PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of nurses' awareness of healthcare accreditation on their job stress and turnover intention. METHODS: Across-sectional correlation study design was used. Participants consisted of 143 nurses from two tertiary hospitals in Seoul and Gyunggido, South Korea. Data were collected in October 2016 using self-report questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, an ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression in SPSS/WIN 21.0. RESULTS: Awareness of health care accreditation correlated negatively with job stress (r=−63, p < .001) and turn over intention (r=−.50, p < .001). Awareness of health care accreditation was the factor that most influenced job stress, explaining 38% of the variance (F=23.10, p < .001). Awareness of health care accreditation and duty pattern were the factors that most influenced intention to leave, explaining 32% of the variance (F=10.35, p < .001). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest raising nurses' awareness of certification systems to reduce their job stress and turnover intentions. It will be necessary to provide support for the aggressive work nurses do and improve their work structure, highlighting the need for both manpower and institutional support. Accordingly, providing regular education programs and appropriate compensation schemes, by raising nurses' awareness of medical institutions' certification systems, is necessary.
Accreditation ; Certification ; Compensation and Redress ; Delivery of Health Care ; Education ; Intention ; Korea ; Personnel Turnover ; Seoul ; Statistics as Topic ; Tertiary Care Centers

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of nurses' awareness of healthcare accreditation on their job stress and turnover intention. METHODS: Across-sectional correlation study design was used. Participants consisted of 143 nurses from two tertiary hospitals in Seoul and Gyunggido, South Korea. Data were collected in October 2016 using self-report questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, an ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression in SPSS/WIN 21.0. RESULTS: Awareness of health care accreditation correlated negatively with job stress (r=−63, p < .001) and turn over intention (r=−.50, p < .001). Awareness of health care accreditation was the factor that most influenced job stress, explaining 38% of the variance (F=23.10, p < .001). Awareness of health care accreditation and duty pattern were the factors that most influenced intention to leave, explaining 32% of the variance (F=10.35, p < .001). CONCLUSION These findings suggest raising nurses' awareness of certification systems to reduce their job stress and turnover intentions. It will be necessary to provide support for the aggressive work nurses do and improve their work structure, highlighting the need for both manpower and institutional support. Accordingly, providing regular education programs and appropriate compensation schemes, by raising nurses' awareness of medical institutions' certification systems, is necessary.

One author's affiliation is misspelled in original article.

Background: Stasis dermatitis is an inflammatory skin disease that occurs in the lower legs of patients with chronic venous insufficiency; however, data on combined vascular disease and stasis dermatitis are limited. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical features of patients with stasis dermatitis and combined vascular diseases. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical features and combined vascular diseases of 37 patients clinically diagnosed with stasis dermatitis who visited the dermatology department from January 2017 to December 2020. Results: The average age of occurrence was 59.5 years, and the average duration of the disease was 3.2 years. Stasis dermatitis was more likely to occur in women than in men and more often in both lower legs. The major clinical features were erythematous patches. Asymptomatic symptoms were most common, followed by itching and tenderness. To evaluate vascular diseases, ultrasonography, venography computed tomography (CT), and angiography CT were performed. The most common combined vascular diseases were deep vein thrombosis, followed by varicose vein and thrombophlebitis. Most cases were treated with topical steroids and antihistamines, and anticoagulants/ antiplatelet agents were used to treat vascular diseases. Conclusion Stasis dermatitis is mainly associated with venous dysfunction in the lower legs. Early diagnosis and fundamental treatment of combined vascular diseases by evaluating vascular function in patients suspected of stasis dermatitis are important. This study will provide dermatologists with significant data on the clinical features of stasis dermatitis and combined vascular diseases.

This study was prospectively conducted to investigate any relationship of nutritional status at the time of admission to length of hospital stay and mortality. All patients admitted to the Asan Medical Center between October 13 and November 12, 1997 who met the study criteria were included in the study. Patients were classified as Not-at-risk, At-risk I or At-risk II based on the levels of serum albumin and total lymphocyte count in a computerized nutrition screening program. Sixty three percent of the patients were classified as Not-at-risk Group, 29% as At-risk Group I and 8% as At-risk Group II. Significant correlation was observed between nutritional status and LOS (P<0.01) as well as mortality rate (P<0.05). The more the patient had the nutritional risk factors, the longer the LOS and the higher the mortality rate were. Further studies have to be done in order to demonstrate cost-effectiveness of medical therapy for the malnourished hospitalized patients.
Chungcheongnam-do ; Humans ; Length of Stay* ; Lymphocyte Count ; Mass Screening* ; Mortality* ; Nutritional Status* ; Prospective Studies* ; Risk Factors ; Serum Albumin

Neonatal meningitis caused by the Group B beta-hemolytic streptococcus was first reported in 1958. In recent years this organism has assumed major importance in the etiology of neonatal infection. In Korea, this organism is likely to play an increasing role in neonatal infection. So this investigation was designed to report the 9 cases of Group Bbeta-hemolytic streptococcus infected neonates admitted to the NICU, department of Pediatrics, Hanil Hospital from January 1990 to June 1993. The results were as followings. 1) Onset of disease was between 12days and 32 days of age and male to female ratio is 1:2. 2) Two cases were delivered by c-section, seven cases were by NFSD and all of the infants had normal birth weight with full term at delivery. Maternal obstetric and neonatal complications were not detected in all cases. 3) The common presenting symptoms were fever in all cases, seizure in 6 cases, feeding difficulty, lethargy, vomiting, etc. 4) Group Bbeta-hemolytic streptococcus was isolated in CSF of all cases and in blood of 6 cases. 5) There were abnormal brain CT findings in 4 cases of group Bbeta-hemolytic streptococcal meningitis. 6) The sensitive antibiotics were Cefotaxime, Cefazoline, Erythromycin, Ampicillin, Chloramphenicol, Clindamyucin and Penicillin. 7) All cases were reconvered except one case that expired on the 1st day of admission and 6 cases were followed up for the period of 2months to 33months without neurologic sequelae, of which 1 case revealed decreased wave on Lt. hemisphere in ABR.
Ampicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Birth Weight ; Brain ; Cefazolin ; Cefotaxime ; Chloramphenicol ; Erythromycin ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Lethargy ; Male ; Meningitis* ; Pediatrics ; Penicillins ; Seizures ; Streptococcus ; Vomiting

It is well documented that cardiac myxomas are associated with immunologic features that can simulate systemic autoimmune diseases. Recently, it was reported that cardiac myxomas produce IL-6 constitutively, which could partly explain the immunologic features observed in these patients. However, only a few investigators have studied cytokines in regards to symptoms they may cause in patients with cardiac myxoma. Also there is very little information in the literature on the immunohistochmical localization of IL-6. We performed immunobistochemical stains for IL-4, TNF, and IL-6 on paraffm embbeded tissue of cardiac myxoma tissue. A bioassay of IL-6 activity in patient's serum and in cultured cells from fresh myxoma tissue was performed to ascertain the role of these cytokines in myxomas. In this study, we demonstrated inununohistochemically that there was a local overproduction of IL-4, TNF, and IL-6 in cytoplasm of the tumor cells in about half cases. Bioassays of the serum and cultured tumor cells revealed elevated IL-6 activities. Also these findings correlate to production of patient's constitutional symptoms with statistical significance (P<0.05). In conclusion, these results are of considerable importance in understanding the role of IL-4, TNF, and IL-6 in cardiac myxoma patient with constitutional symptoms, and have an impact on strategies for diagnosis and therapy of cardiac myxoma.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the factors that influence the wellness of bus drivers by examining the relationships between job stress, physical activity, subjective happiness, and wellness. Methods: Self-report questionnaires were distributed during October 2017. Results: Based on a multiple regression analysis, the significant factors found to affect the wellness of bus drivers were physical activity (β=.48,p<.001), subjective happiness (β=.25, p=.001), and job stress (β=-.17, p=.025). The total explanatory power of the study variables for wellness was 45.7% (F=33.04, p<.001). Conclusion These findings highlight a need to develop workplace wellness programs to reduce job stress and improve physical activity and subjective happiness among bus drivers.

Acantholytic acanthoma is a rare benign neoplasm of epidermal keratinocytes that clinically presents as a solitary, asymptomatic keratotic papule or nodule on the trunk. A 40-year-old female visited our hospital with a 20-year history of a single papule on her right thigh. On physical examination, the lesion measured 0.5×0.4 cm in size and appeared brown in color with central hyperkeratosis. Histopathological evaluation showed hyperkeratosis, acanthosis, papillomatosis, dyskeratosis, and acantholysis. Only six cases of acantholytic acanthoma have been reported in Korea. We report a rare case of acantholytic acanthoma that occurred in a 40-year-old female who presented with a keratotic papule on her right thigh.

Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a chronic cutaneous condition characterized by a papulonodular pruriginous eruption accompanied by pruritus. PN lesions are typically firm and itchy hyperkeratotic nodules and papules, which provoke a scratch response. PN may often represent an initial cutaneous manifestation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The association between PN and HIV is attributable to various etiopathogenetic mechanisms including cutaneous immunological abnormalities. Diagnosis of HIV infection in a patient with PN is challenging.We report a case of confirmed HIV infection in a patient with treatment-resistant PN, who was successfully treated using combination treatment that included HIV antiretroviral therapy and narrow-band ultraviolet-B radiation.