Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and delirium superimposed on dementia (DSD) can lead to severe complications if they are not accurately identified and managed. Effective dementia care therefore requires clear differentiation, systematic assessment, and appropriate nursing interventions. This study aimed to develop VRDementia: BPSD/DSD, a virtual reality simulation program, and to qualitatively examine its validity and usability as a development-based pilot study. Methods: Using the ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation), the program was systematically developed. During the analysis phase, qualitative interviews and literature reviews identified educational needs among nurses in long-term care hospitals. Key challenges included distinguishing agitation/aggression (BPSD) from hyperactive DSD, and depression (BPSD) from hypoactive DSD. Based on these findings, four case-based scenarios were created. Content validity and usability were qualitatively evaluated through semi-structured interviews with five experienced nurses (≥5 years of clinical experience). Results: The program consists of four sessions addressing agitation/aggression and depression (BPSD), and hyperactivity and hypoactivity (DSD). Nurses practice symptom assessment, therapeutic communication, physician reporting, and nursing interventions. The simulation is accessible via head-mounted display (HMD), mobile devices, and PC (including laptops). Qualitative feedback indicated that participants perceived the program as useful and applicable for dementia care education, including its potential use in interdisciplinary training contexts. Conclusion: VRDementia: BPSD/DSD is a valid, practical educational tool that improves nurses’ competence in distinguishing and managing BPSD and DSD. This program may contribute to higher quality dementia care in clinical settings.

Purpose: Emergency room bouncing has become a critical social issue in South Korea. While the government seeks to address this problem by imposing stricter penalties, healthcare providers remain reluctant to accept high-risk patients. This study aimed to analyze the structural causes of emergency patient refusal using a game-theoretic framework, with a focus on the asymmetry between emergency care regulations and medical malpractice risks. Methods: A non-cooperative game model was developed to analyze strategic interactions between the government and healthcare providers. A minimax approach was used to evaluate the impact of maximum liability (approximately 1 billion Korean won [KRW]) and administrative fines for delays in emergency patient transfer. Specifically, a break-even analysis was conducted to estimate the surgical volume required to offset this liability under a realistic fee schedule. Results: The expected loss from accepting a high-risk emergency patient substantially exceeded the penalty for refusal. Simulations indicated that, even under optimistic revenue assumptions, it would take more than 66 years of accident-free operations for a specialist to offset a single liability of 1 billion KRW. Consequently, refusal remains the rational dominant strategy for providers seeking to avoid professional bankruptcy. Conclusion The primary cause of transfer delays is a structural imbalance characterized by high risk and low returns, in which medical fees do not cover the substantial liabilities imposed by recent judicial rulings. Without state indemnification for accidents caused by force majeure and exemptions from criminal liability, legislative efforts that merely mandate acceptance will accelerate the collapse of the emergency medical infrastructure.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and assess the experiences of cancer patients and their caregivers who had been admitted to comprehensive nursing care service wards. Methods: Data were collected from 10 patients and 10 caregivers by in-depth interviews. The data were analyzed using content analysis of Downe-Wamboldt. Results: Three categories and seven subcategories were extracted. 1) Realizing institutional limitations of comprehensive nursing care service: ‘Wishing for precise operating systems based on patient severity,’ ‘Anticipating active caregiver participation in treatment process,’ ‘Requiring a countermeasure for safety accidents,’ 2) Professional nursing service which provides relief: ‘Patient-centered professional nursing service,’ ‘Inpatient service that provides relief for patients and caregivers,’ 3) Anticipating continuous use of the service: ‘Inpatient service which users are willing to reuse,’ ‘Wishing for expansion and reinforcement of the service.’ Conclusion Cancer patients and their caregivers experienced institutional limitations while satisfied with professional nursing service and willing to reuse the service. To improve this situation, institutional support such as separate wards for severe patients, measures for active caregiver participation and prevention of safety accidents, and adequate staffing would be helpful for relatively severe level cancer patients and their caregivers.

Background: The emergence of tigecycline-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii has been reported, and the need for tigecycline susceptibility testing in this strain is increasing. However, neither the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute, nor the European Commission on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing have provided definitive criteria for tigecycline susceptibility testing of A. baumannii. In this study, the disk diffusion method and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) method were com pared to verify conventionally used Food and Drug Administration-identified interpretive criteria to detect tigecycline resistance of A. baumannii. Methods: Forty-four strains of A. baumannii with tigecycline resistance were collected through the Kor-GLASS (Korean Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System) study in 2022 using the disk diffusion test (DDT). This strain was retested with the MIC method using a Sensititre Gram Negative GN6F AST plate (Thermo Fisher Scientific, USA) to confirm tigecycline resistance. The confirmed strain was subjected to whole genome analysis to elucidate the tigecycline resistance mechanism. Results: Only one of the 44 isolates identified as resistant to tigecycline by the DDT showed resistance with the MIC method, thus the concordance rate of the two methods was 2.3% (1/44). Sequence type 195 strain, carrying bla OXA23 was identified. This strain had no resistance genes of the tetracycline family but had resistance genes to other antimicrobial families. Conclusions Discrepancy of the tigecycline susceptibility test of A. baumannii was identified. To detect tigecycline resistance of A. baumannii, more reliable methods are required.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and assess the experiences of cancer patients and their caregivers who had been admitted to comprehensive nursing care service wards. Methods: Data were collected from 10 patients and 10 caregivers by in-depth interviews. The data were analyzed using content analysis of Downe-Wamboldt. Results: Three categories and seven subcategories were extracted. 1) Realizing institutional limitations of comprehensive nursing care service: ‘Wishing for precise operating systems based on patient severity,’ ‘Anticipating active caregiver participation in treatment process,’ ‘Requiring a countermeasure for safety accidents,’ 2) Professional nursing service which provides relief: ‘Patient-centered professional nursing service,’ ‘Inpatient service that provides relief for patients and caregivers,’ 3) Anticipating continuous use of the service: ‘Inpatient service which users are willing to reuse,’ ‘Wishing for expansion and reinforcement of the service.’ Conclusion Cancer patients and their caregivers experienced institutional limitations while satisfied with professional nursing service and willing to reuse the service. To improve this situation, institutional support such as separate wards for severe patients, measures for active caregiver participation and prevention of safety accidents, and adequate staffing would be helpful for relatively severe level cancer patients and their caregivers.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the impact of work environment, missed nursing care, and non-nursing tasks on the job stress of hospital nurses. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey of 164 nurses working in three hospitals was conducted. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS/WIN 26.0. Results: Hospital Nurses' job stress was negatively correlated with the work environment (r=-.37, p<.001). Job stress had a statistically significant positive correlation with non-nursing tasks (r=.34, p<.001);however, it had no significant correlation with missed nursing care (r=.05, p=.552). Regression model analysis revealed that the variables associated with job stress were non-nursing tasks (β=.29, p<.001) and the foundation for quality nursing care (β=-.25, p=.034), which are subdomains of the work environment. In contrast, missed nursing care was not determined to be a significant factor. Conclusion To effectively manage nurses' job stress, nurse managers should provide higher quality care by reducing the number of non-nursing tasks and creating a positive work environment, especially by providing adequate nursing workforce and material support.