PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to evaluate stress in elderly patients with coronary artery diseases (CAD) and to examine validity and reliability of the scale. METHODS: The development process for the preliminary scale included construction of a conceptual framework and initial items, verification of content analysis, sentence correction, and pilot study. This study was conducted using a questionnaire survey with one-to-one interviews during January and February, 2012. Participants were 240 elderly patients with CAD. Data were analyzed using item analysis, factor analysis, criterion related validity, and internal consistency. RESULTS: The developed scale consisted of 32 items and 6 factors - aging and disease (7 items), family relations (5 items), anxiety and withdrawal (9 items), management of daily living (3 items), compliance of medical regimen (4 items), poverty and finance (4 items), and explained 68.5% of total variance. The scale had significantly positive correlation with the Korean Perceived Stress Scale (KPSS). Cronbach's alpha was .96, and Guttman split half coefficient was .91. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that the Stress Scale for Elderly Patients with CAD has validity and reliability, and is a suitable scale in health care settings to assess stress in elderly patients with CAD.
Adaptation, Physiological ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anxiety ; Coronary Artery Disease/*psychology ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Female ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Program Development ; Questionnaires ; Socioeconomic Factors ; *Stress, Psychological

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to identify body image changes and physical suffering during radiotherapy among breast cancer patients following breast conserving operations and establish correlations between the two. METHODS: Twenty seven patients were recruited in this survey design. Patient interviews and patient-reported questionnaires were used to collect data from March 1 to July 30, 2013. The questionnaire included 18 items about body image and 10 items about physical suffering. RESULTS: Patients' body image during radiotherapy following breast conserving operation turned significantly negative. Likewise, patients' physical suffering increased significantly during radiotherapy. Body image and physical suffering were inversely correlated (p=.031). CONCLUSION: Breast cancer patients receiving radiotherapy following breast conserving operations go through changes in body image. Timely and proper interventions for physical suffering during radiotherapy would help to set up and maintain a positive body image.
Body Image* ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Humans ; Radiotherapy* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Twenty five patients (twenty seven hips) who had Chiari osteotomy at Kang Nam St. Marys Hospital between 1980 and 1995 were reviewed to evaluate the factors in the operative technique that contribute to successful outcome and assess the clinical results in various conditions. The length of follow-up ranged from one to fourteen years and the age of at operation ranged from four to twentythree years. Eighteen patients had developmental dysplasia of the hip: four, septic hip: three had another disorders, Prior to the Chiari osteotomy, fourteen hips had an femoral osteotomy and four, trochanteric arthroplasty. We used to the standard osteotomy as described by Chiari with certain modification. A pneumatic saw and osteotome are used instead of Gigli saw. This technique is simple procedure to make the correct level and angle. Bone graft was not performed in all cases even the osteotomy was displaced more than 50 percent of the iliac width. The overall results were 12 excellent, eight good, five fair, and two poor. In eleven patients, the osteotomy had to be displaced more than 50 percent to provide good coverage of the femoral head. Their results were good or excellent. A good result will be obtained if enough attention is paid to displacing the osteotomy. The osteotomy using the pneumatic saw provides accurate level and direction of osteotomy and it is an simple procedure also.
Adolescent* ; Arthroplasty ; Child* ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Hip ; Humans ; Osteotomy* ; Transplants

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the work environment related to the handling and administration of antineoplastic drugs in the members of the Korean Oncology Nursing Society.METHODS: The study was carried out from October 2018 to November 2018. The self-reported surveys included questions on the work environment, experience and concerns from occupational exposure, safe activities of antineoplastic drugs and use of personal protective equipment (PPE), hand hygiene, and type of PPE (e.g., gown, gloves, and mask).RESULTS: A total of 125 participants from 41 organizations were surveyed. The nurses were mostly educated on safe management of antineoplastic drugs (95.2%) and concerned about health threats caused by occupational exposure (7.23±2.14 out of 10). In addition, harmful activities were found, with gown use being the lowest when handling antineoplastic drugs.CONCLUSION: This study supports that appropriate staffing, equipment, and facilities, mandatory education, and establishment of policies are very important in creating a safe work environment for handling antineoplastic drugs.
Antineoplastic Agents ; Education ; Hand Hygiene ; Occupational Exposure ; Oncology Nursing ; Personal Protective Equipment ; Safety Management

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate effects of a critical pathway (CP) for stroke patients seen in emergency rooms (ER). METHODS: The CP developed by the CP committee consisted of 8 criteria: behavior of doctors and nurses, laboratory tests, Image testing, medication, treatment, activity, and nutrition. According to application of CP, a control group (n=17) and experimental group (n=17) were defined. Time was checked by the electronic medical records. RESULTS: Use of CP for stroke patients in the ER, resulted in a decreased length of stay in ER (t=2.341, p=.026), and time required for image testing (t=2.623, p=.021), and an increased number of patients using rtPA (chi2=4.802, p=.049). Time required for neurology doctor contact, for neurology doctor to see patient in the ER, and for report of blood tests decreased, but there were no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Quick responses are most important in the ER, so CP for these patients is a very effective patient management tool. To reduce delay in stroke diagnosis, continuous education programs for similar symptoms are necessary. CPs for other patients in the ER should be developed, and studies on cost and satisfaction, as well as length of stay, should be done.
Critical Pathways ; Electronics ; Electrons ; Emergencies ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Neurology ; Stroke

Purpose: This study investigated the incidence and risk factors of cataract in people with diabetes mellitus (DM) using data from Ansan cohort of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES). Methods: Data from a total of 329 patients with type 2 DM without cataract who participated in Ansan cohort of the KoGES from baseline survey (2001–2002) to fifth follow-up visit (2011–2012) were examined.The characteristics of the subjects were analyzed with frequency and percentage, and mean and standard deviation. Cataract incidence was measured as incidence proportion (%). For risk factors of cataract, hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were obtained using the Cox proportional hazard model. Results: The cataract incidence over a 10-year follow-up period was 19.1% (15.1 in males and 25.8 in females), and mean age at the incidence of cataract was 63.48 years (61.58 years in males and 65.31 years in females). Age (HR=1.09, 95% CI=1.05–1.13) and HbA1c (HR=1.21, 95% CI=1.07–1.37) or the duration of DM (HR=1.05, 95% CI=1.00–1.09) were found to be independently associated with cataract development. Conclusion Cataract development in people with DM is common, and its likelihood increases with age, HbA1c, and the duration of DM. Considering negative effect of cataract on their quality of life and economic burden, nurses should identify people with DM at a higher risk of cataract development, and plan individual eye examination programs to detect cataract development as early as possible.

No abstract available.
Chromatography, Liquid* ; Ciprofloxacin* ; Therapeutic Equivalency*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to understand factors that influence post-traumatic stress (PTS) in Korean forensic science investigators. METHODS: A total of 111 forensic science investigators were recruited in Korea. PTS was measured using the tool modified by Choi (2001) from the original developed by Foa, Riggs, Dancu, and Rothbaum (1993) based on DSM-IV. Factors influencing PTS included demographic and job-related characteristics, emotional intelligence, and death anxiety. RESULTS: PTS scores were positively correlated with personality type, fatigue from work, and death anxiety. PTS scores were negatively correlated with length of career as a forensic science investigator and emotional intelligence. The factors that had the greatest influence on PTS were death anxiety, years spent as a forensic science investigator, personality type, emotional intelligence, fatigue, and homicide experience. The explanatory power of these six factors was 44.0%. CONCLUSION: Therefore, it is necessary to regularly evaluate the mental health of those who are vulnerable to PTS. Based on these results, various interventions could be implemented for promoting overall health of the forensic science investigators.
Anxiety ; Attitude to Death ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Emotional Intelligence ; Fatigue ; Forensic Sciences* ; Homicide ; Humans ; Korea ; Mental Health ; Research Personnel* ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

PURPOSE: This purpose of this study was to identify the level of safe-handling of cytotoxic drugs and use of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) among nurses at a regional cancer center in South Korea. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. The participants were 131 nurses who care for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Demographic information, safe-handling of cytotoxic drugs and use of PPE were collected using questionnaires from May 7 to 25, 2018. RESULTS: Response rate was 98.4%. The mean age of the nurses was 28.2±4.4 years and their clinical nursing experience was 4.34±3.93 years. The mean scores out of 5 for the participants' safe handling of cytotoxic drugs was 3.73± 0.43. In use of PPE, the mean score of wearing gloves, masks, and gowns were 3.89±.77, 3.06±1.04, and 2.34±0.98, respectively. The main reason for not wearing PPE was ‘too busy’ (62.8%). The level of safe-handling of cytotoxic drugs was not significantly different according to any variables, but the use of PPE was significantly different according to age (p=.021). CONCLUSION: The findings showed that nurses had exposure to cytotoxic drugs in the processes of preparation, administration, cleaning of spills, and handling of patient waste. Education programs and continuous monitoring are needed to improve the use of PPE among nurses and trigger the appropriate motivation for consistent personal protection.
Cancer Care Facilities ; Drug Therapy ; Education ; Humans ; Korea ; Masks ; Motivation ; Nursing ; Personal Protective Equipment*

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to evaluate clinical competency of nursing students and to examine the validity and reliability of the scale. METHODS: The Clinical Competency Scale was formed through modification of Lee's Clinical Competency Scale that was originally developed in 1990. The Clinical Competency Scale was applied to 203 nursing students. Construct validity, item convergent and discriminant validity, concurrent validity, and internal consistency reliability of the scale were evaluated. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis supported the construct validity with a five factor solution; that explained 63.6% of the total variance. Concurrent validity was demonstrated with the Nursing Competence Scale (r=.78, p < .001). Cronbach's α coefficient for the scale was .96. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the Clinical Competency Scale has relatively acceptable reliability and validity and can be used in clinical research to assess clinical competency for nursing students.
Clinical Competence ; Humans ; Mental Competency ; Nursing ; Psychometrics ; Reproducibility of Results ; Students, Nursing