Purpose: This qualitative study explored nurses' experiences in selecting hospitals within a dual labor market framework. Methods: Focus group interviews were conducted with 18 general nurses, divided into three groups of six, each representing both large and medium-sized hospitals. Results: The analysis revealed two themes, four categories, and nine subcategories, highlighting differences between large and medium-sized hospitals. Nurses who choose large hospitals prioritized "professional development" but faced "struggles to maintain professional identity" while those selecting medium-sized hospitals sought "stability and accessibility" but experienced "crisis of professional identity." Conclusion This study highlights significant differences in the factors influencing nurses' hospital choices based on hospital size. These findings provide foundational data for establishing the Enforcement Decree and Rules of the Nursing Act, emphasizing the importance of developing legal measures to strengthen nurses' professional identity and promote a balanced and sustainable nursing labor market.

Background/Aims: The Korean guidelines for Helicobacter pylori treatment were revised in 2020, however, the extent of adherence to these guidelines in clinical practice remains unclear. Herein, we initiated a prospective, nationwide, multicenter registry study in 2021 to evaluate the current management of H.pylori infection in Korea. Methods: This interim report describes the adherence to the revised guidelines and their impact on firstline eradication rates. Data on patient demographics, diagnoses, treatments, and eradication outcomes were collected using a web-based electronic case report form. Results: A total of 7,261 patients from 66 hospitals who received first-line treatment were analyzed.The modified intention-to-treat eradication rate for first-line treatment was 81.0%, with 80.4% of the prescriptions adhering to the revised guidelines. The most commonly prescribed regimen was the 14-day clarithromycin-based triple therapy (CTT; 42.0%), followed by tailored therapy (TT; 21.2%), 7-day CTT (14.1%), and 10-day concomitant therapy (CT; 10.1%). Time-trend analysis demonstrated significant increases in guideline adherence and the use of 10-day CT and TT, along with a decrease in the use of 7-day CTT (all p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that guideline adherence was significantly associated with first-line eradication success (odds ratio, 2.03; 95% confidence interval, 1.61 to 2.56; p<0.001). Conclusions The revised guidelines for the treatment of H. pylori infection have been increasingly adopted in routine clinical practice in Korea, which may have contributed to improved first-line eradication rates. Notably, the 14-day CTT, 10-day CT, and TT regimens are emerging as the preferred first-line treatment options among Korean physicians.

Purpose: Thrombosis and bleeding significantly affect morbidity and mortality in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). The efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in MPN patients remain uncertain. Materials and Methods: We conducted a large, retrospective, nationwide cohort study using the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database from 2010 to 2021. Results: Out of the 368 MPN patients included in the final analysis, 62.8% were treated with DOACs for atrial fibrillation (AF), and 37.2% for venous thromboembolism (VTE). The AF group was statistically older with higher CHA2DS2-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥ 75 years, diabetes mellitus, prior stroke, transient ischemic attack, or thromboembolism, vascular disease, age 65-74 years, sex category [female]) scores compared to the VTE group. Antiplatelet agents were used in 51.1% of cases, and cytoreductive drugs in 79.3%, with hydroxyurea being the most common (64.9%). The median follow-up was 22.3 months, with 1-year cumulative incidence rates of thrombosis and bleeding at 11.1% and 3.7%, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified CHA2DS2-VASc scores ≥ 3 (hazard ratio [HR], 3.48), concomitant antiplatelet use (HR, 2.57), and cytoreduction (HR, 2.20) as significant thrombosis risk factors but found no significant predictors for major bleeding. Conclusion Despite the limitations of retrospective data, DOAC treatment in MPN patients seems effective and has an acceptable bleeding risk.

Purpose: Some studies suggest that TP53 mutations are associated with the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and also contribute to sex disparities in several cancers. Thus, we hypothesized that TP53 mutations might serve as sex-dependent genomic biomarkers of ICI treatment response in patients with NSCLC. Materials and Methods: Clinical data of 100 patients with metastatic NSCLC treated with ICI monotherapy at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH) were retrospectively reviewed. Genomic and clinical datasets of The Cancer Genome Atlas and an ICI-treated lung cancer cohort (cBioPortal) were also analyzed. Results: In SNUBH cohort, no statistically significant difference was observed in the median progression-free survival (PFS) according to TP53 mutation status (p=0.930); however, female patients with TP53 mutations (MT) had a significantly prolonged median PFS compared to wild-type (WT) (6.1 months in TP53 MT vs. 2.6 months in TP53 WT; p=0.021). Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) high (≥ 50%) expression was significantly enriched in female patients with TP53 MT (p=0.005). The analysis from publicly available dataset also revealed that females with NSCLC with TP53 MT showed significantly longer PFS than those with TP53 WT (p < 0.001). In The Cancer Genome Atlas analysis, expression of immune-related genes, and tumor mutation burden score in TP53 MT females were higher than in males without TP53 MT. Conclusion Female patients with NSCLC with TP53 mutations had high PD-L1 expression and showed favorable clinical outcomes following ICI therapy, suggesting a need for further research to explore the role of TP53 mutations for sex disparities in response to ICI therapy.

Purpose: This qualitative study explored nurses' experiences in selecting hospitals within a dual labor market framework. Methods: Focus group interviews were conducted with 18 general nurses, divided into three groups of six, each representing both large and medium-sized hospitals. Results: The analysis revealed two themes, four categories, and nine subcategories, highlighting differences between large and medium-sized hospitals. Nurses who choose large hospitals prioritized "professional development" but faced "struggles to maintain professional identity" while those selecting medium-sized hospitals sought "stability and accessibility" but experienced "crisis of professional identity." Conclusion This study highlights significant differences in the factors influencing nurses' hospital choices based on hospital size. These findings provide foundational data for establishing the Enforcement Decree and Rules of the Nursing Act, emphasizing the importance of developing legal measures to strengthen nurses' professional identity and promote a balanced and sustainable nursing labor market.

Purpose: This qualitative study explored nurses' experiences in selecting hospitals within a dual labor market framework. Methods: Focus group interviews were conducted with 18 general nurses, divided into three groups of six, each representing both large and medium-sized hospitals. Results: The analysis revealed two themes, four categories, and nine subcategories, highlighting differences between large and medium-sized hospitals. Nurses who choose large hospitals prioritized "professional development" but faced "struggles to maintain professional identity" while those selecting medium-sized hospitals sought "stability and accessibility" but experienced "crisis of professional identity." Conclusion This study highlights significant differences in the factors influencing nurses' hospital choices based on hospital size. These findings provide foundational data for establishing the Enforcement Decree and Rules of the Nursing Act, emphasizing the importance of developing legal measures to strengthen nurses' professional identity and promote a balanced and sustainable nursing labor market.

Purpose: This qualitative study explored nurses' experiences in selecting hospitals within a dual labor market framework. Methods: Focus group interviews were conducted with 18 general nurses, divided into three groups of six, each representing both large and medium-sized hospitals. Results: The analysis revealed two themes, four categories, and nine subcategories, highlighting differences between large and medium-sized hospitals. Nurses who choose large hospitals prioritized "professional development" but faced "struggles to maintain professional identity" while those selecting medium-sized hospitals sought "stability and accessibility" but experienced "crisis of professional identity." Conclusion This study highlights significant differences in the factors influencing nurses' hospital choices based on hospital size. These findings provide foundational data for establishing the Enforcement Decree and Rules of the Nursing Act, emphasizing the importance of developing legal measures to strengthen nurses' professional identity and promote a balanced and sustainable nursing labor market.