Background: Healthcare-associated infections impose a significant burden on antibiotic usage, healthcare expenditures, and morbidity. Therefore, it is crucial to revise policies to minimize such losses. This nationwide survey aimed to evaluate infection prevention and control (IPC) components in healthcare facilities and encourage improvements in acute care hospitals with inadequate infection prevention settings. This study aims to enhance the infection control capabilities of healthcare facilities. Methods: From December 27, 2021, to May 13, 2022, we conducted a survey of 1,767 acute care hospitals in the Republic of Korea. A survey was conducted to evaluate the infection control components in 1,767 acute care hospitals. Infection control officers provided direct responses to a systematically developed questionnaire. Subsequently, 10% of the respondents were randomly selected for the site investigation. Results: Overall, 1,197 (67.7%) hospitals responded to the online survey. On-site investigations were conducted at 125 hospitals. Hospitals with ≥ 150 beds are advised to have an IPC team under Article 3 of the Medical Service Act; however, only 87.0% (598/687) of hospitals with ≥ 100 beds had one. Conversely, 22.7% (116/510) of hospitals with < 100 beds had an IPC team. Regulations for hand hygiene, waste management, healthcare worker protection and safety, environmental cleaning, standard precautions, and prevention of the transmission of multidrug-resistant pathogens were present in 84.2%, 80.1%, 77.4%, 76.2%, 75.8%, and 63.5% of the hospitals, respectively. Hospitals with < 100 beds had low availability of all categories of standard operating procedures. Conclusion This study is the first national survey of acute care hospitals in the Republic of Korea. The data presented in the current study will improve the understanding of IPC status and will help establish a survey system. Our survey provides a basis for improving policies related to IPC in healthcare facilities.

Background: Healthcare-associated infections impose a significant burden on antibiotic usage, healthcare expenditures, and morbidity. Therefore, it is crucial to revise policies to minimize such losses. This nationwide survey aimed to evaluate infection prevention and control (IPC) components in healthcare facilities and encourage improvements in acute care hospitals with inadequate infection prevention settings. This study aims to enhance the infection control capabilities of healthcare facilities. Methods: From December 27, 2021, to May 13, 2022, we conducted a survey of 1,767 acute care hospitals in the Republic of Korea. A survey was conducted to evaluate the infection control components in 1,767 acute care hospitals. Infection control officers provided direct responses to a systematically developed questionnaire. Subsequently, 10% of the respondents were randomly selected for the site investigation. Results: Overall, 1,197 (67.7%) hospitals responded to the online survey. On-site investigations were conducted at 125 hospitals. Hospitals with ≥ 150 beds are advised to have an IPC team under Article 3 of the Medical Service Act; however, only 87.0% (598/687) of hospitals with ≥ 100 beds had one. Conversely, 22.7% (116/510) of hospitals with < 100 beds had an IPC team. Regulations for hand hygiene, waste management, healthcare worker protection and safety, environmental cleaning, standard precautions, and prevention of the transmission of multidrug-resistant pathogens were present in 84.2%, 80.1%, 77.4%, 76.2%, 75.8%, and 63.5% of the hospitals, respectively. Hospitals with < 100 beds had low availability of all categories of standard operating procedures. Conclusion This study is the first national survey of acute care hospitals in the Republic of Korea. The data presented in the current study will improve the understanding of IPC status and will help establish a survey system. Our survey provides a basis for improving policies related to IPC in healthcare facilities.

Background: Healthcare-associated infections impose a significant burden on antibiotic usage, healthcare expenditures, and morbidity. Therefore, it is crucial to revise policies to minimize such losses. This nationwide survey aimed to evaluate infection prevention and control (IPC) components in healthcare facilities and encourage improvements in acute care hospitals with inadequate infection prevention settings. This study aims to enhance the infection control capabilities of healthcare facilities. Methods: From December 27, 2021, to May 13, 2022, we conducted a survey of 1,767 acute care hospitals in the Republic of Korea. A survey was conducted to evaluate the infection control components in 1,767 acute care hospitals. Infection control officers provided direct responses to a systematically developed questionnaire. Subsequently, 10% of the respondents were randomly selected for the site investigation. Results: Overall, 1,197 (67.7%) hospitals responded to the online survey. On-site investigations were conducted at 125 hospitals. Hospitals with ≥ 150 beds are advised to have an IPC team under Article 3 of the Medical Service Act; however, only 87.0% (598/687) of hospitals with ≥ 100 beds had one. Conversely, 22.7% (116/510) of hospitals with < 100 beds had an IPC team. Regulations for hand hygiene, waste management, healthcare worker protection and safety, environmental cleaning, standard precautions, and prevention of the transmission of multidrug-resistant pathogens were present in 84.2%, 80.1%, 77.4%, 76.2%, 75.8%, and 63.5% of the hospitals, respectively. Hospitals with < 100 beds had low availability of all categories of standard operating procedures. Conclusion This study is the first national survey of acute care hospitals in the Republic of Korea. The data presented in the current study will improve the understanding of IPC status and will help establish a survey system. Our survey provides a basis for improving policies related to IPC in healthcare facilities.

Background: Healthcare-associated infections impose a significant burden on antibiotic usage, healthcare expenditures, and morbidity. Therefore, it is crucial to revise policies to minimize such losses. This nationwide survey aimed to evaluate infection prevention and control (IPC) components in healthcare facilities and encourage improvements in acute care hospitals with inadequate infection prevention settings. This study aims to enhance the infection control capabilities of healthcare facilities. Methods: From December 27, 2021, to May 13, 2022, we conducted a survey of 1,767 acute care hospitals in the Republic of Korea. A survey was conducted to evaluate the infection control components in 1,767 acute care hospitals. Infection control officers provided direct responses to a systematically developed questionnaire. Subsequently, 10% of the respondents were randomly selected for the site investigation. Results: Overall, 1,197 (67.7%) hospitals responded to the online survey. On-site investigations were conducted at 125 hospitals. Hospitals with ≥ 150 beds are advised to have an IPC team under Article 3 of the Medical Service Act; however, only 87.0% (598/687) of hospitals with ≥ 100 beds had one. Conversely, 22.7% (116/510) of hospitals with < 100 beds had an IPC team. Regulations for hand hygiene, waste management, healthcare worker protection and safety, environmental cleaning, standard precautions, and prevention of the transmission of multidrug-resistant pathogens were present in 84.2%, 80.1%, 77.4%, 76.2%, 75.8%, and 63.5% of the hospitals, respectively. Hospitals with < 100 beds had low availability of all categories of standard operating procedures. Conclusion This study is the first national survey of acute care hospitals in the Republic of Korea. The data presented in the current study will improve the understanding of IPC status and will help establish a survey system. Our survey provides a basis for improving policies related to IPC in healthcare facilities.

Background: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) account for a large proportion of healthcare-associated infections and have a significant impact on morbidity, length of hospital stay, and mortality. Adherence to the recommended infection prevention practices can effectively reduce the incidence of CAUTIs. This study aimed to assess the characteristics of CAUTIs and the efficacy of prevention programs across hospitals of various sizes. Methods: Intervention programs, including training, surveillance, and monitoring, were implemented. Data on the microorganisms responsible for CAUTIs, urinary catheter utilization ratio, rate of CAUTIs per 1,000 device days, and factors associated with the use of indwelling catheters were collected from 2017 to 2019. The incidence of CAUTIs and associated data were compared between university hospitals and small- and medium-sized hospitals. Results: Thirty-two hospitals participated in the study, including 21 university hospitals and 11 small- and medium-sized hospitals. The microorganisms responsible for CAUTIs and their resistance rates did not differ between the two groups. In the first quarter of 2018, the incidence rate was 2.05 infections/1,000 device-days in university hospitals and 1.44 infections/1,000 device-days in small- and medium-sized hospitals. After implementing interventions, the rate gradually decreased in the first quarter of 2019, with 1.18 infections/1,000 device-days in university hospitals and 0.79 infections/1,000 device-days in small- and medium-sized hospitals. However, by the end of the study, the infection rate increased to 1.74 infections/1,000 device-days in university hospitals and 1.80 infections/1,000 device-days in small- and medium-sized hospitals. Conclusion We implemented interventions to prevent CAUTIs and evaluated their outcomes. The incidence of these infections decreased in the initial phases of the intervention when adequate support and personnel were present. The rate of these infections may be reduced by implementing active interventions such as consistent monitoring and adherence to guidelines for preventing infections.

Objective: This study aimed to assess whether the conventional treatments administered in the emergency department (ED) for hypertensive urgencies (observed or peroral [PO]-controlled) in severe high blood pressure (BP) patients with epistaxis increase the incidence of epistaxis recurrence and the mortality rate as compared to immediate BP control using intravenous (IV) antihypertensive medication Methods: A retrospective study over 7 years was conducted at the ED of a tertiary university hospital. Among adult patients with spontaneous epistaxis, subjects with severe high BP (systolic BP ≥180 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥120 mmHg) were included in the study. Participants were divided into three groups determined by the methods used to control BP: non-controlled, PO-controlled, and IV-controlled groups. The incidence of epistaxis recurrence and mortality rate within 6 months were compared. Results: Among the 380 patients enrolled, 238 were discharged from the ED without any pharmacological antihypertensive treatment (non-controlled group), 83 received PO antihypertensive medication (PO-controlled group), and 59 received IV antihypertensive medication (IV-controlled group). Of these, 29 (12.2%), nine (10.8%), and seven (11.9%) patients from the non-controlled, PO-controlled, and IV-controlled groups, respectively, experienced epistaxis recurrence within 24 hours, which was statistically not different among the three groups (P=0.948). The 6-month mortality rates were determined to be 0.8%, 2.4%, and 3.4% in the non-controlled, PO-controlled, and IV-controlled groups, respectively. The difference was also not significant among the groups (P=0.294). Conclusion The conventional treatments of hypertensive urgencies (observed or PO-controlled) in patients with severe high BP with epistaxis in the ED did not increase the incidence of epistaxis recurrence and short-term mortality rate when compared to immediate BP control using IV antihypertensive medication.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a theory on the gambling addiction process in adults who experienced domestic violence in childhood. Methods: Data were collected from 20 adults from May 1st to August 30th, 2020. Data were analyzed using grounded theory methodology as suggested by Strauss and Corbin. Results: The core category of this study was revealed to be ‘becoming addicted to gambling to avoid the physical and emotional pain caused by childhood domestic violence and be rewarded’. The core phenomenon was ‘struggle from pain’, which was derived from casual and contextual conditions: ‘ruthless physical violence’, ‘intolerable psychological pain’, and ‘bystand of violence’, ‘family addiction problem’. ‘parental immoral attitude’, The action and interaction strategies were ‘making money by any means’, and ‘gambling to forget the pain’. The intervening conditions affecting them were ‘a distorted view of money’, ‘resignation to helpless’, and ‘avoiding emotional distress’. The phases abbreviated through the produced process were the trauma phase, the avoidance phase, and the addiction phase. Conclusion Adults became addicted to gambling as a manifestation of distorted compensation mentality in an attempt to avoid the physical and emotional trauma of domestic violence in childhood.

Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is a soft tissue sarcoma that originates from smooth muscle cells. It is commonly found in the uterus but can occur throughout the body, including the retroperitoneal space, abdominal cavity, and any vascular structure. Although there are many case reports of uterine or vascular LMS metastasizing to the heart, cardiac metastasis from nonvisceral lesions has only been reported in two cases. Herein we report a rare case of a patient presenting metastatic LMS from the left flank in the right ventricle observed with echocardiography and enhanced computed tomography.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a theory on the gambling addiction process in adults who experienced domestic violence in childhood. Methods: Data were collected from 20 adults from May 1st to August 30th, 2020. Data were analyzed using grounded theory methodology as suggested by Strauss and Corbin. Results: The core category of this study was revealed to be ‘becoming addicted to gambling to avoid the physical and emotional pain caused by childhood domestic violence and be rewarded’. The core phenomenon was ‘struggle from pain’, which was derived from casual and contextual conditions: ‘ruthless physical violence’, ‘intolerable psychological pain’, and ‘bystand of violence’, ‘family addiction problem’. ‘parental immoral attitude’, The action and interaction strategies were ‘making money by any means’, and ‘gambling to forget the pain’. The intervening conditions affecting them were ‘a distorted view of money’, ‘resignation to helpless’, and ‘avoiding emotional distress’. The phases abbreviated through the produced process were the trauma phase, the avoidance phase, and the addiction phase. Conclusion Adults became addicted to gambling as a manifestation of distorted compensation mentality in an attempt to avoid the physical and emotional trauma of domestic violence in childhood.

Percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (PTNB) is one of the essential diagnostic procedures for pulmonary lesions. Its role is increasing in the era of CT screening for lung cancer and precision medicine. The Korean Society of Thoracic Radiology developed the first evidence-based clinical guideline for PTNB in Korea by adapting pre-existing guidelines. The guideline provides 39 recommendations for the following four main domains of 12 key questions: the indications for PTNB, pre-procedural evaluation, procedural technique of PTNB and its accuracy, and management of post-biopsy complications. We hope that these recommendations can improve the diagnostic accuracy and safety of PTNB in clinical practice and promote standardization of the procedure nationwide.