PURPOSE: To determine whether the practice of not routinely changing ventilator circuits in patients who require prolonged mechanical ventilation is associated with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). METHODS: Patients were divided into two groups, ventilator circuits were routinely changed every 7 days for the control group (39) and every 14 days for the experimental group (40) over a period of 1 yr (April 1, 2009-March 31, 2010). Pediatric patients (age 17 yr or less) were not included. VAP was diagnosed by the criteria of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Incidence of VAP and characteristics of infection were evaluated. RESULTS: In the experimental group, 2 episodes of pneumonia were observed in 40 patients and 1,322 ventilator days. The rate of VAP was 1.5 per 1,000 ventilator days. There was 1 episode of pneumonia in 39 patients and 481 ventilator days for the control group. The rate of VAP was 2.1 per 1,000 ventilator days. The difference between both groups was not significant (p=.695). CONCLUSION: Extending ventilator circuit change interval from 7 days to 14 days does not increase the risk for VAP.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated/*epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Sputum/microbiology ; Time Factors ; Ventilators, Mechanical

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of preventing CAUTIs through the practice of using 0.05% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) versus normal saline for perineal care in ICU patients. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was used, and participants were randomly allocated to either the CHG group (n=79) or normal saline group (n=81). CAUTI was diagnosed following the criteria of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Incidence of CAUTI and characte oftics of infection were evaluated. RESULTS: In the CHG group, 8 epofodes of CAUTI were obsevend in 79 patients and 875 foley catheter e ys. Tnce ate of CAUTI was 9.14 per 1,000 foley catheter e ys. Tncre were 2 epofodes of CAUTI in the 81 patients and 837 foley catheter e ys of the normal saline group. Tnce ate of CAUTI was 2.39 per 1,000 foley catheter e ys. Tnc difference between both groups was not significant (p=.1). CONCLUSION: Using normal saline to provide perineal care to ICU patients with a foley catheter inserted will not increase the risk for CAUTI.
Catheterization ; Catheters ; Chlorhexidine ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infection Control ; Critical Care ; Intensive Care Units ; Urinary Tract ; Urinary Tract Infections

No abstract available.
Female ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic*

No abstract available.
Female ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic*

PURPOSE: This study was conducted for the purpose of a structural model analysis of family health of women who came to Korea for being married to Korean men. METHODS: The data were collected from 260 immigrant women at multicultural centers located in C and B cities from May 10th to 30th, 2012. The variance analysis on the samples was conducted by using the maximum likelihood minimization function with AMOS 7.0. The fitness was evaluated by means of the SRMR, RMSEA, CFI, and TLI with a 90% confidence interval. RESULTS: First, immigrant women's self-esteem and acculturative stress were found to have significant direct effects on their family health. Second, their self-esteem and acculturative stress have direct effects on their marital adjustment. Third, their marital adjustment was found to have significant direct effects on their family health. Forth, immigrant women's Korean language ability was found not to have significant direct effects on their marital adjustment and family health. CONCLUSION: In order to enhance the family health of immigrant women, it is necessary to develop and apply nursing programs in consideration of immigrant women's self-esteem, marital adjustment and acculturative stress.
Aminopeptidases ; Emigrants and Immigrants ; Family Health ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Language ; Marriage ; Models, Structural ; Negotiating ; Porphyrins ; Social Adjustment ; Transients and Migrants

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to verify the effects of daily 2% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing on the acquisition of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) and healthcare-associated infection (HAI) in a medical intensive care unit (MICU). METHODS: The study was a randomized controlled group posttest only design, involving 91 patients in MICU at a tertiary hospital (47 patients in the experimental group and 44 patients in the control group). The 2% CHG bathing was performed daily according to bathing protocol to the patients in the experimental group, and traditional bath was performed every three days to those in the control group. Fisher's exact test and χ² test were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: MDRO were found in 6 patients of the experimental group and in 15 patients of the control group. The difference was statistically significant (p=.016). HAI occurred in 2 patients of the experimental group and in 7 patients of the control group. The difference was not statistically significant (p=.084). CONCLUSION: The results confirmed that daily bathing with CHG was effective in reducing the incidence of MDRO acquisition. Therefore, it is expected that daily bathing with CHG will be used as an effective nursing intervention to reduce the incidence of MDRO acquisition.
Baths ; Chlorhexidine ; Critical Care ; Cross Infection ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intensive Care Units ; Nursing ; Tertiary Care Centers

Organ transplantation has become a' widely accepted treatment modality for end-stage organ disease. The shortage of allogenic donors for organ transplantation has brought about the necessity of xenotransplantation as an unlimited source of organ donation. However, organ transplantation between different species have never been successful because of hyperacute rejection. Although the mechanism of this phenomenon is not fully understood, many researchers believe that the natural antibodies present in the recipient's serum may bind to the graft and induce the activation of complement cascade triggering the process of hyperacute rejection. ...continue...
Antibodies ; Complement System Proteins ; Heterografts ; Humans ; Organ Transplantation ; Tissue and Organ Procurement ; Tissue Donors ; Transplantation, Heterologous ; Transplants

The purpose of this study was to obtain basic data of nutrition education for obese children and to examine food habits, food behaviors, and nutrition knowledge. A convenience sample of 84(male:62, female:22) obese children was selected from "98 Children Nutrition Camp". The survey design employed a structured questionnaire. The results of this study were summarized as follows. 1. The percentage of the subjects who overestimated their body weight was higher in female compared to male. Only 35.9% of highly-obese subjects considered them as 'very fat'. The experience of weight control was higher in female than in male, and it was also higher moderately- or highly-obese subjects compared to mildly obese. 2. 64.3% of subjects reported that they regularly eat breakfast. The percentage of the subjects who indicated that they eat at regular meal time or they eat very irregularly was highest in the highly-obese subjects. 3. 34.5% of subjects reported that they eat very fast. The eating speed was slower in female compared to male, and in obese subjects. 55.4% of subjects reported that didn't eating out. 4. 80.9% of subjects had snacks, and most of them had snack between lunch and dinner. The reason the subjects eat snack was hunger. The most favorite snack was cookies. 5. The most preferred and distasteful food was meats(32.1%) and vegetables(67.1%), respectively. 6. The score of food behaviors was relatively low in most subjects. 7. The level of nutrition knowledge was in order of fair(83.1%), poor(9.6%), excellent(7.3%), and was higher in male compared to female. Consequently the results of this study showed to disagreement among food habits, food behaviors and nutrition knowledge, and feel keenly the necessity of education connecting of these. This education had to be practical education to change food behaviors.
Body Weight ; Breakfast ; Child* ; Eating ; Education ; Female ; Food Habits* ; Gyeongsangnam-do* ; Humans ; Hunger ; Lunch ; Male ; Meals ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Snacks

The purpose of this study is to identify health promotion behavior, self-efficacy and role stress of family caregivers who care for hospitalized cancer patient, The results would be used to provide the necessary basic data for promoting healthy behavior of the family caregivers to the cancer patient. The results were as follow : 1) The level of health promotion behavior was significantly different depending on the existence of care givers religion and type of help from family members. There was a positive relationship between the performance level of health promotion behavior and perceived health status or age. There was a negative correlation between the performance level of health promotion behavior and time cared for. 2) The level of self-efficacy was significantly different depending on gender and if the subject was employed. There was a positive relationship between perceived health status and intimacy with patient. 3) The level of role stress was significantly different in genders and relationships with patients. 4) There was a positive relationship between health promotion behavior and self-efficacy.
Caregivers* ; Health Promotion* ; Health Status ; Humans

The purpose of this study is to identify health promotion behavior, self-efficacy and role stress of family caregivers who care for hospitalized cancer patient, The results would be used to provide the necessary basic data for promoting healthy behavior of the family caregivers to the cancer patient. The results were as follow : 1) The level of health promotion behavior was significantly different depending on the existence of care givers religion and type of help from family members. There was a positive relationship between the performance level of health promotion behavior and perceived health status or age. There was a negative correlation between the performance level of health promotion behavior and time cared for. 2) The level of self-efficacy was significantly different depending on gender and if the subject was employed. There was a positive relationship between perceived health status and intimacy with patient. 3) The level of role stress was significantly different in genders and relationships with patients. 4) There was a positive relationship between health promotion behavior and self-efficacy.
Caregivers* ; Health Promotion* ; Health Status ; Humans