the spontaneous respiration of the patient was insufficient, and hypercarbia developed progressively even with assisted ventilation. After 20 minutes of aggressive hyperventilation to reduce end-tidal CO2 level, sudden extreme tachycardia and hypotension developed. Ventilation rate was reduced and prolonged expiration time was allowed to alleviate a near-tampon status from dynamic hyperinflation. After the hemodynamic status was stabilized, the patient was transferred to the ICU for mechanical ventilation. He received ICU care for 30 days, and now, he was on supportive care on a ward, considering Y stent insertion to prevent luminal collapse from tracheobronchomalacia.
Adult ; Bronchoscopy* ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hyperventilation ; Hypotension ; Inflammation ; Laryngostenosis ; Phenobarbital ; Polychondritis, Relapsing* ; Respiration ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Insufficiency* ; Stents ; Tachycardia ; Tracheobronchomalacia ; Ventilation