We report a case of solitary congenital calcified nodule of the ear in a 1-year-old female. The lesion was a 2 X 2mm-sized, elevated, slightly erythematous and whitish-centered nodule located since birth on the superior helical rim of her left ear. Histopathological findings fram the totally excised lesion showed calcium deposits as amorphous, basophilic masses in the upper dermis and focal discharge of calcium by means of transepidermal elimination. Surrounding the calcium deposits, lymphohistiocytic infiltrations were present.
Basophils ; Calcium ; Dermis ; Ear* ; Female ; Humans ; Parturition

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the effects of simulation integrated with problem based learning (S-PBL) according to the sequences of problem-based learning (PBL) and high fidelity simulation training (HFS) on knowledge, clinical performance, clinical judgment, self-confidence, and satisfaction in fourth-grade nursing students. METHODS: In this randomized crossover design study, four S-PBLs on medical-surgical nursing were applied alternatively to two randomly-assigned groups of 26 senior nursing students for 8 weeks. The collected data were analyzed using an independent t-test. RESULTS: The method of administering PBL prior to HFS led to significantly higher scores on knowledge (t=2.28, p=.025) as compared to the method of administering HFS prior to PBL. However, the latter method led to significantly higher scores on clinical performance (t=−6.49, p < .001) and clinical judgment (t=−4.71, p < .001) as compared to the method of administering PBL prior to HFS. There were no differences in the effect of the two methods on self-confidence (t=1.53, p=.128) and satisfaction (t=1.28, p=.202). CONCLUSION: The integration sequences of S-PBL was associated with different learning outcomes. Therefore, when implementing S-PBL, it is necessary to consider the educational goal to executes an appropriate sequence of integration.
Cross-Over Studies ; Humans ; Judgment ; Learning ; Medical-Surgical Nursing ; Methods ; Nursing Education Research ; Nursing ; Problem-Based Learning ; Simulation Training ; Students, Nursing

Purpose: This study examined the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the Self-Care in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Inventory (SC-COPDI) and the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Self-Care Self-Efficacy Scale (SCES-COPD). The SC-COPDI consists of the Self-Care Maintenance Scale (SCMES), Self-Care Monitoring Scale (SCMOS), and Self-Care Management Scale (SCMAS). Methods: The original tool was translated using a back-translation process. Participants were 241 patients with COPD at the Chonnam National University Hospital in Korea. The construct validity was verified through confirmatory factor analysis, and reliability was verified using Cronbach’s α. Results: The SCMES consisted of 10 items of three factors―one of four factors was deleted from the original tool. In the SC-MOS, there were six items of two factors after two items were deleted from the original tool. The SCMAS consisted of the original 10 items of three factors. The SCES-COPD consisted of six items of two factors, with one item removed from the original tool. The model fit indices of all tools were good, and the construct validity was confirmed. Cronbach’s α of SCMES was .72, SCMOS was .90, SCMAS was .81, and SCES-COPD was .85. Conclusion The Korean version of SC-COPDI and SCES-COPD are valid and reliable instruments for measuring selfcare in people with COPD. These instruments can be used in self-care studies of COPD patients in Korea.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the effects of simulation integrated with problem based learning (S-PBL) according to the sequences of problem-based learning (PBL) and high fidelity simulation training (HFS) on knowledge, clinical performance, clinical judgment, self-confidence, and satisfaction in fourth-grade nursing students. METHODS: In this randomized crossover design study, four S-PBLs on medical-surgical nursing were applied alternatively to two randomly-assigned groups of 26 senior nursing students for 8 weeks. The collected data were analyzed using an independent t-test. RESULTS: The method of administering PBL prior to HFS led to significantly higher scores on knowledge (t=2.28, p=.025) as compared to the method of administering HFS prior to PBL. However, the latter method led to significantly higher scores on clinical performance (t=−6.49, p < .001) and clinical judgment (t=−4.71, p < .001) as compared to the method of administering PBL prior to HFS. There were no differences in the effect of the two methods on self-confidence (t=1.53, p=.128) and satisfaction (t=1.28, p=.202). CONCLUSION The integration sequences of S-PBL was associated with different learning outcomes. Therefore, when implementing S-PBL, it is necessary to consider the educational goal to executes an appropriate sequence of integration.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the knowledge structure of health information (HI) for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: Keywords or meaningful morphemes from HI presented on five health-related websites (HRWs) of one national HI institute and four hospitals, as well as HI needs among patients presented in nine literature, were reviewed, refined, and analyzed using text network analysis and their co-occurrence matrix was generated. Two networks of 61 and 35 keywords, respectively, were analyzed for degree, closeness, and betweenness centrality, as well as betweenness community analysis. Results: The most common keywords pertaining to HI on HRWs were lung, inhaler, smoking, dyspnea, and infection, focusing COPD treatment. In contrast, HI needs among patients were lung, medication, support, symptom, and smoking cessation, expanding to disease management. Two common sub-topic groups in HI on HRWs were COPD overview and medication administration, whereas three common sub-topic groups in HI needs among patients in the literature were COPD overview, self-management, and emotional management. Conclusion The knowledge structure of HI on HRWs is medically oriented, while patients need supportive information. Thus, the support system for self-management and emotional management on HRWs must be informed according to the structure of patients’ needs for HI. Healthcare providers should consider presenting COPD patient-centered information on HRWs.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although interferon-a(IFNa) is currently the most effective antiviral agent for treating patients with chronic hepatitis C, its efficacy is not always reliable. Factors suggested to infruence outcome of IFN-a therapy for chronic hepatitis C are histological activity, level of viremia and HCV genotype, etc. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between several pretreatment factors and response to IFN-a therapy in patients with chronic HCV infection. METHODS: Fifty-four patients with chronic HCV infection(47 with chronic hepatitis and 7 with liver cirrhosis) who received IFN-a(2a or 2b) therapy(3 6 MU, three times a week, for 3 12 months) were included. Level of serum HCV RNA(50 patients), HCV genotype(27 patients) and IgM anti- HCV(21 patients) during pretreatment period were assayed. RESULTS: Overall, 19(35%) subjects achieved sustained response(SR), 12(22%) had transient response(TR) and 23(43%) did not respond (nonresponse;NR). Mean age of patients with SR, TR and NR was 46+ 10, 51+ 7.5 and 54+ 9.7 years, respectively(p<0.05 between SR and NR). Among 30 patients with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis, 13(43%) achieved SR;but only one(14%) in 7 patients with liver cirrhosis. Mean serum HCV RNA level(X10' copies/ml) was higher in nonresponders(7,7+ 13.0) compared with SR(2.3+ 2. 7) or TR(3.1+ 4.9), although statistically insignificant HCV genotyping in 27 patients revealed type la in 5(18.5%), 1b in 14(52%), 2a in 5(18.5%), 2b in 1(3.7%) and 4 in 2(7%), respectively. In non-1b patients, SR rate was significantly higher than 1b patients(69.2% vs. 21.4%, p=0.03). Although IgM anti-HCV was positive in 12(57%) among 21 patients studied, the positive rate and the titer of IgM anti-HCV was not significantly different in three groups. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that in patients with chronic hepatitis C, infection with genotype 1b, old age, high serum HCV RNA level and the presence of cirrhosis would predict poor response to IFN therapy.
Fibrosis ; Genotype ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Interferons* ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; RNA ; Viremia

PURPOSE: Gamma knife radiosurgery (GKR) requires frame positioning because the treatment target should be as close as possible to the center of the frame. The purpose of this study was to identify the level of pin-fixing (PFP) and removal pain (PRP), and the associated factors with the pain undergoing GKR. METHODS: A total of 116 patients who underwent GKR for their brain tumor were recruited from C University hospital located in H city, J province. The level of pain was measured by the 10 cm VAS. RESULTS: The level of PFP and PRP were 6.36 and 3.26 points, respectively. Step-wise multiple regressions found that the group who have not perceived numbness after applying 5% EMLA cream was the highest associated factor with PFP, following the time from lidocaine injection to pin-fixation, which explained 21% of total variance of the level of PFP. On the other hand, a group who did not perceive numbness after applying 10% lidocaine spray was the highest factor with PRP, among female patients, which explained 27% of total variance of the level of PRP. CONCLUSION: Both of PFP and PRP of the stereotactic frame were moderate so that nurses should consider diverse strategies to reduce pain among patients undergoing gamma knife radiosurgery.
Brain Neoplasms ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Lidocaine ; Precipitating Factors ; Radiosurgery*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between the practice environment of nursing and the critical thinking disposition of clinical nurses in local general hospitals. METHODS: A convenience sample of 468 registered nurses was obtained from three local general hospitals. Data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire during November, 2012. The survey tools were the K-PES-NWI verified by Cho et al (2011) and the critical thinking disposition instrument developed by Yoon (2004). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA with Scheffe test and multiple regression with SPSS/WIN 18.0. RESULTS: The mean score for practice environment of nursing was 3.3+/-0.4 and for critical thinking disposition, 2.3+/-0.4. There were statistically significant differences in critical thinking disposition according to age, education, length of career, current position, and marital status. In multivariate analysis, factors related to critical thinking disposition were collegial nurse-physician relations and education level. CONCLUSION: The results of the study indicate that collegial nurse-physician relations in the nursing practice environment are related to nurses' critical thinking disposition, and thus, it is important to improve the practice environment as well using individual approaches including on-the-job training to improve nurses' critical thinking disposition.
Education ; Hospitals, General* ; Inservice Training ; Marital Status ; Multivariate Analysis ; Nursing* ; Physician-Nurse Relations ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Thinking*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of nurses' psycho-social health and social support from colleagues on patient caring ability. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey design was used and the participants in this study were 422 nurses from 3 general hospitals. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis with the SAS 9.4 program. RESULTS: Total mean score for psychosocial health was 3.15±0.57, for social support from colleagues, 3.43±0.55, and for caring ability, 4.04±0.53. Psychosocial health, social support from colleagues, and married status were identified as significant factors influencing patient caring ability. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study indicate that psychosocial health and social support from colleagues are related to patient caring ability, and thus, to improve nurses' caring ability for patient and for self, it is important to create a work environment that keeps nurses healthy and promotes collaboration with colleagues.
Cooperative Behavior ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Empathy* ; Hospitals, General ; Humans

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to identify and compare the characteristics of cancer patients and cancer survivors. METHODS: This study used data from the Korea National and Health Nutrition Examination Survey (2010~2015), conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This study included 455 cancer patients and 567 cancer survivors. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-tests, and χ2. RESULTS: Cancer survivors were less compliant compared to cancer patients in drinking frequency (χ2=13.12, p ≤.001), drinking volume (χ2=13.35, p=.001) and cancer screening tests (χ2=4.79, p=.029). Cancer patients showed higher body weight change compared to cancer survivors (χ2=7.37, p=.025). There was no difference in quality of life (QoL) between the two groups (t=1.38, p=.169). CONCLUSION: This study indicates that cancer survivors have poor living habits and no improvement in QoL compared to cancer patients. Oncology nurses should pay attention to cancer survivors compliance of living habits to prevent secondary cancer and to improve their QoL.
Body Weight Changes ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Compliance ; Drinking ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Korea ; Quality of Life ; Survivors*