PURPOSE: Ineffective communication between healthcare professionals leads to medical errors and puts patients at risk of harm. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of interdisciplinary communication training in simulated settings on self-confidence in communication, observed communication behavior, and technical skill performances of nursing students. METHODS: A repeated measures design with one group was conducted. Data was collected from 92 nursing students through a self-administered questionnaire and an observed behavior checklist. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, a paired t-test, the Wilcoxon signed rank test, the Friedmann test, a Repeated Measures ANOVA, and the Spearman correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Self-confidence in communication, observed Identification-Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation-Read Back communication behavior, and technical skill performances of nursing students were significantly improved. In observed communication behavior, the performance of Assessment and Read Back communication significantly improved. However, communication of Background, Assessment, and Recommendation did not improve to a satisfactory level. Observed communication behavior was not correlated with the overall technical skill performance. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that interdisciplinary communication training in simulated settings was effective in improving nursing students' confidence and communication skills with physicians. Longitudinal studies with larger samples are recommended in order to verify the effects of interdisciplinary communication training on clinical outcomes as well as communication competence.
Checklist ; Clinical Competence ; Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Interdisciplinary Communication* ; Longitudinal Studies ; Medical Errors ; Mental Competency ; Nursing* ; Simulation Training ; Statistics as Topic ; Students, Nursing*

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to evaluate the economic efficiency of a community-based nursing care center to help policy makers determine whether or not to invest in similar facilities. METHODS: The subjects were 101 elderly people over 65 years who participated in a health management program from February 1 to July 31, 2007. Direct cost was estimated with center operations cost, medical cost for out-patients and pharmacy cost. Indirect cost was measured by transportation cost. Direct benefit was calculated by saved medical cost for out-patients, saved pharmacy cost, saved transportation cost, and reducing hospital charges. Indirect benefit was estimated with prevention of severe complications. Economic efficiency was evaluated by cost-benefit ratio and net benefit. RESULTS: Operating a community-based nursing care center was found to be cost-effective. Specifically, the cost of operating the center evaluated here was estimated at 135 million won while the benefit was estimated at 187 million won. Benefit-cost ratio was 1.38. CONCLUSION: The Community-based nursing care center that was described here could be a useful health care delivery system for reducing medical expenditures.
Administrative Personnel ; Aged ; Community Health Nursing ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Health Expenditures ; Hospital Charges ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Nursing Care ; Outpatients ; Pharmacy ; Transportation

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the shed endometrial tissues in menstrual fluid (MF) have adhesive potentials, using human amniotic membrane (AM). METHODS: The MF from 20 patients with regular menstruation was collected with Wallace catheter by aspiration from the uterine cavity on the second or third day of the menstrual period. The AM was obtained from the placenta of term delivery without any complication. The MF was washed and diluted fivefold with Hams F-10 medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. The cell suspension was placed on either epithelial layer (EP) or extracellular matrix layer (ECM) of the AM. After 5 days of culture, the adhesion sites were observed under a stereomicroscope. For histological observation, each cultured AM was prepared for the serial paraffin section. RESULTS: The adhesion sites of endometrial tissues in MF were found both ECM (20/20) and EP (11/20) of the AM. The size of adhesion sites in each AM were highly variable from microscopic to macroscopic size. CONCLUSION: We found that the shed endometrial tissues in MF have adhesive potential to epithelial layer in addition to extracellular matrix layer of amniotic membrane. This adhesive potential may be related to pathogenesis of endometriosis. We suggest that this culture system can be useful as an in-vitro model for endometriosis.
Adhesives* ; Amnion* ; Catheters ; Endometriosis* ; Extracellular Matrix ; Female ; Humans ; Menstruation ; Paraffin ; Placenta

No abstract available.
Endometriosis* ; Exons* ; Female ; Humans ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome*

A patient with encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroid disease (EAATD), which is one of the most important differential diagnoses of treatable dementia, presents with various neurological symptoms, such as repetitive epileptic seizures, altered mental status, and cognitive dysfunction. Steroid treatment is effective for EAATD. The incidence of EAATD increases considerably with age, particularly in female patients. Most patients with EAATD have normal thyroid function test results or mild hypothyroidism. Patients with EAATD with Graves' disease are very rarely reported. Here, we report a case of a 63-year-old woman who complained of declining cognitive ability and ataxia. She was diagnosed with EAATD accompanied by Graves' disease. Her neurological symptoms improved after intravenous steroid administration.
Ataxia ; Brain Diseases ; Dementia ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epilepsy ; Female ; Graves Disease* ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; Incidence ; Middle Aged ; Thyroid Diseases* ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland*

PURPOSE: This study was to analyse the factors affecting youth smoking, especially self-efficacy and perceived social norm, based on the stage of change. METHODS: A self-reported survey was conducted during the period from the 21st of April to the 17th of May, 2008. Data were collected from 10,707 students of 12 middle schools in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, and Incheon. The data were analysed with SPSS/WIN 15.0. RESULT: The smoking possibility was 2.18 times higher in the male students than in female students, and 1.76 times higher in 8th-grade students and 2.48 times higher in 9th-grade students than in 7th-grade ones. Smoking possibility increased when students had more experience in alcohol, more friends who smoke, or worse relationship with their parents. Also this study showed that high-level self-efficacy and perceived social norm were acting as inhibiting factors of smoking. CONCLUSION: To reduce the youth's smoking rate, smoking prevention programs should provide educational chances to learn knowledge and skills on how to reject smoking temptation. Also, someone significant like parents should make it clear to the youth that they do not want their children to smoke.
Adolescent* ; Child ; Female ; Friends ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Incheon ; Male ; Parents ; Seoul ; Smoke* ; Smoking*

No abstract available.
Humans* ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Papilloma*

Rheumatic fever with renal involvement is rarely seen. The prevalence is found to be low although it may differ by reporters. We report a case of rheumatic fever with IgA nephropathy. The patient was a 14-year-old male. The patient's chief complaint were fatigue and gross hematuria. On the physical examination, the pansystolic murmur (grade II) on the left lower sternal border was noted. Cardiomegaly was seen on chest X-ray and pulmonary vasculatures were increased. Prolonged PR intervals were found on EKG. Echocardiogram showed rheumatic carditis with grade mild to moderate MR, regurgitant shunt from LV to LA through anterior leaflet. On the laboratory findings, ESR, CRP and ASO were increased, C3, C4 and IgA were normal. On the urine analysis, gross hematuria was noted as RBC over 30/HPF and RBC dysmorphism 90%. On the immunofluoroscent microscope of renal biopsy, IgA deposit on mesangial matrix was noted.
Adolescent ; Biopsy ; Cardiomegaly ; Electrocardiography ; Fatigue ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA* ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A* ; Male ; Myocarditis ; Physical Examination ; Prevalence ; Rheumatic Fever* ; Thorax

An inguinal hernia is common in pediatric age. However, an in injury to the bladder during hernia repair is quite rare, which may be related to the lack of awareness of the inguinal canal anatomy or inadequate exposure. Gross hematuria and voiding difficulty after herniorrhaphy may indicate a possible injury. Cystography can define the presence and type of injury. An extraperitoneal bladder injury can be managed safely by catheter drainage, antibiotics, and close clinical observations. An intraperitoneal injury requires surgical exploration and bladder closure. We report a case of a urinary bladder injury that was detected after the completion of herniorrhaphy in an eight-year-old girl.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Catheters ; Drainage ; Female ; Hematuria ; Hernia, Inguinal ; Herniorrhaphy* ; Humans ; Inguinal Canal ; Urinary Bladder*