PURPOSE: This study was an analysis of the relationship between perception for appraisal of staff nurses in operating rooms and performance and organizational commitment. METHOD: The survey was conducted with 176 staff nurses in operating rooms in 2 hospitals in Seoul. Data were analyzed using frequency, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, and stepwise multiple regression. RESULT: 1. Perception for appraisal including accuracy and justice was significantly related to organizational commitment (r=.496, P=.000). Perception for appraisal including accuracy and justice was slightly related to performance (r=.220, P=.003). 2. In order to determine the percentage of the variance of performance and organizational commitment that could be predicted by perception for appraisal, perception for appraisal was entered in the regression equation. Accuracy accounted for 25% of the variance in the organizational commitment. To determine the percentage of the variance of performance that could be predicted by perception for appraisal and organizational commitment, the perception for appraisal and organizational commitment were entered in the regression equation. Organizational commitment accounted for 21% of the variance in the performance. Consequently accuracy predicted organizational commitment. Organizational commitment predicted performance. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate the need to increase accuracy of performance appraisal to promote organizational commitment and performance in perioperative nurses.
Operating Rooms ; Social Justice

Judging the medical disputes which has been rapidly increasing recently, doctors' neglecting the obligatory explanation of medical practice has been the hot issues. Accordingly, medical practitioners are to have a growing concern about the Obligatory Explanation of Medical Practice. The key point of legal judgement on the Obligatory Explanation of Medical Practice is whether or not it would be enough in contents and appropriate in nature. As the patients have got more and more taken interest in the right to know and right of self determination in the practice of medicine, the importance of obligatory explanation of the diseases and the medical treatments, particularly invasive operations, which would be given to the patients could not be overemphasized in the present society. By the reflections of the present medical environment, trend of adjudicating the medical dispute in the court of justice shows that the doctors should give the detailed explanations of medical practice which would be given to the patients lest the right to know and right of self determination of the patients should not be violated. The Obligatory Explanation of Medical Practice is not only the way of protecting the right to know and right of self determination of the patients but also, in a way, the best means of mutual understanding and communication between patients and doctors which could guarantee the necessary environment for the good medical practices. In addition, satisfiable human relationship between patients and doctors which would be formed through the process of The Obligatory Explanation of Medical Practice could work as the excellent methods of the preparation for preventing and solving the medical disputes during or after the medical practices.
Dissent and Disputes ; Humans ; Personal Autonomy ; Social Justice

PURPOSE: This study attempted to analyze problems of informed consent in the clinical setting and appraise ethical aspects inherent in such issues in order to boost awareness of informed consent and its implementation among healthcare professionals. METHODS: Study methods included identifying ethical meanings of informed consent in the clinical setting based on the principal ethics, and exploring the process of informed consent utilizing communicative ethics and feminine care ethics RESULTS: The ethical basis of informed consent encompasses not only respect for autonomy but also prohibiting malice, practicing beneficience, and establishing justice. These principles, however, are limited in illustrating the ethical aspects of communicative ethics and care ethics that are entailed in informed consent within clinical settings. The ethical meaning of informed consent involves a communicative and caring process between healthcare professionals, patients, and family built on mutual respect. CONCLUSION: Healthcare professionals must fully understand the ethical meanings of informed consent and in turn respect and protect the clients' right to know and making decisions. Nurses especially, must take on the role of mediator and advocate throughout the process of obtaining informed consent, and practice ethical caring by facilitating communication grounded in mutual understanding among the physician, patient, and family members.
Delivery of Health Care ; Ethics ; Humans ; Informed Consent* ; Social Justice

All medical researches concentrate primarily on advances of medical knowledge and strategies for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. However, since most of the medical researches are being carried out on human subjects, they often pose ethical problems. Clinical investigations from which the human subjects involved may not derive any personal benefits include studies of physiological function in health or disease, investigations of new drugs, and the trial of new procedures. This paper discusses the ethical problems associated with medical researches, especially clinical investigations involving human subjects directly or indirectly. One general principle that has been wildly accepted is that patients or volunteers involved in the clinical investigations should be fully informed about the experiment in which they participate. However, ethical problems in those clinical investigations should be evaluated by the three major biomedical ethical principles, or the principle of autonomy, the principle of beneficence, and the principle of justice. This paper also presents the 'Helsinki Declaration' advocated by the World Medical Association in 1964 and revised thereafter several times as a practical guideline for the ethics of medical research.
Beneficence ; Diagnosis ; Ethics* ; Helsinki Declaration ; Humans ; Social Justice ; Volunteers

The purpose of this study was to review the tendency of the Supreme Court's test for death from overwork (so called 'Karoshi'). Using inner-network of court, we analyzed judicial tests from 2000 to 2010, associated with claimed death from overwork and/or psychological stress. Judicial tests were classified according to the clarification of cause of death and preexisting diseases. Through analyzing relevantly the tests for death from overwork, the authors found that many tests have emphasized the necessity of forensic autopsy to elucidate the proper casual relationship between death and overexertion. This study also shows recent changes in judicial tests based on the latest medical knowledge. Therefore, it is suggested that social issue on forensic autopsy system need to recall Korean society to establish the clarification of the proper casual relationship associated with death from work as well as social justice.
Autopsy ; Cause of Death ; Death, Sudden ; Social Justice ; Stress, Psychological

Under conditions of contemporary medicine, organ transplantation is only possible when organs are donated, meaning that the donated organ works both as a scarce resource and for public good. Therefore, the allocation of donated organs should be processed under full justice and must maximize medical utility as well. For the last 15 years, we have been striving for fair allocation of donated organs, and, due to the development of the medical environment, a few alterations of the procedure are required. Here are some suggestions to improve kidney allocation in Korea.
Kidney Transplantation ; Kidney* ; Korea ; Organ Transplantation ; Social Justice ; Transplants

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted in order to evaluate the effects of inhalants on color vision impairment. METHODS: The inhalation group consisted of 81 neurotoxic chemical substance abusers at Bugok National Hospital and Institute of Forensic Psychiatry, Ministry of Justice. The control group consisted of 41 employees of Bugok National Hospital. The Lanthony D-15 desaturated hue test was administered to both groups. For the qualitative analysis, we classified the results by the morphological characteristics of color vision impairment. For the quantitative analysis, we calculated the total color distance score (TCDS) and the color confusion index (CCI) and determined that the individual was abnormal if the TCDS was over 65.0 or the CCI was over 1.25. RESULTS: The TCDS of the inhalation group was 75.58+/-21.07 and the CCI was 1.34+/-0.37 in the right eye, and 75.47+/-23.63 and 1.34+/-0.42, respectively in the left eye. These results are higher than those found for the control group. In regards to the TCDS, 50 (61.8%) of the abusers in the inhalation group had color vision impairment in the right eye and 48 (59.2%) had impairment in the left eye. 11 (26.8%) of the employees in the control group had color vision impairment in the right eye and 13 (31.7%) had impairment in the left eye. In regards to the CCI, 38 (46.9%) of the abusers in the inhalation group had color vision impairment in the right eye and 35 (43.2%) had impairment in the left eye. 4 (9.8%) of the employees in the control group had color vision impairment in the right eye and 7 (17.0%) had impairment in the left eye. The results of multiple logistic regression analysis for acquired color vision impairment showed that the inhalation period (OR=1.20, 95% CI: 1.03~1.40) was the significant variable. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that the inhalation of neurotoxic substances may impair the color vision, and the period inhaled with neurotoxic substances is significant variable affecting on the acquired color vision impairment.
Color Vision ; Eye ; Forensic Psychiatry ; Inhalation ; Logistic Models ; Social Justice

The practice of medicine today is beset with unprecedented challenges which include public distrust in medical profession, increasing market force and strengthened management. Recently medical professional societies in UK & USA are overcoming these challenges in the way that medical professionalism is modernized in a changing society. They set 'a physician charter' and new definition of medical professionalism as a partnership. The principles of new medical professionalism are patient welfare, patient autonomy and social justice. It describes doctors' commitment to integrity, compassion, altruism, continuous improvement, excellence, working in partnership, just distribution of finite resources, maintaining trust by managing conflicts of interest and others. New professionalism support improvement of health care system for the welfare of society and the collective human dignity. Experience of rebuilding medical professionalism in UK and USA will give a lesson to Korean medical profession when they seek for solution to restore public confidence and take the leadership in Korean healthcare system.
Altruism ; Delivery of Health Care ; Empathy ; Humans ; Leadership ; Personhood ; Social Justice

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to introduce the concept of health inequalities, and to discuss the underlying assumptions and ethical backgrounds associated with the issue, as well as the theoretical and practical implications of health inequalities. METHODS: Based on a review of the literature, we summarize the concepts of health inequalities and inequities and discuss the underlying assumptions and ethical backgrounds associated with these issues from the view of social justice theory. We then discuss the theoretical and practical implications of health inequalities. RESULTS: Health inequality involves ethical considerations, such as judgments on fairness, and it could provide a sensitive barometer to reflect the fairness of social arrangements. Discussion on health inequalities could deepen our understanding of the social etiology of health and provide a basis for the development of comprehensive and integrative social policies. CONCLUSIONS: Health equity is not a social goal in and of itself, but should be considered as a part of a broader effort to seek social justice.
*Health Status Disparities ; Humans ; Korea ; Public Health/*ethics ; *Social Justice

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of job stress, team cohesion, organizational justice and workplace bullying among Korean general hospitals nurses.METHODS: During December 2016 and January, 2017, a survey of 198 nurses was done using structured self-administered questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple linear regression analysis.RESULTS: The prevalence of bullying was 12.1%. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis revealed that task cohesion (β=−.20, p=.040) as a sub-factor of team cohesion and job stress (β=.19, p=.047) were predictive of workplace bullying (Adj. R²=.11, p < .001).CONCLUSION: These results suggest that team cohesion and job stress are associated with workplace bullying by nurses. Building a well-organized management plan which reduces job stress and promotes team cohesion is recommended for the registered nurses.
Bullying ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Nurses ; Prevalence ; Social Justice