PURPOSE: Human factor is one of the major causes of medication errors. The purpose of this study was to identify nurses' perception and experience of medication errors, examine the relationship of Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness (DISC) behavior patterns and medication errors by nurses. METHODS: A descriptive survey design with a convenience sampling was used. Data collection was done using self-report questionnaires answered by 308 nurses from one university hospital and two general hospitals. RESULTS: The most frequent DISC behavioral style of nurses was influence style (41.9%), followed by steadiness style (23.7%), conscientiousness style (20.4%), and dominance style (14.0%). Differences in the perception and experience level of medication errors by nurses' behavioral pattern were not statistically significant. However, nurses with conscientiousness style had the lowest scores for in experience of medication errors and the highest scores for perception of medication errors. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that identification of the behavior pattern of nurses and application of this education program can prevent medication errors by nurses in hospitals.
2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles ; Dacarbazine ; Data Collection ; Fibrinogen ; Humans ; Medication Errors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to identify effects of oral care protocol on bacterial floras of the oral cavity and oral health status of intubated patients in an intensive care unit. METHODS: The participants were 60 intubated patients who were recruited from an intensive care unit of a university hospital from Dec. 28, 2010 to Mar. 25, 2011. The participants were randomly assigned into 3 groups of 20 patients according to the application time of oral care (1-minute oral care, 2-minute oral care, and 3-minute oral care groups). The numbers of bacterial flora colonies in the oral cavity was assessed before and after the oral care. Oral health status was assessed using a Korean version of the Oral Assessment Guide developed by Elier et al. originally. RESULTS: The numbers of bacterial flora colonies were less after oral care than those before the care, but there was no significant differences among the 3 groups after the care. Oral health status was better after the oral care than it was before the care, but there was also no significant differences among the 3 groups. CONCLUSION: If well-trained nurses perform oral care for 1 minute using a chlorhexidine swab on intubated patients, the numbers of bacterial flora colonies will be reduced and healthy oral status will be maintained.
Chlorhexidine ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Intubation ; Mouth ; Oral Health* ; Oral Hygiene

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate sleep habits, sleep disturbance, and circadian types, and to identify factors influencing sleep disturbance in nursing students. METHODS: Participants were 140 senior nursing students. The data were collected from May 19 to 27, 2008 using self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: 1) Evening type delayed sleep-wake schedules were more frequent than for morning type, especially during weekend and evening shift duty. 2) In total sleep time, there were no significant statistical differences between morning type and evening type during weekdays, weekend, day or evening shift duty. 3) On weekdays and day shift duty, the mean score for sleep disturbance was significantly higher in the evening type compared to the morning type. 4) Sleep disturbance in weekday and day shift duty was influenced by circadian types, eating habits, and gender. CONCLUSION: The circadian types are a very important factor for determining the sleep quantity and quality in nursing students.
*Circadian Rhythm ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Questionnaires ; Sex Factors ; *Sleep ; Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm/prevention & control ; Students, Nursing/*psychology ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: To develop an e-learning blood-borne infection control program and to evaluate the effects of the program on risk perception, knowledge, preventive health behaviors related to blood-borne infections, and satisfaction with the program by nursing student. METHODS: The program was developed through the processes of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. The pre-experimental research design involved a one group pretest-posttest design. The setting was two universities located in Daejeon, Korea. RESULTS: Using the program that was designed and developed, results for the total score of risk perception, knowledge, and preventive health behaviors in the post-test application were significantly higher than in the pre-test application (p<.05). Relevance and usefulness of the information received the highest ratings, while the system's design were demonstrated to have the lowest ratings. Those areas requiring correction were modified accordingly. CONCLUSION: Application of an e-learning blood-borne infection control program is effective, and can be expanded to other student nurses who also have a high risk of blood-borne infections.
Blood-Borne Pathogens ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Korea ; Research Design ; Students, Nursing

PURPOSE: The purpose of study was to compare perceived nursing needs between patients having spinal surgery and the nurses caring for them. METHOD: The participants were from three general hospitals, 71 patients who were having spinal surgery and 63 nurses. Data were collected from September 18 to November 17, 2006. Frequencies, mean, and t-test with the SPSS PC 14.0 program were used to analyze the collected data. RESULTS: The score for perceived nursing needs during pre-op care was significantly different between the patients and nurses (t= -2.515, p= .013). The perceived nursing needs did not show significant differences in scores of perceived nursing needs at post-op or discharge. CONCLUSION: The results provide primary data to improve the quality of nursing care, plan, and implement appropriate nursing care for patients undergoing spinal surgery.
Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Nursing Care ; Spine

PURPOSE: This study was done to identify differences in three groups of operative patients (Forced Air Warming, Electrical Blanketrol, Control) for discomfort and pattern of body temperature during surgery and post operatively. METHODS: The sample consisted of 3 randomized 3 groups of abdominal surgery patients admitted to an university hospital in D-city : The Bair Hugger and upper body blanket were used with the first group, electrical blanketrol with PVC Film with the second, and the third group was the control. ANOVA was used with the WIN SPSS 17.0 program to analyze the data. RESULTS: Significant differences were found among the three groups for tympanic and esophageal body temperature at 1 hour after starting surgery. There was significant difference in tympanic body temperature during the 15 minute stay in the post anesthetic room. There were no significant differences in thermal discomfort while in the post anesthetic room. or There among the three groups for serum cortisol during surgery. CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, application of a Bair Hugger or electrical blanketrol improves maintenance of body temperature of operative patients as well as body temperature of post operative patients, and is a clinically significant warming method providing a more consistent body temperature.
Body Temperature ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Hypothermia ; Rewarming ; Shivering

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of teaching method using Standardized Patients (SPs) on nursing competence, self-directed learning readiness, and problem solving ability-focusing on subcutaneous insulin injection. METHODS: This research was a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized post-test design. The subjects consisted of 62 junior nursing students at E University. Scenarios to train SPs and checklists to evaluate the students' competence were developed by our research team. The experimental group (n=31) participated in the teaching class using SPs. The control group (n=31) received traditional practice education. The collected data were analyzed with descriptive analysis, chi-square/Fisher's exact test, t-test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and Cronbach's alpha using SPSS WIN 14.0 Program. RESULTS: The mean scores of competence, self-directed learning readiness, and problem solving were significantly higher in the experimental group than the control group. CONCLUSION: As confirmed by this research findings, the teaching method using SPs was more effective than the traditional method to improve junior nursing students' competence, self-directed learning readiness, and problem solving. Therefore, It is necessary to develop a various of scenarios and to testify their effectiveness.
*Clinical Competence ; *Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate ; Female ; Humans ; *Injections, Subcutaneous ; Insulin/administration & dosage ; Learning ; *Problem Solving ; Program Evaluation ; Students, Nursing/psychology ; Teaching/*methods/standards ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors for falls and to suggest data for developing a program for preventing falls. METHODS: This was a case-control study in five university hospitals and a general hospital. In total, 216 patients over the age of 18 yr admitted from January 1 to December 31, 2007 participated. One hundred eight patients with experience of falling were matched by gender, age level, diagnosis, and length of stay with 108 patents with no experience of falling admitted on the same unit. A quality assurance coordinator nurse in each hospital examined 35 fall risk factors developed by researchers. RESULTS: In acute hospitals, history of falls, orientation ability, dizziness or vertigo, general weakness, urination problems, transfer/mobility difficulty, walking dependency, impatience, benzodiazepines, diuretics, and vasodilators showed significance on adjusted-odds ratios for fall. Logistic regression analysis was performed to elucidate the factors that influence falls. The probability of falls was increased by dizziness/vertigo, general weakness, and impatience/agitation. CONCLUSION: This finding can be used as a useful resource in developing nursing intervention programs to predict and prevent the falls of inpatients.
Accidental Falls/*prevention & control ; Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Dizziness ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Hospitals, General ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Inpatients/psychology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Psychomotor Agitation ; Regression Analysis ; *Risk Factors

This study was done to examine ER nurses' burn-out, as an understanding in the relationship of nursing performance and professional identity. The subjects of the study were nurses working in the emergency room of the general hospital with over 300 beds, located in D metropolitan city and C city. The self-report questionnaires were administered and 120 were collected. For the data analysis, SPSS WIN 12.0 was used. ER nurses' burn-out was 2.99, the mean of nursing performance was 3.69, and professional identity was 3.51. The extent of ER nurses' burn-out showed significantly negative correlation with the extent of nursing performance(r=-.257), along with professional identity(r=-.192). While ER nurses' nursing performance showed significantly positive correlation with professional identity(r=.696). In conclusion, the higher professional identity, the fewer ER nurses experienced burn-out, and the higher extent of nursing performance was obtained. It is necessary to create activities and programs to reduce and prevent burn-out.
Emergencies ; Hospitals, General ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Statistics as Topic

PURPOSE: This study was done to develop and test the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the Pain Assessment Checklist for Seniors with Limited Ability to Communicate (PACSLAC-K) in assessing pain of elders with dementia living in long-term care facilities. METHODS: The PACSLAC-K was developed through forward-backward translation techniques. Survey data were collected from 307 elders with dementia living in 5 long-term care facilities in Korea. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, Spearman's rho, paired t-test, ROC (receiver operation characteristic) curve with the SPSS/WIN (20.0) program. RESULTS: The PACSLAC-K showed high internal consistency (.90), inter-rater reliability (.86), intra-rater reliability (.93), and high concurrent validity (.74) in paired t-test with PAINAD. Discriminant validity also showed a significant difference compared with no pain. The PACSLAC-K showed a sensitivity of .93, specificity of .88, and Area Under the Curve of .95 in the ROC curve. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study demonstrate that PACSLAC-K is useful in assessing pain for elders with dementia living in long-term care facilities.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Area Under Curve ; Checklist ; Dementia/*physiopathology ; Female ; Geriatric Assessment/*methods ; Humans ; Long-Term Care/*methods ; Male ; *Pain Measurement ; Questionnaires ; ROC Curve ; Republic of Korea