Purpose: This study aimed to understand the non-contact nursing experiences of clinical nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A qualitative research design applying thematic analysis was used. The participants were purposive sampled from three institutes: a tertiary hospital, a general hospital, and a residential treatment center in Seoul. Data were collected between December 2021 and January 2022 through individual in-depth interviews with 12 clinical nurses. The data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s method to identify the meaning of the participants’ experiences. Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the fields where the participants performed non-contact nursing included intensive care units and isolation wards of hospitals, a residential treatment center, and home cares. Their tasks in non-contact nursing commonly involved remote monitoring using digital devices or equipment, consultation and education. From their experiences performing tasks in these fields, the four theme clusters and nine themes were derived. The four theme clusters are as follows:(1) Confusion of nursing role; (2) Conflict due to insufficient support system; (3) Concern about the quality of nursing; (4) Reflection on the establishment of nursing professionalism. Conclusion This study highlights the necessity for institutionalizing professional nursing areas, nursing education, and practical support by clarifying the purpose and goals of non-contact nursing and developing nursing knowledge through frameworks.

Background: Over the last decade, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) use in critically ill children has increased and is associated with favorable outcomes. Our study aims to evaluate the current status of pediatric ECMO in Korea, with a specific focus on its volume and changes in survival rates based on diagnostic indications. Methods: This multicenter study retrospectively analyzed the indications and outcomes of pediatric ECMO over 10 years in patients at 14 hospitals in Korea from January 2012 to December 2021. Four diagnostic categories (neonatal respiratory, pediatric respiratory, postcardiotomy, and cardiac-medical) and trends were compared between periods 1 (2012–2016) and 2 (2017–2021). Results: Overall, 1065 ECMO runs were performed on 1032 patients, with the annual number of cases remaining unchanged over the 10 years. ECMO was most frequently used for post-cardiotomy (42.4%), cardiac-medical (31.8%), pediatric respiratory (17.5%), and neonatal respiratory (8.2%) cases. A 3.7% increase and 6.1% decrease in pediatric respiratory and post-cardiotomy cases, respectively, were noted between periods 1 and 2.Among the four groups, the cardiac-medical group had the highest survival rate (51.2%), followed by the pediatric respiratory (46.4%), post-cardiotomy (36.5%), and neonatal respiratory (29.4%) groups. A consistent improvement was noted in patient survival over the 10 years, with a significant increase between the two periods from 38.2% to 47.1% (P = 0.004). Improvement in survival was evident in post-cardiotomy cases (30–45%, P = 0.002).Significant associations with mortality were observed in neonates, patients requiring dialysis, and those treated with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (P < 0.001). In pediatric respiratory ECMO, immunocompromised patients also showed a significant correlation with mortality (P < 0.001). Conclusion Pediatric ECMO demonstrated a steady increase in overall survival in Korea;however, further efforts are needed since the outcomes remain suboptimal compared with global outcomes.

Purpose: To analyze trends in corneal transplantation surgery and determine the number of domestic and imported corneal grafts used in South Korea.Method: The total number of keratoplasties and number of each individual surgical procedure conducted in 2010 and 2020 were identified using Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service data. The number of keratoplasties using domestic corneas in 2010 and 2020 was determined from the annual report of the Korean Network for Organ Sharing (KONOS). The number of keratoplasties using imported corneas was calculated by subtracting the number of keratoplasties using domestic corneas from the total number of keratoplasties. Results: In 2010, 802 keratoplasties were performed in Korea, of which 299 (37.3%) used imported corneas; 715 (89.2%) were penetrating keratoplasties and 87 (10.8%) were anterior lamellar keratoplasties. In 2020, 911 keratoplasties were done in Korea and 564 (61.9%) used imported corneas; 541 (59.4%) were penetrating keratoplasties, 60 (6.6%) were anterior lamellar keratoplasties, and 310 (34.0%) were endothelial keratoplasties. From 2010 to 2020, the number of penetrating keratoplasties in Korea decreased, while the numbers of endothelial keratoplasties and keratoplasties using imported corneas increased. Conclusions There was a 30% decrease in the number of penetrating keratoplasties from 2010 to 2020, and a 30% increase in the numbers of endothelial keratoplasties and keratoplasties using imported corneas. The proportions of endothelial keratoplasties and imported corneas have increased steadily in Korea over the last 10 years.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the differences in COVID-19 work-related characteristics, workload, anxiety, stress, and burnout between nurses working in the COVID-19 designated units and those in the general units caring for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients and to identify factors related to burnout in these two nurse groups. Methods: The study was conducted using data from 192 nurses in the COVID-19 designated units and 340 nurses in the general units from two general hospitals. The data were collected using self-report, structured questionnaires.Independent t-test, chi-squared test, and logistic regression analysis were performed. Results: There were no significant differences observed in workload and burnout between the two groups. For nurses in the general units, workload, stress, adequacy of the number of patients assigned, and the experience of temporary, floating staff were significant factors associated with burnout, while only clinical experience in the current unit was a significant factor among those in the COVID-19 units. Conclusion Findings indicate significant differences in factors related to burnout between the two nurse groups. Thus, substantial support and strategies tailored to the working environments of each nursing unit are required to prevent burnout among nurses caring for COVID-19 patients.

Purpose: The treatment of male breast cancer (MBC) has been extrapolated from female breast cancer (FBC) because of its rarity despite their different clinicopathologic characteristics. We aimed to investigate the distribution of intrinsic subtypes based on immunohistochemistry, their clinical impact, and treatment pattern in clinical practice through a multicenter study in Korea. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 248 MBC patients from 18 institutions across the country from January 1995 to July 2016. Results: The median age of MBC patients was 63 years (range, 25 to 102 years). Among 148 intrinsic subtype classified patients, 61 (41.2%), 44 (29.7%), 29 (19.5%), and 14 (9.5%) were luminal A, luminal B, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, and triple-negative breast cancer, respectively. Luminal A subtype showed trends for superior survival compared to other subtypes. Most hormone receptor-positive patients (166 patients, 82.6%) received adjuvant endocrine treatment. Five-year completion of adjuvant endocrine treatment was associated with superior disease-free survival (DFS) in patients classified with an intrinsic subtype (hazard ratio [HR], 0.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04 to 0.49; p=0.002) and in all patients (HR, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.54; p=0.003). Conclusion Distribution of subtypes of MBC was similar to FBC and luminal type A was most common. Overall survival tended to be improved for luminal A subtype, although there was no statistical significance. Completion of adjuvant endocrine treatment was associated with prolonged DFS in intrinsic subtype classified patients. MBC patients tended to receive less treatment. MBC patients should receive standard treatment according to guidelines as FBC patients.

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the mass and social media contents and structures related to particulate matter before and after the policy enforcement of the comprehensive countermeasures for particulate matter, derive nursing implications, and provide a basis for designing health policies. Methods: After crawling online news articles and posts on social networking sites before and after policy enforcement with particulate matter as keywords, we conducted topic and semantic network analysis using TEXTOM, R, and UCINET 6. Results: In topic analysis, behavior tips was the common main topic in both media before and after the policy enforcement. After the policy enforcement, influence on health disappeared from the main topics due to increased reports about reduction measures and government in mass media, whereas influence on health appeared as the main topic in social media. However semantic network analysis confirmed that social media had much number of nodes and links and lower centrality than mass media, leaving substantial information that was not organically connected and unstructured. Conclusion Understanding of particulate matter policy and implications influence health, as well as gaps in the needs and use of health information, should be integrated with leadership and supports in the nurses’ care of vulnerable patients and public health promotion.

Purpose: This study was conducted to assess public awareness and policy challenges faced by practicing nurses. Methods: After collecting nurse-related news articles published before and after ‘the Thanks to You Challenge’ campaign (between December 31, 2019, and July 15, 2020), keywords were extracted via preprocessing. A three-step method keyword analysis, latent Dirichlet allocation topic modeling, and keyword network analysis was used to examine the text and the structure of the selected news articles. Results: Top 30 keywords with similar occurrences were collected before and after the campaign. The five dominant topics before the campaign were: pandemic, infection of medical staff, local transmission, medical resources, and return of overseas Koreans. After the campaign, the topics ‘infection of medical staff’ and ‘return of overseas Koreans’ disappeared, but ‘the Thanks to You Challenge’ emerged as a dominant topic. A keyword network analysis revealed that the word of nurse was linked with keywords like thanks and campaign, through the word of sacrifice. These words formed interrelated domains of ‘the Thanks to You Challenge’ topic. Conclusion The findings of this study can provide useful information for understanding various issues and social perspectives on COVID-19 nursing. The major themes of news reports lagged behind the real problems faced by nurses in COVID-19 crisis. While the press tends to focus on heroism and whole society, issues and policies mutually beneficial to public and nursing need to be further explored and enhanced by nurses.

Purpose: This study was conducted to assess public awareness and policy challenges faced by practicing nurses. Methods: After collecting nurse-related news articles published before and after ‘the Thanks to You Challenge’ campaign (between December 31, 2019, and July 15, 2020), keywords were extracted via preprocessing. A three-step method keyword analysis, latent Dirichlet allocation topic modeling, and keyword network analysis was used to examine the text and the structure of the selected news articles. Results: Top 30 keywords with similar occurrences were collected before and after the campaign. The five dominant topics before the campaign were: pandemic, infection of medical staff, local transmission, medical resources, and return of overseas Koreans. After the campaign, the topics ‘infection of medical staff’ and ‘return of overseas Koreans’ disappeared, but ‘the Thanks to You Challenge’ emerged as a dominant topic. A keyword network analysis revealed that the word of nurse was linked with keywords like thanks and campaign, through the word of sacrifice. These words formed interrelated domains of ‘the Thanks to You Challenge’ topic. Conclusion The findings of this study can provide useful information for understanding various issues and social perspectives on COVID-19 nursing. The major themes of news reports lagged behind the real problems faced by nurses in COVID-19 crisis. While the press tends to focus on heroism and whole society, issues and policies mutually beneficial to public and nursing need to be further explored and enhanced by nurses.

The diffuse sclerosing variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (DSPTC) is uncommon. Herein, we report a rare case of DSPTC in a 9-year-old girl who initially presented with a painless diffuse goiter. Thyroid peroxidase antibody testing yielded positive results, and the initial clinical diagnosis was Hashimoto's thyroiditis. However, thyroid ultrasonography revealed characteristic findings of DSPTC, which was confirmed through the postoperative histopathological diagnosis. Although thyroid cancers are rare in the pediatric population, DSPTC should be included in the differential diagnosis of goiter in these patients. Moreover, ultrasonography may prevent a diagnostic delay and facilitate the detection of a concomitant malignancy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a program for reinforcing the resilience of new nurses and relation-oriented organizational culture. Methods An Intervention Research (IR) model was used to develop a program. Literature review, focus group interviews with nurses and need surveys were conducted from August to December 2018. Based on the results of the investigation, the researcher developed the content of a program. The program was revised by nurse managers for the content validation. Results: According to the results of the need surveys, 58.8% of the participants thought relation-oriented culture was the most ideal, and 61.8% of the participants wanted to participate in a program for organizational culture improvement. In the focus group interview, not only new nurses but also wards and nursing organizations should be a target subject of the program. Reinforcement of resilience and relation (3R) program was developed as a one-year course, which includes a ‘mentor-mentee’ program and a ‘thanks’ program. Conclusion: It would contribute to improving the resilience of new nurses and creating a relation-oriented organizational culture by 3R program.The 3R program could play a role as expanded program from an existing pragmatic short-term training program for improving the competencies or communication skills of new nurses.