• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.47-57
• /
• 2008

Purpose: Providing oral care is one of the most important nursing interventions in ICU. Good oral health prevents various complications including pneumonia and improves patients' well-being as well. The purpose of this study was to indentify the ICU nurses’awareness and performance on oral care. Methods: Using a convenient sampling, 170 ICU nurses from 5 university hospitals in two metropolitan cities were selected. Results: Of the 170 nurses in this study, 95.9% were aware of the importance of oral care. Subjects responded that providing oral care three times or more a day was appropriate to prevent ventilator associate pneumonia. 43.5% of the subjects acknowledged that they didn’t know what the most effective oral care solution was. In oral care performance, 61.8% of subjects provided oral care once a day for patients with intubation, and 74.7% used oral solutions without knowing the exact pharmacological effects of them. Conclusion: As the results of this study, most ICU nurses realized the importance on oral care for ICU patients, but the frequency of performance was low. To improve oral care performance in the ICU, structured education should be provided to ICU nurses and evidence based oral care protocols need to be developed.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.1-13
• /
• 2021

Purpose : This study aims to provide basic data for effective nursing interventions and improvement of nurses' work by exploring their work experiences in single-room-structured intensive care units (ICU) through focus group interviews. Methods : Data were collected through two focus group discussions conducted from March to November 2020 with 13 ICU nurses. Interviews were audio-recorded and analyzed thematically by investigators. Results : Through content analysis, 15 sub-categories and 6 categories were formed. Two themes, "positive experiences patients care in an independent space" and "difficulties in nursing work according to space separation of patients" emerged. There are positive aspects of single-room-structured ICUs, but it was found that practicing nurses had difficulties and required specialized nursing competencies. Therefore, efforts to reduce the burden of nurses in single-room-structured ICUs are necessary. Conclusion : The limitation of this study is that it was conducted in a single hospital because single-room-structured intensive care units are uncommon in Korea. However, this study is of great significance as a basis for establishing guidelines on the efforts required from nurses, hospitals, and governments single-room-structured ICUs in the future.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.365-374
• /
• 2008

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate quality of sleep and to assess the factors that influence quality of sleep in surgical ICU. Methods: The subject of the study were consisted 109 adult patients who admitted to surgical ICU. The data were collected from May 20 to December 10, 2007 by structured questionnaires. The data were analyzed with descriptive analysis, paired t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression. Results: The score of quality of sleep was 4.57 point. The main sleep disturbance factors related to quality of sleep in surgical ICU inpatient were sleep time, machinery alarm and noise(adjusted $R^2$=33.2). Conclusion: Based on the finding of this study, it is needed to develop a nursing intervention program that including to promote quality of sleep and to decrease machinery alarm and noise in surgical ICU.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.40-46
• /
• 2014

Purpose: In Korea, about 30,000 people die in intensive care units annually. However, their quality of life at the end-of-life seems very low. The purpose of this study was to describe palliative care models that could be applied in intensive care units and examine nurses' roles in the models. Methods: A conventional literature review was performed focusing on palliative care in intensive care units and nursing roles in the approaches identified. Results: There are two different models regarding the implementation of palliative care approaches in the intensive care unit. Those are the consultative model and the integrative model. Each model has advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, an appropriate model must be chosen according to the setting. Nurses' roles could vary depending on the setting. Conclusion: Palliative care in the intensive care unit is important to improve patients' quality of life. Moreover, nursing roles are important in providing comprehensive palliative care in intensive care units.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.79-88
• /
• 2010

Optimal nutrition serves to maintain normal organ function and to preserve body energy stores to guarantee survival during times of shortage of food. Adequate nutrition of intensive care unit (ICU) patients improves outcome, while malnutrition is strongly associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates among critically ill patients. Previously published researches showed that trials of nutritional support in critical illness rarely fulfill basic quality requirements. Nutrition support plays a vital role in the prevention and treatment of nutritional deficiencies in at-risk, critically ill patients. This paper reviewed the challenges in determining critically ill patients' nutrition requirements including nutrition assessment, determination of caloric requirements then providing them with adequate nutrition support while in the ICU with the guidelines published by Society of Critical Care Medicine and American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. Nutrition support can be effectively enhanced by using the guidelines.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.149-158
• /
• 2016

Purpose: This study was done to develop of the Korean intensive care delirium screening tool (KICDST). Methods: The KICDST was developed in 5 steps: Configuration of conceptual frame, development of preliminary tool, pilot study, reliability and validity test, development of final KICDST. Reliability tests were done using degree of agreement between evaluators and internal consistency. For validity tests, CVI (Content Validity Index), ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristics) analysis, known group technique and factor analysis were used. Results: In the reliability test, the degree of agreement between evaluators showed .80~1.00 and the internal consistency was KR-20=.84. The CVI was .83~1.00. In ROC analysis, the AUC (Area Under the ROC Curve) was .98. Assessment score was 4 points. The values for sensitivity, specificity, correct classification rate, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were found to be 95.0%, 93.7%, 94.4%, 95.0% and 93.7%, respectively. In the known group technique, the average delirium screening tool score of the non-delirium group was $1.25{\pm}0.99$ while that of delirium group was $5.07{\pm}1.89$ (t= - 16.33, p <.001). The factors were classified into 3 factors (cognitive change, symptom fluctuation, psychomotor retardation), which explained 67.4% of total variance. Conclusion: Findings show that the KICDST has high sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, this screening tool is recommended for early identification of delirium in intensive care patients.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.99-113
• /
• 2024

Purpose : This study aimed to compare the validity and user evaluations of the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU) and its 7-item version (CAM-ICU-7) for delirium assessment. Methods : Thirty-six intensive care unit (ICU) nurses from four university hospitals participated in this simulation-based methodological study. Four standardized patients with normal cognition, subsyndromal delirium, hypoactive delirium, and hyperactive delirium were recruited. The participants assessed all four standardized patients using the CAM-ICU and CAM-ICU-7. We analyzed the validity, assessment time, and user evaluations of both tools. DeLong's test and the paired t-test were used for comparisons. Results : The CAM-ICU showed sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 80.6%, 94.4%, and 84.0%, respectively, with an Area Under Curve (AUC) of 87.5%. CAM-ICU-7 demonstrated a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 90.7%, 97.2%, and 92.4%, respectively, with an AUC of 94.0%. The CAM-ICU-7 showed a better AUC than the CAM-ICU for detecting subsyndromal delirium (p =.029). However, the CAM-ICU-7 required more time for assessment across all patient types (p <.001). ICU nurses reported that the CAM-ICU was faster to administer, whereas the CAM-ICU-7 was easier to use, better at detecting delirium, more effective at reflecting changes in delirium, and had a higher intention to use in clinical practice. Conclusion : The CAM-ICU-7 demonstrated superior validity compared to the CAM-ICU. Despite requiring more time, ICU nurses evaluated the CAM-ICU-7 as more useful. These findings support using the CAM-ICU-7 for delirium assessment in ICU settings.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.12-24
• /
• 2024

Purpose : This study aimed to identify factors influencing the quality of life of family caregivers of intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Methods : We conducted a study using a cross-sectional design. The study involved 109 family caregivers of ICU patients at a university-affiliated hospital in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires between July 2020 and April 2021 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis. Results : The study revealed significant differences in quality of life based on economic status (F=11.63, p<.001), cohabitation with patients (t=-2.04, p=.044), sleep duration after patient's admission to the ICU (t=-2.48, p =.025), and subjective health status (F=30.06, p<.001). There were significant negative correlations observed between quality of life and post-traumatic stress symptoms (r=-.38, p<.001) as well as caregiver burden (r=-.46, p<.001). Factors affecting quality of life were subjective health status, economic status, and caregiver burden (adj. R²=0.52, F=15.64, p<.001). Conclusion : These findings underscore the need to develop and implement intervention programs tailored to the health conditions and economic status of family caregivers, with a focus on alleviating caregiver burden. Such initiatives are essential to ultimately improve the quality of life for family caregivers of ICU patients.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.53-62
• /
• 2017

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the adherence to the clinical guideline for endotracheal suction in nurses working at intensive care units (ICU) and to identify the characteristics of nurses with good adherence. Methods: This study was a descriptive study to evaluate the pattern of adherence and its related factors to endotracheal suction. One hundred fifty five nurses working at ICU participated in this study. We used a questionnaire developed based on American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) guidelines and other associated factors from previous studies. Results: Around half of the participants reported that their adherence to the clinical guideline was poor. Items deviated from the recommended guideline were reasons for initiating a suctioning, applied suction pressure ranged from 20 to 200mmHg, and applied catheter size from 6 to 17 french. Other factors deviated were the depth of inserted catheter, and inappropriate use of normal saline instillation. The most significant factor was related to hospital; the misused or misled clinical protocol. Conclusions: The adherence to the clinical guidelines of the endotracheal suction in ICU nurses was not appropriate, which might contribute to the patient health outcomes. More enhanced continuing education as well as hospital regulation is warranted.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.287-295
• /
• 2003

Purpose: This descriptive study was conducted to project the number of critical care APNs needed in critical care units in an acute care hospital setting, up to the year 2020. Method: Necessary data and information were collected from various funded reports, professional literature, web-sites and personal visits to national and private institutions. The demand of critical care APNs were projected based on two critical care APNs per critical care units. Result: The projected number of critical APNs for the critical care units in acute care hospital settings as follows: 1) The total projected number of critical care APNs needed for critical care units were 1,270 in 2001. 2) By the year 2020, total number of projected critical care APNs needed in critical care units will be 1,080-1,700. Conclusion: In order to match the supply to the need, the professional organization should direct their efforts toward enacting legislation. Educational systems should identify strategies in initiation of critical care APN programs in masters level as well as standardizing curriculums across the programs.