To examine the cognitive function of elderly, the study examined the performance of Korean normal elderly population whose age over 65 using neuropsychological instruments. It was predicted that the performance of the Korean population would be different from the U, S. mainly due to their difference in language, culture, and education. Korean elderly people from the Chungchung and Daejeon Metropolitan city(n=97) participated. Two age scores were developed: below 74 years and over 75 years. The effect of age, gender and education was examined, which yield significant age, gender and education effect. The score of DSF, DSB, TMTA, and TMTB are expected to be utilized for research purposes, such as basic, clinical, epidemiological studies, as well as practice purposes such as diagnosis and assessment of the progression of cognitive decline and dementia with MMSE-K.
Aged* ; Dementia ; Diagnosis ; Education ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Humans

PURPOSE: This study examined the health status of elderly. METHOD: This is a survey using cross-sectional design. The subject were 122 elders who were 65 and over in Daejeon. Instrumental activity of daily living, nutrition and Body mass index for physical health status, social engagement for social health status, and depression and loneliness for emotional health status were measured. RESULTS: Independent level was medium, and nutrition and BMI were normal level. Social engagement score was 2.38 which means low. Mean depression level was 7.71 and mean loneliness level was 56.77, which means high. The risk factors for vulnerable health status were no spouse, lower pocket money, living at institution, poor subjective health status. CONCLUSION: This finding indicates that the elderly subjects were in normal physical health status, but social and emotional health status were poor.
Aged* ; Body Mass Index ; Depression ; Humans ; Loneliness ; Risk Factors ; Spouses

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify clusters of nursing competency, and investigate the influence of reflective thinking, team learning climate, and learning organization building according to nursing competency clusters. METHODS: Participants were 244 clinical nurses who worked in 4 general hospitals in Gwangju Metropolitan City. Data were collected by self-report questionnaires during June and July, 2011. Nursing competency, levels of reflection hierarchy, team learning climate, and learning organization building were measured. Data were analyzed using frequencies, means, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and K-means cluster analysis with SPSS/WIN 20.0 version. RESULTS: Nursing competency correlated positively with intensive reflection, reflection, team learning climate, and learning organization building (p<.001). There were three clusters of nursing competency in a clinical ladder, which were derived from cluster analysis, grouped as high, middle, and low competency. Intensive reflection, reflection, team learning climate, and learning organization building showed significant differences according to grouping of nursing competency. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that developing intensive reflection, reflection, team learning climate, and learning organization building would be useful strategies for enhancement of nursing competency.
Career Mobility ; Climate ; Hospitals, General ; Learning ; Professional Competence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Thinking

PURPOSE: This study was a methodological research conducted to develop a clinical ladder system for operating nurses. METHODS: Participants were 20 OR nurses, working in C Hospital, who had a mean tenure of 6 years and 10 months. Data collection consisted of 4 focus group interviews during May and June 2009. The content analysis method of Kim and Lee (1986) was used to analyze the data. Two clinical expert groups consisting of 16 nurses verified the content validity of the preliminary system from September 16 to 26, 2009 using Kim's tool (1999). RESULTS: The final clinical ladder system consisted of goals, core values, and 4 domains of practice related to core values, which were defined as professional value, perioperative nursing practice, education/research, and collaboration/leadership. Eleven nursing competencies and 44 behavior indicators were included in accordance with the 4-step ladder. The 4 operation systems for the clinical ladder system were the promotion system, continuous learning system, reward system, and support system. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that nursing managers need to pay more attention to developing a clinical ladder system for nurses.
Career Mobility ; Data Collection ; Focus Groups ; Learning ; Operating Rooms ; Perioperative Nursing ; Reward

Purpose: This study was conducted to analyze Korean research papers in which Interpersonal Caring Theory was applied and suggest future directions for effective application and development. Methods: Data collection was done through electronic databases RISS, KISS, DBpia, NDSL and SCHOLAR. Twenty papers were analyzed according to general characteristics, interventions, variables and findings. Results: The number of published papers per publication year was 5 in the 2000s and 15 in the 2010s. The type of research design was for case studies, 1, for survey studies, 8 and for quasi experimental studies, 11. Participants in the studies included students, nurses, patients, office workers, volunteers and widows. Interventions used included drama therapy, Enneagram based interpersonal caring, horticulture, hospice, multimedia, music and rehabilitation. Variables that were related to Interpersonal Caring work included anxiety, college life adjustment, emotional intelligence, grief, happiness heart rate variability, hope, interpersonal caring behaviors, interpersonal relations, job stress, knowledge on self illness, loneliness, mental health, quality of life, self-esteem, serum cortisol, social behavior and stress coping. Emotional intelligence, interpersonal relations, job stress, loneliness and self-esteem were among the variables that did not work. Conclusion The results show that Interpersonal Caring Theory can be a micro-range theory of nursing care that can be applied with clients in many fields by converging with various activities.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to translate the Self-Reflection and Insight Scale (SRIS) into Korean and test its validity and reliability. METHODS: Participants were 340 nursing students who were recruited from 5 nursing colleges in Korea. Data were collected from November 21 to December 20, 2016 and analyzed using the IBM Statistics SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 23.0 programs. Exploratory factor analysis, Confirmatory factor analysis, and concurrent validity analysis were performed. RESULTS: For the Korean-SRIS (K-SRIS) 4 items were deleted from the original SRIS. The final scale consisted of 16 items which were sorted into- the 2 factors: self-reflection (11 items), insight (5 items). The cumulative percent of variance was 50.91%. The statistically significant correlation between K-SRIS scores and the Reflection in Learning Scale (RLS) support the concurrent validity of the K-SRIS. The reliability of the scale, Cronbach's α was .83. CONCLUSION: The finding indicate that the K-SRIS has validity and reliability. Therefore it can be used for measuring and developing reflection ability in nursing students.
Humans ; Korea ; Learning ; Nursing ; Reproducibility of Results ; Students, Nursing

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of an oral stimulation program on premature infant's transition from tube feeding to bottle feeding, decrease in desaturation during feeding, and early discharge. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was performed in one neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of an university hospital. The control group data (n=69) were obtained from June 2008 to May 2009, and the experimental group data (n=67), from June 2009 to May 2010. The oral stimulation program (OSP) was provided daily before feeding for the experimental group until transition to bottle feeding was completed. RESULTS: The OSP group began bottle feeding earlier and were on complete bottle feeding earlier than control group. Discharge delay due to feeding desaturation was lower than for the control group. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that OSP for premature infants was helpful in transition from tube feeding to bottle feeding and early discharge and thus can contribute health and development in premature infants.
Bottle Feeding ; Enteral Nutrition ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Physical Stimulation

PURPOSE: This study was performed to assess the degree of cognitive function of elderly by MMSE-K performances and of that effect. METHOD: The subjects were 185 aged over 65 in Daejeon Metropolitan city. Data were collected through personal interview using the questionnaire from 10 to 31, Jan.. 2003. The measures were Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE-K). RESULTS: The mean score of MMSE-K was 22.60+/-5.39. The prevalence of cognitive impairment was estimated as 48.6% by MMSE-K < or =23 and significantly age, gender, and education effect. The subtype score of MMSE-K were significantly lower in female group in each items : orientation in time and place, attention/calculation, language except registration and recall. And the scores were significantly lower in the older group and non-educated group in the all items of MMSE-K. CONCLUSION: Gender, age, and education showed significant effects on total and subtype MMSE-K score. Cognitive function decline were higher in female, older age group, and non-educated group. Therefore, those three factors are thought to be one of important risk factors for development of dementia, also it is assumed to be affected by other variables than age, gender, education effect.
Aged* ; Dementia ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: This study was done to examine the relationship between nursing students' hearing levels and accuracy of blood pressure (BP) measurements. METHODS: Participants were 107 students who had finished their fundamental nursing practice and clinical practicum and who used earphones. Data were collected from October 13 to November 30, 2014 and from April 30 to May 19, 2015. Students' hearing thresholds were examined using an audiometer. Students were assigned to take two BP measurements on BP measurement training simulators, but only the second measurement was used for analysis. RESULTS: All nursing students' hearing levels were within normal range, and there was no significant difference found among the settings for diastolic blood pressure. However, there were significant differences between low systolic blood pressure (SBP) (below 120mmHg) and high SBP (over 140mmHg) (z=9.02, p=.011). Measurement error in SBP showed a positive correlation with hearing threshold in the right ear at frequencies of 1000Hz and 500Hz. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that BP measurement error is correlated with hearing threshold at some frequencies. To reduce measurement error, nursing students should be provided with health education about hearing and to improve training for students, further studies need to examine other factors influencing BP measurement error.
Blood Pressure* ; Ear ; Health Education ; Hearing* ; Humans ; Nursing* ; Preceptorship ; Reference Values ; Students, Nursing

PURPOSE: This study was done to establish a clinical ladder system for nurses in a small and medium-sized hospital in Korea. METHODS: The study was carried from July, 2016 to May, 2018. Data collection was done in a general hospital with 250 beds located in Gyeonggi Province. The clinical ladder system was developed and operated according to the value system of small and medium-sized hospital. Focus group interviews and a satisfaction survey were conducted for evaluation. Collected quantitative data were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 22.0 program and qualitative data underwent content analysis. RESULTS: The clinical ladder system is a 5-step ladder that includes 3 domains, 5 nursing competencies and 25 nursing behavioral indicators related to core values of the hospital. The operating system were promotion review system, education system and support/reward system. After conducting a pilot clinical ladder system, satisfaction of nurses was 2.86, out of a possible 4. Nurses who participated in the clinical ladder system experienced improvement in motivation, job performance, self-esteem, professionalism, recognition and were able to develop a goal in their minds. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the clinical ladder system can be used as a strategy for professional development for nurses in small and medium-sized hospitals.
Career Mobility ; Data Collection ; Education ; Focus Groups ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hospitals, General ; Korea ; Motivation ; Nursing ; Professionalism ; Work Performance