PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a six week self-help empowerment strategy program on the empowerment status, pain intensity, physical function, joint flexibility and depression status in rheumatoid arthritis patients. METHOD: The subjects of the study consisted of a convenience sample thirteen rheumatoid arthritis patients. Data was collected from July to November, 2001. All patient received a self-help empowerment strategy program, once a week for six weeks. RESULT: After receiving the self-help empowerment strategy program, the empowerment status increased significantly, the pain intensity and the depression score decreased significantly and the level of physical function significantly improved but the flexibilities of shoulders, knees and ankles were not significantly changed. CONCLUSION: Further studies need to be done to determine the feasibility of implementing empowerment strategy and its possibility as an effective intervention program for decreasing pain intensity and depression score and improving the physical function.
Ankle ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Depression ; Humans ; Knee ; Power (Psychology)* ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Self-Help Groups ; Shoulder

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the attributes, antecedents, and consequences of nurse's work interruptions. METHODS: Walker and Avant's concept analysis method was used to analyze this concept. Relevant articles published before August 2018 were searched through MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, KISS, and RISS databases using “interruption,” “work or task,” and “nurse” as keywords. RESULTS: The attributes of work interruption by nurses were as follows: 1) new tasks to do; 2) cognitive transition of work priorities; 3) loss of work continuity; 4) tasks to be resumed. The antecedents of work interruption were intrusion of unplanned events, internal and external factors that result in nurses forgetting their original intentions, an unpredictable work environment, and cultural climate where interruptions are considered as a part of the work process. The consequences of work interruption were decline in job satisfaction, trigger of work errors, lengthening of work completion time, decline in work productivity, increase in work stress, and delay of transferring needed information in a timely manner. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide basic data to reduce the negative consequences of nurses' work interruptions, and contribute to expanding the knowledge necessary for improving patients' safety and nurses' performance.
Climate ; Efficiency ; Intention ; Job Satisfaction ; Methods ; Walkers ; Work Performance

Over the past 30 years, there has been an increase in the incidence of multifetal pregna-ncies, primarily because of the introduction of ovarian stimulants for ovulation induction and assisted reproductive technology ( ART ) in infertile patients. It is well established that multifetal pregnancies are associated with an increased frequency of the maternal complications and gre-ater perinatal morbidity and mortyality. The adverse outcome of multifetal pregnancies is dire-ctly proportional to the number of fetuses, primarily as an consequence of prterm delivery. Re-duction in the number of fetuses in multifetal pregnancies has been proposed as a way to impr-ove the perinatal outcome in this situation. Therefore, selective fetal reduction ( SFR ) is sugges-ted as a therapeutic option for continuation of pregnancy with fetuses mature enough to survi-ve. In this paper, we report our infertility clinic experiences with 6 patients who carried mult- ifetal pregnancies including 1 quintuplet, 1 quadruplet, and 4 triplets. from January, 1991 to May, 1996, transabdominal SFR was accomplished by fetal intrathoracic KCl injection at 9~10 weeks of gestation. After the prcedure, 4 patients remained as twin pregnancies, and 2 patients as single pregnancy. There have been 3 sets of twin deliveries and the 2 sets of single delivery. One case was aborted. Two patients were delivered after 37 weeks of gestation, 2 patients were at 35 weeks, and 1 patient at 24 weeks. All babies have been healthy after birth in patients after 35 weeks gestation. There was no fetal anomaly related to the procedure in the 6 cases. We concluded that transabdominal SFR is a rather safe and useful procedure that may improve the outcome of multifetal pregnancies.
Fetus ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infertility ; Ovulation Induction ; Parturition ; Pregnancy Reduction, Multifetal* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnancy, Twin ; Quadruplets ; Quintuplets ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Triplets ; Twins

No abstract available.
Syncope* ; Urination*

Inflammatory pseudotumor, originally described in the lung, is a relatively rare tumor-like lesion that occurs in various organs and tissues. It is usually well demarcated from the surrounding tissue, however it can be unfortunately resected as a malignant tumor. A few inflammtory pseudotumor in the kidney have been reported in English literature, but there have been no reports in Korea. We report a case with inflammatory pseudotumor of the kidney. A 48 year old woman had an intermittent flank pain on the right side. An ultrasonographic study suggested a renal cell carcinoma and a nephrectomy was done. Grossly, there were two separate masses with a well demarcated yellowish appearance, measuring 2.3 cm and 1.3 cm in diameter, respectively. Histologically, they were composed of smooth muscle actin positive spindle cells and a large number of foamy histiocytes, lymphocytes, and plasma cells in the fibrotic backgound.
Actins ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Female ; Flank Pain ; Granuloma, Plasma Cell* ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Kidney* ; Korea ; Lung ; Lymphocytes ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Smooth ; Nephrectomy ; Plasma Cells

Hydranencephaly is a term used to describe a group of brain malformations in regard to developing any brain remnants. With most of the cerebral cortex absent, the cerebral hemispheres are replaced by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), covered with leptomeninges and dura. Hydranencephaly is a rare isolated abnormality occurring in less than 1 per 10,000 births. With the cutting edged sonography, most of the hydranencephalies are screened in antenatal care. Therefore, it is very rare to observe a living preterm with hydranencephaly. From a history of a young, 19-year-old pregnant woman who did not look for the antenatal care, we found out that it was her first pregnancy, she was unmarried and intermittently had alcohol during the pregnancy. After home delivery, a preterm newborn assumed to be 28 weeks of gestational age was placed under surfactant therapy because of respiratory distress syndrome, and then received a mechanical ventilation. Brain sonography showed that most of the cerebral parenchyma, cortical tissue was absent at the 5th day after the birth. Magnetic resonance images (MRI) of brain showed that almost complete absence of cerebrum which was replaced by CSF, hydranencephaly at 81th days from birth. In summary, we report a preterm newborn with hydranencephaly from an adolescent, unmarried woman who had no antenatal care.
Adolescent ; Brain ; Cerebral Cortex ; Cerebrum ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hydranencephaly ; Illegitimacy ; Infant, Newborn ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Respiration, Artificial ; Single Person ; Young Adult

Annular atrophic lichen planus(AALP) is the most unusual variant of lichen planus that results from elastolytic activity of inflammatory cells. We report a case of AALP in 22-year-old man who had two annular pruritic plaques on the axilla. He had a two year history of skin lesions. Each lesion had elevated erythematous annular border with hyperpigmented atrophic macular center. Histopathologically, it showed typical features of lichen planus in the border of the lesion while a pattern of resolved lichen planus in its center. Elastic fibers was not found in the papillary dermis either at the border or at the center of the lesion.
Axilla ; Dermis ; Elastic Tissue ; Humans ; Lichen Planus* ; Lichens* ; Skin ; Young Adult

We have corrected the conclusion in abstract.

The purpose of this study is to gather basic data on dietitian's general characteristics, working conditions, job achievement and job satisfaction. Thereby, a formulation can be worked out to improve dietitian's job achievement and satisfaction. The study was conducted during one week period, spanning July 23 to July 30, 1998. The method of the study was to distribute 560 questionnaires to the primary school dieticians working in the city of Tae Jun, located in Choong-Cheong Province. Out of 560 questionnaires that was distributed, 327 were returned. Moreover, 318 out of 327 questionnaires that was returned was valid enough to be processed by the SAS Program. About sixty percent of the respondents(61.1%) indicated that they were between 26 to 30 years old. Moreover, approximately half of the respondents(48.8%) were unmarried. In terms of the level of education, the bachelor's degree was reported as the most common education level(56.3%), while 3.8% of the participants reported achieving graduate degrees. The number of years in working in the profession ranged from 2 to 5 years. Furthermore, approximately 74% of the respondents indicated that, on average, they earned over 800,000(Won) per month. In terms of the type of the school setting, 52.8% of the respondents worked in the urban setting, whereas, 60.0% worked in the rural school setting. Of these schools, about thirty eight percent(38.7%) of the schools were relatively small sized schools(400 students or less ). In terms of dietitian's sense of job satisfaction, the areas that showed relatively high level of satisfaction was in the menu control work(3.90) and purchase control work(3.90). However, appallingly low job satisfaction was indicated in the areas of personnel management (2.96%), and nutritional education and counsel(2.73%). Furthermore, job satisfaction varied greatly depending on age, wage, type of the food service, and type of school. The highest satisfaction was indicated in the areas of supervisory position(3.42), work itself(3.31%), co-workers(3.11). Other facets that led to job satisfaction were periodic wage increase(2.19%) and promotion opportunities(2.79%). In conclusion dietitian's job achievement showed significant correlation with job satisfaction. The study suggests that, in order to improve the overall job satisfaction of the dieticians, it is necessary to improve the working conditions of dieticians in primary schools. Secondly, there is a necessity for improving the status of the dieticians by raising the salary and treating the dieticians with the same level of respect in comparison with teachers or executive officials. Finally, another way of raising the job satisfaction of the dieticians is to provide opportunity for continuing education. So that, they can further their career in their chosen field.
Adult ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Education ; Education, Continuing ; Food Services ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction* ; Nutritionists* ; Personnel Management ; Salaries and Fringe Benefits ; Single Person

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the status of sanitary management based on HACCP. The surveys which were on various aspects of general characteristics, food handling practice, personal sanitation, equipment sanitation, and equipment possession were carried out using questionnaires for 146 business and industry foodservice operations in Taegu and Kyungpook areas. The results of this study were summarized as follows. Forty-nine percent of surveyed foodservice operations was in Taegu, 51% in Kyungpook and 69.2% in direct foodservice operations and 28.1% in contracted foodservice operations. Seventy-eight percent of foodservice operations replied that they have done only basic sanitary management, while 13% surveyed stated that they were implementing HACCP. Food handling practice and personal sanitation were significantly better in Kyungpook area than in Taegu. Significantly high levels in food handling practice, personal sanitation, equipment sanitation, and equipment possession were seen in foodservice operations which had more than 1,000 meal served than those which had less than 1,000 meals served. According to the results of food handling practice, in items of food-temperature measurement during receiving, cooking, holding after cooking, and reheating, foodservice operations showed very low scores below the average. All foodservice operations presented good scores in the parts of personal and equipment sanitation. In equipment possession, sterilizing systems were generally not enough, dishwasher and sterilizing facilities of contracted foodservice operation showed significantly high scores. Therefore, the business and industry foodservice operations will have to pay special attention to temperature management in the foodservice production process as the first step to implement of HACCP.
Commerce* ; Cooking ; Daegu* ; Food Handling ; Gyeongsangbuk-do* ; Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points* ; Humans ; Meals ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sanitation