No abstract available.

PURPOSE: This study was to examine whether VRE infection control strategies have an effect on the decrease in incidence rates for VRE acquisition and VRE nosocomial infection in ICU. METHODS: All the patients were examined for VRE carriers on ICU admission. Among them, patients hospitalized for over 48 hours were investigated for VRE acquisition rates and VRE nosocomial infection rate using VRE infection control strategies in ICU for the experimental group from September 2007 to April 2008. Before that, incidence of VRE acquisition and VRE nosocomial infection for the control group without Intervention were investigated from May to August 2007 retrospectively. RESULTS: VRE acquisition rate in clinical specimens was 0.6% in the experimental group, that was significantly lower when compared to the control group. VRE carrier rate at admission to ICU was 15.4%. Out of 182 VRE carriers, 180 patients were identified by the active surveillance culture. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that active surveillance culture at admission was considered to be an essential measure for detection of VRE carrier. But without strict isolation and adherence rating after each intervention, hand washing and contact isolation alone did not significantly decrease VRE nosocomial infection, although it did significantly decrease incidence of VRE acquired from clinical specimen.
Cross Infection ; Hand Disinfection ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infection Control ; Critical Care ; Intensive Care Units ; Vancomycin

BACKGROUND: The proper management of the patients with hypotention remains a difficult clinical problem. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of gepefrin in the treament of symptomatic hypotensive patients in outpatient clinic of university hospital. METHODS: Thirty milligrams of Gepefrin was given twice daily for 4 weeks in 30 patients with hypotension(6 males, 24 females ; 23-60 years of age). Blood pressure, heart rate, subjective symptoms and side effects were checked before medication and at the end of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th week of medication. RESULTS: 1) Grpefrin increased sitting systolic blood pressure significantly(p<0.05) by the end of 1st week and thereafter. 2) Hypotensive symptoms were improved in 76% of hypotensive patients and overall rate of usefulness was 70%. 3) Heart rate did not change significantly. 4) One patient complained of loose bowel movement and another one, of anorexia among 30 study patients and all laboratory parameters were within normal limits before and after drug treatment, thus the rate of safety was 93%. CONCLUSION: Results from this study suggests that gepefrin 60mg daily increases the blood pressure mildly and improves the symptoms moderately in symptomatic hypotensive patients.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Anorexia ; Blood Pressure ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypotension* ; Male ; Quality of Life

PURPOSE: This is a clinical experimental study aimed to provide basic data to ensure quality care. The purpose of this study is to increase nurses hand washing behavior and decrease respiratory isolation rate of MRSA. METHOD: This study was conducted in Kangnam St. Marys hospital. The subjects included 5 nurses working at the NS ICU and 165 specimen for nasal swabs and 46 specimen for sputum cultures from 106 patients admitted to the NS ICU. The data were collected from June to September 2000. RESULTS: 1.The percentage of the nurses hand washing was 15.6percent but was improved to 46.5 percent after the educational intervention. In particular, hand washing behavior was increased in situations such as after suctioning, before parenteral nutrition, and after providing hygiene care. 2. Results of nasal swab showed that MRSA isolation rate was reduced from 42.8 percent before the education to 18.6percent after the education. The sputum culture results also showed that the MRSA rate was reduced from 40.7percent before the education to 34.6percent after the education. CONCLUSION: The findings showed the nurses' strict hand washing behavior and use of disposable gloves and paper towers as well as use of hand sterilization spray by visitors or families can decrease the MRSA isolation rate in the NS ICU patients. Since the NS ICU patients may have respiratory complications due to long-term hospitalization, the nurses regular hand washing is important enough to be emphasized. Future research should be focused on the impact of nurses' hand washing behavior on the incidence of pneumonia, an iatrogenic infection.
Education* ; Hand Disinfection* ; Hand* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Incidence ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus* ; Parenteral Nutrition ; Pneumonia ; Sputum ; Sterilization ; Suction

No abstract available.
Humans

This study was designed to compare the nurse and nurses aids on their perception and performance levels for nosocomial infection control and to evaluate the relevant variables. The study data were obtained from 246 nurses and 219 nurse aids working at two university hospitals in Seoul, by using a constructed questionnaire. The data was collected from March to April of 1998, and analyzed using the SAS program for t-test, two way ANOVA, Pearson's Correlation Coefficients. The results were as follows; 1. The mean score of the perception level for nosocomial infection control of the nurse(M= 4.72) was higher than that of the nurses aids(M= 4.56). 2. No significant association was found between the nurse and nurses aids on their performance level for nosocomial infection control. 3. The score of perception level showed significant interaction by age in all domains, by career in contaminated material and environmental management, and by department in sterile and environmental management. Regarding the performance levels, the score showed significant association between hand washing and clothing management by age and career. However, there was no significant difference by department. 4. A positive correlation was found in the perception and performance levels for nosocomial infection control between the nurse and nurse aids. In conclusion: the mean score of the perception level for nosocomial infection control in nurses was higher than that of their performance level. In the case of nurses aids, the mean scores of the perception and performance level for the nosocomial infection control were the same but lower than those of the nurses. It is suggested that appropriate hospital infection control programs should be developed by continuous systemic education and practice to improve the nurse and nurses aids' level of perception and performance for nosocomial infection control.
Clothing ; Cross Infection* ; Education ; Hand Disinfection ; Hospitals, University ; Seoul ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Animals ; Horns* ; Pregnancy*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Horns* ; Pregnancy*

PURPOSE: This study was done to evaluate the effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation education individualized to PCI patients in order to improve their knowledge of these diseases and to lessen their anxiety. METHOD: A Quasi-experimental design with non-equivalent control group non-synchronized design was used. The experimental group had the PCI operation for ischemic heart disease and individualized cardiac rehabilitation education and counseling twice for 25 minutes each time using an educational booklet developed by the authors. The effects of the education were analyzed using a knowledge assessment tool, state anxiety inventory and anxiety visual analogue scale. RESULTS: The experimental group who received the individualized cardiac rehabilitation education showed a high level of knowledge about diseases compared to the control group and particularly showed a significant difference in knowledge about the drugs used for treatment. However, no significant difference was observed between the two groups in the level of state anxiety and anxiety visual analogue scale.
Anxiety ; Counseling ; Education* ; Humans ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Pamphlets ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention* ; Rehabilitation*

This study was designed to assess the iron nutritional status of girls at puberty in Kangnung area. The subjects consisted of 161 adolescents in sixth-grade in primary school and first-grade in middle school girls. Anthropometric measurements were taken for body weight, height, percentage of body fat, and circumferences of waist and hip. Nutrient intakes were assessed by modified 24-hour recall method. Food models and other measuring tools were also used. Fasting blood samples were obtained and analyzed for hemoglobin(Hb) concentration, hematocrit(Hct), serum iron(FE) and total iron binding capacity(TIBC). Mean values for Hb, Hct, Fe, TIBC, TS and serum ferritin were 13.6+/-0.9g/dl, 39.6+/-3.9%, 91.3+/-36.3 microgram/dl, 327.9+/-45.2 microgram/dl, 28.3+/-11.8% and 37.4+/-24.2ng/ml, respectively. Prevalence of iron deficiency greatly varied by indices from 4.8% when judged by Hb to 18.4% by serum Fe concentration. The Hb concentration was positively correlated with Hct(r=0.641), serum iron(r=0.266) and transferrin saturation(r=0.237)(p<0.05). On the other hand, serum ferritin concentration showed significantly negative correlation with TIBC(r=-0.572). Mean daily intake of iron was 14.94mg and heme iron intake was 1.13mg and which was 7.6% of total iron intake. Total absorbable iron calculated by the method of Mosen was 1.38mg and bioavailability of diectary iron was 9.3%. These results suggest that the prevalence of iron deficiency of pubertal girls is very high, therefore the guidelines for diet and social supports, such as, school food service system should be provided to improve their iron status in middle school students.
Adipose Tissue ; Adolescent ; Biological Availability ; Body Weight ; Diet ; Fasting ; Female* ; Ferritins ; Food Services ; Hand ; Hematocrit ; Heme ; Hip ; Humans ; Iron* ; Nutritional Status* ; Prevalence ; Puberty* ; Transferrin