OBJECTIVE: To study the working experience of COVID-19 care nurses. METHODS: Twenty two nurses taking care of COVID-19 patients were interviewed by means of descriptive phenomenology. All the data were transcribed and recorded, and then processed into WORD documents. The Colaizzi 7 footwork was used to classify, encode, establish nodes and extract themes based on Nvivo11.0 software. RESULTS: Two main themes were extracted: one is the positive feelings of nurses, including the sense of professional mission and pride, the sense of achievement and happiness, the improvement of self-worth and ability, the powerful support system and the power of role models; the other is the negative experience of nurses, including the worry and anxiety at work, the lack of experience and trust, the difficulty of work, and the inconvenience of isolating life. CONCLUSIONS s While fully affirming the work value of nurses, it is necessary for the society, hospitals and patients to give extensive and continuous support, care and respect to nurses, so as to stimulate their working enthusiasm and sense of professional achievement. Hospital managers need to implement all kinds of security work, meet the safety needs of nurses, pay attention to the physical and mental health of nurses, strengthen the training of nursing talents for critical and severe diseases and infectious diseases, improve the allocation of human resources, and enhance the ability of material allocation and reserve for major health events, so as to make adequate preparations for coping with public health events in the future.
Betacoronavirus ; Coronavirus Infections ; Hospitals ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Nurses ; statistics & numerical data ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral ; Qualitative Research ; Workplace ; statistics & numerical data

PURPOSE: This study aims to gain in-depth understanding of nurses' perspectives of working in an overcrowded emergency. METHODS: Symbolic interactionism and Charmaz's construction of grounded theory were used. Purposive sampling at the start of the study and a further theoretical sampling by snowball technique were used to recruit 40 registered nurses (RN) to participate in in-depth, semi-structured interviews betweenMay and November, 2014. Data analysis included analytic techniques of initial, focused and theoretical coding. RESULTS: Study findings showed searching for work role is derived by the themes of Finding the role of positioning in Emergency Department (ED), Recognizing causes of ED overcrowding, and Confined working environment. Nurses' work experience which represents the RNs not gained control over their work, as care actions influenced by the problematic overcrowded circumstance of the ED environment. CONCLUSION: The findings fill a gap in knowledge about how RNs experience their work role in the context of an overcrowded Emergency Department in Taiwan. Arising from the study result include taking account of nurses' perspectives when planning staff/patient ratios, strategies to reduce waiting time and ensure that clients receive appropriate care.
Clinical Coding ; Crowding ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Grounded Theory ; Humans ; Nurses ; Statistics as Topic ; Taiwan*

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore personal as well as occupational factors and health status associated with work-life balance in Korean registered nurses. METHODS: This study was a secondary data analysis using cross-sectional nationally representative data from the Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS) in 2014. Study participants included 450 registered nurses in South Korea. Descriptive analysis, Independent t-test, χ² test, and Logistic regression analyses were performed using the SPSS 21.0 statistical program. RESULTS: Work-life balance was reported in 70.6% individuals with 85.7% being male and 70.0% being female nurses. Logistic regression analysis revealed that being male good health state, having less than 40-hour working week, lower number of night duty, policy on flexible work arrangement were significant predictors of work-life balance. CONCLUSION: This study provided evidence that identify predictors of work-life balance in registered nurses in South Korea. Therefore, we need the actively support health care service promotion and prevention for work-life balance predictors.
Delivery of Health Care ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Nurses* ; Statistics as Topic ; Work Schedule Tolerance

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate empathy ability, communication, and nursing performance among registered nurses (RN) and nursing assistants (NA) in long-term care hospitals. METHODS: Participants were 155 nursing personnel (RN 80 and AN 75) who worked in 8 long-term care hospitals in G city and J Province. Data collection was conducted from July 6 to August 6, 2016. Descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and stepwise multiple regression were used with SPSS/WIN program version 23.0 for data analysis. RESULTS: Nursing performance of RN was significantly influenced by communication ability (β=.88, p<.001) and university graduation (β=.25, p=.025). Nursing performance of NA was influential by communication ability (β=.77, p<.001) and marriage (β=.42, p=.018). CONCLUSION: Findings show that communication ability of RN and NA is important in nursing performance. Therefore, there is a need to develop programs to improve communication ability and validate the effectiveness of the programs in improving nursing performance of nursing personnel working at long-term care hospitals.
Communication* ; Data Collection ; Empathy* ; Humans ; Long-Term Care* ; Marriage ; Nurses' Aides ; Nurses* ; Nursing* ; Statistics as Topic ; Task Performance and Analysis

PURPOSE: Emergency department (ED) nurses suffer from persistent stress after experiencing the traumatic event of exposure to Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), which can subsequently lead to burnout. This study aimed to assess ED nurses' burnout level during an outbreak of MERS-CoV and to identify influencing factors in order to provide basic information for lowering and preventing the level of burnout. METHODS: Study participants were ED nurses working in eight hospitals designated for treating MERS-CoV-infected patients in Korea. We performed multiple regression analysis to explore the factors influencing burnout. RESULTS: The ED nurses' burnout was affected by job stress (β = 0.59, p < .001), poor hospital resources for the treatment of MERS-CoV (β = −0.19, p < .001) and poor support from family and friends (β = −0.14, p < .05). These three variables explained 47.3% of the variance in burnout. CONCLUSIONS: ED nurses taking care of MERS-CoV-infected patients should be aware that burnout is higher for nurses in their divisions than nurses in other hospital departments and that job stress is the biggest influential factor of burnout. To be ready for the outbreak of emerging contagious diseases such as MERS-CoV, efforts and preparations should be made to reduce burnout. Job stress should be managed and resolved. Working conditions for mitigating job stress and systematic stress management programs should be provided, and hospital resources for the treatment of MERS-CoV need to be reinforced. Moreover, promoting support from family and friends is required.
Adult ; Burnout, Professional/*epidemiology/etiology ; Coronavirus Infections/*epidemiology/psychology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Disease Outbreaks ; Emergency Nursing/*statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus ; Nurses/*psychology ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity in many countries, and it has high rate of hospital readmissions due to recurrent exacerbations of the disease. Many previous studies have suggested further examination of the factors that contribute to hospital readmissions of COPD patients. However, evidence on the effects of nurse staffing by registered nurses (RNs) on the readmission of COPD patients is lacking in Korea. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of nurse staffing on hospital readmissions of COPD patients. METHODS: We used National Health Insurance claim data from 2002 to 2012. A total of 1,070 hospitals and 339,379 hospitalization cases were included in the analysis. We divided the number of RNs per 100 beds and the proportion of RNs on staff to one of three groups (Q1: low; Q2: moderate; Q3: high). A generalized estimating equation model was used to evaluate the associations between readmission and nurse staffing. RESULTS: A higher number of RNs was associated with lower readmission rates of 8.9% (Q2) and 7.9% (Q3) respectively. A similar effect was observed as the proportion of RNs among the total nursing staff gradually increased, resulting in lower readmission rates of 7.7% (Q2) and 8.3% (Q3). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest notable positive effects of nurse staffing by RNs on patient outcomes. In addition, the magnitude of impact differed between different sizes of hospitals. Thus, human resource planning to solve staffing shortages should carefully consider the qualitative aspects of the nursing staff composition.
Aged ; Female ; Health Facility Size/statistics & numerical data ; Hospitals, General/statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Male ; Nurses/*supply & distribution ; Nursing Staff, Hospital/*supply & distribution ; Patient Outcome Assessment ; Patient Readmission/*statistics & numerical data ; Personnel Staffing and Scheduling ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/*nursing ; Quality of Health Care ; Recurrence ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify influencing factors for sleep quality among shift-working nurses based on a three-factor scoring model that included sleep efficacy, sleep quality and daily dysfunction. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 513 nurses in a hospital in Shanghai, China, was conducted using a self-reported questionnaire. Sleep quality was measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Data were analyzed based on the three-factor PSQI model: Factor 1, sleep efficacy; Factor 2, sleep quality; Factor 3, daily disturbances. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, marital status, and having children, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that participants who had previous shift work experience which was at least 6 months ago, or were currently performing shift work were significantly more likely to have poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5) than those who had never done shift work (adjusted odds ratios of 3.943 and 3.975, respectively, both p < .001). Mean scores of the three individual factors increased significantly among nurses currently performing shift work compared with those who had never done shift work (Factor 1, β = 0.61, p < .001; Factor 2, β = 1.86, p < .001; Factor 3, β = 0.45, p = .002). Mean scores of Factor 2 and Factor 3 increased significantly among nurses with previous shift work experience compared with those who had never done shift work (Factor 2, β = 1.15, p = .003; Factor 3, β = 0.52, p = .005). CONCLUSIONS: Performing current shift work and performing shift work previously were significantly associated with poor sleep quality. An appropriate arrangement and intervention strategies are needed in Chinese hospitals in order to improve sleep quality among shift-working nurses.
Adult ; China/epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Nurses/*statistics & numerical data ; Risk Factors ; Sleep/*physiology ; Sleep Deprivation/*epidemiology ; Work Schedule Tolerance/*physiology

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of workplace violence toward newly licensed nurses and the relationship between workplace violence and job outcomes. METHODS: An online survey was conducted of newly licensed registered nurses who had obtained their license in 2012 or 2013 in South Korea and had been working for 5-12 months after first being employed. The sample consisted of 312 nurses working in hospitals or clinics. The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire II was used to measure violence and nurse job outcomes. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between violence and job outcomes. RESULTS: Verbal abuse was most prevalent (59.6%), followed by threats of violence (36.9%), physical violence (27.6%), bullying (25.6%), and sexual harassment (22.4%). Approximately three quarters of the nurses had experienced at least one type of violence. The main perpetrators were patients and nurse colleagues, although the distribution of perpetrators varied depending on the type of violence. Bullying had a significant relationship with all four job outcomes (job satisfaction, burnout, commitment to the workplace, and intent to leave), while verbal abuse was associated with all job outcomes except for intent to leave. Violence perpetrated by nurse colleagues had a significant relationship with all four job outcomes, while violence by physicians had a significant inverse relationship with job satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Workplace violence is experienced by a high percentage of newly licensed nurses, and is associated with their job outcomes.
Bullying/statistics & numerical data ; Burnout, Professional/epidemiology/psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; Nurses/psychology/*statistics & numerical data ; Nursing Staff, Hospital/psychology/*statistics & numerical data ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Sexual Harassment/psychology/statistics & numerical data ; Workplace Violence/*statistics & numerical data ; Young Adult

Adaptation, Psychological ; Adult ; Anxiety ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Depression ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nurses ; psychology ; statistics & numerical data ; Physicians ; psychology ; statistics & numerical data ; Prevalence ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between utilization of home care services under the national long-term care insurance system and family caregiver distress. METHODS: A secondary data analysis was conducted in this study using data collected in 2011 and 2012 from the Korean version of International Resident Assessment Instrument (interRAI) Home Care assessment system. The study sample included 228 clients receiving community based home care and their family caregivers in Korea. Descriptive statistics, χ² test, t-test, and Heckman selection model analysis were conducted using SAS 9.3. RESULTS: Presence of family caregiver distress was significantly associated with days of nurse visits (β=-.89, p=<.001) and home helper visits (β=-.53, p=.014). Level of caregiver distress was also significantly associated with days of nurse visits (β=-.66, p=.028). Other factors which were significantly associated with caregiver distress were depression, cognitive function, inadequate pain control, social support for older adult, and caregiver relationship to the older adult. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that visiting nurse service and appropriate support programs for Older Adults and family caregivers experiencing caregiver distress should be developed and provided to families based on the health care needs of older adults and their family caregivers for effective and sustainable home care.
Adult* ; Caregivers* ; Cognition ; Delivery of Health Care ; Depression ; Home Care Services* ; Humans ; Insurance, Long-Term Care ; Korea ; Long-Term Care ; Nurses, Community Health ; Social Control, Formal ; Statistics as Topic