The purpose of this study was to develop Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission and discharge criteria that would lead to the appropriate utilization of ICU resources and nursing services. For this study, a conceptual framework was developed through a review of the literature. Then in order to identify the overall health condition of patients in the ICU, and to draw up preliminary criteria, the medical records of 58 patients who were admitted to the ICU of Y Medical Center in Seoul between March, 1999 to February, 2000 of were analyzed. Two expert validity tests were done for the preliminary criteria for admission and discharge with 21 patients over 18 years of age who were admitted patients and for 12 patients who were discharged between May 30, 2000 and June 5, 2000 a clinical validity test was also done. After this process, the final admission and discharge criteria were developed. The results of this study are summarized as follows: 1. After a review of the literature, there were 9 categories for admission criteria cardiologic, gastrointestinal, neurologic, endocrine, post-op care of major surgery, vital signs, laboratory values, and a category of miscellaneous items. Discharge criteria had 3 categories which were vital signs, laboratory values, and a category of miscellaneous items. 2. From the medical records of the 58 patients who were admitted to the ICU, 45 items for preliminary criteria for admission and 17 for discharge were identified. 3. The two expert validity tests showed that of the 45 items 29 admission items received over 75 percent agreement. The 16 admission items which received less than 75 percent agreement were revised or deleted from the admission criteria. Of the 17 discharge items, 11 had over 75 percent agreement and 6 less then 75 percent agreement. These were revised or deleted from the discharge criteria. 4. In the clinical validity test, 14 admission items showed more than 75 percent agreement and 11 discharge items more than 83 percent agreement. 5. The final criteria consisted of 29 items for admission and 11 items for discharge. Since patients being considered for admission to the ICU have complex problems, there is a need to make the decision based on more than a single issue. This tool will insure that the ICU nursing care and treatment resources are appropriately used by allowing a multi-professional health team to make admission and discharge decisions.
Humans ; Intensive Care Units* ; Critical Care* ; Medical Records ; Nursing Care ; Nursing Services ; Seoul ; Vital Signs

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Leiomyoma*

No abstract available.
Peritoneum*

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the incidence of intravenous extravasation and the risk factors associated with the use of peripheral intravenous catheters in adults.METHOD: This prospective observational study included 203 adult patients admitted to the general ward who received non-chemotherapy vesicant drug infusion treatments. Data were analyzed using frequencies, percentage, means, standard deviations, and odds ratios (ORs) from multiple logistic regressions.RESULTS: The incidence of extravasation was 43.3%. Risk factors for intravenous extravasation included continuous injections (OR=5.35, 95% CI [1.38, 20.83]), and parenteral nutrition (OR=3.53, 95% CI [1.43, 8.73]).CONCLUSION: The present findings revealed that gastrointernal medicine problems, continuous injection, and parenteral nutrition were related to intravenous extravasation. Further research is necessary to reduce the incidence of extravasation related to peripheral intravenous catheterization in adults, and to prevent secondary complications. Finally, patients should be provided appropriate and continuous care based on the type of intravenous infusion.
Adult ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Irritants ; Logistic Models ; Methods ; Observational Study ; Odds Ratio ; Parenteral Nutrition ; Patients' Rooms ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Veins

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify breastfeeding practice with late preterm infants (LPIs), and to determine predictors of exclusive breastfeeding at the 12th week after discharge. METHODS: The participants were 106 mothers of LPIs hospitalized in neonatal intensive care units at two university hospitals. Data were collected between February and October, 2013. Questionnaires included characteristics of LPIs, their mothers, and feeding-related characteristics. Feeding methods were exclusive breastfeeding, mixed feeding, and formula feeding. RESULTS: Exclusive breastfeeding steadily increased from 5.7% at the 1st week to 19.8% at the 12th week, as did formula feeding from 27.3% to 67.9%. Contrarily, mixed feeding decreased from 67.0% at the 1st week to 12.3% at the 12th week. The ratio of formula feeding was higher than that of exclusive breastfeeding over time. Predictors for exclusive breastfeeding were the following: type of delivery (OR=2.96, 95%CI=1.07-8.14), feeding intolerance (OR=3.03, 95%CI=1.26-7.25) and feeding method during hospitalization (OR=7.84, 95%CI=3.15-19.53). CONCLUSION: In order to increase breastfeeding opportunities for LPIs, educational programs for gestational age-appropriate breastfeeding should be developed. The focus of breastfeeding education needs to be on mothers who delivered their LPIs through Cesarean-section and LPIs who had feeding intolerance or were fed only formula during hospitalization.
Breast Feeding* ; Education ; Feeding Methods ; Hospitalization ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Mothers ; Prevalence*

No abstract available.
DNA* ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of situational, clinical and psychsoical factors on treatment-seeking behavior among those with acute myocardial infarction(AMI). This study used a retrospective, descriptive design. The sample consisted of 72 patients aged over 30 and who were diagnosed with an acute myocardial infarction at two large university-affiliated medical centers from July 1, 1998 to March 30, 2000. But of 72, patients 5 who were an outlier in treatment-seeking time were deleted. Data were collected by using questionnaires, which included demographic data, situational, clinical and psychosocial data. Also patient interviews and chart review were used to obtain information related to treatment-seeking time. The results of this study were summarized as follows; 1. Mean time from the onset of AMI symptoms to arrival at the hospital was 12.09 +/- 11.44 hours; 2. Treatment-seeking time was not significantly different by age, gender, or education; 3. Most(44 or 65.78%) patients were at home when they began having AMI symptoms. The remaining patients were either in a public area, workplace or in a car. Patients at home delayed longer than those who had their first symptoms elsewhere, but not significantly different. Also, most patients were with another person when they began to experience AMI symptoms: a spouse(25 or 37.3%), other family member(31 or 46.3%); the remaining 11 were alone. There were no significant differences in treatment-seeking time based on whether alone or with others. Most patients(46 or 68.7%) used an ambulance rather than taking private transportation, and patients who used an ambulance were delayed longer than those who used private transportation, but there were no significant differences; 4. Time to treatment-seeking was not significantly different by blood pressure, heart rate on admission and the peak CK-MB, CPK and Cholesterol level, Killips class; 5. There were no significant statistical differences in treament-seeking times by anxiety level, mood status or control ability.
Ambulances ; Anxiety ; Blood Pressure ; Cholesterol ; Education ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Psychology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Transportation ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Brain acetylcholine is an important neurotransmitter in the control of blood pressure. Pharmacological activation of central cholinergic receptors by intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of choline resulted in a marked pressure response in hypotensive experimental models, and the pressure response was associated with an increase in plasma vasopressin levels. The aim of this study was to determine whether a unilateral cervical sympathectomy affects the pressure response induced by ICV choline. METHODS: Rats were prepared with a cervical sympathectomy or with a sham operation and a 23 G cannula was implanted into the lateral cerebral ventricle. They were divided into three groups according to the pre-treated condition and the solution injected into the lateral cerebral ventricle; group 1 (ICV saline after sham operation), group 2 (ICV choline after sham operation), group 3 (ICV choline after cervical sympathectomy). Following the recovery period, pressure response was monitored for 50 min after injecting ICV choline or saline and plasma vasopressin levels were also assessed with an EIA kit at preinjection time, 10 min, and 50 min after ICV injection. RESULTS: The baseline systolic blood pressure was 120.6 +/- 3.9 mmHg in group 3 and 121.7 +/- 9.0 mmHg in group 2 and there was no significant difference. The pressure response to ICV choline became evident within 1 min and reached a maximum magnitude in 10 min in both groups. Compared to the sham operated rats (group 2), the pressure response to ICV choline was significantly attenuated in sympathectomized rats (p < 0.05). However, the plasma vasopressin levels were not significantly affected by ICV choline or a cervical sympathectomy. CONCLUSIONS: While the unilateral cervical sympathectomy itself did not have any effect on bloodpressure, it attenuated the pressure response to ICV choline. A unilateral cervical sympathectomy may attenuate the hypertensive response which is caused by an increased central cholinergic neurotransmission.
Acetylcholine ; Animals ; Blood Pressure ; Brain ; Catheters ; Cerebral Ventricles ; Choline* ; Models, Theoretical ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Plasma ; Rats* ; Receptors, Cholinergic ; Sympathectomy* ; Synaptic Transmission ; Vasopressins

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify effects of a self-management program on self-efficacy and compliance in patients with CHF. Hypothesis: 1) Patients with CHF who are provided with a self-management program will show higher self-efficacy scores than a control group. 2) Patients who are provided with a self-management program will show higher compliance scores than a control group. METHOD: This study was designed as a nonequivalent non-synchronized pre-posttest control group. There were eight patients in the experimental group, and twelve in the control group. According to NYHA classification, all patients belonged under the classesl to lV. Data were collected using the instruments developed by the researchers. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Mann Whitney U test. RESULT: There were significant differences in self-efficacy scores and compliance scores between the experimental and control group. CONCLUSION: By utilizing the program, patients were able to monitor their symptoms routinely, comply with therapeutic regimen, and feel better able to positively influence their disease. Therefore, better compliance means fewer readmissions of patients with CHF.
Classification ; Compliance* ; Decision Trees* ; Heart Failure* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Self Care* ; Statistics, Nonparametric ; Surveys and Questionnaires