Background: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare and a rapidly progressive, invariably fatal neurodegenerative disorder believed to be caused by an abnormal isoform of a cellular glycoprotein known as the prion protein. The disease develops in very different ways, such as sporadic, genetic, and iatrogenic. We aim to identify the incidence of CJD genotypes registered in the statutory infectious disease surveillance system from 2017 to 2023 and analyze the types and characteristics of domestic pathogenic CJD genotypes to serve as a basis for preventing transmission. Methods: We analyzed the characteristics of hereditary CDJ among subjects reported through the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's statutory infectious disease surveillance system from 2017 to 2023. Results: In total, six pathogenic genotypes were identified in Korean patients, with P102L belonging to Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome being the most common (16, 30.2%), followed by V180I (13, 24.5%), M232R (10, 18.9%), and E200K (seven, 18.9%), which are highly prevalent in Asia, and D178N (six, 11.3%) and V203I (one, 1.9%), which belong to fatal familial insomnia. Conclusions The significance of this study lies in the identification of P102L as the predominant genotype observed among individuals in their 30s and 40s in Korea. Moreover, it highlights that the occurrence of visual symptoms at an early stage is more prevalent in this age group compared to individuals over 50. Therefore, if a young individual reports a subjective decline in visual acuity not adequately accounted for by structural abnormalities of the eye, it becomes imperative to confirm the presence of CJD before undergoing ophthalmic procedures (such as corneal or retinal surgery), as these procedures involve high-risk organs for CJD transmission.

Background: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare and a rapidly progressive, invariably fatal neurodegenerative disorder believed to be caused by an abnormal isoform of a cellular glycoprotein known as the prion protein. The disease develops in very different ways, such as sporadic, genetic, and iatrogenic. We aim to identify the incidence of CJD genotypes registered in the statutory infectious disease surveillance system from 2017 to 2023 and analyze the types and characteristics of domestic pathogenic CJD genotypes to serve as a basis for preventing transmission. Methods: We analyzed the characteristics of hereditary CDJ among subjects reported through the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's statutory infectious disease surveillance system from 2017 to 2023. Results: In total, six pathogenic genotypes were identified in Korean patients, with P102L belonging to Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome being the most common (16, 30.2%), followed by V180I (13, 24.5%), M232R (10, 18.9%), and E200K (seven, 18.9%), which are highly prevalent in Asia, and D178N (six, 11.3%) and V203I (one, 1.9%), which belong to fatal familial insomnia. Conclusions The significance of this study lies in the identification of P102L as the predominant genotype observed among individuals in their 30s and 40s in Korea. Moreover, it highlights that the occurrence of visual symptoms at an early stage is more prevalent in this age group compared to individuals over 50. Therefore, if a young individual reports a subjective decline in visual acuity not adequately accounted for by structural abnormalities of the eye, it becomes imperative to confirm the presence of CJD before undergoing ophthalmic procedures (such as corneal or retinal surgery), as these procedures involve high-risk organs for CJD transmission.

Background: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare and a rapidly progressive, invariably fatal neurodegenerative disorder believed to be caused by an abnormal isoform of a cellular glycoprotein known as the prion protein. The disease develops in very different ways, such as sporadic, genetic, and iatrogenic. We aim to identify the incidence of CJD genotypes registered in the statutory infectious disease surveillance system from 2017 to 2023 and analyze the types and characteristics of domestic pathogenic CJD genotypes to serve as a basis for preventing transmission. Methods: We analyzed the characteristics of hereditary CDJ among subjects reported through the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's statutory infectious disease surveillance system from 2017 to 2023. Results: In total, six pathogenic genotypes were identified in Korean patients, with P102L belonging to Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome being the most common (16, 30.2%), followed by V180I (13, 24.5%), M232R (10, 18.9%), and E200K (seven, 18.9%), which are highly prevalent in Asia, and D178N (six, 11.3%) and V203I (one, 1.9%), which belong to fatal familial insomnia. Conclusions The significance of this study lies in the identification of P102L as the predominant genotype observed among individuals in their 30s and 40s in Korea. Moreover, it highlights that the occurrence of visual symptoms at an early stage is more prevalent in this age group compared to individuals over 50. Therefore, if a young individual reports a subjective decline in visual acuity not adequately accounted for by structural abnormalities of the eye, it becomes imperative to confirm the presence of CJD before undergoing ophthalmic procedures (such as corneal or retinal surgery), as these procedures involve high-risk organs for CJD transmission.

Objectives: Education in biomedical and health informatics is essential for managing complex healthcare systems, bridging the gap between healthcare and information technology, and adapting to the digital requirements of the healthcare industry. This review presents the current status of biomedical and health informatics education domestically and internationally and proposes recommendations for future development. Methods: We analyzed evidence from reports and papers to explore global trends and international and domestic examples of education. The challenges and future strategies in Korea were also discussed based on the experts’ opinions. Results: This review presents international recommendations for establishing education in biomedical and health informatics, as well as global examples at the undergraduate and graduate levels in medical and nursing education. It provides a thorough examination of the best practices, strategies, and competencies in informatics education. The review also assesses the current state of medical informatics and nursing informatics education in Korea. We highlight the challenges faced by academic institutions and conclude with a call to action for educators to enhance the preparation of professionals to effectively utilize technology in any healthcare setting. Conclusions To adapt to the digitalization of healthcare, systematic and continuous workforce development is essential. Future education should prioritize curriculum innovations and the establishment of integrated education programs, focusing not only on students but also on educators and all healthcare personnel in the field. Addressing these challenges requires collaboration among educational institutions, academic societies, government agencies, and international bodies dedicated to systematic and continuous workforce development.

Background: The Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ) tool is a simple suicide screening tool developed to screen patient suicide risk (SR). The purpose of this study was to verify the reliability and validity of the ASQ tool in hospitalized patients. Methods: The internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the South Korean version of the ASQ tool were verified in 99 hospitalized patients admitted to a tertiary medical institution in Seoul. To verify the correlations and validity of each convergence with other scales, the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) were also conducted to determine convergent and discriminant validity. Then, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve diagnosis values for suicide and depression levels with the highest correlations were analyzed. Results: As a result, Cronbach’s alpha was 0.826, and when each item was removed sequentially, Cronbach’s alpha ranged from 0.736–0.840, showing stable internal consistency. Most of the corrected item-total correlation were over 0.500; however, a relatively low correlation was shown for the fourth and fifth questions, which had values of 0.429 and 0.410, respectively. The test-retest reliability was 0.830, and the MINI and PHQ-9 showed high values of 0.872 and 0.672, respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) according to the ASQ diagnosis value was also the highest for the MINI (0.936). Conclusion The validity and reliability of the South Korean version of the ASQ tool were demonstrated. Through this validation, the ASQ tool can be used for simple suicide risk screening (SRS) in hospitalized patients.

Objectives: This study explored the current status of nursing informatics education in South Korea and developed a standardized curriculum for it. Methods: Data were collected in two stages: first, an online survey conducted from December 2020 to February 2021 among 60 nursing schools to analyze the current status of nursing informatics education; and second, a two-round Delphi survey with 15 experts from March to April 2021 to determine the mean and standard deviation of the demand for each learning objective in nursing informatics education. A standardized curriculum proposal was developed based on the results of the two-round Delphi survey. Results: Nursing informatics was most commonly taught in the fourth year (34%), with two credits. The proportion of elective major subjects was high in undergraduate and graduate programs (77.4% and 78.6%, respectively), while the proportion of nursing informatics majors was low (21.4%). The curriculum developed included topics such as nursing information system-related concepts, definitions and components of healthcare information systems, electronic medical records, clinical decision support systems, mobile technology and health management, medical information standards, personal information protection and ethics, understanding of big data, use of information technology in evidence-based practice, use of information in community nursing, genome information usage, artificial intelligence clinical information systems, administrative management systems, and information technology nursing education. Conclusions Nursing informatics professors should receive ongoing training to obtain recent medical information. Further review and modification of the nursing informatics curriculum should be performed to ensure that it remains up-to-date with recent developments.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore nursing students’ experience with community-linked nursing education programs. Methods: This study utilized a qualitative content analysis. Participants were 55 sophomore nursing students. The community-linked nursing education program was conducted for eight weeks using the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evolution (ADDIE) model. Data were collected from 55 reflection records and five individual interviews and then analyzed through the three steps of qualitative content analysis, coding, condensing, and categorizing. Results: Twelve categories, 26 subcategories, and six topics emerged. The themes of impression and lesson from the community-linked nursing education programs were “recognizing the importance of professional competence in performing the role of nurse,” “recognizing the need for leadership and cooperation in nursing practice,” and “increased awareness of the role as a nursing professional for community residents.” The themes of the strategies used were “looking at the goal and moving forward,” and “aligning differences and working together with team/community members.” The theme of strategies for the advancement of community-linked nursing education programs was “establishing a sustainable student-participating community-linked education program.” Conclusion The community-linked nursing education programs made students aware of the necessary competencies as professionals. In particular, they gave them hope for their role as professional nurses in the community. It could also be seen that they developed the ability to engage in team activities for community activities. Community-linked nursing education programs will need to be developed into continuous programs with community residents.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an infection control education (ICE) program based on digital story-telling for new graduate nurses. Methods: From June 2 to July 30, 2022, a total of 58 new graduate nurses (30 and 28 nurses in the experimental and control group, respectively) at a tertiary general hospital in D city were enrolled. The effects were evaluated using a nonequivalent control group, non-synchronized design. The effects of the program were evaluated in terms of awareness of standard precautions, performance of standard precautions, and grit. Results: Statistically significant differences between the two groups were found in the awareness of standard precautions (t=-2.18, p=.034) and the performance of standard precautions (t=-3.27, p=.002). Grit was also significantly higher in the experimental group (t=-4.17, p<.001). Conclusion The development and application of the ICE program effectively improved the awareness of standard precautions, the performance of standard precautions, and grit among new nurses.

Rabbits are being increasingly used as companion animals, and in research; thus, the need for proper veterinary care for rabbits has increased. Surgical access is more challenging in rabbits under inhalation anesthesia compared to other animals, such as dogs and cats. Rabbits have a very narrow and deep oral cavity, large incisors, and a large tongue. Moreover, their temporomandibular joint has limited mobility, making it more difficult to approach the larynx. Various methods have been proposed to overcome this difficulty. The video laryngoscope was introduced in 1999 and is useful when airway intubation is unsuccessful using a conventional laryngoscope. We postulated that a video laryngoscope with a modified size 1 Macintosh blade (McGrath MAC Video Laryngoscope, Medtronic, USA) would facilitate the intubation of New Zealand White rabbits. Sixteen specific-pathogen-free male New Zealand White rabbits weighing 3.45–4.70 kg were studied. All rabbits were intubated using the video laryngoscope. Typically, a 3.0 mm endotracheal tube was used for rabbits weighing < 4 kg, while a 3.5 mm tube was used in those weighing > 4 kg. During surgery, anesthesia was well maintained, and there were no major abnormalities in the animals’ conditions. No rabbit developed breathing difficulties or anorexia after recovering from anesthesia. We established an intubation method using a video laryngoscope with a modified blade and stylet in the supine (ventrodorsal) position and successfully applied it in 16 rabbits. It is useful for training novices and for treating rabbits in veterinary hospitals with few staff members and animal research facilities where there are insufficient human resources.

Purpose: This study conducted a job analysis of visiting nurses in the process of change. Methods: Participants were the visiting nurses working for the Seoul Metropolitan city. On the basis of the Public Health Intervention Wheel model, two times of the focus group interview (FGI) with seven visiting nurses and one time of the Developing a Curriculum (DACUM) with 34 visiting nurses were performed. A questionnaire survey of 380 visiting nurses was conducted to examine the frequency, importance and difficulty levels of the tasks created by using the FGI and DACUM. Results: Visiting nurses’ job was derived as the theme of present versus transitional roles. The present role was categorized as ‘providing individual- and group-focused services’ and ‘conducting organization management’, while the transitional role was categorized as ‘providing district-focused services’ and ‘responding to new health issues’. The job generated 13 duties, 28 tasks, and 73task elements. The tasks showed the levels of frequency (3.65 scores), importance (4.27 scores), and difficulty (3.81 scores). All the tasks were determined as important, exceeding the average 4.00 scores. The group- and district-focused services of the tasks were recognized as more difficult but less frequent tasks. Conclusion The visiting nurses exert both present and transitional roles. The transitional roles identified in the present study should be recognized as an extended role of visiting nurses in accordance with the current changing healthcare needs in South Korea. Finally, the educational curriculum for visiting nurses that reflects the transitional roles from the present study is needed.