PURPOSE: This study was done to evaluate validity and reliability of the Korean version of the expanded nursing stress scale (ENSS). METHODS: Forward-backward translation of ENSS from English to Korean was conducted. The translated instrument was pilot-tested and administrated to 285 nurses who worked in five general hospitals in Korea. Internal consistency reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability. Validity was evaluated through construct validity with confirmatory factor analysis, convergent and discriminant validity. RESULTS: The Korean version of ENSS showed a reliable internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha .95 and composite reliability .99. Model fit indexes for 46 items were validated by confirmatory factor analysis(goodness of fit index .82, Tucker-Lewis index .92, root mean square error of approximation .04), indicating suitable construct validity. Factor loading of the 48 items (.47~.88) and average variance extracted out of nine factors (.52~.71.) indicated satisfactory convergent validity. Some values of square of the correlation coefficient between factors (.12~.89) were higher than average variance extracted values of each factor (.52~.71) so that it partly satisfied discriminant validity. CONCLUSION: Findings show that the Korean version ENSS has good reliability and suitable validity; therefore, can be used to assess and identify Korean nurses' job stress.
Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Hospitals, General ; Korea ; Nursing* ; Reproducibility of Results* ; Stress, Psychological ; Translations

PURPOSE: This study was done to examine the association among irrational belief, mental health, and self-efficacy, and explored the mediation of self-efficacy in the relationship between irrational belief and mental health of Korean soldiers. METHODS: A cross sectional study design was employed. The participants were 118 soldiers who signed consent forms. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Irrational beliefs were positively correlated with mental health problems, and self-efficacy was negatively correlated with irrational beliefs and mental health problems. Self-efficacy acted as a mediator in the relationship between irrational beliefs and mental health problems. CONCLUSION: The study results suggest that effective interventions to reduce mental health problems of soldiers should apply strategies to change irrational belief and increase self efficacy. These results also provide more empirical support to the hypothesis that self-efficacy serves as a mediator in a mental health.
Consent Forms ; Humans ; Mental Health* ; Military Personnel* ; Negotiating* ; Self Efficacy

PURPOSE: This study was done to provide information on issues of nursing core competencies needed in the fields of nursing practice for graduates in nursing, from the perspective of nursing managers, and to make suggestion for improving nursing education programs. METHODS: Ten nursing managers participated in this study. They were in charge of clinical nursing education in the fields of nursing practice. Data were collected using focus group interviews and analyzed with the content analysis methodology of Downe - Wamboldt's. RESULTS: Six types of nursing core competency - therapeutic nursing competency, professional nursing competency, administrative nursing competency, humanistic nursing competency, relational nursing competency, and personal nursing competency - were identified as nursing core competencies needed in the fields of nursing practice for graduates in nursing. CONCLUSION: Results of the study show important evidence for decision-making about nursing curriculum revision based on nursing core competency, both in the classroom and in nursing practice areas. These results should contribute to the development of evaluation indicators for nursing students or new nurses. Further research is required to measure degree of nursing core competency in graduates of nursing and to identify the effect of competency-based education for improving nursing core competency.
Competency-Based Education ; Curriculum ; Education, Nursing ; Fees and Charges ; Focus Groups ; Humans ; Professional Competence ; Students, Nursing

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to explore sex differences in the risk markers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and psychosocial factors and the relationships among these variables for the community-residing adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a total of 114 participants consisting of 65 men aged 42.85 years old and 49 women aged 46.86 years old. Participants were selected by a convenient sampling of at community cultural centers and churches. They completed a structured questionnaire including demographic characteristics, physiologic risk markers of CVD; lifestyle factors; and depression, social support, and stress. RESULTS: The male participants showed significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures than their counterparts. Significantly higher percent of women were currently non-smokers, and practiced moderate alcohol intake, physical activity, and low fat diet. Among women, the higher the scores of depression and stress were and the lower that of the social support was, the higher blood pressure, waist circumference and BMI were. Among men, those who were less depressed and with higher scores of social support had more physical activity. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest further studies to explore sex differences of CVD risk markers and psychosocial factors, and their relationships in a larger sample, and to find the mechanism underlying these differences with a prospective design.
Adult* ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depression ; Diet ; Female ; Humans ; Life Style ; Male ; Motor Activity ; Prospective Studies ; Psychology* ; Risk Factors ; Sex Characteristics* ; Waist Circumference

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based intervention for prehypertensive adults, to enhance stroke risk awareness and to adopt a preventive lifestyle for primary stroke prevention. METHODS: This was a single-blinded, repeated measures quasi-experimental study with 47 participants (23 in the experimental group and 24 in the control group) recruited through convenience sampling from two urban areas. The stroke risk self-management intervention consisted of three weekly, 2-hour, face-to-face sessions and two booster telephone sessions, utilizing strategies to enhance motivation for behavioral changes based on the Self-Determination Theory. All participants completed a pretest, a 1- month and a 3-month post test of stroke risk awareness and preventive lifestyle including blood pressure self-monitoring, healthy diet, and regular physical activity. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, two sample t test, repeated measures analysis of variance, and Friedman test with PASW Statistics 18.0. RESULTS: After the intervention, significant improvements were found in the experimental group for stroke risk awareness, blood pressure self-monitoring and regular physical activity, and were sustained over time. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary results indicate that the stroke risk self-management intervention is feasible and associated with improvement in self-management of stroke risk factors for primary stroke prevention among a prehypertensive population.
Adult ; Behavior Therapy/*education ; Blood Pressure Determination/*methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Motivation ; *Patient Education as Topic ; Prehypertension/*nursing ; Primary Prevention/*methods ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; Self Care/*methods ; Stroke/*prevention & control ; Urban Population/statistics & numerical data

Purpose: This study investigated the differences in physical function, self-efficacy (SE), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) categorized by disease severity in community-dwelling patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: This cross-sectional study included 182 patients with COPD selected from the pulmonology outpatient department of a tertiary hospital. Disease severity was measured using forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). Physical function, SE, and HRQoL were measured with the six-minute walking distance, pulmonary rehabilitation self-efficacy (PRAISE), and St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Disease duration, FEV1, and 12-month history of exacerbations were obtained from medical records. Patients were categorized by Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) category. Data were analyzed using the two-sample t-test, χ2 test, and one-way ANOVA. Results: Most of the participants were male and nonsmokers. The disease duration was 10.76 ± 10.03 years, the mean FEV1% was 62.13 ± 22.80, and 70.3% of the participants were in GOLD category 2 (moderate) or milder. Half of the participants reported modified Medical Research Council scores ≥ 2. Patients in GOLD categories 1 and 3 (mild and severe) exhibited significantly higher PRAISE scores than those in the other groups (F = 8.23, p < .001). The total SGRQ scores were highest in GOLD 4 (very severe), indicating the lowest HRQoL. Significant differences were identified among GOLD 1, GOLD 2 and 3, and GOLD 4 (F = 9.92, p < .001). Conclusion We identified potentially useful variables to comprehensively assess disease severity and tailor management strategies, including airflow limitation, and to determine the consequences of COPD from patients’ perspectives.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the subjective experiences of stigma among mentally ill persons. METHODS: Phenomenological methodology was used for the study. Participants were twelve people with mental illness enrolled at the S community mental health center in GyeongGi-Do. Data were collected via in-depth interviews from August 30 to October 1, 2010 and analyzed using Colaizzi's framework. RESULTS: Four themes and sixteen formulated meanings were identified for the stigma experiences of participants with mental illness. The four themes were 'Incapable of struggling against unfair treatment', 'Living as an outsider', 'Being constrained by oneself', 'Being in suspense over disclosure of oneself'. CONCLUSION: The results from this study underscore the need for an educational and awareness programs to reduce public stigma among the general population and self-stigma among people with mental illness. In addition, efforts are also needed to prioritize mental illness stigma as a major public health issue at the government and community level.
Adult ; Female ; Hospitals, Psychiatric ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Life Change Events ; Male ; Mentally Ill Persons/*psychology ; Middle Aged ; Qualitative Research ; *Social Stigma

PURPOSE: We report on a case of hemi-central retinal vein occlusion (Hemi-CRVO) which occurred in a patient with Type 1 neurofibromatosis. CASE SUMMARY: A 31-year-old woman presented with a chief complaint of a one-month history of decreased visual acuity in the left eye. The patient had Type 1 neurofibromatosis but had no other systemic diseases. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.8 in the right eye and 0.05 in the left eye. Multiple Lisch nodules were present in the irises of both eyes on slit lamp examination. Fundus examination revealed a hemi-central retinal artery occlusion in the left eye. Optical coherence tomograms showed that the central macular thickness was 192 microns in the right eye and 732 microns in the left eye. There was cystoid macular edema in the left eye. A fluorescein angiogram showed delayed filling in the superior branch retinal vein of the left eye. There was an extensive area of non-perfusion of the retinal capillary in the corresponding area, including the perifoveal area. Blood tests for hyper-coagulability, autoimmune disorders, connective tissue disorders and other tests for the brain and carotid artery and coronary artery disease showed no abnormal findings. The clinical course was monitored following an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab (Avastin(R)). Eight months later, the BCVA had improved to 0.2. CONCLUSIONS: Although it is rare, hemi-CRVO occurring in younger patients who have no underlying diseases could be related to neurofibromatosis.
Adult ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; Brain ; Capillaries ; Carotid Arteries ; Connective Tissue ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Eye ; Female ; Fluorescein ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Intravitreal Injections ; Iris ; Macular Edema ; Neurofibromatoses ; Neurofibromatosis 1 ; Retinal Artery Occlusion ; Retinal Vein ; Retinal Vein Occlusion ; Retinaldehyde ; Visual Acuity ; Bevacizumab

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of self-efficacy promoting program on self-efficacy, self-care behavior and psychosocial adaptation in patients with a colostomy. METHOD: A non-equivalent control group pre test post test design was used. The self efficacy promoting programs was composed of a CD image program based on varicaious experience, education and telephone coaching program based on verbal persuasion, and Stoma care practice, and Self care performance based on performance accomplishment. This study was carried out from July 2, 2005 to April 20, 2006 and 21 patients with a colostomy at one of 2 hospitals participated. Descriptive statistics, chi-square-test, and Mann-whitney U test were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: There were significantly different for specific self efficacy, self care and psychosocial adaptation between the experimental group and control group. CONCLUSION: The self efficacy promoting program for patients with stomas was effective in improving degree of specific self efficacy, self care and psychosocial adaptation.
Colostomy* ; Education ; Humans ; Persuasive Communication ; Self Care* ; Self Efficacy* ; Telephone

BACKGROUND: Calcium channel blockers and volatile anesthetics have depressant effects on myocardial contractility by limiting Ca2+ entry and altering intracellular Ca2+ release. The aim of this study was to compare the direct cardiac effects of isoflurane, desflurane and new volatile anesthetics, sevoflurane, in combination with diltiazem on the isolated rat heart. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rat hearts (N = 60) were isolated and perfused with oxygenated modified Krebs solution at 55 mmHg with 0.5, 1, 2 MAC of isoflurane, desflurane or sevoflurane in combination with diltiazem 42 ng/ml (group 1) and 84 ng/ml (group 2). Isovolumetric left ventricular pressure (LVP), rate of change ventricular pressure (dP/dt), heart rate and coronary flow were measured. To examine the indirect metabolic effect due to autoregulation of coronary flow, O2 delivery (DO2), myocardial O2 consumption (MVO2) and percent O2 extraction (POE) were also monitored. RESULTS: Diltiazem plus volatile anesthetics depressed LVP and dP/dt and increased coronary flow dose-dependently. They also decreased heart rate. In the group 2, at 2 MAC of inhaled anesthetics heart rate was significantly decreased than group 1. There were no statistical significance between isoflurane, desflurane and sevoflurane on myocardial contractility and myocardial oxygenation. CONCLUSIONS: These in vitro RESULTS demonstrate that clinical dose of diltiazem plus isoflurane, desflurane or sevoflurane has similar effects on myocardial contractility and coronary flow.
Anesthetics ; Animals ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; Diltiazem* ; Heart Rate ; Heart* ; Homeostasis ; Isoflurane ; Oxygen ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Ventricular Pressure