PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an educational program about reproductive health promotion on sexual knowledge and attitudes of university students. METHODS: The sample included 79 students of all grades from 3 universities in Korea. Data were collected from 8th to 11th of January, 2008 by using a structured questionnaire administered before and after the educational program. The data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 12.0 program. RESULTS: The students' scores on sexual knowledge increased, and attitudes toward sexuality changed at the completion of the educational program. The program was especially effective in 'physiology', 'contraception and abortion' and 'venereal disease and AIDS' among sexual knowledge, and in 'intercourse' and 'sexual morality' among sexual attitudes. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that an educational program about reproductive health increases sexual knowledge and changes the sexual attitudes of university students.
Humans ; Korea ; Reproduction ; Reproductive Health ; Sexuality

PURPOSE: The study examined factors related to the meaning in life in elderly in one city. METHODS: The sample consisted of 217 subjects all of which were over 60 years of age and were recruited from two community senior centers from December 2008 to February 2009. Data collection instruments were the Meaning in Life Scale, Social Support Index, CES-D, and RULS questionnaire. SPSS/WIN 17.0 was used for descriptive analysis, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The mean of the score from the Meaning in Life was 50.04 (range 10~70). There were significant differences in subjects' perception of meaning in life according to age, level of education, religion, having a spouse, satisfaction with relationship with children, and frequency of visits to a community senior center. Meaning in life was significantly correlated with family support, depression, and loneliness, which were significant predictors (21.5%) of meaning in life. CONCLUSION: To improve meaning in life of the elderly who visited a community senior center, nurses may pay attention to depression, loneliness, and family support.
Aged ; Child ; Data Collection ; Depression ; Humans ; Loneliness ; Spouses ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the balance confidence and balance ability among community-residing stroke patients. METHODS: The sample for this study was a convenience sample obtained from patients who visited welfare centers for the disabled in three cities from October to December in 2009. The Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale and Berg Balance Scale were used to measure confidence in task performance and balance ability. RESULTS: The level of balance confidence and balance ability were low in these subjects. There was a significant relationship between balance confidence and balance ability (r=.424, p=.000). Subjects with less balance ability felt less balance confidence. CONCLUSION: Among community-residing stroke patients, falls are common. Falls prevention which may contribute to the incidence of fall and fall related injury should be part of stroke rehabilitation plan. Also, it is necessary that an intervention for falls prevention after stroke should take into account factors such as the balance confidence and balance ability.
Humans ; Incidence ; Stroke ; Task Performance and Analysis

PURPOSE: This study was performed to identify the relationship between Sense of Humor, Coping Humor, Perceived stress and self-esteem in the middle-aged women. METHODS: Data were collected from the 20th of June to the 30th of August in 2009 from 145 middle-aged women living in Seoul. Data analysis was done with SPSS/WIN 12.0 program for descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation. RESULTS: The mean score of the humor sense was 55.94+/-6.52, coping humor was 21.11+/-3.82, perceived stress was 22.21+/-3.03 and self-esteem was 27.50+/-2.88. Subcategories of sense of humor were that emotional expressiveness was average 20.75+/-2.70, meta-message sensitivity was average 20.12+/-2.74 and liking of humor was average 15.13+/-3.44. Sense of humor was difference according to the economic status(t=2.000, p=.047), coping humor was difference according to the on medication use(t=2.227, p=.027). There was a significant correlation between the coping humor, perceived stress and the self-esteem. When the coping humor was higher, perceived stress was lower and the self-esteem was higher. CONCLUSION: This study showed that medication and economic status influences the humor scores and the sense of humor and coping humor were related to perceived stress and self-esteem in middle-aged women Therefore, these findings can provide the basis for the development of nursing intervention to increase the ability to coping with stress.
Female ; Humans ; Statistics as Topic

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe public health services for the aged in public health centers from the perspective of public health nurses. METHODS: The interview data were collected from 11 public health nurses and analyzed by using Colazzi's (1978) descriptive phenomenology. The procedural steps was that described the phenomenon of interest, collected participants' descriptions of the phenomenon, extracted the meaning of significant statement, organized the meanings into theme clusters, wrote exhaustive descriptions and then incorporated data into an exhaustive description. RESULTS: The results included 291 re-statements, 49 constructed meanings, 27 themes, 12 theme clusters, and 5 categories were deduced. The five categories were 'perception of obstacles for elderly health system', 'sense of burden in services of health', 'planning about diverse elderly health services', 'elderly clients-focused performance', and 'solidify community ground of elderly health services'. Despite obstacles, participants tried to diverse health services for elderly. CONCLUSION: This study has described public health nurses' experiences about public health services for the aged. These findings have important implication for the practice of public health services for the aged and must be considered to develop program for planning and practice of public health nurses for the aged.
Aged ; Health Services ; Humans ; Public Health ; Public Health Nursing

PURPOSE: This study was to explore the process of belongingness experienced during the apprentice course for advanced practice nurses. METHODS: Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 15 people, who attended the apprentice course for advanced practice nurse, from three schools in Seoul from Jan. 19 until Feb. 25, 2010. The constant comparative method was adapted for data analysis. RESULTS: The core category of this study was the 'learning-connected process' and this process was categorized into three stages. These stages were: going along with the atmosphere, exchanging, and integrating. During the course, the 'uncomfortable participation' as the central idea meant a sense of responsibility and a tension about practice learning of the participant and was influenced by the quality of interaction and the distinct instruction of learning contents. Belongingness was characterized by the Joyful and happy participation which linked to the motivation of new learning opportunities. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that there is a process to belongingness and a close relationship between belongingness and learning. Further studies would suggest exploring the components of belongingness, a concept analysis and incorporating the belongingness scale with other qualitative research on this topic.
Atmosphere ; Education, Nursing ; Humans ; Learning ; Motivation ; Qualitative Research ; Statistics as Topic

PURPOSE: This study was to explore family member's caregiving stress and satisfaction of care for patients with dementia in long term care facilities and day care centers. METHODS: The subjects were 129 family members of elders with dementia from ten long term care facilities and eight day care centers in Daegu and Kyungsangbukdo. Data were collected from August to October, 2007. The instruments were self administered questionnaires and included. The Family Perceptions of Caregiving Role (FPCR) and the Family Perceptions of Care Tool (FPCT) which were developed by Maas and Buckwalter (1990) and translated by Park (2002). RESULTS: Family member's care giving stress in day care centers were higher than that of long term care facilities (t=-2.89, p=.005) especially in the categories of captivity (t=-3.27, p=.001), guilty (t=-2.93, p=.004), and loss (t=-2.44, p=.016). Family member's satisfaction of care in day care centers was higher than that of long term care facilities (t=-3.21, p=.002) in the (use - categories or measures since you are referring to the instrument and delete aspects) aspects of effective management (t=-3.69, p=.000) and activity (t=-2.00, p=.045). CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that family members' perceptions toward their care giving roles and satisfaction of care differ whether the facilities are long term care or day care centers. This study provides baseline data that could be used for improving the quality of long term care services.
Day Care, Medical ; Dementia ; Humans ; Long-Term Care ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine if simulation training affects new graduate critical care nurses' knowledge, self-efficacy, and performance ability in emergency situations. METHODS: Forty new graduate critical care nurses were randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group. The experimental group had didactic with simulation. The control group received only didactic without simulation about emergency situations. The data were collected before and after the training interventions. An independent t-test used for difference among variables. RESULTS: There were no significant demographic differences between the two groups or any differences on data collected knowledge, self-efficacy and performance ability. Following the training, there were significant performance ability scores (p<.001) among the nurses receiving didactic with simulation. There were no significant difference between the two groups relative to knowledge scores (p=.117), or the self-efficacy scores (p=.100). CONCLUSION: This study showed that simulation training for new graduate critical care nurses is useful to improve performance ability on emergency situations. Hence, providing simulation training to critical care nurses during an orientation period would improve quality of critical care nursing and help the new graduates nurse's adaptation.
Critical Care ; Emergencies ; Critical Care ; Intensive Care Units ; Orientation

PURPOSE: This study was designed to explore and compare the self efficacy, social support, and quality of life between middle-aged Korean and Chinese women. METHODS: The sample included 430 (Korean: 220, Chinese: 210) middle-aged women. Study instruments were the Self Efficacy Scale developed by Shere et al (1982), the Social Support Scale modified and based on Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL) developed by Cohen and Hoberman (1983), and The Quality of Life Scale (SF-36) developed by Ware and Book (1981). Data were analyzed by SPSS/WIN 16 version. RESULTS: Korean women reported more self efficacy and better quality of life than the Chinese women. The quality of life scores between middle-aged Korean and Chinese women showed a statistical significant difference. Self efficacy and quality of life scores reported by middle-aged Korean and Chinese women were below the reported standards of the instruments. In contrast to the other scores, Chinese women reported more social support than Korean women. CONCLUSION: The findings add to the body of literature about Chinese and Korean middle aged women. Additional research is needed to explain the differences among the two groups but the findings can inform the practicing nurse who works with these populations.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life ; Self Efficacy ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop an algorithm for preventing and managing of pressure ulcer and to verify the its appropriateness. METHODS: The first step was development of a pre-algorithm through a literature review and expert opinion. The second step was to establish content validity by submitting the algorithm questionnaires about the content to 12 experts. The third step was the revision of the algorithm. The fourth and last step was to establish the clinical validity of the algorithm with 25 experienced nurses. RESULTS: For the ease of the practitioner the algorithm for prevention and the management of pressure ulcers was confined to one page depicting the main algorithm pathway and seven stepwise guidelines. The guidelines included skin care of pressure ulcer prevention, mechanical loading care, support surface care , reposition care of pressure ulcer, and Stages II, III and IV explanations along with debridement/wound irrigation and infection control. Most of all algorithm courses chosen more than 80% of agreement by expert index of content validity. The usefulness, appropriateness, and convenience of the algorithm were demonstrated through clinical validity with intensive care unit and ward nurses. CONCLUSION: The algorithm will improve the quality of pressure ulcer nursing care as it provides a model for decision making for clinical nurses as well as providing consistent and integrated nursing care for patients with pressure ulcer throughout an institution.
Decision Making ; Expert Testimony ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Intensive Care Units ; Nursing Care ; Pressure Ulcer ; Resin Cements ; Skin Care ; Surveys and Questionnaires