PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate how nurses who take care of terminal patients perceive fluid therapy and how this therapy is currently being used in hospitals. METHODS: This survey included 200 nurses, 87 of whom were working in the oncology units of 3 university hospitals in Seoul, Korea, and 113 were working in 18 hospice centers. The data for this study were collected by means of structured questionnaires and analyzed by using the Statistical Analysis System software. The differences in perception towards fluid therapy between nurses working in oncology units and those working in hospice centers were examined using the chi-square test and analysis of covariance. RESULTS: Fluid therapy was perceived more negatively by the nurses from hospice centers than by those from oncology units. Continuous subcutaneous infusion was used in hospice centers, but not in oncology units. In addition, the average amount of fluid infused daily differed significantly between the oncology units and hospice centers. CONCLUSION: Our results show that there were differences in the perception towards fluid therapy between nurses in different clinical settings. Nurses caring for terminal and palliative care patients should not simply provide or withhold fluid therapy, but rather develop a wider range of views on fluid therapy, focusing on effective alternative interventions.
Fluid Therapy ; Hospices ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Infusions, Subcutaneous ; Korea ; Palliative Care ; Terminally Ill ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify characteristics of patients who were recipients of decision-making DNR, to describe the situations of DNR, and to analyze the APACHE III and MOF scores. METHOD: Data collection was conducted through reviews of medical records of 51 patients and through interviews with families of patients who were decision-makers for DNR at C university K Hospital located in Seoul from April to September 2002. RESULTS: The men's APACHE III and MOF scores were higher than the women's and the non cancer patients were higher than cancer patients. Some 80.4% of DNR orders was by communication, while 11.8% of consents were written. Each of APACHE III and MOF scores of patients in the intensive care unit was higher than the patients in general ward at both points of admission and decision-making of DNR. APACHE III and MOF scores positively correlated statistically with each other. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that APACHE III and MOF scores be useful for decision-making of DNR as a tool measuring severity.
APACHE* ; Data Collection ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Medical Records ; Patients' Rooms ; Seoul

The purpose of this study was to identify the effect on improvement of the Activity of Daily Living (ADL) and decrease the cognitive function and agitation behaviors by reminiscence with audio-visual stimulation for senile dementia. The quasi-experimental design was used in this study. Subjects were 26 with mild senile dementia who were cared for at a Day Care Center for Dementia in Seoul. The data were collected from March to July, 1999. Subjects were divided into three groups: Control I group with 10 subjects, reminiscence group(Control II group with 8 subjects), and reminiscence with audio-visual stimulation group(experimental group with 8 subjects). The Control I group got routine care as usual. Control II group participated in reminiscence sessions for one hour a day, five times a week , for a period of 4 weeks. The experimental group participated in reminiscence with audio-visual stimulation sessions for one hour a day, five times a week, for a period of 4 weeks. Instruments of this study were color photography with sound that was developed through an open questionnaire about events, objects, humans in action and animals that 100 Korean elderly over 60 would like to memorize. This was referred from the Sensory Stimuli Package by Namazi and Haynes(1994). The effects of treatment was evaluated through MMSE-K by Kwon & Park(1989). Also the Brief Cognitive Rating Scale(BCRS) by Reisberg et al(1983) for the cognitive function, through Agitation Inventory by Cohen- Mansfield and Colleague(1989) for behavioral response and through the Rapid Disability Rating Scale-2(RDRS-2) by Linn & Linn(1982) for the activity of daily living respectively. Data analysis was done using SPSS for X2-test, ANOVA, repeated measures ANOVA. The results were as follows : 1. Reminiscence with audio-visual stimulation did not improve cognitive function for senile dementia, but significantly improved verbal expression, the subscale of cognitive function. 2. Reminiscence with audio-visual stimulation reduced agitation behavior of experimental group significantly, but there was no significant difference between groups. 3. Reminiscence with audio-visual stimulation did not significantly effect the activity of daily living after treatment. In conclusion, it was shown that the reminiscence with audio-visual stimulation was an effective therapy to improve verbal expression and to reduce agitation behaviors of senile dementia. Further research with more indepth approach is needed, considering characteristic and level individualized for each senile dementia.
Aged ; Alzheimer Disease* ; Animals ; Day Care, Medical ; Dementia ; Dihydroergotamine ; Humans ; Photography ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Seoul ; Statistics as Topic

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to determine the risk factors among patients with depression with Crohn's disease. METHODS: Data were collected by questionnaire from 276 patients who were diagnosed with Crohn's disease at a tertiary hospital located in Seoul. Measurements included patients' demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, depression level, and health-related quality of life. Data were analyzed using t-test, chi2-test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The incidence rate of depression (BDI-II> or =14scores) was 31.9% (n=88). Univariate analysis revealed that being a woman, school graduation status, economic status (low), BMI(<18.5Kg/m2), disease duration (> or =3 years), CDAI (> or =150 scores), frequency of hospital admission (> or =2), extra-intestinal manifestation (arthralgia, stomatitis), administration of 5-aminosalicylic acid, and disease related quality of life (SIBDQ<50 scores) were associated with depression. Multivariate analysis revealed that economic status (low), school graduation status, and quality of life (SIBDQ<50 scores) were more likely to report high level of depression. CONCLUSION: Future research should consider managing depression as an essential component of comprehensive care for patients with Crohn's disease. In addition, further research is needed to develop strategies to better improve quality of life among patients with Crohn's disease who are depressed.
Adult ; Arthralgia/etiology ; Body Mass Index ; Crohn Disease/complications/drug therapy/*psychology ; *Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Mesalamine/therapeutic use ; Quality of Life ; Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Stomatitis/etiology ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the stress and the coping strategies in breast cancer patients and their spouses. METHODS: The stress level was measured by the Stress Questionnaire of Andersson & Albertsson (2000). The coping strategies were measured by the modified Lazarus & Folkman's Ways of Coping Questionnaire. The data were collected by a survey sampling 49 couples from one hospital in Seoul. The data were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA and paired t-test. RESULTS: There was no significant differences between the stress level of breast cancer patients and their spouses. The problem-focused coping of breast cancer patients was significant higher than their spouses. The cancer patients and their spouses used problem-focused coping mode more than emotion-focused coping mode. In the problem-focused coping mode, breast cancer patients used two coping strategies - 'seeking information' and 'cognitive reconstruction' - significantly more than their spouses. In emotion-focused coping mode, the breast cancer patients used one coping strategy, 'emotional expression', significantly more than the their spouses. CONCLUSION: Further study needs to attempt to develop nursing interventions that could improve positive coping strategies.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Family Characteristics ; Humans ; Spouses ; Stress, Psychological ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to understand factors that influence post-traumatic stress (PTS) in Korean forensic science investigators. METHODS: A total of 111 forensic science investigators were recruited in Korea. PTS was measured using the tool modified by Choi (2001) from the original developed by Foa, Riggs, Dancu, and Rothbaum (1993) based on DSM-IV. Factors influencing PTS included demographic and job-related characteristics, emotional intelligence, and death anxiety. RESULTS: PTS scores were positively correlated with personality type, fatigue from work, and death anxiety. PTS scores were negatively correlated with length of career as a forensic science investigator and emotional intelligence. The factors that had the greatest influence on PTS were death anxiety, years spent as a forensic science investigator, personality type, emotional intelligence, fatigue, and homicide experience. The explanatory power of these six factors was 44.0%. CONCLUSION: Therefore, it is necessary to regularly evaluate the mental health of those who are vulnerable to PTS. Based on these results, various interventions could be implemented for promoting overall health of the forensic science investigators.
Anxiety ; Attitude to Death ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Emotional Intelligence ; Fatigue ; Forensic Sciences* ; Homicide ; Humans ; Korea ; Mental Health ; Research Personnel* ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

No abstract available.
Diagnosis* ; DNA*

PURPOSE: This study identifies degree of awareness and legal knowledge about overall abuse and violence, and investigates attitudes towards domestic violence in emergency nurses. METHODS: The data collection period was between August and December 2012 for 131 nurses who worked in the emergency center of five hospitals in South Korea. This study surveyed emergency nurses about the recognition of abuse and violence, the legal knowledge of abuse and violence, and the attitudes towards domestic violence. RESULTS: This study showed that approximately 60.0% of participants experienced incidents of suspected abuse or violence, but the reporting rates were low. Of all the participants, 70.2% knew that they must report the discovery of abuse or violent incidents, but 45.0% did not know that if someone who had duty to report but did not report that he/she had a legal responsibility. Most emergency nurses agreed that "even if the domestic violence is severe it should not be suggested to victims that they run away, leaving children at home", and "perpetrators are patients who need treatment." CONCLUSIONS: Appropriate awareness about abuse and violence, and systematic education are required for emergency nurses so that they can provide appropriate interventions.
Adult ; *Attitude of Health Personnel ; *Domestic Violence ; Emergency Nursing ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; *Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Nurses/*psychology ; Nursing Staff, Hospital/*psychology ; Republic of Korea ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: The study was conducted to survey intensive care unit nurse's knowledge, nursing performance, and stress involving delirium. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 278 nurses from three hospitals in Seoul, who had worked at the intensive care unit more than six months. Data were collected using questionnaire from December, 2005 to January, 2006. RESULTS: The mean score of knowledge about delirium was 31.60 out of 50 and it was significantly lower among those with clinical experience of 12-35 months and 60-119 months and those who didn't experience conflicts with patients' families. The mean score of nursing performance for delirium was 16.10 out of 23, and it was significantly higher among those who took care of 2 patients. The mean score of stress related to delirium was 63.92 out of 100, and it was significantly higher among those aged over 40, nurses who were university graduates, nurses who experienced conflicts with patients' families, and nurses who took care of 5 patients. CONCLUSION: We need to develop systematic education programs in charge of patients with delirium.
Delirium* ; Education ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units* ; Critical Care* ; Nursing* ; Seoul ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No Abstract available.
Cross Infection* ; Korea*