PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to show a relationship between health perception and health promoting behaviors in chronic low back pain patients. METHOD: The subjects for this study were 213 persons who the visited hospital with low back pain-related problems. RESULTS: The higher the levelof the health perception in chronic back pain patients was the higher the rate of the practice of health promoting behaviors (r=0.393, p<.001). The health perception T score was 50.00+/-10.00. As for health promoting behaviors, the T score was 49.99+/-10.00. The subscale of the highest mean score was interpersonal support (2.96+/-0.64) and the subscale of the lowest mean score was exercise (2.13+/-0.99). CONCLUSION: This study showed that chronic low back pain patients had a lower level of perception of their health, and their practice to improve their health was not enough. Therefore, nurses should educate and encourage chronic low back pain patients in proper exercises and correct posture to strengthen and maintain lumbar extension muscle power.
Adult ; Chronic Disease ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; *Health Behavior ; *Health Promotion ; Health Status ; Health Status Indicators ; Humans ; Low Back Pain/diagnosis/*psychology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Self Concept

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the influencing factors on the single and recurrent falls in community-dwelling older women. METHODS: Seventy eight volunteers aged over 65 were included in the study. The participants experienced at least one fall within the past one year. Data were measured on each participant from May 2007 to September 2007, collected using structured researcher-administered sheets and measuring their physical strengths and analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of recurrent falls were 53.8%. The level of education(Z = -2.455, p = .014) and the presence of spouse(chi-square = 4.843, p = .044) showed significant differences between the single-fall group and the recurrent-fall group in the study. Significantly predicting factor on the recurrent falls was the level of education and the variable explained 20.1% of variants in the occurrence of recurrent falls. CONCLUSION: Although a variety of factors affected the single fall in the elderly women, the level of education and the presence of spouse proved to be the significant factors in their recurrent falls. These factors proven to be significant as the result of this should be reflected in the development of effective programs for preventing the elderly from recurrent falls.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Prevalence ; Spouses

PURPOSE: Recently, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have become one of the major nosocomial pathogens in Korea. However, there have been few studies on the epidemiology of VRE colonization among neonates. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of VRE colonization, risk factors for VRE, and how to control the spread of VRE infection in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Pusan National University Hospital (PNUH). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 192 neonates who were admitted to the NICU of PNUH from March 2006 to March 2007. Surveillance cultures from rectal swabs for detecting VRE were obtained weekly during the study period. We analyzed the prevalence of VRE and various risk factors. RESULTS: The rate of VRE colonization among NICU patients was 25% (48/192). Thirty five of these VRE colonized patients were transferred to the NICU from other local hospitals. Compared with the non-VRE group, the risk factors associated with VRE colonization were lower birth weight, congenital heart disease, applied mechanical ventilation, use of a central venous catheter, chest tubing, a history of surgery, and use of antibiotics. CONCLUSION: VRE colonization among patients admitted to the NICU is rapidly increasing. Monitoring and managing premature neonates from the beginning of the birth process, avoiding many invasive procedures, avoiding antibiotics such as vancomycin and third generation cephalosporin are important for preventing the emergence and spread of VRE colonization in the NICU.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Birth Weight ; Central Venous Catheters ; Colon ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Parturition ; Prevalence ; Respiration, Artificial ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Thorax ; Vancomycin ; Vancomycin Resistance

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to provide nursing intervention with basic data extracted through investigating self-care and nursing of lymphedema in patient who have had a mastectomy. METHOD: The subjects for this study consisted of 214 mastectomy patients in 2 hospitals. The data were collected from December 1, 2004 to February 28, 2005. The instruments used for this study were both the Self-care Practice Scale by Cho, Myoung-Ok et al.(2003) which we modified and the Nursing Evaluation Scale developed by the researchers. RESULTS: The mean score of self-care on lymphedema was 59.96+/-12.46. The mean score of nursing was 25.64+/-9.25. Factors influencing the self-care were the postoperative period (F= 17.505, p<.001), the location of the tumor (F= 3.826, p=.023), menstruation (t=7.333, p=.007), and complications (F=5.427, p<.001). CONCLUSION: Self-care and nursing care on the lymphedema management were shown to be lower than expected. Especially, the score of self-care was the lowest in the more than 3 year postoperative period. Therefore, the longer the postoperative period is, the more active management on lymphedema needs to be. Also, education should be given to both nurses and patients on the importance of self-care on lymphedema with mastectomies.
Education ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphedema* ; Mastectomy* ; Menstruation ; Nursing Care* ; Nursing* ; Postoperative Period ; Self Care*

No abstract available.
Ichthyosis, Lamellar*

PURPOSE: This study is to examine how dementia day care service affects fatigue, depression and life satisfaction of caregiver. METHODS: The study was conducted using a convenient sampling method from 6 Dementia Day Care Center in Incheon. Thirty nine primary caregivers answered the questionnaires. Pre-test was done before demented elders start using the dementia day care center and post-test was done five months after. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and paired t-test. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in caregivers' fatigue level after using dementia day care service(t=2.188, p=.035). Results of subcategories were as follows; There was a significant difference in caregivers' physical fatigue level(t=2.270, p=.029) and psychological fatigue level(t=2.277, p=.029) after using dementia day care service. However, there was not significant difference in caregivers' neurological fatigue level(t=1.312, p=.197). There was a significant difference in caregivers' depression level(t=3.066, p=.004) and life satisfaction(t=-2.131, p=.040) after using dementia day care service. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that dementia day care service is helpful for family with demented elders. Therefore it is necessary to expand dementia day care center in terms of its size and numbers in order to support increasing number of demented elders and their families.
Caregivers ; Day Care, Medical ; Dementia ; Depression ; Fatigue ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial effect of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) for use as a mouth-rinse on seven oral pathogens. METHODS: In this study, SAEW with a pH of 6.2, oxidation-reduction potential of 728-800 mV, and available chlorine concentration of 30 mg/L was produced by electrolysis using an electrolysis device. The antimicrobial properties of SAEW against seven oral pathogens were determined by the agar diffusion method, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and mouth rinsing tests. RESULTS: SAEW did not demonstrate any antimicrobial activity (disc diffusion method) against the seven oral pathogens under study. However, SAEW showed potent antimicrobial activity with an MIC value of 0.0075-0.015 mg/mL and a MBC value of 0.015-0.03 mg/mL. Mouth rinsing with SAEW showed 99.9% bacterial inhibition. CONCLUSIONS: SAEW exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against all oral pathogens causing dental caries and periodontal disease. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that SAEW can be used as an effective mouth-rinse to prevent oral diseases and for oral hygiene management, with potential for commercial application.
Agar ; Chlorine ; Dental Caries ; Diffusion ; Electrolysis ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Methods ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Mouth ; Mouthwashes ; Oral Hygiene ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Periodontal Diseases ; Water*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors for a nosocomial urinary tract infection in intensive care units with a foley catheterization which showed a positive urine culture. METHOD: Three-hundred eighty-seven patients were included in the study. A retrospective review of the electrical medical record system's databases and medical record sheets in hospitalized patients from January 2003 to December 2003 was used. The collected data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. RESULT: The frequency of the participants' nosocomial urinary tract infection was 72.9%. Significant risk factors for a nosocomial urinary tract infection were 'age', 'place of catheter insertion', 'frequency of catheter change', and 'duration of catheterization'. These variables explained 18.4% of variance in the experience of nosocomial urinary tract infection in intensive care units with foley catheterization. CONCLUSION: Medical personnel can decrease the incidence of a nosocomial urinary tract infection by recognizing and paying attention to the duration of catheterization, frequency of catheter change, and place of catheter insertion. As a result, specific and scrupulous strategies should be developed to reflect these factors for decreasing nosocomial urinary tract infections.
Adult ; Aged ; Bacteriuria/*epidemiology/microbiology ; Cross Infection/*epidemiology/microbiology ; Equipment Contamination ; Female ; Hospitals ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; *Urinary Catheterization ; Urinary Tract Infections/*epidemiology/microbiology

PURPOSE: The study was done to investigate nurses' customer orientation, emotional labor, unit manager-nurse exchange and relational bonds and to identify the factors affecting nurses' turnover intentions. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using self-report questionnaires. The participants in this study were 276 nurses in tertiary hospital located in a metropolitan city, Korea. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression with the SPSS program 22.0. RESULTS: The mean scores were 3.74±0.90 (out of 5) for turnover intention, 5.31±0.87 (out of 7) for customer orientation, 4.82±0.96 (out of 7) for emotional labor, 3.58±0.61 (out of 7) for relational bonds, and 3.18±0.57 (out of 5) for unit manager-nurse exchange. Factors influencing turnover intention were 'emotional labor' (β=.39, p<.001), 'unit manager-nurse exchange' (β=-.22, p<.001), 'financial bonds' (β=-.19, p<.001), 'perceived economic status' (β=-.15 p=.003) and 'career' (β=.14, p=.005). These factors explained 34.9% of the variance in turnover intension (F=30.46, p<.001). CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that to reduce nurses' turnover intention in the hospital, there is a need to improve unit manager-nurse exchange and to manage strategies lowering nurses' emotional labor.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Intention ; Korea ; Tertiary Care Centers

The purpose of this study was to analyze the appraising frame and the accreditation system of universities in both Korea and the United Sates, as well as developing a standard plan to appraise 4 year nursing education institutions in Korea. Research design of this study was descriptive comparative research. The results of the research can be divided into six fields, educational purposes, educational courses, students, faculty, facility equipments and administration finance in Korea. Then the results were further categorized into seven fields : mission and governance, faculty, students, curriculum and instruction, resources, educational effectiveness and integrity. Thus Korean appraising frames were suggested to have eight fields of standard. The fields are philosophy and purposes of educational institution, educational courses and instruction, students, faculty, facility equipments, adminstration finance, educational effectiveness and integrity.
Accreditation ; Curriculum ; Education, Nursing ; Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate* ; Humans ; Korea ; Missions and Missionaries ; Philosophy ; Research Design