The purpose of this study was to compare the comfort level between healthy people and adult in-patients in Korea. The sample consisted of 248 adults (healthy adults: 124, patients admitted in university hospitals in Seoul and Jinju: 124). The research tool used for the study was General Comfort Questionnaire(GCQ) which was developed by Kolcaba(1992) and was translated by Korean. The research tool consisted of 28 items (6 items on physical dimension, 9 items on psychospritual dimension, 7 items on environmental dimension, 6 items on social dimension). Data were analyzing using the SPSS, yielding t-test, ANOVA. The results are as follows: 1) Mean scores for comfort level in healthy adults were 2.92 on a 4 point scale. 2) Mean scores for comfort level in-patient adult were 2.72 on a 4 point scale. 3) There was a significant difference between the two groups on the comfort level. The healthy adults had higher comfort level than in-patients (t=4.44, p=0.000). 4) There was a significant difference between the two groups on the comfort level of physical and environmental dimension. The healthy adults had higher comfort level than in-patients (t=2.99, p=0.003) and environmental dimension (t=8.81, p=0.000).
Adult* ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Korea ; Seoul

OBJECTIVES: This study was to investigate the effects of aesthetic surgery on mental health. METHOD: Sixty-four patients were assessed for their mental health and the degree of satisfaction with their body image before and after operations. The subjects' mental health was evaluated by the Korean version of Symptom Check List-90(SCL-90), a satisfaction scale with body image, and a questionnaire for demographic data and operation. RESULTS: 1) The average score of SCL-90 significantly improved from 68.17(S.D.+/-48.26) to 58.03(S.D.+/-46.93) after operation(p<0.01). The scores of all subscales for somatization symptoms, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, hostility and psychoticism improved significantly. Significant improvement was also found in patients who were in their 20's and 40's, had family support and had positive attitudes toward their operations. Family support had a more positive influence in the group who had a poorer state of mental health before the operation. 2) The average score of satisfaction with their body image improved significantly from 58.54(S.D.+/-23.14) to 78.14(S.D.+/-18.30)(p<0.01). The more they were satisfied with their body image, the more their mental health state improved. The degree of improvement in satisfaction was significant (p<0.01) in patients who had shown a poorer mental health state before operation. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that aesthetic surgery has positive influence on patients' mental health and improved satisfaction with their body image and also that, in selection of patients for aesthetic surgey, their age and possible family support should be considered.
Body Image ; Depression ; Hostility ; Humans ; Mental Health* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: To analyze the learning objectives and test items for Fundamentals in Nursing which were established between 1999 and 2000 and to develop these items toward a nationwide faculty workshop for national board examination for Korean nurses. RESULTS: 1. According to Bloom's taxonomy, learning objectives established in 1999 mainly consisted of two domains, comprehension (56.1%), and knowledge (27.7%). The learning objectives established in 2000, mainly consisted of comprehension (45.2%) and application (25.4%). 2. According to McGuire's taxonomy, domain of test items established in 1999 consisted of recall (66.7%), interpretation (28.0%) and problem solving (4.9%). Domain of test items established in 2000, consisted of recall (65.1%), interpretation (22.0%) and problem solving (12.9%). 1) Department of Nursing, Chung-Ang University 2) College of Nursing, Yonsei University 3) College of Nursing, Seoul National University 4) Department of Nursing, Kyung-Hee University 5) College of Nursing, Ewha University 6) College of Nursing, The Catholic University of Korea(corresponding author, Email: sky@catholic.ac.kr) 7) National Medical Center Nursing College 8) Red Cross Nursing College 9) Department of Nursing, Gachun Gil College 3. The proportion of learning objectives in the knowledge and comprehension domains established in 200, decreased from 27.7% to 13.5%, and from 56.1% to 45.2% respectively over that of 1999. But the domain of application increased from 5.3% to 25.4% over that of 1999. 4. With regard to McGuire's taxonomy, the proportion for the recall and interpretation domains established in 2000 decreased from 66.7% to 65.1%, and from 28.0% to 22.0% respectively. But the proportion for the problem solving domain increased from 4.9% to 12.9% over that of 1999. For type of test items, the proportion of A type established in 2000 decreased from 47.2% to 37.6%, and K type increased from 52.1% to 60.8% over that of 1999. CONCLUSION: The learning objectives and test items established in 2000 showed remarkable improvement compared to those established in 1999. For better learning objectives and test items in Fundamentals of Nursing, further research is recommended on essential content and standardization of job analysis for national board examination for nurses in Korea.
Classification ; Comprehension ; Education ; Electronic Mail ; Korea* ; Learning* ; Nursing* ; Problem Solving ; Red Cross ; Seoul

PURPOSE: This study was to analyze the trends and content of all the research (171 research papers) published in the Journal of Fundamentals of Nursing from 1994, when it began to 2000 using an objective tool developed by the researches, and to identify the direction for the future research in Fundamentals of Nursing. METHOD: Research published in the Journal of Fundamentals of Nursing from 1994 were reviewed. RESULT: Most of research (94.2%) was non-degree based and funded research was very limited. The average number of researchers per research study was 2.2 and collaborative research has been gradually increasing. The total number of key words was 331 and the average was 2.6 per research. The major key words were not different from other nursing departments and included home care nursing (10 times), health promotion (8 times), self-care (7 times), self-efficacy (7 times), and hemo-dialysis (6 times). Eighty seven percent of the research was quantitative research, and there were very few qualitative studies. Considering theory level, it was found that 40% were factor related research. For study design, non-experimental studies were most frequent (66%), and the rate, especially of surveys, has remarkably decreased. Selection of subjects by convenience sampling, was most frequent and there were very few studies that provided the rationale for the calculation of sample size. The major subjects of study were patients (44.8%) with various diagnoses. The subjects usually gave oral consent to take part in that study. Giving information (46.9%) and exercise (26.5%) were common nursing interventions, and physiological indices (16.5%), vital signs (10.3%), physical functioning (8.2%), level of knowledge/skill (7.2%) and level of activity (6.2%) were frequently measured as outcome. Variables questionnaires were the major approach used to collect data, and 57.8% of the research provided the Cronbach alpha to guarantee internal consistency of study instruments. Data were analyzed with computerized statistical packages using, ANOVA (42.0%), T test(39.5%), and chi-square test. For the last seven years, nursing research in Fundamentals of Nursing has gradually improved in both quantity and quality. CONCLUSION: It was difficult to find any uniqueness or difference compared to other departments of nursing. In fact, because the history of the Journal of Fundamentals of Nursing is rather short, we can expect that there will be further improvement in quality and content in the future.
Diagnosis ; Financial Management ; Health Promotion ; Home Care Services ; Humans ; Nursing Research ; Nursing* ; Patient Selection ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sample Size ; Self Care ; Vital Signs