Purpose: This study aimed to identify the modifiable factors affecting breastfeeding planning and duration among healthy mothers and their use of breastfeeding information resources. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a community setting. Four hundreds participants were recruited at five pediatric clinics and three community health centers located in Paju-si and Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, between January and May 2019. Based on the breastfeeding decision-making model, driven by Martens and Young’s work, the survey items consisted of demographics, childbirth and breastfeeding characteristics, and breastfeeding information resources. In the analysis, 389 responses were used in the t-test, ANOVA, and logistic regression. Information resource networks were compared before and after childbirth including a subgroup analysis depending on the breastfeeding duration. Results: The modifiable factors affecting breastfeeding planning and duration were antenatal and postpartum breastfeeding education and the provision of information in the hospital.The frequency of Internet use and websites visited were notable and potentially modifiable factors, which were also observed in the networks showing different relationship patterns according to participant subgroups and times. The childbirth event increased the centralization of the network in the planned group, while the network of the non-planned group was more diffused after childbirth. The network of the short-term breastfeeding group was characterized by a more centralized pattern and the resources of high betweenness centrality than the long-term group. Conclusion Breastfeeding education is a consistent factor that affects breastfeeding behavior. A well-designed internet-based approach would be an effective nursing intervention to meet the needs of women seeking breastfeeding information and changing their behaviors.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the modifiable factors affecting breastfeeding planning and duration among healthy mothers and their use of breastfeeding information resources. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a community setting. Four hundreds participants were recruited at five pediatric clinics and three community health centers located in Paju-si and Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, between January and May 2019. Based on the breastfeeding decision-making model, driven by Martens and Young’s work, the survey items consisted of demographics, childbirth and breastfeeding characteristics, and breastfeeding information resources. In the analysis, 389 responses were used in the t-test, ANOVA, and logistic regression. Information resource networks were compared before and after childbirth including a subgroup analysis depending on the breastfeeding duration. Results: The modifiable factors affecting breastfeeding planning and duration were antenatal and postpartum breastfeeding education and the provision of information in the hospital.The frequency of Internet use and websites visited were notable and potentially modifiable factors, which were also observed in the networks showing different relationship patterns according to participant subgroups and times. The childbirth event increased the centralization of the network in the planned group, while the network of the non-planned group was more diffused after childbirth. The network of the short-term breastfeeding group was characterized by a more centralized pattern and the resources of high betweenness centrality than the long-term group. Conclusion Breastfeeding education is a consistent factor that affects breastfeeding behavior. A well-designed internet-based approach would be an effective nursing intervention to meet the needs of women seeking breastfeeding information and changing their behaviors.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to understand the hand-on breast massage techniques used by well-known experts in breastfeeding clinics. METHODS: A qualitative multiple-case design was applied that involved a feasibility test. Four experts sampling qualitative data collected by observing participants and in individual interviews were analyzed by content analysis, linking data to the propositions, and cross-case pattern matching. This study explored differences within and between cases, and the possibilities of replicating findings across cases. Thirty-nine postpartum women participated voluntarily in the feasibility test, which investigated the usability of four massage techniques. RESULTS: The four techniques showed considerable similarities in terms of the application of stimulation to the breast base and increased flexibility of the wired flexible body, which was the core mechanism underlying the techniques. The breast management strategies were consistent with existing practice guidelines with the exception of using cold cabbage to control engorgement pain. There was insufficient scientific evidence for supporting the massage techniques used by the experts. All of the techniques showed 100% education completeness, but application rates were higher for self-control-oriented techniques. CONCLUSION: The massage techniques applied by experts in breastfeeding were based on hypotheses and self-control techniques are feasible to apply in practice.
Brassica ; Breast Feeding* ; Breast* ; Education ; Massage* ; Pliability ; Postpartum Period ; Self-Control

OBJECTIVE: This study compared the abilities of electronic nursing records, which are based on standard nursing terminology, and paper-based nursing records to support the nursing process. METHODS: The nursing records of 38 pairs of inpatients admitted to a gynecology nursing unit were selected. The data from the paper records were obtained manually by a chart review as single statement units. The electronic records were extracted from a computerized system. The statements were categorized using the NANDA diagnosis and the modified Clinical Care Classification. Based on a semantic analysis of the components of the nursing process, the completeness of the nursing records was classified into complete and incomplete patterns according to the presence and relevancy of the assessment, the diagnosis, the intervention and the outcome. RESULTS: The numbers of nursing diagnoses used and the unique nursing diagnoses were both higher in the electronic records than those in the paper records. The number of statements of nursing assessments/outcomes, and nursing interventions was 1.4-fold higher in the electronic records than that in the paper records respectively. The proportion of complete patterns of the nursing process was 3.4% in the paper records and 25.7% in the electronic records. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that electronic records are better than paper records to support the nursing process in terms of the quantitative and qualitative aspects of nursing documentation.
Electronics ; Electrons ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Inpatients ; Medical Records Systems, Computerized ; Nursing Diagnosis ; Nursing Process ; Nursing Records ; Process Assessment (Health Care) ; Semantics ; Vocabulary, Controlled

OBJECTIVE: The raw material of quality improvement is information, whose building block is data. Data in an electronic medical record system have many secondary uses beyond their primary role in patient care, including research and organizational management. This study investigates the data quality of clinical observations recorded using a structured data entry format and assesses the impact of erroneous data. METHODS: A total of 4,580,846 input events from 3,348 inpatients, gathered over a three year period in a teaching hospital, were analyzed by using a 2-by-2 conceptual matrix framework for the appropriateness of data types and semantics. The data were classified into three categories: fully usable, partially usable, and not usable. RESULTS: The fully usable data constituted 88.6% of the correctly entered data the remaining 11.4% were erroneous. Among the erroneous data, 0.8% were partially usable (n=3,929), and the remaining 99.2% (n= 510,437) were identified as needing further assessment to improve their quality. CONCLUSION: Clinical information systems have increasingly used structured data entry or record templates, but the low quality of collected data has severely limited their secondary use potential.
Electronic Health Records ; Electronics ; Electrons ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; Information Systems ; Inpatients ; Medical Records Systems, Computerized ; Patient Care ; Quality Improvement ; Data Accuracy ; Semantics

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence and relationship among anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and quality of life, along with factors affecting quality of life, on patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study, and 200 individuals with rheumatoid arthritis who visited a single university hospital as outpatients were recruited through convenience sampling. Using a structured questionnaire, a survey was conducted regarding the general characteristics, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and quality of life. Collected data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, and regression analysis. Results: Results showed that lower levels of anxiety or depression and higher levels of self-esteem were associated with improved quality of life. Depression was identified as the main factor affecting quality of life, followed by anxiety, glucocorticoid treatment, time elapsed after diagnosis, and occupational status. Conclusion These findings confirmed that depression, anxiety, and glucocorticoid medication are factors influencing quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, Duration since diagnosis, and occupation should be considered in order to improve the quality of life of these patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The occupation and treatment-related characteristics of the patients must be considered, with particular focus on depression and anxiety.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to identify the factors, which predict care burden perceived by caregivers of elders with dementia. METHODS: The participants in this descriptive survey were 92 caregivers who used one of six daycare centers located in Incheon. The data were collected by questionnaires composed of items on general characteristics of the elders and caregivers, care burden, caregiver fatigue, and functional status of the elders. RESULTS: General characteristics of the elders associated with care burden were age, gender, religion, and the presence of a spouse. Features of caregivers related to care burden were education, relationship with elderly, amount of rest, intention to care, monthly family income, and perceived family economic status. There were significant correlations among care burden, fatigue of caregiver and functional status of the elders. In stepwised multiple regression analysis, significant influencing factors were identified as caregiver fatigue, functional status of the elders, intention to care, relationship with the elders, amount of rest and elder's gender. Those variables explained 46% of variance of care burden. CONCLUSION: Functional status of elders and amount of rest were significant predictors and are supported by other previous studies. Future interventions for caregivers need to be focused on the slowing down of functional status of elders and increasing of number and length of caregiver's rest periods.
Aged ; Caregivers ; Dementia ; Dependency (Psychology) ; Fatigue ; Humans ; Intention ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Spouses

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate the current situation of clinical alarms in intensive care unit (ICU), nurses' recognition of and fatigue in relation to clinical alarms, and obstacles in alarm management. METHODS: Subjects were ICU nurses and devices from 48 critically ill patient cases. Data were collected through direct observation of alarm occurrence and questionnaires that were completed by the ICU nurses. The observation time unit was one hour block. One bed out of 56 ICU beds was randomly assigned to each observation time unit. RESULTS: Overall 2,184 clinical alarms were counted for 48 hours of observation, and 45.5 clinical alarms occurred per hour per subject. Of these, 1,394 alarms (63.8%) were categorized as false alarms. The alarm fatigue score was 24.3 +/- 4.0 out of 35. The highest scoring item was "always get bothered due to clinical alarms". The highest scoring item in obstacles was "frequent false alarms, which lead to reduced attention or response to alarms". CONCLUSIONS: Nurses reported that they felt some fatigue due to clinical alarms, and false alarms were also obstacles to proper management. An appropriate hospital policy should be developed to reduce false alarms and nurses' alarm fatigue.
Clinical Alarms* ; Critical Care* ; Critical Illness ; Fatigue* ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units*

PURPOSE: The aims of study were; (1) to evaluate the validity and sensitivity of a fall-risk assessment tool, and (2) to establish continuous quality improvement (CQI) methods to monitor the effective use of the risk assessment tool. METHODS: A retrospective case-control cohort design was used. Analysis was conducted for 90 admissions as cases and 3,716 as controls during the 2006 and 2007 calendar years was conducted. Fallers were identified from the hospital's Accident Reporting System, and non-fallers were selected by randomized selection. Accuracy estimates, sensitivity analysis and logistic regression were used. RESULTS: At the lower cutoff score of one, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 82.2%, 19.3%, 0.03%, and 96.9%, respectively. The area under the ROC was 0.60 implying poor prediction. Logistic regression analysis showed that five out of nine constitutional items; age, history of falls, gait problems, and confusion were significantly associated with falls. Based on these results, we suggested a tailored falls CQI process with specific indexes. CONCLUSION: The fall-risk assessment tool was found to need considerable reviews for its validity and usage problems in practice. It is also necessary to develop protocols for use and identify strategies that reflect changes in patient conditions during hospital stay.
Accidental Falls ; Case-Control Studies ; Cohort Studies ; Gait ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Logistic Models ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Quality Improvement ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Sensitivity and Specificity