PURPOSE: Assessment of aging-stereotyped and erroneous beliefs in managing symptoms is an essential task to enhance self-care and health outcomes of the older population. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the Symptom Management Beliefs Questionnaire (K-SMBQ) to measure ageist beliefs in managing symptoms of older people. METHODS: A convenience sample of 211 community-dwelling older women was used. The 12-item K-SMBQ was finalized after translation, synthesis, back-translation, content validity, and pilot testing. The psychometric properties of the K-SMBQ scale were examined by exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, convergent validity, hypothesized relationship testing, and known-groups method, as well as internal consistency and test-retest reliability. RESULTS: Three factors (i.e., Aging-Stereotypes, Pessimistic Expectations, and Good Patient's Attitudes) were extracted by exploratory factor analysis and the good fit of the three-factor structure was demonstrated by confirmatory factor analysis. Construct validity was supported by significant correlations with conceptually and theoretically relevant concepts as well as by distinguishable features between three older age groups. The internal consistency was supported by Cronbach's alpha coefficient, item-total scale correlations, and inter-item correlations; thus, adequate test-retest reliability was demonstrated. CONCLUSION: This study verified the psychometric properties of the K-SMBQ and provided evidence on the cultural relevance for the concept of ageist beliefs regarding symptom management in older Korean people. The development of nursing interventions to promote self-care of older people should be based on the consideration of negatively stereotyped and erroneous beliefs about health in old age.
Aging ; Female ; Humans ; Nursing ; Prejudice ; Psychometrics* ; Self Care ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Purpose: This pilot study aimed to examine the influence of death counseling on perceptions, preparedness, and anxiety regarding death and dying among family caregivers of hospice patients. Methods: Death counseling developed based on the SPIKES model was provided to 37 family caregivers in a hospice and palliative care unit. Perceptions, preparedness, and anxiety regarding death were assessed with a self-administered structured questionnaire, and participants’ scores before and after counseling were compared using the paired t-test. Results: Significant changes were found in perceptions, preparedness, and anxiety regarding death after counseling. Compared to before counseling, the scores for perceptions of death (t=-4.90, P＜0.001) and preparedness for death and dying (t=-16.23, P＜0.001)improved, while anxiety (t=3.72, P=0.001) decreased after counseling. Some changes were also found in the types of support that family caregivers needed to prepare for the death of their family members in the hospice care unit. Conclusion The findings demonstrate that death counseling could help family caregivers prepare for the death of their loved ones.Hospice and palliative care providers should play a key role in supporting family caregivers of hospice patients by developing strategies for counseling.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of the nursing practice environment and self-leadership on person-centered care provided by oncology nurses. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 145 nurses who worked in oncology wards at eight university hospitals in Seoul, Daejeon, and Chungcheong Province with at least six months of experience. Data were collected using a self-administered survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, the t-test, analysis of variance, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis in SPSS version 26.0. Results: Person-centered care was significantly correlated with the nursing practice environment (r=0.27, P＜0.001) and self-leadership (r=0.40, P＜0.001), and the nursing practice environment was correlated with self-leadership (r=0.380, P＜0.001). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that the nursing practice environment was a significant predictor of person-centered care (β=0.31, P＜0.001), after adjusting for covariates including monthly salary, total clinical career, and the position of oncology nurses. Self-leadership was a significant predictor of person-centered care (β=0.34, P＜0.001) after controlling for the nursing practice envi-ronment, along with covariates. The final model explained 18.7% of the variance in personcentered care. Conclusion Our findings emphasize the importance of the nursing practice environment and nurses’ self-leadership for providing person-centered care in oncology care units. Educational programs to reinforce nurses’ self-leadership and administrative support for nursing practice are necessary to improve oncology nurses’ capability to provide person-centered care.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of the nursing practice environment and self-leadership on person-centered care provided by oncology nurses. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 145 nurses who worked in oncology wards at eight university hospitals in Seoul, Daejeon, and Chungcheong Province with at least six months of experience. Data were collected using a self-administered survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, the t-test, analysis of variance, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis in SPSS version 26.0. Results: Person-centered care was significantly correlated with the nursing practice environment (r=0.27, P＜0.001) and self-leadership (r=0.40, P＜0.001), and the nursing practice environment was correlated with self-leadership (r=0.380, P＜0.001). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that the nursing practice environment was a significant predictor of person-centered care (β=0.31, P＜0.001), after adjusting for covariates including monthly salary, total clinical career, and the position of oncology nurses. Self-leadership was a significant predictor of person-centered care (β=0.34, P＜0.001) after controlling for the nursing practice envi-ronment, along with covariates. The final model explained 18.7% of the variance in personcentered care. Conclusion Our findings emphasize the importance of the nursing practice environment and nurses’ self-leadership for providing person-centered care in oncology care units. Educational programs to reinforce nurses’ self-leadership and administrative support for nursing practice are necessary to improve oncology nurses’ capability to provide person-centered care.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the influence of spirituality and job satisfaction on the compassion competence of hospice nurses. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 118 hospice nurses from 16 hospitals in Daejeon, Chungcheong Province, and Jeolla Province. A self-administered survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire including the Spirituality Scale, Index of Work Satisfaction, the Compassion Competence Scale for Nurses, and general socio-demographic information. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the t-test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical linear regression analysis using SPSS for Windows version 26.0. Results: Compassion competence was correlated with spirituality (r=0.66, P＜0.001) and job satisfaction (r=0.52, P＜0.001), and spirituality was correlated with job satisfaction (r=0.44, P＜0.001). Spirituality (β =0.513, P＜0.001) and job satisfaction (β=0.273, P＜0.001) were significant factors affect-ing the compassion competence of hospice nurses, after adjusting for the sociodemographic and work-related covariates. The step-by-step results from hierarchical linear regression analysis also indicated that spirituality had a stronger impact than job satisfaction on compassion competence. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate the importance of spirituality, which plays a role in guiding the compassion competence of hospice nurses. It is necessary to support the spirituality and job satisfaction of hospice nurses, which could facilitate their compassion competence and thereby contribute to improving the quality of hospice and palliative care.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the impacts of end-of-life care competency and ethical dilemmas on psychological burnout in nurses who care for terminal cancer patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 160 nurses who cared for terminal cancer patients was conducted. The participants were recruited from the hospice-palliative care wards, hematology or oncology wards, or intensive care units of three general hospitals in a single metropolitan area. Data were collected using a self-administered survey to assess end-oflife care competency, ethical dilemmas, psychological burnout, and general sociodemographic characteristics. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the independent ttest, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical linear regression analysis using SPSS for Windows (version 26.0). Results: Psychological burnout was significantly correlated with end-of-life care competency (r=-0.23, P=0.003) but not with ethical dilemmas. The results of the hierarchical linear regression analysis indicated that end-of-life care competency (β=-0.280, P=0.010) and ethical dilemmas (β=0.275, P=0.037) were significant predictors of psychological burnout, after adjusting for age, religious status, clinical experience, and unit type. Conclusion The current study’s findings demonstrate that end-of-life care competency and ethical dilemmas are crucial factors that affect psychological burnout in nurses who care for terminal cancer patients. Substantive education programs must be developed to improve nurses’ competencies in end-of-life care and ethical dilemmas to decrease psychological burnout.