PURPOSE: This study was done to identify the mediating effect of self-efficacy on the relationships between calling and nursing professionalism for nurses in general hospitals. METHODS: Participants were 119 nurses in general hospitals. A survey was used and data were collected in April 2018. Data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS/WIN 22.0 program. RESULTS: The significant predictors for the nursing professionalism of nurses were self-efficacy (β=.61) and clinical career in current hospital (β=−.21). These variables explained 42% of the variance in nursing professionalism of nurses. Also, self-efficacy had a total mediating effect on the relationship between calling and nursing professionalism. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that calling and self-efficacy are important factors for nursing professionalism of nurses in general hospitals.
Hospitals, General ; Negotiating ; Nursing ; Professionalism

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to assess and investigate the epidemiology of pertussis in infants under 6 months of age. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted between October 1, 2011 and April 30, 2013 in CHA Bundang Medical Center, Seongnam, South Korea. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or culture was used to detect Bordetella pertussis in nasopharyngeal aspirates from case patients who were hospitalized for acute lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). In addition, multiplex real-time PCR assays were also performed to detect 6 etiologic viruses, including adenovirus, human metapeumovirus, influenza virus, parainfluenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus. RESULTS: Of the 79 enrolled case patients, whose median age was 2 months of age, the most common diagnoses uncovered in this study were acute bronchiolitis (60%) and pneumonia (28%). B. pertussis infection was found in 13 cases (16%), in which 7 (53%) was coinfected with respiratory syncytial virus and 1 (7%) with influenza A virus. Of the 13 patients with B. pertussis infection, 6 (46%) were not vaccinated with the diphtheria, tetanus toxoid, and acellular pertussis vaccine, while 6 (46%) received 1 dose, and 1 (8%) received 2 doses. CONCLUSION: B. pertussis infection was present in 16% of under 6 month-old infants, who were hospitalized for acute LRTI. Therefore, a nationwide epidemiological surveillance of pertussis, including institutions that cater to infants under 6 months of age is necessary and needed.
Adenoviruses, Human ; Bordetella pertussis ; Bronchiolitis ; Diagnosis ; Diphtheria ; Epidemiology ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Infant* ; Influenza A virus ; Korea ; Orthomyxoviridae ; Paramyxoviridae Infections ; Pertussis Vaccine ; Pneumonia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prospective Studies ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Rhinovirus ; Tetanus Toxoid ; Vaccination ; Whooping Cough*

PURPOSE: This study was done to identify the mediating effect of resilience on the relationship between nurse's character and happiness for nurses in general hospitals. METHODS: Participants were 139 nurses working in general hospitals. A survey was used and data were collected in April 2019. Data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS/WIN 22.0 program. RESULTS: The significant predictors for the happiness of nurses were nurse's character (β=.56) and resilience (β=.80). These variables explained 67% of the variance in happiness of nurses. Also, resilience had a total mediating effect on the relationship between nurse's character and happiness. CONCLUSION Findings indicate that nurse's character and resilience are important factors for the happiness of nurses in general hospitals.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest study was to test the effects of self-directed nursing practice using peer-tutoring, on the level of confidence, performance and learning satisfaction of nursing students in practicing core nursing skills. METHODS: The data were collected from 80 junior nursing students at a nursing college in Daejeon before and after 3 weeks of intervention on practicing six core nursing skills, according to the highest order of priority. The subjects were divided into the peer-tutoring practice group (PTPG, n=40) and the lecturer-guided practice group (LGPG, n=40). The data were analyzed using mean, frequency, and t-test. RESULTS: The PTPG scored statistically higher than the LGPG on the performance of ‘indwelling urinary catheterization’ and ‘wearing protection equipment while entering quarantine room & disposing waste’ The PTPG scored statistically higher than the LGPG on the confidence of ‘indwelling urinary catheterization’ and ‘inserting intravenous catheterization’. The PTPG scored statistically higher on learning satisfaction than LGPG. CONCLUSION: The results showed that self-directed nursing practice using peer-tutoring could be effective for nursing students in improving proficiency in core nursing skills and might be applied to core nursing skills training.
Clinical Competence ; Humans ; Learning* ; Nursing* ; Quarantine ; Students, Nursing*

PURPOSE: Renal transplantation for the management of end-stage renal disease(ESRD) in children is now the optimal treatment. We analyzed the clinical courses and characteristics of pediatric renal transplantation in Asan Medical Center. METHODS: We reviewed the charts of 60 cases of renal transplantation under the age of 18, admitted to Asan Medical Center, from Oct. 1990 to May 2003. We analyzed retrospectively to clarify the clinical courses, risk factors affecting graft survival, recurrence of the original disease, complications and growth. RESULTS: Graft was taken from 48 living donors, and 12 cadaveric donors. The mean age at transplantation was 13.1 years. The overall graft survival rates were 96.3% at one year, 84.4% at five year, 47.6% at 10 years. The overall patient survival rates were 98.1% at one year, 95.1% at five years, 95.1% at 10 years. A total of 13 grafts were lost(21.7%). The presence of acute rejection within one year after graft(P=0.0045) and recipient less than five years old(P=0.0027) were significant risk factors for poor graft survival. The recurrence rate of original disease was 8.3% and the most common complication was infection(50%). In the group less than 3 percentile of pretransplantation height, there were much longer duration of ESRD and much greater growth after transplantation(P=0.002). CONCLUSION: The graft survival rate for pediatric renal transplantation has been greatly increased, similar to those of adult renal transplantation with the development of operation techniques and immunosuppressants. Further studies into the factors improving graft survival and new immunosuppressants to reduce the rate of rejection, and efforts to reduce the incidence of infection, are needed at this time.
Adult ; Cadaver ; Child ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Incidence ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Living Donors ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

Cystatin C is a non-glycated 13-kilodalton basic protein produced by all nucleated cells. It has received considerable attention over the last few years as a potential replacement for creatinine as a biochemical marker for glomerular filtration rate(GFR). Recently published studies have shown that cystatin C correlates more strongly than creatinine with GFR. The aim of this study was to define a reference interval for cystatin C concentrations in children. Cystatin C was measured by an immunonephelometric assay in sera obtained from 102 children(47 boys, 55 girls, range from 1 year to 15 years) without evidence of kidney disease. The reference interval was calculated non-parametrically using the 2.5 th and 97.5th percentiles. Cystatin C concentration was constant regardless of age and sex, with a reference interval of 0.512-1.104mg/L. In contrast, serum creatinine concentration increased steadily with age until adulthood. Cystatin C offers easier recognition of renal function in childhood because its reference value is constant through all ages beyond 1 year.
Biomarkers ; Child* ; Creatinine ; Cystatin C* ; Female ; Filtration ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases ; Reference Values*

BACKGROUND: Basic National Institute of Health (NIH) and sensitive antihuman globulin (AHG) methods are widely used for T-cell complement-dependent cytotoxicity crossmatch (XM) tests. Whereas NIH-negative, AHG-positive (NIH⁻/AHG⁺) results are caused by weak antibodies, NIH⁺/AHG⁻ results are usually due to autoantibodies. We found that solid organ transplantation candidates with NIH⁺/AHG⁻ XM results are repeatedly excluded from allocation of deceased donor organs by the Korean Network for Organ Sharing (KONOS) allocation system. Here, we attempted to demonstrate that these patients do not have donor-specific HLA antibodies (DSAs). METHODS: Sera showing NIH⁺/AHG⁻ results in the analysis of 1,668 KONOS T-cell XM tests were screened for panel reactive antibody (PRA) using a Luminex test. For screen-positive samples, antibody identification was conducted using a Luminex single antigen assay and the presence or absence of class I DSAs was determined. For positive controls, 42 KONOS XM tests showing probable true-positive (NIH⁻/AHG⁺ or NIH⁺/AHG⁺) results were reviewed for PRA results based on electronic medical records and the presence or absence of DSAs was determined. RESULTS: NIH⁺/AHG⁻ results were observed in 1.3% (21/1,668) of KONOS XM tests analyzed. Most of these (18/21, 85.7%) were negative for PRA or DSAs. All probable true-positive cases were either positive for DSAs (24/42, 57.1%) or had high PRA (mean, 92% [range; 42%~100%]), complicating accurate identification of antibody specificities. CONCLUSIONS: NIH⁺/AHG⁻ results are not rare (1.3%) in KONOS XM tests. Most of these results are not due to DSAs, and these patients should not be excluded from organ allocation.
Antibodies ; Antibody Specificity ; Autoantibodies* ; Electronic Health Records ; Humans ; Organ Transplantation ; T-Lymphocytes* ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

Parvovirus B19(PV B19) is a nonenveloped single-stranded DNA virus that causes a wide variety of diseases ranging from benign childhood infection such as slapped-cheek rash(fifth disease) to life threatening diseases such as hydrops fetalis in fetuses or aplastic anemic crises in patients with hemolytic anemia. In immunocompromised hosts including organ transplant recipients, this infection can cause chronic anemia. Recently, the reports of cases of PV B19 infection have been increasing in transplant recipients and most reported cases of PV B19 infection-associated anemia in renal transplant recipients were successfully treated with intravenous immunoglobulin infusion. We experienced two cases of aplastic anemia caused by PV B19 infection in pediatric renal transplant recipients. The patients were an 8- year-old boy and 12-year-old boy who received allograft kidneys from their mothers. Anemia developed 2 weeks after transplantation and their serum was positive for PV B19 PCR. They were treated with 400 mg/kg of intravenous immunoglobulin(IVIG) for 5 consecutive days. In one of the case, anemia was corrected promptly after the first 5-day course of IVIG therapy but in the other, anemia persisted but responded to the second course of IVIG therapy. One year later, the patients have normal hematocrit levels and stable renal function. These are the first cases of PV B19 infection treated successfully with IVIG in pediatric renal transplant recipients in Korea.
Allografts ; Anemia ; Anemia, Aplastic ; Anemia, Hemolytic ; Child ; DNA, Single-Stranded ; Fetus ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Hydrops Fetalis ; Immunocompromised Host ; Immunoglobulins ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; Kidney Transplantation ; Kidney* ; Korea ; Male ; Mothers ; Parvovirus* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transplantation ; Transplants

We report a 2-month-old boy who presented with severe hyponatremia and hyperkalemia secondary to ureteropelvic junction(UPJ) obstruction. By prenatal ultrasonography at 19 weeks of gestation, severe hydronephrosis was found which was confirmed postnatally. Pyeloplasty was done on the 45th day of life, and fifteen days after pyeloplasty, non-bilious vomiting, decreased activity and dehydration developed. Severe hyponatremia and hyperkalemia were observed, as a result of elevated serum aldosterone and plasma renin activity. The anterior posterior pelvic diameter(APPD) and Society for Fetal Urology(SFU) grade measured showed no interval change before and after pyeloplasty. Pseudohypoaldosteronism was diagnosed, and 2M NaCl was administrated orally for 7 days. The electrolyte imbalance was corrected, and 8 weeks later, the elevated levels of aldosterone and plasma renin activity were normalized. The left hydronephrosis was improved at 5 months of age. We hereby report a transient pseudohypoaldosteronism secondary to UPJ obstruction with a review of the literature.
Aldosterone ; Dehydration ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Hyperkalemia ; Hyponatremia ; Infant ; Male ; Plasma ; Pregnancy ; Pseudohypoaldosteronism* ; Renin ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal ; Vomiting

Here we report two cases of isolated diffuse mesangial sclerosis (IDMS) with early onset end-stage renal failure. These female patients did not show abnormalities of the gonads or external genitalia. Direct sequencing of WT1 PCR products from genomic DNA identified WT1 mutations in exons 8 (366 Arg>His) and 9 (396 Asp>Tyr). These mutations have been reported previously in association with Denys-Drash syndrome (DDS) with early onset renal failure. Therefore we suggest that, at least in part, IDMS is a variant of DDS and that investigations for the WT1 mutations should be performed in IDMS patients. In cases with identified WT1 mutations, the same attention to tumor development should be required as in DDS patients, and karyotyping and serial abdominal ultrasonograms to evaluate the gonads and kidney are warranted.
Base Sequence ; DNA/chemistry/genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Fatal Outcome ; Female ; Glomerular Mesangium/*pathology ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; *Mutation ; Nephrosclerosis/*genetics ; WT1 Proteins/*genetics