• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.295-306
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aims to compare and analysis job stress, patient safety culture, and patient safety management activities of nurses in comprehensive nursing care service wards and general wards. Methods: Through an online survey conducted on nurses with more than three months of working experience at five general hospitals in the metropolitan area, 156 participants's data were used for 𝜒²-test, t-test, ANOVA using SPSS ver. 26.0. Result: There were no significant differences in the nurses' job stress and patient safety management activities between the comprehensive nursing care service wards and general wards. However, the patient safety culture of nurses in the comprehensive nursing care service ward was significantly lower than that of general ward. Conclusion: Patient safety culture should be promoted through continuous regular patient safety education, training, and organizational support to increase patient safety management activities. Additionally, institutional programs should be prepared to reduce job stress of nurses at the frontline of patient safety.

• Journal of the Regional Association of Architectural Institute of Korea
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.71-80
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• 2018

The path and visibility of nurses in general hospital wards have been treated as architectural planning factors. However, the analysis approach of existing studies shows limitations that only fixed physical elements are considered without considering the behavior of users using space. Consider factors for analysis of ward and models based on this study model. Select a case hospital to apply the analysis technique and conduct the nurse questionnaire and route survey of the hospital. Establish a framework for analysis model applied with the path of nurse movements. The analysis model applies to the case hospital. The analysis results are aggregated to derive design suggestion for reference to the spatial improvement of the ward. Visible visibility to observe the bedside in the nursing station, visibility to observe the beds in the nurse's path, and visibility to observe patients moving in the nurse's path were derived from visual access frequency and exposure frequency. The survey of nurses' movements at the site allowed the nurses to calculate the distance required to move. Reflecting the path of nurse movement, a model was presented for a comprehensive analysis of nursing distance and nursing visibility, which could lead to improvement in the observation and visibility of nurses and the layout of patient rooms or day rooms.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.438-450
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the differences in fatigue, sleep quality and interpersonal relationship stress levels between nurses in comprehensive nursing care wards and in general wards. Methods: Data were collected using self-reported structured questionnaire from 14 August to 17 September 2018. The participants were 220 nurses from 6 hospitals in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. The data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS 23.0 program, descriptive statistics, t-test, ${\chi}^2-test$, Fisher's exact test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: The subjects' fatigue, sleep quality, and interpersonal relationship stress were not significantly different between the comprehensive nursing care services wards and the general wards. The interpersonal stress with a superior was statistically higher among general wards than comprehensive nursing care services wards. The relationship stress between patient and caregiver was higher in comprehensive nursing care services wards than in general wards. Conclusion: A follow-up study is needed to develop a strategic method to reduce interpersonal stress in nurses.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.129-139
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the differences in nurses' psychosocial work environment (PWE) in integrated nursing care wards (IWs) with higher nurse staffing and general wards (GWs) with lower staffing, and to analyze the effect of PWE on their health outcomes. Methods: Data were collected from 151 nurses in IWs and 156 nurses in GWs at a tertiary hospital in Seoul in 2023. The Korean version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire III was used to measure PWE and health outcomes. Regression analyses were conducted to examine the effect of PWE on health outcomes. Results: The most negative aspects of the nurses' work environment were found in the work demand domain. IW nurses (vs. GW nurses) reported lower work demand, better work organization and job contents, and a more positive work-individual interface. Nurse health outcomes were also better in the IWs. Lower work demand and better work-individual interfaces were positively associated with improved health outcomes, while ward type (IW vs. GW) was not significantly related to health outcomes. Conclusion: Reducing work demand by expanding integrated nursing care services nationwide and improving nurse staffing in GWs is crucial for improving health outcomes.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.131-140
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aims to describe the characteristics of safety incidents and factors associated with injury for patients with Home Mechanical Ventilation (HMV) at the hospital. Methods: This is a retrospective study. Data were collected from the work log of respiratory home care nurses and the patients' electronic medical records were investigated. In order to compare group differences, independent t-test and χ² test were used. Associated factors with injury development were identified by generalized mixed modeling analysis controlling for age and gender. Results: A total of 304 patients on HMV were included in this study, among which 129 (42.4%) experienced 352 HMV-related incidents. Mean frequency of incidents for each patient was 5.11±3.98, ranged from 1 to 15 times. In 19.0% of the incidents, injury was developed. Types of incident and persons involved in the incidents were significantly associated with the patient's injury. In the case of the safety incidents, patient's injury was significantly higher in accidents caused by respiratory circuit problems compared to those caused by problems with the ventilator operation by the medical staff (coefficient=1.25, p=.020). In addition, in the case of those involved in the safety incidents, patient's injury was significantly higher in the accident caused by the patient family members or caregivers than that caused by the medical personnel (coefficient=1.25, p=.019). Conclusion: In order to minimize injury caused by incidents in patients with HMV, hospitals need to provide systemic education to their medical staff and caregivers to enhance awareness of the importance of reporting and safety management.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.295-304
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• 2021

This study is a secondary data analysis to investigate the nursing tasks performance, appropriate performer, and job satisfaction in the general wards with sift work. We found that nurses performed direct (45%) and indirect nursing (55%). The workload per shift was 37.2% in the day, 35.6% in the evening, and 27.2% at night. The tasks performed after handover were 'direct nursing (34.5%)' and 'documentation and notification (25.8%)'. Nurses responded that there were some tasks that could be delegated to nursing assistants or had ambiguous boundaries with other medical personnel. There was a significant correlation between compliance to the job description of the night shift and job satisfaction (rs=.43, p=.01). These results imply that it is necessary to establish strategies that will enhance work efficiency based on job analysis by shift work, reduce handover time using EMR system, stmart devices, and clarify appropriate performers.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.122-136
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• 2022

Purpose: This study attempted to recommend a revision of inpatient nursing fees based on analyzing current and appropriate staffing levels. Methods: Staffing grades and their inpatient nursing fees as of the first quarter of 2022 were analyzed. Nurse managers and staff nurses answered surveys about the current and appropriate staffing levels, working days, and monthly salary. A total of 101 nurse managers and 588 staff nurses working in general wards at tertiary hospitals and general hospitals participated in the study. Results: The results showed that grade 1 staffing was found in 73.3% of tertiary hospitals and 63.7% of general hospitals. The current staffing ratios of tertiary hospitals and general hospitals were 1:9.3 and 1:10.4, respectively. The appropriate staffing ratios according to nurse managers and staff nurses at tertiary hospitals were 1:7.6 and 1:7.0, respectively, and 1:8.7 and 1:8.8 in general hospitals, respectively. The average estimated annual working days of staff nurses were 235.2 days in tertiary hospitals and 240.0 days in general hospitals. The median monthly salary for staff nurses was 4.957 million won in tertiary hospitals and 4.140 million won in general hospitals. The new staffing grade system was suggested from 1:6 (Grade 1) to 1:12 (Grade 5). The new inpatient nursing fee schedules were recommended to be paid based on nursing hours per patient day of each grade. Conclusion: The new staffing grade and inpatient nursing fee schedules are expected to increase staffing levels, improve the quality of nursing care, and provide a better work environment for nurses.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 2008

Considering the rapid growth of elderly population and the increase of medical demand for aged, many of geriatric hospitals are needed in Korea. On the other hand, supplies of hospitals for acute care are considered to be excessive. So many of small and medium hospitals facing management problems have been converged to geriatric hospitals. These attempts are considered resonable for efficient utilization of health care resources in Korea. This paper aims to identify the concept of geriatric hospital and to analyze the problems and then to seek the alternatives for architectural planning on the basis of surveying the geriatric hospitals converged from hospitals for acute care.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.44-49
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• 2017

Purpose Radiation exposure management has been strictly regulated for the radiation workers, but there are only a few studies on potential risk of radiation exposure to non-radiation workers, especially nurses in a general ward. The present study aimed to estimate the exact total exposure of the nurse in a general ward by close contact with the patient undergoing nuclear medicine examinations. Materials and Methods Radiation exposure rate was determined by using thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) and optical simulated luminescence (OSL) in 14 nurses in a general ward from October 2015 to June 2016. External radiation rate was measured immediately after injection and examination at skin surface, and 50 cm and 1 m distance from 50 patients (PET/CT 20 pts; Bone scan 20 pts; Myocardial SPECT 10 pts). After measurement, effective half-life, and total radiation exposure expected in nurses were calculated. Then, expected total exposure was compared with total exposures actually measured in nurses by TLD and OSL. Results Mean and maximum amount of radiation exposure of 14 nurses in a general ward were 0.01 and 0.02 mSv, respectively in each measuring period. External radiation rate after injection at skin surface, 0.5 m and 1 m distance from patients was as following; $376.0{\pm}25.2$, $88.1{\pm}8.2$ and $29.0{\pm}5.8{\mu}Sv/hr$, respectively in PET/CT; $206.7{\pm}56.6$, $23.1{\pm}4.4$ and $10.1{\pm}1.4{\mu}Sv/hr$, respectively in bone scan; $22.5{\pm}2.6$, $2.4{\pm}0.7$ and $0.9{\pm}0.2{\mu}Sv/hr$, respectively in myocardial SPECT. After examination, external radiation rate at skin surface, 0.5 m and 1 m distance from patients was decreased as following; $165.3{\pm}22.1$, $38.7{\pm}5.9$ and $12.4{\pm}2.5{\mu}Sv/hr$, respectively in PET/CT; $32.1{\pm}8.7$, $6.2{\pm}1.1$, $2.8{\pm}0.6$, respectively in bone scan; $14.0{\pm}1.2$, $2.1{\pm}0.3$, $0.8{\pm}0.2{\mu}Sv/hr$, respectively in myocardial SPECT. Based upon the results, an effective half-life was calculated, and at 30 minutes after examination the time to reach normal dose limit in 'Nuclear Safety Act' was calculated conservatively without considering a half-life. In oder of distance (at skin surface, 0.5 m and 1 m distance from patients), it was 7.9, 34.1 and 106.8 hr, respectively in PET/CT; 40.4, 199.5 and 451.1 hr, respectively in bone scan, 62.5, 519.3 and 1313.6 hr, respectively in myocardial SPECT. Conclusion Radiation exposure rate may differ slightly depending on the work process and the environment in a general ward. Exposure rate was measured at step in the general examination procedure and it made our results more reliable. Our results clearly showed that total amount of radiation exposure caused by residual radioactive isotope in the patient body was neglectable, even comparing with the natural radiation exposure. In conclusion, nurses in a general ward were much less exposed than the normal dose limit, and the effects of exposure by contacting patients undergoing nuclear medicine examination was ignorable.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.138-146
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• 2019

Objectives : This study examined the association between depression and survival time in terminal cancer patients admitted to the palliative care unit. Emotional problems are important for terminal cancer patients in the palliative care unit, and evaluation of patients' depression plays an important role in treatment planning. Methods : From October 2015 to August 2018, we conducted a retrospective study of 291 terminal cancer patients admitted to a palliative care unit at a university hospital and evaluated depression with PHQ-9 at admission. Of the 291 patients, 146 (50.2%) completed PHQ-9 but 145 (49.8%) were not evaluated due to loss of consciousness or rejection. Results : 4-week survival rate in the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were 45.4% in the non-depressed group (PHQ-9<10) and 18.7% in the depressed group (PHQ-9≥10). According to the severity of depression, in the Cox proportional hazard model, the risk of mortality in moderate, moderately sever and severe group was 2.778, 1.882 and 3.423 times higher than minimal group, respectively. Conclusions : Of the patients with terminal cancer who were admitted to the palliative care unit, the survival time was shorter in the depressed group than in the non-depressed group. Further research is needed to determine if treatment of depression increase the survival in terminal cancer patients.