• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.110-118
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• 2010

Purpose: To develop outcome indicators of urinary incontinence to measure quality of care in long term care hospitals in Korea. Methods: The draft indicators of urinary incontinence were developed from a literature review and clinical expert panel. A survey of medical records of 280 patients in 20 hospitals was conducted to test inter-rater reliability. Statistical analysis was done to test risk adjustment criteria, variation between hospitals, and stability of indicators, using assessment data from 77,918 patients in 623 hospitals. Results: The inter-rater reliability of items was high (Kappa range: 0.66- 0.92). Severe cognitive impairment (odds ratio [OR]: 3.15, confidence interval [CI]: 3.03-3.26) and total mobility activities of daily living (ADLs) dependency (OR: 4.85, CI: 4.72-4.98) increased the prevalence of urinary incontinence, thus they proved to be significant criteria to stratify high and low risk groups. The prevalence for low risk showed more substantial variation than the high risk group. The indicators were stable over one month. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the feasibility of outcome indicators of urinary incontinence. Improving the reliability of the patient assessment tool and refining the indicators through validation study is a must for future study.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.510-519
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• 2011

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to identify the factors influencing service quality in nursing homes, and to develop an evaluation instrument for service quality. Methods: A three-phase process was employed for the study. 1) The important factors to evaluate the service quality in nursing homes were identified through a literature review, panel discussion and focus group interview, 2) the evaluation instrument was developed, and 3) validity and reliability of the study instrument were tested by factor analysis, Pearson correlation coefficient, Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ and Cohen's Kappa. Results: Factor analysis showed that the factors influencing service quality in nursing homes were healthcare, diet/assistance, therapy, environment and staff. To improve objectivity of the instrument, quantitative as well as qualitative evaluation approaches were adopted. The study instrument was developed with 30 items and showed acceptable construct validity. The criterion-related validity was a Pearson correlation coefficient of .85 in 151 care facilities. The internal consistency was Cronbach's ${\alpha}$=.95. Conclusion: The instrument has acceptable validity and a high degree of reliability. Staff in nursing homes can continuously improve and manage their services using the results of the evaluation instrument.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.141-150
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine satisfaction with counseling in long-term care service, and to compare the scores of counseling satisfaction according to variables among beneficiaries of Korean long-term care services. Methods: Questionnaires were completed by 445 beneficiaries of long-term care insurance to measure satisfaction with counseling. Research design was cross-sectional descriptive design. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA for evaluating differences in satisfaction with counseling according to variables including economic status, the level of long-term care insurance approval, duration of long term care service, and conditions of counseling. Results: The score of satisfaction with counseling was somewhat high as 71.67. The score of counselor's attitude was highest among the subcategories of satisfaction. The factors that influenced satisfaction with counseling were frequency and time of counseling (F=12.19, p<.001). Conclusion: Home-based individual counseling is necessary for the elderly who need long-term care service. The National Long-term Care Insurance Corporation should offer counseling and assistance to elders and their caregivers about long term care insurance.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.272-283
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• 2016

Purpose: This is a comparative study using secondary data from the Korean national long term care (LTC) insurance. Methods: Visiting nursing (VN) service users (n=666) and non-users (n=4,375) were extracted and compared in terms of medical expenditures, length of hospitalization, and annual number of ambulatory care visits to investigate effects of VN services in LTC. Results: Total health care expenditures were compared between the two groups and it was found that VN service users spent about $ 1700 than non-users for their medical costs between 2009 and 2011. The average length of in-hospital stay for VN service users was 19.4 days shorter than that of non-users. However, using VN services did not significantly influence the annual number of ambulatory care visits. Conclusion: The study has found that VN services are effective ways of providing community-based LTC services. We recommend LTC policy makers to further utilize VN services to deliver cost effective health care services.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.349-358
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate nursing costs and to establish appropriate nursing fees for long-term care services for community elders. Methods: Seven nurses participated in data collection related to visiting time by nurses for 1,100 elders. Data on material costs and management costs were collected from 5 visiting nursing agencies. The nursing costs were classified into 3 groups based on the nurse's visit time under the current reimbursement system of long-term care insurance. Results: The average nursing cost per minute was 246 won. The material costs were 3,214 won, management costs, 10,707 won, transportation costs, 7,605 won, and capital costs, 5,635 won per visit. As a result, the average cost of nursing services per visit by classification of nursing time were 41,036 won (care time <30 min), 46,005 won (care time 30-59 min), and 57,321 won (care time over 60 min). Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that the fees for nurse visits currently being charged for long-term care insurance should be increased. Also these results will contribute to baseline data for establishing appropriate nursing fees for long-term care services to maintain quality nursing and management in visiting nursing agencies.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.5-18
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand nurses' perception of visiting nursing services of long-term care insurance. Method: The descriptive survey study involved 188 nurses selected by the convenient sampling of visiting nurses who participated in professional education sessions. Results: Of the 188 participants, 149 (79.3%) were aware of long-term care insurance. Awareness of aspects of long-term care services was 78.7% for facility service, 77.7% for ordinary visiting care service, 85.1% for visiting nursing service and 77.7% for visiting bathing service. Concerning visiting nursing service provision, the majority of the study subjects considered nurse-aid not to be the appropriate route for delivery of services including nasogastric tube exchange, tracheostomy tube management and stitch removal. Conclusion: Continuous evaluation and research on the standards and requirements of the nursing workforce is needed to secure and maintain the high quality of visiting nursing services. Exhaustive studies concerning task division and workforce separation according to nursing services type and level of difficulty should be done to develop the appropriate job description for visiting nursing service staff.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.19-33
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• 2017

Purpose: This study was conducted to explore the meaning and contents of high-quality aged care facilities and provide basic data for evaluation of service quality in such facilities. Methods: The focus group interviews and participants consisted of two user groups, for a total of 16 family caregivers of the elderly living in facilities and four service provider groups, for a total of 26 chief managers and caregivers working in aged care facilities. All interviews were recorded and transcribed as they occurred. Content analysis was used and debriefing notes were referred to in order to analyze the data. Results: Four themes of a high-quality aged care facility emerged from the analysis; 1) a place to rest for comfortable later years; 2) systematic value-based management; 3) providing professional care; 4) comprehensive service provision in response to diverse needs. Conclusion: The findings of the study showed the importance of client centered care and ethical mindset of providers, which had not been included in the existing quality evaluation programs. Based on these results, medical treatments, end-of-life care and more comprehensive and extended services including family care need to be provided in facilities to ensure good quality aged care.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.203-218
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to find and suggest ways to invigorate operation of visiting nursing centers. Methods: SWOT analysis was performed based on the status of use of visiting nursing centers and opinion survey on the centers' nursing experts. Results: SO strategy was drawn to improve service satisfaction, develop standardized manuals, and improve the areas of visiting nursing services, and WO strategy was drawn to establish reliability, strengthen promotion or marketing strategy, strengthen management ability, and reinforce the governmental support of visiting nursing services. ST strategy was drawn to recover the functionality of health management, secure competitive advantage, and simplify the issuance of visiting nursing directions, and WT strategy was drawn to provide customized service, establish the cooperative system of related agencies, and adjust fees. Conclusion: For invigoration of visiting nursing centers, people must recognize the importance of the visiting nursing service and institutional standards should be established so that visiting nursing service, which is currently provided as an option according to Standard Long-Term Care Plan, can be provided on a mandatory basis.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.669-679
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the reported good service experiences from the perspective of elderly residents of long-term care facilities. Methods: Of those residents who are 65 years old or older, 14 residents whose length of stay were one month or longer and scores of the K-Mini Mental State Examination were 15 or higher were interviewed. The interview data formed the basis for the empirical statements about the reported nature of patients' experiences as residents of long-term care facilities. These data were used in concept mapping. Results: Through multidimensional scaling analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis, 62 core statements, two dimensions, and six clusters of good service experiences were derived. The two dimensions were classified as 'care centered-participation centered services' and as 'physical-emotional services.' Six cluster themes emerged as good service experiences: 'safety of care and treatment', 'responsible and supportive staff', 'comfort of living environment', 'mental well-being', and 'respect and communication'. Conclusion: The result of the study provides information about what experiences are important to older adults with cognitive impairment. The concept map can be used to develop a patient experience index for the elderly residents of long-term care facilities.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.278-289
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• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to classify the elderly in long-term care facilities using the Resource Utilization Group(RUG-III) and to examine the feasibility of a payment method based on the RUG-III classification system in Korea. Method: This study measured resident characteristics using a Resident Assessment Instrument-Minimum Data Set(RAI-MDS) and staff time. Data was collected from 530 elderly residents over sixty, residing in long-term care facilities. Resource use for individual patients was measured by a wage-weighted sum of staff time and the total time spent with the patient by nurses, aides, and physiotherapists. Result: The subjects were classified into 4 groups out of 7 major groups. The group of Clinically Complex was the largest (46.3%), and then Reduced Physical Function(27.2%), Behavior Problems (17.0%), and Impaired Cognition (9.4%) followed. Homogeneity of the RUG-III groups was examined by total coefficient of variation of resource use. The results showed homogeneity of resource use within RUG-III groups. Also, the difference in resource use among RUG major groups was statistically significant (p<0.001), and it also showed a hierarchy pattern as resource use increases in the same RUG group with an increase of severity levels(ADL). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the RUG-Ill classification system differentiates resources provided to elderly in long-term care facilities in Korea.