• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.43-54
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the effects of education, using a relocation information guidebook, on the family caregivers of patients who were scheduled to be transferred from a neurosurgical intensive care unit to a general ward. Methods: They were divided into two groups: an experimental group (n = 21) and a control group (n = 20). A relocation information guidebook was created based on a literature review and an interview with five family caregivers about how to satisfy their needs. The collected data were analyzed with a ${\chi}^2$ test, Fisher's exact test, paired t-test, and t-test. Results: The effect of education, using the relocation information guidebook, on the family caregivers of patients who were relocated to a general ward from the neurosurgical intensive care unit was not significant for relocation stress (t = 0.94p, = .352) or anxiety (t = 1.25, p = .217), but was significant for education satisfaction (t = -2.50, p = .017). Conclusion: There were no differences in relocation stress and anxiety scores between the control and experimental groups. However, several methodological issues were highlighted that must be considered in future research, including the timing and measurement of transfer anxiety, and the intervention itself.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.353-362
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• 2008

Purpose: This study was conducted to analyze and clarify the meaning of the concept for relocation stress -focusing on patients transferred from an intensive care unit to a general ward. Methods: This study used Walker and Avant's process of concept analysis. Results: Relocation stress can be defined by these attributes as follows: 1) involuntary decision about relocation, 2) moving from a familiar and safe environment to an unfamiliar one, 3) broken relationship of safety and familiarity, 4) physiological and psychosocial change after relocation. The antecedents of relocation stress consisted of these facts: 1) preparation degrees of transfer from the intensive care unit to a general ward, 2) pertinence of the information related to the transfer process, 3) change of major caregivers, 4) change in numbers of monitoring devices, 5) change in the level of self-care. There are consequences occurring as a result of relocation stress: 1) decrease in patients' quality of life, 2) decrease in coping capacity, 3) loss of control. Conclusion: Relocation stress is a core concept in intensive nursing care. Using this concept will contribute to continuity of intensive nursing care.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.139-150
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• 2008

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop instrument measuring the relocation stress syndrome for patients transferred from intensive care unit to general ward in Korea. Method: For item construction, components were drawn from an extensive review of the literature, existing instruments and the result of qualitative approach. A total 48 items were selected for the first draft. Ten experts evaluated this instrument for content validity and the number of items was reduced to 29. To refine and test reliability and validity of the instrument, data were collected from the 594 patients following transfer from intensive care unit. Results: Preliminarily twenty-nine items were generated through content validity and a pilot study. Using corrected items to total correlation coefficient, this instrument was further shortened to a 25 item scale. Factor analysis extracted a total of 23 items with a 5-point Likert-type scale. Relocation Stress Syndrome (RSS) included three subscales; physical factors (12 items), Patient's recognition to health care providers (8 items), and emotional factors (3 items). The RSS established content validity, construct validity, and reliability. Conclusion: This instrument demonstrates good reliability and validity, and therefore it is an appropriate measurement of assessing relocation stress syndrome in ICU to ward transition period.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.307-316
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the levels of relocation stress syndrome (RSS) and influencing the stress experienced by Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients just after transfer to general wards. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 257 patients who transferred from the intensive care unit. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires from May to October, 2009. Data were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient, t-test, one-way ANOVA, and stepwise multiple linear regression with SPSS/WIN 12.0. Results: The mean score for RSS was $17.80{\pm}9.16$. The factors predicting relocation stress syndrome were symptom experience, differences in scope and quality of care provided by ICU and ward nursing staffs, satisfaction with transfer process, length of stay in ICU and economic status, and these factors explained 40% of relocation stress syndrome (F=31.61, p<.001). Conclusion: By understanding the stress experienced by ICU patients, nurses are better able to provide psychological support and thus more holistic care to critically ill patients. Further research is needed to consider the impact of relocation stress syndrome on patients' health outcomes in the recovery trajectory.