• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.18-29
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• 2012

Purpose: We analyzed how clinical nurses in Korea perceive terminally ill patients' medical decision-making. Methods: The Q-methodology which analyzes the subjectivity of each item was used. We selected 34 Q-statements among those provided by each of 37 subjects and grouped them into a shape of normal distribution using a 9 point scale. The collected data were analyzed using a QUANL PC program. Results: Four types of perception toward medical decision-making were identified. Type I focuses on patient participation, and Type II emphasizes the role of health professionals. Type III is characterized by an open-minded culture toward death, and Type IV values the role of family members. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate the need for development of a multi-disciplinary curriculum medical decision-making and death for medical and nursing students.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.172-183
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the subjective experience of life-sustaining treatment care among nurses in intensive care units. Method: A phenomenology was used for the study. Data were collected from October to December, 2015 using open-ended questions during in-depth interviews. Participants were nurses working in intensive care units and were contacted through purposive techniques. Eight nurses participated in this study. Results: Four categories emerged from the analysis using Colaizzi's method: (a) difficulties due to life-sustaining treatment care, (b) dilemma of extension or cessation of life-sustaining treatment, (c) repressed feelings and emotional exhaustion, and (d) forming values for life-sustaining treatment from nursing experience. Conclusion: Provision of clearer guidelines on life-sustaining treatment which reflect a family-oriented culture is important for nurses in ICU and will promote nurses involvement in the decision-making process of life-sustaining treatment of patients.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.684-695
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes regarding knowledge. attitude and practice toward end-of-life care in nursing university students. Method: This study adopted nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects consisted of 35 in the experimental group and 35 in the control group. The education was performed for 2 hours a session, once a week for 16 weeks. Data was analyzed by the SPSS/WIN 14 computer program, and included $X^2$ test. independent t-test. and repeated measure ANOVA. Results: There were statistically significant differences in knowledge toward end-of-life care between the experimental group and the control group. Conclusion: Findings suggested that holistic education on end-of-life care was effective to change students' knowledge toward end-of-life care. Therefore. holistic education is recommended as nursing education for nursing university students.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.243-251
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• 2023

Purpose: The aim of this descriptive study was to identify factors influencing quality of life among family caregivers of non-cancer patients at the end-of-life stage. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a questionnaire. Participants included 172 family caregivers caring for non-cancer patients. Data were collected from April to May 2016 and analyzed with descriptive statistics, an independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and a hierarchical regression analysis using the SPSS/WIN 24.0 program. Results: The mean of the participants' quality of life was 51.70±9.98. Factors influencing quality of life among family caregivers were spiritual care (𝛽=-.45, p=.021), coordination among family members or relatives (𝛽=-.27, p=.029), and psychological support (𝛽=-.04, p=.031). The explanatory power of the model was 21.0%. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that care needs; spiritual care, coordination among family members or relatives, and psychological support are important factors for family caregivers' quality of life. To improve quality of life among family caregivers who are taking care of non-cancer patients at the end-of-life stage, national systems establishing comprehensive support considering the respective care needs of patients are crucial.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.125-135
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• 2002

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of depression, discomfort, spirituality, physical care, and opioid use on pain with terminally ill cancer patients in the hospice units. Method : The convenient sample of this study consisted of 58 terminally ill cancer patients at three hospice units in university-affiliated hospitals. Patients were interviewed with structured questionnaires. The data was analyzed using ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multivariate multiple regression. Result : The results of this study were as follows : 1) The mean age of the participants was approximately 57 years. Regarding diagnosis, stomach cancer showed the highest frequency (24.1%), followed by lung cancer (17.2%) and rectal cancer (13.8%). Regarding motivation for admission to the hospice unit, the majority of the participants indicated pain control (67.2%), followed by spiritual care (39.7%), and symptom relief (27.6%). 2) The mean pain level measured by VAS was 5.13 (${\pm}2.61$). Regarding pain type, the highest pain frequency the participants experienced was deep pain (53.4%), followed by multiple pain (20.7%), intestinal pain (17.3%), and neurogenic (5.2%) and superficial pain (3.4%). 3) Regarding the factors influencing pain, the pain level was significantly affected by the depression level (P<0.01) and the opioid use (P<0.01). Conclusion, In summary, the higher the level of pain the terminally ill cancer patents had the higher the depression level as well as the opioid use. Thus, health care professionals need to continuously provide holistic care for them to die comfortably.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.11 no.12
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• pp.439-449
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• 2020

This study aimed to identify factors influencing the preferences for end-of-life (EOL) care among undergraduate nursing students. In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from December 2017 to February 2018. This study included 217 undergraduate nursing students. Factors influencing the preference for 'autonomous physiological decision-making' were the following: education level(by grade), having biomedical education, attitude towards death, and attitude towards life-sustaining treatments (LSTs). Preference for 'decision-making by healthcare professionals' was related to having a religion. Factors influencing the preference for 'spirituality' were education level, having a religion, and academic major satisfaction. Preference for 'pain control' was associated with education level, experience with dying patients, bad self-rated health, attitude towards death, and attitude towards LSTs. The study findings suggest that education regarding LSTs, EOL care, and EOL decision-making in nursing curricula is essential.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.103-114
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of QoL of the terminal cancer patients at home and to identify any influencing factors on QoL. Method: Subjects of this study consisted of 72 terminal cancer patients who were receiving home care nursing for more than 2 weeks in 6 general hospitals. Data were collected by a self-reporting questionnaire on QoL, pain, physical functioning, and symptom experience from Feb, 2006 to Dec, 2006. Data were analyzed by t-test, one way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression using SPSS Win 14.0. Results: Mean score of QoL was 98.6(230 in total). Except the level of family coping, general characteristics and disease related variables did not show significant difference in QoL. QoL was higher in the family with better coping, and QoL showed negative correlation with three types of pain, physical functioning, and symptom experiences. Least pain, physical functioning, and level of family coping explained QoL up to 26.7%. Conclusion: The QoL was closely related with pain, physical functioning, symptom experience, and family coping. And the least pain, physical functioning and level of family coping were important factors influencing on QoL of terminal cancer patients. However, some other variables influencing the QoL need to be investigated in the future.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.243-253
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to develop Nurse's Suffering Experience Scale and to test the reliability and validity of the instrument. Method: The subjects used to verify the scale's reliability and validity were 220 nurses who were taking care of the end stage cancer patients, while working at university and general hospitals in Daegu and Kyungbuk province from April 20. to July 10, 2001. The data was analyzed by the SPSS/WIN 8.0 program. Results: A factor analysis was conducted, and items that had a factor loading more than .40, and an eigen value more than 1.0. were selected. The factor analysis classified a total of seven factors statistically, and it's communality was 44%. The explanation of factors based on the conceptual framework and item content are as follows: The first factor was expanding self consciousness, the second factor was forming empathy with family, the third factor was professional challenge, the fourth factor was change of values, the fifth factor was spiritual sublimation, the sixth factor was helplessness, and finally the seventh factor was rejection to death. Cronbach's coefficient to test reliability of the scale was .8665 for total of 44 items. The Scale for Nurse's Suffering Experience developed in the study was identified as a tool with a high degree of reliability and validity. Therefore this scale can be effectively utilized for the evaluation of the degree of nurse's suffering experience in clinical settings.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Rural Health Nursing
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.30-40
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• 2020

Purpose: This study was done to describe a community health practitioner's nursing case management for a terminal cancer patient registered in the public health post. Methods: For this purpose, data were collected through the patient and family through home visits, health clinic offices, and phone calls. The nursing process was carried out from August to November 2019. Results: The patient suffered the most from anorexia and lack of energy. Also he expressed psychologically uncertainty about disease and death anxiety caused by long-term treatment. In order to reduce the death anxiety, Community Health Practitioner (CHP) asked him to express his life stories and listened to him. CHP provided information of appropriate medications and alternative foods for symptoms such as gastrointestinal disorders and anorexia to the patient and family. Observing the situation of the patient and family, CHP guided the patient and family to prepare for death and has confirmed to them that the process was not with the patient alone. Conclusion: CHP's this experience has shown the possibility for CHP to help the terminal cancer patient and family to prepare peaceful death in their communities.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.280-290
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• 2012

Purpose: This study done to identify the experiences of families caring for patients with terminal cancer. The question was, "What is the caregiving experience of a family who has a member with terminal cancer?" Methods: Grounded Theory was applied and in-depth interviews were done with 11 family members. Interviews were recorded with the interviewees' consent and were transcribed and analyzed. Participants' relationships to patients were 6 spouses, 4 daughters, and 1 mother. The ages of the participants were between 32 and 62, with an average of 47.5. Results: The study showed "enduring with bonds" as the main category and the main factor affecting this category was the "patients' diagnosis of terminal cancer." The caregiving experience was divided into four stages: shock, confusion, struggle, and acceptance. Mediating factors were relationship with the patient, intimacy with the patient, social support, communication, and trust. Conclusively, participants underwent internal maturity, and changes occurred in family and social and personal life. Conclusion: The families took care of the patients with responsibility and love. The study results should help with the understanding of a family with a member with terminal cancer and should be used to develop nursing, mediating, and consulting programs for these caregivers.