PURPOSE: The purposes of the study were to examine the knowledge and practice about Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) isolation precaution, and to explore influencing factors of the isolation practice among hospital nurses. METHODS: A total of 182 nurses were recruited from four general hospitals where MERS patients had been treated. The knowledge and practice of MERS isolation precaution were measured by the scales developed based on the CDC guidelines. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS/WIN 22 with descriptive statistics, T-test, One-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierachical multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The nurses were 30 years old in average, and half of them had less than 5 years of clinical experience. and knowledge on droplet precautions (β=.171, p=.019) were the significant predictors, explaining 19.6% of variance in the MERS isolation guideline practice. Clinical experience (β=.225, p=.002), working at infection unit (β=−.203, p=.011). CONCLUSION: The knowledge on droplet precaution and general knowledge on MERS were the important modifiable factor to improve the MERS isolation guideline practice among hospital nurses, even after adjusting clinical experience and demographic variables. It is necessary to develop an efficient education program on specific guidelines for prevention and management of infection by improving the knowledge on infectious disease such as MERS as well as droplet precaution which are modifiable factors.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Communicable Diseases ; Coronavirus Infections ; Education ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Middle East ; Weights and Measures

Purpose: : This study aimed to examine the relationships of burnout and compassion competency with job satisfaction among nurses working in the intensive care units and emergency rooms. Methods: : A correlational survey was conducted from August 1 to August 14, 2018 and involved in 102 nurses working at four university hospitals for more than 1 year. A structured questionnaire was used to measure burnout, compassion competency, and job satisfaction, and data were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression and mediation effect analysis. Results: : The mean scores of burnout, compassion competency, and job satisfaction were 2.58, 4.35, and 2.95, respectively. Burnout and compassion competency along with working night shifts and a wish to transfer explained 35.3% of variance in job satisfaction. Compassion competency showed a small but significant mediating effect in the relationship between burnout and job satisfaction (indirect effect -.0446, 95% CI -.1133, -.0075). Conclusion : Burnout and compassion competency were the significant influencing factors of job satisfaction among nurses working in intensive care units and emergency rooms. Since compassion competency showed a significant mediating effect, further studies should focus on intervention strategies for compassion competency to improve job satisfaction in this population.

PURPOSE: This study was done to analyze the effects of Tai Chi on fall-related risk factors through meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials published in English and Korean between 2000 and 2010. METHODS: Using health related database and hand search of references and Google, 28 randomized studies were collected from doctoral dissertation and published peer reviewed articles. The Comprehensive Meta-analysis version 2.0 was used for the analysis. RESULTS: The effect sizes for Tai Chi for 3 months were significant with ES=0.54 for static balance, ES=0.24 for dynamic balance, ES=0.69 for balance measured by scale, and ES=0.40 for flexibility, ES=0.48 for muscle strength, ES=0.71 for ADL, and ES=0.37 for fear of falling. Also, the effect sizes of Tai Chi for 6 months were significant for most fall-related variables. The 6 month data for flexibility was not analyzed since only one study was published. CONCLUSION: The analysis of studies of randomized clinical trials indicate that Tai Chi is effective in improving balance, flexibility, muscle strength, activities of daily living, and fear of falling when applied for 3 or 6 months. The findings provide the objective evidence to apply Tai Chi as a fall preventive intervention.
Accidental Falls/*prevention & control ; Activities of Daily Living ; Databases, Factual ; Fear ; Humans ; Muscle Strength ; Program Evaluation ; Risk Factors ; *Tai Ji

The purpose of this study was to test psychometric properties Health-Related Hardiness Scale(HRHS) for Korean elderly. HRHS has been developed by Pollock to measure the effect of hardiness in individuals with actual health problems. Items were generated to measure dimensions based on theoretical definitions of health-related control, commitment, and challenge. In 1990, Pollcok and Duffy revised HRHS to be 34 items. In this study, 34-item HRHS(Pollock & Duffy, 1990) was translated into Korean and administered to 193 elderly involving in 95 hospitalized patients and 98 outpatients or healthy people. The subjects were 80 women and 112 men with an age range of 65 to 95 years(M=71 years) in whom 82.6% classified themselves as moderate or pretty active. Most subjects(80.2%) had education of elementary school or less. The 34-item HRHS consists of three subscales: control, commitment, and challenge, and was measured with 1(strongly disagree) to 6(strongly agree) Likert scale. The higher the score is, the higher people's hardiness. Factor analysis was performed to confirm whether the scale represents three sub-areas as suggested in the literature. Two factors were isolated, using principle components analysis. Two factor solution was accepted for the study since Pollock described the possibility of classifying sub-areas into two divisions. These two factors, commitment/challenge and control accounted for 31.9% of variance of the scale. Factor loadings were string, ranging from .41 to .77. The moderate correlation with task self-efficacy scale also supported the validity(r=.35, p<.05). The scale was found to be internally consistent, showing Cronbanch;s alpha of .90 for the total items with the range of .82 and .90 for three subscales. The findings revealed the potential applicability of HRHS to nursing intervention studies for elderly.
Aged* ; Clinical Trial ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Clinical Trial ; Male ; Nursing ; Outpatients ; Psychometrics*

PURPOSE: The positive effects of health behaviors in older population are well recognized, but maintenance of health habits was more difficult than initiation. The purposes of the study were to identify predictors of health behavior based on motivation theories, and to analyze predicting power of motivational factors to explain health behaviors in older adults. METHODS: The data were collected from older adults either institutionalized or living in the community. Total of 159 subjects with 72 years old in average were recruited for an interview. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis were utilized to analyze the data with age, residential type, and motivational variables. RESULTS: The results of the multiple regression analysis showed that age and residential type explained 3% of variance in health behaviors (F=3.705, p=0.027). When motivational variables were entered, additional 56.9% of variance were explained by the model (F=33.275, p<0.001). Among motivational variables, perceived benefits was the most important variable (beta=0.346, t=4.582, p<0.001), followed by self efficacy, emotional salience, and perceived barriers. CONCLUSION: Considering the importance of each motivational variable, the focus of intervention strategies to assist older adults to maintain health behaviors should be on modifiable and important motivational variables, such as self-efficacy, perceived benefits and barriers, and emotional salience.
Adult* ; Aged ; Health Behavior* ; Humans ; Motivation ; Self Efficacy

PURPOSE: The focus of this study was on symptom management to predict quality of life among individuals with heart failure. The theoretical model was constructed based on situation-specific theory of heart failure self-care and literature review. METHODS: For participants, 241 outpatients at a university hospital were invited to the study from May 19 to July 30, 2014. Data were collected with structured questionnaires and analyzed using SPSSWIN and AMOS 20.0. RESULTS: The goodness of fit index for the hypothetical model was .93, incremental fit index, .90, and comparative fit index, .90. As the outcomes satisfied the recommended level, the hypothetical model appeared to fit the data. Seven of the eight hypotheses selected for the hypothetical model were statistically significant. The predictors of symptom management, symptom management confidence and social support together explained 32% of the variance in quality of life. The 28% of variance in symptom management was explained by symptom recognition, heart failure knowledge and symptom management confidence. The 4% of variance in symptom management confidence was explained by social support. CONCLUSION: The hypothetical model of this study was confirmed to be adequate in explaining and predicting quality of life among patients with heart failure through symptom management. Effective strategies to improve quality of life among patients with heart failure should focus on symptom management. Symptom management can be enhanced by providing educational programs, encouraging social support and confidence, consequently improving quality of life among this population.
Aged ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Heart Failure/*psychology ; Humans ; Male ; Models, Theoretical ; *Quality of Life ; Self Care ; Self Concept ; Social Support ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study explored the relationships among obesity, bone mineral density, and cardiovascular risks in post-menopausal women. METHODS: One hundred post-menopausal women were recruited via convenience sampling from osteoporosis prevention program participants who were living in a metropolitan city in September 2006. Obesity was evaluated by body mass index, bone mineral density measured by DEXA scan, and cardiovascular risk factors assessed by a guideline of American Heart Association. RESULTS: Seventy-two percent of women were either in the osteopenia or osteoporosis group, while 28% were in normal range in lumbar vertebrae. Obese women had greater bone mineral density in lumbar (F=3.31, p=.040) and femur (F=4.72, p=.011). Variables for cardiovascular risks were significantly different for high density lipoprotein (F=7.51, p=.001), systolic blood pressure (F=5.21, p=.007), and in percent of 10-year cardiovascular disease risk according to obesity. CONCLUSION: Post-menopausal women are at risk for obesity, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease. In order to prevent these conditions, nursing interventions such as resistance and aerobic exercise that reduces body weight and bone loss, increases high density lipoprotein, and reduces systolic blood pressure, should be proposed continually through health promotion programs for postmenopausal women.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; American Heart Association ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Bone Density ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Exercise ; Female ; Femur ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Lipoproteins ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Menopause ; Obesity ; Osteoporosis ; Reference Values ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: This study explored the relationships among obesity, bone mineral density, and cardiovascular risks in post-menopausal women. METHODS: One hundred post-menopausal women were recruited via convenience sampling from osteoporosis prevention program participants who were living in a metropolitan city in September 2006. Obesity was evaluated by body mass index, bone mineral density measured by DEXA scan, and cardiovascular risk factors assessed by a guideline of American Heart Association. RESULTS: Seventy-two percent of women were either in the osteopenia or osteoporosis group, while 28% were in normal range in lumbar vertebrae. Obese women had greater bone mineral density in lumbar (F=3.31, p=.040) and femur (F=4.72, p=.011). Variables for cardiovascular risks were significantly different for high density lipoprotein (F=7.51, p=.001), systolic blood pressure (F=5.21, p=.007), and in percent of 10-year cardiovascular disease risk according to obesity. CONCLUSION: Post-menopausal women are at risk for obesity, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease. In order to prevent these conditions, nursing interventions such as resistance and aerobic exercise that reduces body weight and bone loss, increases high density lipoprotein, and reduces systolic blood pressure, should be proposed continually through health promotion programs for postmenopausal women.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; American Heart Association ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Bone Density ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Exercise ; Female ; Femur ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Lipoproteins ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Menopause ; Obesity ; Osteoporosis ; Reference Values ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: The study was to examine the effect of lumbar stabilization exercise on back pain, physical fitness, sleep, and depression in middle-aged women who have chronic back pain. METHODS: With one group pre-post test design, 18 subjects who have had more than 6 months of back pain were recruited by convenience sampling in D metropolitan area. Lumbar stabilization exercise was based on Tai Chi for back pain program developed by Lam(2003). This program was mainly focusing on strengthening lumbar stabilizing muscle for one hour per session, twice a week for 20 weeks. Degree of back pain, back pain disability, sleep, and depression were measured at three time points(pretest, 12 weeks, and 20 weeks) by a structured study questionnaire. Physical fitness variables including waist flexibility, mobility, and back muscle strength were measured three times at health promotion center located in the university hospital. Data were analyzed by frequency, descriptive statistics, and repeated measures of ANOVA. RESULTS: Mean age of subjects was 52 years(SD = 6.4). Most of them(90%) had suffered from back pain more than one year and 67% was taking medicine to relieve their back pain. Results showed that back pain score and disability score were not significantly decreased after the exercise. On physical fitness variables, however, waist flexibility(F = 3.50, p = .04) and mobility(F = 3.31, p = .04) were improved after the exercise. Quality of sleep(F = 4.48, p = .03) was improved gradually and depression scores were also decreased(F = 3.12, p = .05) after the exercise. CONCLUSION: This lumbar stabilization exercise was not able to reduce chronic back pain, but could improve physical fitness and psycho-social variables for community dwelling women who have chronic back pain. Further study is needed to replicate this exercise with control group to confirm the positive effect.
Back Pain ; Depression ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Female ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Muscle Strength ; Muscles ; Physical Fitness ; Pliability ; Tai Ji ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The study was to examine the effect of lumbar stabilization exercise on back pain, physical fitness, sleep, and depression in middle-aged women who have chronic back pain. METHODS: With one group pre-post test design, 18 subjects who have had more than 6 months of back pain were recruited by convenience sampling in D metropolitan area. Lumbar stabilization exercise was based on Tai Chi for back pain program developed by Lam(2003). This program was mainly focusing on strengthening lumbar stabilizing muscle for one hour per session, twice a week for 20 weeks. Degree of back pain, back pain disability, sleep, and depression were measured at three time points(pretest, 12 weeks, and 20 weeks) by a structured study questionnaire. Physical fitness variables including waist flexibility, mobility, and back muscle strength were measured three times at health promotion center located in the university hospital. Data were analyzed by frequency, descriptive statistics, and repeated measures of ANOVA. RESULTS: Mean age of subjects was 52 years(SD = 6.4). Most of them(90%) had suffered from back pain more than one year and 67% was taking medicine to relieve their back pain. Results showed that back pain score and disability score were not significantly decreased after the exercise. On physical fitness variables, however, waist flexibility(F = 3.50, p = .04) and mobility(F = 3.31, p = .04) were improved after the exercise. Quality of sleep(F = 4.48, p = .03) was improved gradually and depression scores were also decreased(F = 3.12, p = .05) after the exercise. CONCLUSION: This lumbar stabilization exercise was not able to reduce chronic back pain, but could improve physical fitness and psycho-social variables for community dwelling women who have chronic back pain. Further study is needed to replicate this exercise with control group to confirm the positive effect.
Back Pain ; Depression ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Female ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Muscle Strength ; Muscles ; Physical Fitness ; Pliability ; Tai Ji ; Surveys and Questionnaires