BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency and characteristics of needlestick/sharps injuries (NSIs) in nursing students in Korea. METHODS: The study was based on a survey of questionnaires completed by 341 nursing students who had sustained at least one NSI during clinical practice in hospitals. RESULTS: The NSI incidence rate was 36.4%. Approximately half of the students reported two to four NSIs. Most (90.2%) of the NSIs occurred on the fingertips and were caused by a hollow-bore needle (46.8%) or lancet (45.8%). Some students were exposed to used needles contaminated with unknown pathogens (37.3%), HBs Ag (2.3%), Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) (0.8%), or HIV (0.6%). Students cited the reason for injury as carelessness, inexperience, hastiness, or recapping. Almost two-thirds of students who reported having experienced an NSI knew about post-exposure treatment. However, only one-third of the students with NSIs completed an official report. CONCLUSION: Korean nursing students lack knowledge about injury prevention, report procedures, and treatment after NSI. A revised educational approach with emphasis on occupational risk, skill development, and injury reporting is necessary to prevent NSI and to ensure that students obtain post-exposure prophylaxis.
Dietary Sucrose ; HIV ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Needles ; Needlestick Injuries ; Post-Exposure Prophylaxis ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Students, Nursing ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The present study purposed to investigate Korean adults health status, smoking perception. and self-efficacy of smoking cessation according to whether smoking or not. METHODS: This study conducted a questionnaire survey of 694 adults at D County in Korea during the period from the 10th of June to the 10th of July 2004. The instruments used for this study were scales on health status, smoking perception and self-efficacy: of smoking cessation. Data was analyzed by frequency and percentage, mean and SD, chi2-test, t-test, ANOVA using SPSS 11.0 program. RESULTS: The subjects of this study were 503 men and 191 women, and 60.8% of the male subjects and 6.8% of the female subjects were smokers. With respect to health status (t=-2.58, p=0.010), smoking perception (t=10.59. p<0.000) and the self-efficacy of smoking cessation (t=-23.04, p<0.000), there were significant differences according to whether smoking or not. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to make repeated study to find other variables that affect adults smoking and to develop smoking cessation programs that enhance the self-efficacy of smoking cessation.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation* ; Smoking* ; Weights and Measures ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to provide a basis for non-humidified low flow oxygen by nasal cannula and to provide a guide for consistent care in nursing practice. METHODS: A methodological study on the development of guidelines with experts' opinions on collected items, framing PICO questions, evaluating and synthesizing texts which were searched with the key words (low flow oxygen, nasal cannula, humidification of oxygen, guideline) from web search engines. RESULTS: Of the 45 researched texts on the web, 9 texts relevant to the theme were synthesized and evaluated. All patients with humidified or non-humidified oxygen therapy reported that they had no discomfort. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that there are no tangible grounds for patients' perceived differences between the humidified and non-humidified oxygen under 4L/min supplied by nasal cannula. with oxygen. Therefore, non-humidification oxygen therapy is strongly advised when suppling under 4L/min oxygen by nasal cannula (recommended grade A).
Catheters ; Humans ; Oxygen

PURPOSE: Today's clinical nurses deal with complex problems that need accurate evidence for practice and decision making. In this study the effectiveness of an EBP education program was examined. METHODS: A pre-posttest design was used for this study and participants were 46 nurses working at a tertiary hospital located in Suwon, Korea. Date collection was done before and after the education program, from July 27 to October 2, 2015. Data were analyzed using paired t-test and ANCOVA with SPSS 21.0. RESULTS: There were significant differences in scores before and after the EBP education program for EBP readiness: belief (t=-5.65, p<.001), implementation(t=-2.89, p=.006), competence (t=-4.21, p<.001), and for evidence-based decision making (t=-16.25, p<.001) by the nurses. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that the EBP education program has positive effects on EBP belief, implementation, competence and evidence-based decision making. In the future, it is necessary to reinforce the content of the program in the clinical workplace and to provide continuous education for clinical nurses.
Decision Making* ; Education* ; Evidence-Based Practice* ; Gyeonggi-do ; Korea ; Mental Competency ; Tertiary Care Centers

Hemodialysis(HD)-associated hypotension is a frequent complication, but it is difficult to manage. Until now, several maneuvers have been tried to prevent the HD-associated hypotension. Of these, the sodium content of dialysate was regarded as an important factor for maintaining blood pressure during HD. In this study, we evaluated the effect of hypertonic dialysate on blood pressure, interdialytic weight gain and the incidence of thirst. The study was done for 6 weeks successively with 3 different groups. Each patient was dialysed with 3 different dialysates for 2 weeks: Group I(Conventional HD: sodium concentration: 137 mEq/L), Group II(Hypertonic HD: 147 mEq/L) and Group III (Sequential HD: from 147 to 140 mEq/L). Hemodynamic parameters(blood pressure, pulse rate and ultrafiltration rate), biochemical parameters(hematocrits, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, osmolality, sodium, potassium, chloride, fasting blood sugar) and complications (interdialytic weight gain &thirsty sensation) were compared among 3 groups. The results were as follows: 1. Decline of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure at the time of a 3 hour check during hemodialysis was lower in the Group II than Group I and III (p=0.002; p=0.012). and decline of diastolic blood pressure at the time of a 4 hour check during hemodialysis was lower in the Group II and III than Group I(p=0.04). 2. ncidence of hypotensive episodes during dialysis was significantly lower in Group II than group I (p=0.0287). 3. The ultrafiltration in Group III at the time of 1 hour, 2 hour and 3 hour check during hemodialysis was higher than that in Group I and II at the time of 1 hour, 2 hour and 3 hour check during emodialysis respectively (p=0.0001; p=0.0001; p=0.0004). 4. Interdialytic weight gain was higher in Group II(3.1+/-0.8) than GroupI(2.8+/-0.8) and III (2.9+/-0.9) (p=0.0422). 5. Hematologic and biochemical results were not significantly different among 3 Groups. 6. Frequency of thirst was different in Group I, II and III, 0.05+/-0.12, 0.41+/-0.24 and 0.22+/-0.29 respectively (p=0.0259). The results suggest that hypertonic HD was effective in preventing HD-associated hypotension but interdialytic weight gain and thirst sensations were increased as compared with a conventional method. In this situation, sequential HD seems to be an alternative method to minimizes the side effect of hypertonic HD.
Blood Pressure* ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; Dialysis ; Dialysis Solutions ; Fasting ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Incidence* ; Osmolar Concentration ; Potassium ; Renal Dialysis* ; Sensation ; Sodium ; Thirst* ; Ultrafiltration* ; Weight Gain*

BACKGROUND: Pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare disease in which a painful nodule or pustule breaks down to form a progressive enlarging ulcer. Until now, only 8 cases of pyoderma gangrenosum have been reported in Korea. Therefore, we thought it necessary to perform a clinical analysis of pyoderma gangrenosum in Korea with a review of literature. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to find the clinical features of pyoderma gangrenosum in Korea. METHODS: Fourteen cases with pyoderma gangrenosum were investigated by reviewing medical records. Results There were 6 males and 8 females. The onset age was between 4 years and 65 years, and most(9 cases) had developed the condition between the ages of 20 and 60. Thirteen cases involved the extremities and 3 cases had whale body involvement, Seven cases(50%) had multiple lesions. All cases had pain at the lesional sites. Two cases were classified as the bullous type and the others were ulcerative in nature. The histological fmdings were non-specific. Dense inflarnmatory infiltrates composed of lymphocytes and predominant neutrophils were found in the epidermis and dermis associated with ulceration. Two cases were treated only with systemic steroids, and 2 cases with dapsone and steroids, 2 cases with colchicine and steroids, and 1 case with steroids, dapsone and colchicine. One case was treated with colchicine and anti-Tbc drug, 1 case with dapsone, 3 cases with antibotics, 1 case with the anti-Tbc drug and 1 case with anti-cancer drugs. Systemic disease was present in 5D% of the cases. The associated diseases were Behcets disease(3 cases), tuberculosis(2 cases), systemic lupus erythematosus(1 case), pancytopenia(1 case), iron deficiency anemia(1 case), acute leukemia(1 case), and colon adenoma(1 case). Recurrence developed in 2 cases and positive pathergy reactions were observed in 3 cases. CONCLUSION: Pyoderma gangrenosum was eccompanied with systemic disease in 50% of the cases and the most common therapeutic drugs were steroids. It is therefore impartant to detect the presence of any underlying disease and to treat this alongside pyoderma gangrenosum.
Age of Onset ; Colchicine ; Colon ; Dapsone ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Iron ; Korea ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Medical Records ; Neutrophils ; Pyoderma Gangrenosum* ; Pyoderma* ; Rare Diseases ; Recurrence ; Steroids ; Ulcer ; Whales

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to develop and evaluate a dementia prevention intervention program for the elderly with mild cognitive disorder. METHODS: The study was nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects of the study were a total of 68 elderly who ranged from 21 to 24 of total scores of K-MMSE, aged over 65, in home. The program consisted of music therapy, humor therapy, art therapy, dancing therapy, recreation, and health education to enhance brain function. The program was applied to the experimental group twice a week, ninety minutes per session for eight weeks. The data were analysed by using chi-square test and t-test. RESULTS: The variables measured in the experimental group and the control group before the intervention were not significantly different in the homogeneity test. The dementia prevention program improved the cognition(t=9.243, p<.001), self-esteem(t=.4.336, p<.001), quality of life(t=8.375, p<.001) and reduced depression(t=-3.913, p<.001). CONCLUSION: These findings confirmed that the dementia prevention program made a contribution to improving cognitive function, self-esteem, and quality of life and also to reduce depression in the elderly with mild cognition disorder. Therefore, it is recommended that this program could be used in clinical practice as an effective nursing intervention for the elderly with mild cognitive disorder.
Aged* ; Art Therapy ; Brain ; Cognition* ; Dancing ; Dementia* ; Depression* ; Health Education ; Humans ; Music Therapy ; Nursing ; Quality of Life* ; Recreation Therapy

PURPOSE: This study was done to explore the levels of depression experienced by adolescents, and to compare health behavior between depressed and non-depressed adolescents. METHOD: Participants were chosen by a stratified random sampling of adolescents in the second grade of a high school in P city. Levels of depression and health behavior of the students were measured using questionnaires. Data collection was done in May, 2002. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and logistic regression using the SPSS WIN 10.0 Program. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression (CES-D) among the students was 53.5%. In multiple logistic regression analysis, sex (OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.35-2.41), school performance, mid (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.48-1.97) and low (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.29-1.61), drinking (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.09-1.98), and not eating breakfast (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.56-1.97) were significantly higher in students in the depressed group than those in the non-depressed group. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the findings, we concluded that many adolescent experience depression and depression in adolescents is significantly related to behaviors of smoking, alcohol, no exercise, and not eating breakfast. However this study did not address causality among these variables. There, further research, such as a longitudinal study, is needed to identify causality among the variables.
Adolescent* ; Breakfast ; Data Collection ; Depression* ; Drinking ; Eating ; Health Behavior* ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Child Health ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Thymic cyst is relatively rare tumor which usually occurs in the neck or mediastinum. Cervical thymic cyst is usually situated laterally and deep to the anterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, simulating a branchial cyst. Thymic cyst of the mediastinum is usually detected incidentally and differential diagnoses include cystic degeneration of thymoma, and cystic teratoma. Two case of a cervical and a mediastinal thymic cysts were reported. The one was a cervical thymic cyst developed slowly growing mass in a 53-year-old male a for 10 years. The cyst was unilocular and measures 5.4x2.9x2.8 cm with columnar or squamous cell linings. The other is a mediastinal thymic cyst developed in a 37-year-old female with chest discomfort for 7 months. The cyst was uniocular and measures 2.8x2.2x2.0 cm. The epithelial lining of the cyst was largely desquamated and covered by macrophages with cholesterol granuloma. Involutional thymic stissue in their walls were noted in both cysts. In both cases presence of thymic tissue in the wall of the cyst thought to be the most important diagnostic feature.
Female ; Male ; Humans ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Cysts

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of a smoking cessation program on the amount of smoking and nicotine dependence and the self-efficacy of smoking cessation for smoking workers. METHODS: The total number of subjects was 38 smokers and was divided into two: 16 smokers were placed in the experimental group and 22 in the control group. A nonequivalent control group pretestposttest design was used. The smoking cessation program consisted of two sessions and was implemented for two hours daily for five days. Data was analyzed by using the SPSS/WIN 11.0 program with Chi2-test, t-test or Mann-Whitney U and ANCOVA. RESULTS: After the treatment, those belonging to the experimental group showed a significantly decreased amount of smoking, a decreased nicotine dependency and increased self-efficacy compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The smoking cessation program was effective for diminishing the amount of smoking, decreasing nicotine dependence and improving self-efficacy. Therefore, this program is recommended as a smoking cessation strategy for adult smokers.
Adult ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Patient Education as Topic ; *Self Efficacy ; Smoking/*psychology ; Smoking Cessation/*methods/psychology ; Tobacco Use Disorder/*prevention & control