Objective: To establish and evaluate the validity of the recently developed Korean version of the Oxford Cognitive Screen (K-OCS), this study verified its reliability, validity, and diagnostic accuracy. Methods: Between November 2021 and December 2023, we recruited 72 patients with stroke from our hospital who agreed to participate in the study. The patients were repeatedly tested using K-OCS by the same or different assessors to estimate inter- and intra-rater reliability. To demonstrate the validity and usability of K-OCS, the test results of screening tools currently used in clinical practice, including the Korean-Mini Mental State Examination and the Korean version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, were used in comparison analyses. Results: The subtests of K-OCS demonstrated excellent inter-rater reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient [ICC]=0.914–0.998) and test–retest reliability (ICC=0.913–0.994). We found moderate-to-strong correlations for convergent validity for the subsets (r=0.378– 0.979, p<0.01), and low-to-moderate discriminant validity correlations. The optimal cut-offs estimated for the subtests of the K-OCS showed a good-to-high range of specificity (94.8%– 100%). The positive predictive value was 58.2%–100% and negative predictive value was 65.6%–98.4%. Sensitivity was estimated at 25.6%–86.9%. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that K-OCS is a reliable and valid tool for screening cognitive impairment in patients post-stroke.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing the performance of safe injection practices among nurses at general hospitals, in order to provide foundational data for developing strategies to improve the quality of injection practices in the future. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with 153 nurses who were involved in injection practices. The data were collected from August to September 2024. Results: The most frequently performed type of injection by the participants was intravenous, and all types of injection practices were performed an average of 26.8±19.07 times per working day. The variable that most significantly influenced the performance of safe injection practices was knowledge of safe injection practices (β=.56, p<.001), which explained 36.7% of the variance. Experience with injection practice-related education (β=.27, p<.001) explained an additional 10.7% of variance, and organizational culture for infection control (β=.21, p<.001) explained 3.7% more. The total explanatory power of these variables on the performance of safe injection practices was 50.3% (F=52.35, p<.001). Conclusion Since both personal aspects, such as knowledge of safe injection practices and experience with injection practice-related education, and organizational aspects, such as organizational culture for infection control, simultaneously influenced the performance of safe injection practices among nurses at general hospitals, it is strongly recommended to develop and implement an integrated program for improvement. This program should combine strategies to enhance individual knowledge and positively transform the organizational culture for infection control, aiming for higher-quality execution of nursing duties, including injection practices.

Objective: To establish and evaluate the validity of the recently developed Korean version of the Oxford Cognitive Screen (K-OCS), this study verified its reliability, validity, and diagnostic accuracy. Methods: Between November 2021 and December 2023, we recruited 72 patients with stroke from our hospital who agreed to participate in the study. The patients were repeatedly tested using K-OCS by the same or different assessors to estimate inter- and intra-rater reliability. To demonstrate the validity and usability of K-OCS, the test results of screening tools currently used in clinical practice, including the Korean-Mini Mental State Examination and the Korean version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, were used in comparison analyses. Results: The subtests of K-OCS demonstrated excellent inter-rater reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient [ICC]=0.914–0.998) and test–retest reliability (ICC=0.913–0.994). We found moderate-to-strong correlations for convergent validity for the subsets (r=0.378– 0.979, p<0.01), and low-to-moderate discriminant validity correlations. The optimal cut-offs estimated for the subtests of the K-OCS showed a good-to-high range of specificity (94.8%– 100%). The positive predictive value was 58.2%–100% and negative predictive value was 65.6%–98.4%. Sensitivity was estimated at 25.6%–86.9%. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that K-OCS is a reliable and valid tool for screening cognitive impairment in patients post-stroke.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing the performance of safe injection practices among nurses at general hospitals, in order to provide foundational data for developing strategies to improve the quality of injection practices in the future. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with 153 nurses who were involved in injection practices. The data were collected from August to September 2024. Results: The most frequently performed type of injection by the participants was intravenous, and all types of injection practices were performed an average of 26.8±19.07 times per working day. The variable that most significantly influenced the performance of safe injection practices was knowledge of safe injection practices (β=.56, p<.001), which explained 36.7% of the variance. Experience with injection practice-related education (β=.27, p<.001) explained an additional 10.7% of variance, and organizational culture for infection control (β=.21, p<.001) explained 3.7% more. The total explanatory power of these variables on the performance of safe injection practices was 50.3% (F=52.35, p<.001). Conclusion Since both personal aspects, such as knowledge of safe injection practices and experience with injection practice-related education, and organizational aspects, such as organizational culture for infection control, simultaneously influenced the performance of safe injection practices among nurses at general hospitals, it is strongly recommended to develop and implement an integrated program for improvement. This program should combine strategies to enhance individual knowledge and positively transform the organizational culture for infection control, aiming for higher-quality execution of nursing duties, including injection practices.

Objective: To establish and evaluate the validity of the recently developed Korean version of the Oxford Cognitive Screen (K-OCS), this study verified its reliability, validity, and diagnostic accuracy. Methods: Between November 2021 and December 2023, we recruited 72 patients with stroke from our hospital who agreed to participate in the study. The patients were repeatedly tested using K-OCS by the same or different assessors to estimate inter- and intra-rater reliability. To demonstrate the validity and usability of K-OCS, the test results of screening tools currently used in clinical practice, including the Korean-Mini Mental State Examination and the Korean version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, were used in comparison analyses. Results: The subtests of K-OCS demonstrated excellent inter-rater reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient [ICC]=0.914–0.998) and test–retest reliability (ICC=0.913–0.994). We found moderate-to-strong correlations for convergent validity for the subsets (r=0.378– 0.979, p<0.01), and low-to-moderate discriminant validity correlations. The optimal cut-offs estimated for the subtests of the K-OCS showed a good-to-high range of specificity (94.8%– 100%). The positive predictive value was 58.2%–100% and negative predictive value was 65.6%–98.4%. Sensitivity was estimated at 25.6%–86.9%. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that K-OCS is a reliable and valid tool for screening cognitive impairment in patients post-stroke.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing the performance of safe injection practices among nurses at general hospitals, in order to provide foundational data for developing strategies to improve the quality of injection practices in the future. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with 153 nurses who were involved in injection practices. The data were collected from August to September 2024. Results: The most frequently performed type of injection by the participants was intravenous, and all types of injection practices were performed an average of 26.8±19.07 times per working day. The variable that most significantly influenced the performance of safe injection practices was knowledge of safe injection practices (β=.56, p<.001), which explained 36.7% of the variance. Experience with injection practice-related education (β=.27, p<.001) explained an additional 10.7% of variance, and organizational culture for infection control (β=.21, p<.001) explained 3.7% more. The total explanatory power of these variables on the performance of safe injection practices was 50.3% (F=52.35, p<.001). Conclusion Since both personal aspects, such as knowledge of safe injection practices and experience with injection practice-related education, and organizational aspects, such as organizational culture for infection control, simultaneously influenced the performance of safe injection practices among nurses at general hospitals, it is strongly recommended to develop and implement an integrated program for improvement. This program should combine strategies to enhance individual knowledge and positively transform the organizational culture for infection control, aiming for higher-quality execution of nursing duties, including injection practices.

Objective: To generate a Korean version of the Oxford Cognitive Screen (K-OCS) and obtain cutoff scores that determine the impairment of each subdomain. Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) negatively impacts the rehabilitation process and independence in daily life. Its obscure manifestations require effective screening for appropriate rehabilitation. However, in most rehabilitation clinics, psychological evaluation tools for Alzheimer’s dementia have been used without such considerations. The OCS is a screening assessment tool for PSCI and vascular dementia that can evaluate the cognitive domains most often affected by stroke, including language, attention, memory, praxis, and numerical cognition. It comprises 10 subtasks and enables quick and effective cognitive evaluation. Methods: The K-OCS, which considers Korea’s unique cultural and linguistic characteristics, was developed with the approval and cooperation of the original author. Enrollment of participants without disabilities was announced at Duksung Women’s University, Yongin Sevrance Hospital, CHA Bundang Medical Center. The study was conducted between September 2020 and March 2022 on 97 male and female participants aged ≥30 years. Results: All the 97 participants completed the task. In this study, the 5th percentile score was presumed to be the cutoff value for each score, and the values are provided here. The cutoff score for each OCS subtask was similar to that of the original British version. Conclusion We suggest the usability of the K-OCS as a screening tool for PSCI by providing the cutoff value of each subtask.

Purpose: Sirolimus has emerged as a safe and effective treatment for complicated lymphatic malformations (LMs). We aim to prove the effectiveness and safety of sirolimus as a therapeutic option for patients with complicated LMs. Methods: Fifty-eight patients with complicated LMs treated with sirolimus for at least 6 months at multicenter between July 2018 and January 2023 were enrolled. All patients were administered oral sirolimus starting at 0.8 mg/m 2 every 12 hours, with target serum concentration levels of 8–15 ng/mL. Evaluation for clinical symptoms and LMs volume on MRI were reviewed to assess treatment response and toxicities. Evaluation of disease response was divided into 3 values:complete response, partial response (significant, moderate, and modest), and progressive disease. Results: The median age at the initiation of sirolimus treatment was 6.0 years (range, 1 month–26.7 years). The median duration of treatment was 2.0 years (range, 6 months–4.4 years). The most common lesions were head and neck (25 of 58, 43.1%). Forty-six patients (79.3%) demonstrated a reduction in LMs volume on MRI or improvement of clinical symptoms including 2 complete responses. The young age group and the patients who underwent few prior therapies showed better responses. None of the patients had toxicities attributable to sirolimus with a Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events grade of ≥3. Conclusion Oral sirolimus treatment brought a successful outcome without severe adverse effects. It could be the firstline therapy, especially for the young age group of complicated LMs, and an additional option for refractory lesions that did not respond to conventional treatment.

The Korea Nurses’ Health Study (KNHS) is an ongoing, large-scale, prospective cohort study of women nurses, focusing on the effects of occupational, environmental, and lifestyle factors on the health of women. The first KNHS survey was performed in 2013-2014 (n=20,613). As of December 2023, 11 follow-up surveys have been conducted. Participants who were pregnant were asked to participate in the early pregnancy survey (n=2,179) and postpartum survey after giving birth (n=2,790). The main variables included socio-demographic, work-related, lifestyle, physical, mental, and women’s health factors. Blood, urine, and toenail samples were collected from a participant subgroup of the first survey (n=1,983). The subgroups of the second survey completed a food frequency questionnaire in 2019 (n=300) and 2021 (n=871). In 2020, a subgroup of the first survey answered a coronavirus disease 2019-related survey (n=975). To examine various health-related factors in young adults, new participants were added to the KNHS cohort in the 11th (n=1,000) and 12th (n=1,002) surveys. The KNHS cohort will help identify health and illness determinants in Korean women. Data can be accessed at https://coda.nih.go.kr/frt/index.do.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate senior baccalaureate nursing students’ knowledge and visual differentiation ability for the pressure injury classification system (PICS) and incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a paper-based questionnaire with 120 senior baccalaureate nursing students in South Korea. Data were collected using a knowledge test (KT) and a visual differentiation tool (VDT) based on 21 photographs with clinical information related to PICS and IAD. Results: Students had relatively high KT scores (62.6%), and low VDT scores (35.6%). Critical issues in this study were nursing students’ lack of an adequate visual differentiation ability to accurately assess the stage of pressure injury and IAD and their higher level of confusion in identifying unstageable, deep tissue injuries, and IAD compared to stage 1-4 injuries. Satisfaction with education (r=.20, p<.05) and exposure to various teaching methods (r=.21, p<.05) exhibited significant correlations with higher VDT scores. Conclusion The findings of this study suggest that increasing students’ satisfaction with their education and applying various teaching methods can contribute to the improvement of visual differentiation ability in PICS.