PURPOSE: This study was a cross-sectional study done to determine the relevance and impact factors of nursing practice environment and self-esteem on critical thinking disposition in clinical nurses. METHODS: A survey was conducted from March to May 2015 with self-report questionnaire. Participants were 281 registered nurses working in one tertiary hospital. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression with SPSS/WIN 21.0. RESULTS: Factors affecting the nurses' critical thinking disposition included age (F=7.23, p<.001), educational background (F=7.82, p<.001), position (F=14.95, p<.001), clinical career (F=7.66, p<.001). Further, critical thinking disposition had a positive correlation with nursing practice environment (r=.60, p<.001) and self-esteem (r=.41, p<.001). Self-esteem and nursing practice environment accounted for 43% of the variance in critical thinking disposition. CONCLUSION: The study findings show that critical thinking disposition is influenced by nursing foundations for quality of care and the collegial nurse-physician relations of nursing practice environment. Therefore, it's necessary to provide continuing education for clinical nurses to reconstruct the organizational culture of nurses and physician partnerships. In addition, increasing self-esteem through various motivational programs should increase critical thinking disposition.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Education, Continuing ; Foundations ; Humans ; Nurses ; Nursing* ; Organizational Culture ; Physician-Nurse Relations ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Thinking*

BACKGROUND: This is a theory verification study in which the theory of planned behavior (TPB) of Ajzen is applied to predict operating room (OR) infection control behavior. The study was carried out to know the path of attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and intention towards OR infection control behavior. METHODS: A total of 178 OR nurses working at 13 hospitals in Seoul were the subjects of this study. A questionnaire survey was performed; the data were collected from April 6 to April 19, 2005 and analyzed with t-test, ANOVA, multiple regression, and person's correlation using SPSS program. Using AMOS, the factors of TPB were analyzed with path analysis. RESULTS: The total mean of infection control behavior of OR nurses was 4.37 points out of possible 5.0, and asepsis/operating instrument sterilization had 4.69, which was the highest among all areas of infection control behavior. In case of the relation between attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavior control, and intention, there was the strongest relation of cause and effect (path coefficient 0.38, 39%). In case of intention, perceived behavior control, and behavior, the relation of cause and effect between intention and behavior was path coefficient 0.17 and behavior was path coefficient 0.19. The degree of explanation was 10%. CONCLUSION: We should try to improve environment management in behavior area, and through this study, the importance of education was verified.
Behavior Control ; Cross Infection ; Education ; Infection Control* ; Intention ; Operating Rooms* ; Seoul* ; Sterilization ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: This is a theory verification study in which the theory of planned behavior (TPB) of Ajzen is applied to predict operating room (OR) infection control behavior. The study was carried out to know the path of attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and intention towards OR infection control behavior. METHODS: A total of 178 OR nurses working at 13 hospitals in Seoul were the subjects of this study. A questionnaire survey was performed; the data were collected from April 6 to April 19, 2005 and analyzed with t-test, ANOVA, multiple regression, and person's correlation using SPSS program. Using AMOS, the factors of TPB were analyzed with path analysis. RESULTS: The total mean of infection control behavior of OR nurses was 4.37 points out of possible 5.0, and asepsis/operating instrument sterilization had 4.69, which was the highest among all areas of infection control behavior. In case of the relation between attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavior control, and intention, there was the strongest relation of cause and effect (path coefficient 0.38, 39%). In case of intention, perceived behavior control, and behavior, the relation of cause and effect between intention and behavior was path coefficient 0.17 and behavior was path coefficient 0.19. The degree of explanation was 10%. CONCLUSION: We should try to improve environment management in behavior area, and through this study, the importance of education was verified.
Behavior Control ; Cross Infection ; Education ; Infection Control* ; Intention ; Operating Rooms* ; Seoul* ; Sterilization ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the difference in perception of clinical nutrition service (CNS) between doctors and dietitians working in hospitals in Busan and the Gyeongnam area. Research was performed through questionnaires (from November to December 2011) at over 100 beds. 73.3% of dietitians were aware of the Nutrition Support Team (NST), while only 15.6% of doctors were aware of it. Due to heavy work and lack of medical staff, doctors didn't participate in NST, although most of them recognized the necessity of NST. 61.7% of dietitians screened and managed malnourished patients, whereas only 29.8% of doctors did. The main reason dietitians didn't treat malnourished patients was the absence of a treatment system in the hospital. Less than 50% of dietitians participated in the doctor's round to malnourished patients. As for why dietitians didn't participate in doctor's rounds, 71% of doctors chose understaffed dietitians and 38.1% of dietitians chose the doctors' unawareness of the importance of the dietitian in doctor's rounds. For the lower rate of nutrition counseling in provincial regions, compared to the capital region, 46.8% of doctors cited a lack of connection between doctors and clinical dietitians, while 43.3% of dietitians cited the lack of doctors' awareness on the importance of nutrition counseling. Although 87.3% of the doctors and 91.6% of the dietitians answered that CNS is important for treatment, the perception of onsite performance status on CNS was found to be low in both groups. 48.9% of doctors and 50.0% of dietitians regarded dietitians in the hospital as personnel in charge of food services, rather a member of the medical team. To improve the awareness of the importance of the CNS, and the image of clinical dietitians, 31.2% of doctors answered "to introduce a professional dietitian license for each disease" and 26.7% of dietitians answered "to change the system in the hospital". Most subjects found that a separation of clinical nutrition services from the food service part is needed. These results suggest that it is important to narrow the difference in perceptions of clinical nutrition services between doctors and dietitians for an organized clinical nutrition management of patients in hospitals in Busan and the Gyeongnam area.
Counseling ; Fees and Charges ; Food Services ; Humans ; Licensure ; Medical Staff ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Purpose: This study synthesized the literature on eating difficulties among older adults with dementia in long-term care facilities. Methods: A scoping review, using the framework proposed by Arksey & O'Malley (2005) and supplemented by Levac et al. (2010), was conducted. Literature was searched from RISS, KISS, DBpia, PubMed, and CINAHL. Two reviewers independently selected studies and extracted their characteristics, using pre-tested forms to determine final inclusion. In total, 1283 articles were identified, and 13 articles were used for the final analysis. Results: The Eating Behavior Scale and the Edinburgh Feeding Evaluation in Dementia scale were the most widely utilized measurement tools. The most common factors related to eating behavior in older adults with dementia were cognitive and physical functions in the individual domain, the caregiver's attitude toward eating in the inter-individual domain, and meal type in the environmental domain. Conclusion Measurement tools reflecting the eating behavior of older adults with dementia must be developed to obtain a comprehensive understanding of this issue and create effective interventions for the specific context of long-term care facilities in Korea. The results of this study are intended to serve as a basis to develop meal support programs for older adults with dementia.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effects of non-pharmacological sleep intervention programs in improving sleep quality among older adults in long-term care facilities. Methods: A literature search and selection was performed on nine different databases using the guidelines of PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). Overall, 14 studies met the inclusion criteria and were systematically reviewed. For the metaanalysis, the effect size was estimated using the random-effects model in Review Manager (RevMan) desktop version 5.4 of the Cochrane Library. Results: The meta-analysis of overall non-pharmacological interventions obtained a total effect size of 1.0 (standardized mean difference [SMD]=1.0, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.64~1.35), which was statistically significant (Z=5.55, p<.001). The most frequently studied non-pharmacological intervention was aroma therapy, with an effect size of 0.61 (SMD=0.61, 95% CI: 0.14~1.08), which was statistically significant (Z=2.55, p=.010). In the subgroup analysis, group-based interventions, interventions for >4 weeks, and untreated control studies were more effective. Conclusion This study confirms that non-pharmacological interventions are effective in improving sleep quality among older adults in long-term care facilities. However, the sample size was small and the risk of bias in assessing the interventions of individual studies was unclear or high, thereby limiting the generalizability of the results. Further reviews that evaluate randomized control trials, evidence-based interventions that consider older adult participants' physical activity levels, different intervention methods and durations, and different control group intervention types are needed to obtain more conclusive evidence.

Purpose: Ovalbumin, a major protein derived from egg white, has significant functional properties, including antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects. Therefore, ovalbumin has potential use in the nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmeceutical industries. This study evaluated the immunomodulatory effects of ovalbumin water extract (OAW) and ethanol extract (OAE) on splenocytes and peritoneal macrophages in Balb/c mice, focusing on their potential to regulate the Th1/Th2 balance and enhance immune functions. Methods: The effects of OAW and OAE on T and B-cell proliferation, cytokines, immunoglobulins, phagocytic activity, and nitric oxide (NO) production were examined using mitogen (ConA or LPS)-treated mouse splenocytes and macrophages from Balb/c mice.OAW and OAE were applied at concentrations ranging from 50 to 500 μg/mL. T and B-cell proliferation, cytokine production, including Th1 (interleukin [IL]-2, interferon [IFN]-γ, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α) and Th2 (IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10) profiles, and immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG, and IgE) production were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.NO production and phagocytic activity were evaluated using a Griess assay and substratebased assays, respectively. Results: OAW and OAE modulated T and B-cell proliferation and inhibited the production of Th1 (IL-2, IFN-γ, and TNF-α) and Th2 (IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10) cytokines, restoring the Th1/ Th2 balance. Moreover, at 500 μg/mL, the OAW extracts exhibited comparable effects to the zymosan-stimulated controls. The production of immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG, and IgE) and NO levels were reduced, while the macrophage phagocytic activity was enhanced in a dosedependent manner. Conclusion Ovalbumin extracts can modulate the systemic immune system by influencing immunoglobulin production and regulating the Th1/Th2 balance.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Carrots are a major source of beta-carotene, but comparative studies on different consumption methods are limited. This study compared the rates of β-carotene absorption from fresh carrots versus fresh carrot juice. SUBJECTS/METHODS: For β-carotene absorption, a separate randomized controlled crossover trial was conducted with 16 healthy adults. The participants consumed 25 mg of β-carotene from raw carrots or fresh carrot juice. Blood samples were collected at the baseline (0 h) and at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 h post-consumption. RESULTS: The carrot juice group exhibited 2.33 times higher peak plasma concentrations 1.5 h post-consumption than those in the raw carrot group. The area under the curve for β-carotene absorption was 2.09 times greater in the carrot juice group than in the raw carrot group. The plasma α-carotene levels increased in both groups, but no significant differences were found. Similarly, no significant changes in the plasma levels of other fat-soluble vitamins were observed. In addition, no significant differences in antioxidant capacity (oxygen radical absorbance capacity and total radical-trapping antioxidant potential) were found between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION Consuming fresh carrot juice, without added sugars, may enhance the bioavailability of β-carotene compared to raw produce.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Carrots are a major source of beta-carotene, but comparative studies on different consumption methods are limited. This study compared the rates of β-carotene absorption from fresh carrots versus fresh carrot juice. SUBJECTS/METHODS: For β-carotene absorption, a separate randomized controlled crossover trial was conducted with 16 healthy adults. The participants consumed 25 mg of β-carotene from raw carrots or fresh carrot juice. Blood samples were collected at the baseline (0 h) and at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 h post-consumption. RESULTS: The carrot juice group exhibited 2.33 times higher peak plasma concentrations 1.5 h post-consumption than those in the raw carrot group. The area under the curve for β-carotene absorption was 2.09 times greater in the carrot juice group than in the raw carrot group. The plasma α-carotene levels increased in both groups, but no significant differences were found. Similarly, no significant changes in the plasma levels of other fat-soluble vitamins were observed. In addition, no significant differences in antioxidant capacity (oxygen radical absorbance capacity and total radical-trapping antioxidant potential) were found between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION Consuming fresh carrot juice, without added sugars, may enhance the bioavailability of β-carotene compared to raw produce.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Carrots are a major source of beta-carotene, but comparative studies on different consumption methods are limited. This study compared the rates of β-carotene absorption from fresh carrots versus fresh carrot juice. SUBJECTS/METHODS: For β-carotene absorption, a separate randomized controlled crossover trial was conducted with 16 healthy adults. The participants consumed 25 mg of β-carotene from raw carrots or fresh carrot juice. Blood samples were collected at the baseline (0 h) and at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 h post-consumption. RESULTS: The carrot juice group exhibited 2.33 times higher peak plasma concentrations 1.5 h post-consumption than those in the raw carrot group. The area under the curve for β-carotene absorption was 2.09 times greater in the carrot juice group than in the raw carrot group. The plasma α-carotene levels increased in both groups, but no significant differences were found. Similarly, no significant changes in the plasma levels of other fat-soluble vitamins were observed. In addition, no significant differences in antioxidant capacity (oxygen radical absorbance capacity and total radical-trapping antioxidant potential) were found between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION Consuming fresh carrot juice, without added sugars, may enhance the bioavailability of β-carotene compared to raw produce.