PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify the difficulties with end-of-life care (EOLC) experienced by intensive care unit (ICU) nurses and to investigate their educational needs for EOLC. METHODS: This study aimed to identify the difficulties with end-of-life care (EOLC) experienced by intensive care unit (ICU) nurses and to investigate their educational needs for EOLC. RESULTS: The mean score on the difficulty of EOLC was 3.41 out of 5. The education needs derived from the qualitative analysis was categorized into four themes: 1) guidelines on professional EOLC, 2) spiritual care, 3) a program to take care of feelings of patients, families and nurses, and 4) activities to think about death. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that ICU nurses were experiencing an extreme difficulty in providing EOLC. In addition, a qualitative analysis confirmed that they needed an EOL nursing program. To mitigate the difficulties experienced by nurses involved in EOLC, there is an urgent need to develop an education program for EOLC tailored to nurses' needs.
Critical Care ; Education ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Methods ; Needs Assessment ; Nursing ; Terminal Care

Frailty is a distinct clinical syndrome wherein the individual has low reserves and is highly vulnerable to internal and external stressors. Although it is associated with disability and multiple comorbidities, it can also be present in individuals who seem healthy. Frailty is multidimensional and its pathophysiology is complex. Early identification and intervention can potentially decrease or reverse frailty, especially in the early stages. Primary care physicians, community nurses and community social networks have important roles in the identification of pre-frail and frail elderly through the use of simple frailty screening tools and rapid geriatric assessments. Appropriate interventions that can be initiated in a primary care setting include a targeted medical review for reversible medical causes of frailty, medication appropriateness, nutritional advice and exercise prescription. With ongoing training and education, the multidisciplinary engagement and coordination of care of the elderly in the community can help to build resilience and combat frailty in our rapidly ageing society.
Aged ; Aging ; Community Health Services ; Frail Elderly ; Frailty ; Geriatric Assessment ; methods ; Geriatrics ; methods ; Humans ; Nurses ; Nursing ; Primary Health Care ; methods ; Social Support

PURPOSE: To examine the effects of auricular acupressure on symptoms of patients with allergic rhinitis and their quality of life. METHODS: A quasi experimental was used with a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest method involving 56 adult outpatients who were seen in the Allergy & Asthma clinic at a tertiary referral hospital in Seoul, Korea. The experimental group (n=28) received 2 weeks of auricular acupressure to the Shenmen, wind stream, endocrine, adrenal, and lung acupuncture points; no acupressure was provided to the control group (n=28). Outcome measures included Total Nasal Symptom Score used to assess nasal symptoms, and the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire to assess the quality of life. Repeated measure ANOVA and independent t-test were used to calculate statistical significance. RESULTS: The experimental group showed significant improvements in terms of allergic rhinitis symptoms (p < .001) and on the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (p < .001) compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Finding in this study indicate that auricular acupressure can be used as a nursing intervention to alleviate nasal symptoms and improve rhinoconjuctivitis quality of life in allergic rhinitis patients.
Acupressure* ; Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Asthma ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Lung ; Methods ; Nursing ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Outpatients ; Quality of Life* ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Allergic* ; Rivers ; Seoul ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Wind

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a program outcomes assessment system based on Course Embedded Assessment for nursing education. METHODS: This study was conducted in accordance with the procedures of the developmental research method. RESULTS: The major results are as follows. 1) The program outcomes were measured according to the Analytic Hierarchy Process. 2) The Course Embedded Assessment matrix was made according to program outcomes' weight, the curriculum-organizing principle, and achievement levels. 3) The Course Embedded Assessment rubric was developed in logical process, and consisted of a performance criterion, and rating scale. The content validity index of the Course Embedded Assessment rubric was 0.85. 4) An evaluation guideline and 12 documents were developed to facilitate the performance of the assessment system. 5) The average content validity index of the Course Embedded Assessment-based program outcomes assessment system was as high as 0.89. CONCLUSION: A Course Embedded Assessment-based program outcomes assessment system is more suitable for accreditation of nursing education than previous studies. Because this system evaluates the process of achievement as well as program outcomes, the results can also serve as immediate feedback to improve the educational process. Above all, this system facilitates that students check their achievements and strive to acquire core competencies in nursing.
Accreditation ; Education, Nursing* ; Humans ; Logic ; Methods ; Nursing* ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care)* ; Program Evaluation

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the program outcome in nursing baccalaureate in Korea. The analysis based on course embedded assessment. The concrete objectives were establishment of program outcome assessment, confirmation of student competency through weighting of program outcomes, and using the results of the evaluation in the circular feedback process in a nursing school in Korea. METHODS: This study was conducted with a nursing education curriculum in a Korean nursing school. Data were collected through 28 students’ program outcome measurement from January 2013 to December 2014. Data were analyzed using a pairwise comparison method and analytic hierarchy process. RESULTS: There were 1 to 3 direct and indirect assessment tools and for each program outcomes and each tool had measurable rubrics. There were 1 to 3 direct assessment tools for each program outcome, and each tool had measurable rubrics. This model derived rank of program outcomes from "care integration" to "global perception" through weight calculation. All direct assessment results were over 70%. The indirect assessment results were over the cutoff except for program outcomes 4 and 7. CONCLUSION: Each step of course embedded assessment was adaptive in nursing program outcome measure. The achievement of learning outcome provided reasonable tools for faculty and students.
Curriculum ; Education* ; Education, Nursing ; Humans ; Korea ; Learning ; Methods ; Nursing* ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Schools, Nursing

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical nursing students using 360 degree evaluation. METHODS: In this descriptive cross-sectional study that conducted between September 2014 and February 2015, 28 students who were selected by census from those who were passing the last semester of the Nursing BSc program in Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences. Data collection tools included demographic questionnaire and students' evaluation questionnaire, to evaluate "professional behavior" and "clinical skills" in pediatric ward. Every student got evaluated from clinical instructor, students, peers, clinical nurses, and children's mothers' point of view. Data analysis was done with descriptive and analytic statistics test including Pearson coefficient using SPSS version 18.0. RESULTS: The evaluation mean scores were as following: students, 89.74±6.17; peers, 94.12±6.87; children's mothers, 92.87±6.21; clinical instructor, 84.01±8.81; and the nurses, 94.87±6.35. The results showed a significant correlation between evaluation scores of peers, clinical instructor and self-evaluation (Pearson coefficient, p<0.001), but the correlation between the nurses' evaluation score and that of the clinical instructor was not significant (Pearson coefficient, p=0.052). CONCLUSION: 360 Degree evaluation can provide additional useful information on student performance and evaluation of different perspectives of care. The use of this method is recommended for clinical evaluation of nursing students.
Censuses ; Clinical Competence ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Data Collection ; Diagnostic Self Evaluation ; Humans ; Iran* ; Methods ; Mothers ; Nursing* ; Self-Assessment ; Statistics as Topic ; Students, Nursing* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The study aimed to evaluate the changes of body temperature and to identify the factors related to changes during surgery in burned patients. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted by reviewing the medical records of 439 adult burned patients who had a surgery under general anesthesia at the Burn Center of a university hospital. RESULTS: After surgery, body temperature of the burned patients declined from 36.6℃ to 35.2℃; 52.2% were hypothermia. There were significant differences in the changes of body temperature according to the participants' characteristics including American society of anesthesiologists physical status, type of burn injury, total burn surface area, range of exposure, operation time, anesthesia time, amount of fluid, blood transfusion, use of tourniquet, and the method of warming therapy. Factors that influence the temperature changes were total burn surface area (β=0.26), operation time (β=0.25), amount of fluid (0.20), and warming therapy including ‘Room temperature setting + Heated circuit + Hot line’(β=0.09) and ‘Room temperature setting+one of others’(β=0.08). CONCLUSION: Burned patients experienced a decrease of their body temperature during surgery despite of warming therapy. A nursing protocol is needed to provide an appropriate warming therapy based on their characteristics in burned patients.
Adult ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Blood Transfusion ; Body Temperature Changes* ; Body Temperature* ; Burn Units ; Burns* ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Hypothermia* ; Incidence* ; Medical Records ; Methods ; Nursing Assessment ; Retrospective Studies ; Tourniquets

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the financial management educational needs of nurses in order to development an educational program to strengthen their financial management competencies. METHODS: Data were collected from two focus groups using the nominal group technique. The study consisted of three steps: a literature review, focus group discussion using the nominal group technique, and data synthesis. RESULTS: After analyzing the results, nine key components were selected: corporate management and accounting, introduction to financial management in hospitals, basic structure of accounting, basics of hospital accounting, basics of financial statements, understanding the accounts of financial statements, advanced analysis of financial statements, application of financial management, and capital financing of hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings can be used to develop a financial management education program to strengthen the financial management competencies of nurse.
Adult ; Education, Nursing, Continuing/*methods ; Financial Management/*methods ; Focus Groups ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; *Needs Assessment ; *Nurses ; Nursing Staff, Hospital/*education ; Republic of Korea

PURPOSE: An increasing elderly population reflects a great need for readily accessible, clinically useful methods to identify mortality-related factors in nursing home residents. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with the deaths of nursing home residents. METHODS: Data was collected from a Minimal Data Set of 195 elderly nursing home residents, followed by analysis of demographic factors, disease and nursing condition factors, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), cognitive function, behavioral patterns, and dysfunctional status. RESULTS: Major factors associated with death among nursing home residents were identified as dyspnea (odds ratio [OR] = 4.88), problematic behaviors (OR = 3.95), and ADL (OR = 3.61). These variables accounted for 31.1% of the variance in death. CONCLUSION: Dyspnea, problematic behaviors, and ADL data were identified as the key factors associated with death among nursing home residents. Future plans for the prediction of death among nursing home residents can be made by nursing staff, factoring in these identified variables, to ensure more comfortable conditions and more responsive care.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Dyspnea/mortality ; Female ; Homes for the Aged/*statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Long-Term Care/*statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Mortality/*trends ; Nursing Homes/*statistics & numerical data ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment/methods ; Risk Factors ; Social Behavior Disorders/mortality

PURPOSE: The study was done to investigate physical assessment skills used by, and educational needs of, advanced practice nurses (APNs) and nurse specialists in Korea. METHODS: A total of 123 APNs and nurse specialists working in five major hospitals in Seoul were surveyed from July 15 to August 20, 2007. RESULTS: Fourteen skills out of 126 items were reported as being performed on a regular basis by participants. The majority of these skills involved general observation. Forty-six skills were rarely used. Some participants showed a lack of confidence in certain assessment skills, such as in doing a rectal or pelvic exam, and the use of some assessment equipment. Over 90% of participants required in-depth education on health assessment provided by specialists or nursing professional organizations. CONCLUSION: More educational opportunities in physical assessment should be provided including education programs based on the nurses' skill levels and needs. This effort will help to increase confidence of APNs and nurse specialists in physical assessment skills, ultimately resulting in better nursing outcomes.
Adult ; *Clinical Competence ; Education, Nursing, Continuing ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nurse's Role ; Nurses/*standards ; Nursing Assessment ; Physical Examination/methods/*nursing ; Questionnaires