The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of mouth care on the relief of oral discomfort undergoing radiation therapy patients. The nonequivalent control group time series design was used for this experimental study. The subjects were 32 patients who were receiving radiation therapy at P, D, G, hospital in Pusan from July 1, 1996 to August 31 1996. Among 32 subjects, 16 were placed in the experimental group and 16 in the control group. The subjects were contacted at the hospital, given an explanation of the study, and asked them to participate. The experimental group was educated according to oral care protocol. The data were collected through interviews, observations, and the health care records of the patients. The instruments were the "Perceived Oral Symptoms Assessment" by Chung, C. W. and "Oral Assessment Guide(OAG)" by Elers, Berger, & Petersen. SPSS PC+ was used to analyze the collected data. The general characteristics were analyzed by frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviations. The homogeneties between the experimental groups and control groups were tested by t-test and chi-square test. Perceived oral symptoms & OAG were tested by mean and standard deviations. The results of this research can summarized as follows : 1. Between two groups, the differences of perceived oral symptoms were not statistically significant (t=.0035, p=.9634). 2. In time series analysis the differences of perceived oral symptoms between two groups in the 7th week were only significant(t=5.0123, p=.0491). 3. The comparisons of each item in perceived oral symptoms, the differences between two groups were observed but they were not statistically significant. 4. Between two groups, the differences of OAG were not significant statistically(t=.0221, p=.8827). 5. In time series analysis, the differences of OAG between two groups were no statistically significant. 6. The comparisons of each item in OAG, the differences between two groups were observed but they were not statistically significant. In conclusion, this study could be utilized in patients care with radiation therapy although the results of the experiment were not accepted statistically.
Busan ; Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Mouth*

This study was carried out in clinical nurses to identify the factors related to implementation of pain intervention. Samples were selected from 215 nurses working at four different hospitals in Seoul, Taegue, Andong and Mungung between March 3 and April 4, 1997. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test and chi-square using SAS statistical package. The results were as follows. 1. The answer of questions. Ninety six percent of the nurses agreed that pain perceived in each patients was influenced by several factors besides tissue demage. Fifty two percent of nurses demonstrated that they were more responsible for relieving patients's pain now than just after graduation. Ninety two percent of the nurses answered that they were not as sympathetic as for patients's pain now than just after graduation. Eighty five percent of the nurses thought that patients' pain score would be higher than nurses. At the moment of pain assessment, 34.4% of the nurses thought the most important factor was physiological change. The most applicated pain intervention method was analgesic medication. They thought that interesting pain intervention method were change of interest, psycotherapy, hypnotherapy, music therapy, relaxation technique, gi therapy, exercise therapy, supporting therapy, hot application and cold application. They thought that new pain intervention methods were gi therapy, hypnotherapy, imagenation therapy, music therapy and relaxation technique. Only seventeen percent of the nurses had practiced new pain intervention method to the patient. 2. The relation among characteristics, the level of assertiveness behavior, self-esteem and implementation of pain intervention. Source, graguation, responsibility for pain relief and the level of assertiveness behavior were related to implementation of pain intervention method and showed a statistically significant difference.
Assertiveness ; Daegu ; Exercise Therapy ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Music Therapy ; Pain Measurement ; Relaxation ; Seoul

The reports of adverse reactions related to latex glove use increase worldwidely. There is no clear cause. The adverse reactions related to latex glove are reported variously from localized minimal to systemic anaphylaxis, even death. There is no report on latex glove hypersensitivity in Korea, but clinically we have heard the adverse reactions sporadically. Therefore this investigators survey operating room nurses and surgeons who are high risk groups. The study will be the basis on latex allergy. We can explore alternatives against latex glove allergy through the study. Data are collected 210 respondents(doctors, 147 ; nurses, 63) by the questionnaire from July 8 to September 22 in 1995 and analyzed by descriptive statistics. Conclusions are follows : (1) Incidence of adverse reaction related to latex glove use is total 41.0%(87 person), which include 35 nurses(55.6%) and 52 doctors(35.4%). (2) The relation between the incidence and exposure time is significant, those who are working in operating room more than 5 years have higher incidence(p=0.005). (3) The relation between the incidence and gender is significant, and the incidence in female is higher. (4) The atopic persons have more adverse reactions than the non-atopics(p=0.00005). (5) There is no relation between the incidence and disease history(p=0.37). (6) Common adverse reactions include itching(90.8%), rash(71.3%), dermatitis(52.9%), urticaria(35.6%), relatively rate adverse reactions include facial edema, dyspnea, wheezing, fainting and so on. (7) In surgical general gloves the adverse reaction incidence is 41.0%(87/210), in hypoallergenic glove, 47.8(11/23). In conclusion, the adverse reaction incidence related to surgical latex glove are 41.0%, gloves used in this study are 2 types, to which persons having adverse reactions are 11.
Anaphylaxis ; Dyspnea ; Edema ; Female ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Incidence ; Korea ; Latex Hypersensitivity ; Latex* ; Operating Rooms ; Research Personnel ; Respiratory Sounds ; Syncope ; Surveys and Questionnaires

This study was designed to test the correlation between spiritual well-being and quality of life and to identify this variable on quality of life. The subjects were 70 cancer patients of select hospitals in Seoul. Ellison(1983)'s spiritual well-being scale, Padilla's quality of life scale were used after some modification. The results & conclusions are as follows : 1. The score on the spiritual well-being scale ranged from 47 to 120 with a mean of 81.40(SD : 13.98). 2. The score on the quality of life scale ranged from 72 to 166 with a mean of 119.67(SD : 21.71). 3. In the relationship between social-demographic & spiritual well-being were significant difference in religion, the degree of faith & education. 4. There were significant correlations between spiritual well-being and quality of life. (gamma=.584, P<.001) 5. Existential spiritual well-being had significant effect on quality of life.(37%) In conclusion, the results propose the processes from spiritual well-being to quality of Life through religion. Spiritual well-being intervention programs are needed to improve the quality of life in cancer patients.
Education ; Humans ; Quality of Life* ; Seoul

This study was done through Quasi-experimental research in order to determine the effect of social support on compliance with sick role behaviors and blood pressure in hypertensive clients. This study was done through Quasi-experimental research in order to determine the effect of social support on compliance with sick role behaviors and blood pressure in hypertensive clients. The subjects consisted of 88 hypertensive clients who were registered at Cardio-Vascular OPD in Chonnam University Hospital. They were devided to 43 people of experimental group and 45 of control group by the random sampling. The results of the study may be summarized as follows. 1. Compliance with sick role behaviors of the hypertensive clients was significantly increased in experimental group who received the social support from the nurse than control group who did not receive it(t=16.307, p<.0001). 2. The difference mean of blood pressure before and after intervention of the social support did not show the significant differences between experimental and control group(p<.05). 3. Four of the six people stopped smoking in experimental group after intervention of the social support, but there was not any of the five in control group. Fisher's Exact test told the significant differences between experimental and control group(x2=4.385, p<.05). Finally, the social support was effective on compliance with sick role behaviors and a stop smoking in the hypertensive clients.
Blood Pressure ; Compliance* ; Jeollanam-do ; Sick Role ; Smoke ; Smoking

PURPOSE: This study was to identify the effects of the hand acupressure therapy on sleep quality and mood state of adults having insomnia. METHODS: The study was a one group pretest-posttest design. The subjects for this study were 15 insomniac adults. All the subjects were assessed for their sleep quality and mood state using PSQI(Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and POMS(Profile of Mood States). The pellet stimulating hand acupressure therapy was applied using New Seoam Press Pellets 1 Ho for 4 weeks. Data were analyzed by the SPSS 12.0 version program with descriptive statistics and wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: The mean total score of PSQI was 6.67 and the POMS was 6.68. There were significant decreases in subject's total PSQI score(p=.000) and in total POMS score(p=.008) after the therapy. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that pellet stimulating hand acupressure therapy is effective for sleep quality and mood state of adults having insomnia.
Acupressure ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Hand ; Humans

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of professional self-concept and self-efficacy on job satisfaction and to identify the relationship among them in clinical nurses. METHODS: The subjects were nurses who were working for three general hospitals in Seoul and Gangwon province for two month starting in July 2007. Three questionnaires were used. One was job satisfaction and the others were professional self-concept and self-efficacy. The data were analyzed by SPSS/PC ver 12.0. RESULTS: The mean score of job satisfaction was 2.99 (range: 1-5). The mean score of professional self-concept and self-efficacy were 2.71(range: 1-4) and 3.49(range: 1-5), respectively. Differences of job satisfaction were significantly related to differences in age, marital status, level of education, clinical career, annual salary, and shift pattern. With respect to job satisfaction, the pearson correlation coefficients were .43 for professional self-concept and .29 for self-efficacy. The multiple regression revealed that the significant predictor of job satisfaction was professional self-concept. CONCLUSION: This study showed that a strong professional self-concept improves job satisfaction, so professional self-concept improvement programs should be developed to improve job satisfaction and to improve the quality of nursing.
Hospitals, General ; Job Satisfaction ; Marital Status ; Salaries and Fringe Benefits ; Self Concept ; Self Efficacy ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSES: This study examined uncertainty and nursing need according to illness phases(phase I, II, III) in cancer patients, and investigated relationships between uncertainty and nursing need. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with a sample of 121 adult cancer patients treated in two hospitals. RESULTS: As for the total score, the uncertainty was not significantly different across the subgroups by illness phase. As for the subscale score, however, two sub-scales of the uncertainty were different across the subgroups. 'The unpredictability' was highest in illness phase I and II groups, while 'the lack of information' was highest in the illness phase III group. Nursing need as the total score was not significantly different across the subgroups by illness phase. However, all subscale scores of the nursing need were significantly different across the subgroups. Educational need was highest in the illness phase I group; physical and emotional needs were highest in the illness phase III group. Uncertainty and nursing need were not related to each other at any illness phase. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that nursing need and uncertainty may change across illness phases. Clinicians need to consider this pattern in caring for cancer patients.
Adult ; Humans ; Uncertainty

A review of the literature on cancer pain revealed that many persons with cancer receive inadequate analgesia for pain control, due in part to a lack of knowledge of the control of cancer pain by both physicians and nurses. This study is composed of two parts : one is to train nurses to change their knowledge of and attitude toward the pain management of patients having cancer and to evaluate the effectiveness of this training in comparison with other non-trained group ; the other is to test the applicability of the pain management method knowledge and attitude in the levels of pain of oncology patients. General characteristics of nurses such as age, education, educational experiences of cancer pain management were not different in both groups except the clinical experience. General characteristics of cancer patients and pain-related variables such as pain, sleep, daily activities, treatment modalities, causes of pain were not different in both groups except the educational levels of patients. After an eight-hour educational program given to the experimental nurse group, the knowledge and attitude about assessment of cancer pain, pain medication, and pharmacological knowledge were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group, while knowledge about classification of analgesics was not significantly different. The amount of analgesics, measured by the morphine equivalent doses, used in the experimental group was significantly lower than in the control group in the first and the last days. The experimental group used more systematic ways of drug changes from non-narcotic analgesics to narcotic analgesics than the control group. This indicated that the control group used fentanyl patches more commonly than in the control group. Cancer pain scores of both group of patients were measured on an hourly bases for a week in both groups. The patients' pain scores of the first day of measurement in experimental group were not significantly higher than those of control group of patients, while those of the last day were significantly higher than those of the control group. This study supports the need for educational program for the management of cancer pain to the nurses and the doctors.
Analgesia ; Analgesics ; Analgesics, Non-Narcotic ; Classification ; Education ; Fentanyl ; Humans ; Morphine ; Narcotics ; Pain Management*

The purpose of this study was to develop an educational program for early detection of breast cancer. The educational program for early detection of breast cancer was developed by literature reviews and survey. Literatures about the early detection of breast cancer, the factors which are influenced on the effects of educational program, and the various techniques of educational program for the early detection of breast cancer were reviewed. The survey was tried to search for the current knowledge about breast cancer and early detection of breast cancer of Korean women using questionnaire developed by investigator. The educational program were as follows ; 1. Objectives of the educational program Upon completion of this educational program, participants will able to ; (1) identify, explain and practices the methods of the early detection breast cancer (2) practices breast self-examination by themselves (3) try to continued the practices for the early detection of breast cancer. 2. Assessment of subjects Assess the participant about the factors which are influenced on the effects of educational program. The factors are age, educational level, marital status, social status, level of knowledge of breast examination, perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, perceived seriousness, motivation, discomfort, and desire for control of health status. 3. Education The exact knowledge about the early detection methods of breast cancer provided such as breast self examination, mammogram, and physical examination by health personnel should be included. For the highest effects of educational program whether group teaching or individual teaching, free discussion and practice are very useful. 4. Evaluation of the effects of education Participant should be evaluated by the objectives after finishing education program. 5. Follow-up care Reinforcement using small booklet which is consisted of checklist and basic information and early detection methods of breast cancer by health personnel should be included.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast Self-Examination ; Breast* ; Checklist ; Education ; Female ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Marital Status ; Motivation ; Pamphlets ; Physical Examination ; Research Personnel ; Surveys and Questionnaires