• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.626-634
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• 2018

This retrospective study investigates the accuracy of triage procedures for pediatric patients in emergency departments (EDs) using the Korean Triage and Acuity Scale (KTAS). The study includes 250 randomly selected initial nursing records and clinical outcomes of pediatric patients who visited one regional ED or a local ED from October 2016 to September 2017. The collected data were analyzed by a qualified expert to determine the true triage score. The accuracy of triage was defined as the agreement between the triage score of the emergency nurses (ENs) and the true triage score as determined by the expert. Based on expert comments, the cause of the triage error was analyzed and the KTAS score was compared with the discharge, length of stay (LOS), and medical cost. The results showed that the degree of agreement in the triage score between the experts and the ENs was excellent (weighted kappa=0.77). Among the causes of triage discordance, the most frequent was the incorrect application of vital signs to the KTAS algorithm criteria (n=13). Patients with high severity KTAS levels 1 and 2 were discharged less often (${\chi}=43.25$, p<0.001). There were significant differences in the length of stay (F=12.39, p<0.001) and cost (F=11.78, p<0.001) between KTAS scores when adjusting for age. The results of this study indicate that KTAS is highly accurate in EDs. Hence, the newly developed triage tool is becoming well established in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.49-53
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• 2016

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common syndrome resulting in kidney damage and malfunction within a few days or even a few hours. The diagnosis of AKI depends on routine biochemical tests, including serum creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransaminase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and electrolytes. Plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a biomarker that shows correlation with the severity of acute infections and kidney injuries. The predictive value in other conventional assays for kidney functions has been reported to cause distraction for AKI syndrome. The aim of this study is to verify the predictive value of plasma NGAL in patients with established AKI. The NGAL kit for checkup demonstrates sensitivity of ${\geq}300$ (92.2%), ${\geq}200$ (95.6%), ${\geq}100$ (99.6%), specificity of ${\geq}300$ (95.1%), ${\geq}200$ (97.3%), ${\geq}100$ (99.4%), positive predictability of ${\geq}300$ (93.3%), ${\geq}200$ (93.4%), ${\geq}100$ (99.2%), and negative predictability of ${\geq}300$ (96.7%), ${\geq}200$ (97.7%), ${\geq}100$ (98.1%), respectively. The plasma NGAL compared with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been shown to be an early predictive biomarker of AKI. The NGAL kit, recently developed for point-of-care of plasma specimens, is thought to be a useful and reliable biomarker for the early diagnosis of decreased kidney functions.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.51-59
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• 2016

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the health service utilization of elderly patients who visited an emergency medical center in the Gyeongbuk region and to provide basic information for the effective management of emergency medical centers. Methods : This study analyzed the characteristics of the hospital visits and the actual situation for the use of emergency medical care of 10,264 elderly patients that visited an emergency medical center in the Gyeongbuk region from January, 2014 to December, 2014. Frequency analysis and chi-square test were done in this study. Results : This study showed that there is a difference in the characteristics of health service utilization which included hospital visits, duration of hospital visits and mode of arrival to the emergency medical center according to age, gender and other characteristics. Conclusions : Providing efficient emergency services is necessary as well as establishing an emergency medical center management plan that takes into consideration the difference in health service utilization of elderly patients.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.500-506
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• 2018

This study analyzed current prehospital emergency care for severe trauma patients administered by different number of 119 EMS (emergency medical services) teams. Out of 1,067 severe trauma patients transferred by 119 EMS teams in J province from January 1st to December 31st 2015, 438 were evaluated in this study. IBM SPSS Statistics 21.0 was used to analyze collected data. The number of patients with severe trauma during the period of study was higher in male with two and three ambulance crews of 119 EMS teams with 242 patients (70.6%) and 66 patients (69.5%) respectively. The percentage of transfers made to local emergency medical centers was highest in those two groups, being 44.0% (151 patients) and 49.5% (47 patients), respectively. Total time spent at the scene did not differ between ambulance crews of two and three, nor did the frequency of practicing advanced airway management and IV (intravenous) cannulation, or the success rate of IV cannulation (p=0.253, p=0.362, p=1.000). Overall, the results indicated that merely increasing the number of paramedics does not improve the quality of prehospital care for severe trauma patients. Measures such as securing professional paramedics, simplifying direct medical oversights, activating indirect medical oversights, and expanding the legally allowed work scope are required.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.130-137
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• 2019

Objectives : When a patient who attempts suicide visits the emergency room, it is important that the departments of emergency medicine, internal medicine, and psychiatry communicate with each other and prioritize treatment. This study was conducted to verify the effectiveness of the multidisciplinary emergency consultation system (ECS) for drug intoxicated patients. Methods : We retrospectively analyzed the data from medical records prior to the ECS, from July 2017 to May 2018, and after the ECS, from July 2018 to May 2019, to verify the effectiveness of the system. Results : After the ECS, admission to open wards was significantly higher than to the intensive care units (χ²=8.567, p=0.014). In addition, the proportion of consultations to the department of psychiatry among patients admitted to other departments tended to increase (χ²=4.202, p=0.053), and the time required for consultation response decreased (Z=-2.031, p=0.042). As a result of the consultation, the proportion of the patients who had been transferred to the department of psychiatry was increased (χ²=4.692, p=0.043), and the time spent to transfer tended to decrease (Z=-1.941, p=0.052). Conclusions : After implementing the ECS for drug intoxicated patients, unnecessary intensive care unit admissions, consultation response time, and the time spent to transfer were reduced, and the rate of consultation referrals and transfer rates increased. This means that the multidisciplinary consultation system rapidly provided essential medical services to patients at lower medical costs.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.314-322
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• 2010

Purpose : Through a clinical and retrospective analysis of pediatric patients who visited the Regional Emergency Medical Center of Masan Samsung Hospital from January 2007 to December 2008, we characterized pediatric and adolescent emergency patients to improve emergency care in future. Methods : We reviewed the medical records of 14,065 pediatric patients below 19 years of age. Results : The male to female ratio was 1.5:1, and the most common age group was less than 3 years (49.6%). The peak month was May (10.0%), the peak day of the week was Sunday (24.7%), and the peak time of day was 20:00-0:59 (8.5%). There was no difference in the number of visits per day based on weather (sunny, rain [below 10 mm per day], snow, and fog) or daily temperature difference; however, visits increased on sandy, dusty days and decreased on rainy days with more than 10 mm of rain per day. Based on the international classification of disease (ICD)-10 system, the most common disease code was code R (symptoms, sign, and abnormal clinical laboratory finding) (31.5%), and the most common symptom was fever (13.1%). Final outcomes were discharged (73.8%), admitted (25.7%), transferred (0.4%), and expired (0.1%). In adolescent patients aged 15-9 years, the most common disease code was Injury & Poisoning (code S&T, 36.9%); the most common symptom was abdominal pain (9.6%). Conclusion : Pediatric patients visiting the emergency center were most likely to be male and under 3 years of age and to visit between 20:00 and 21:00 on Sundays and in May, and the most common symptom was fever. Differences between adolescents and pediatric patients showed that adolescents had a higher visiting rate with abdominal pain and a larger temperature difference.

• Journal of Internet of Things and Convergence
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.99-113
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• 2022

This study is descriptive research to investigate the effects of COVID-19 stress, interpersonal (caregiver-patient) stress, and emotional labor on burnout in emergency room (ER) nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data collection of this study was conducted from December 9 to 23, 2021 with ER nurses working at five tertiary general hospitals and general hospitals of Medical Center H. The data was collected with a questionnaire using tools measuring the subjects' general & job-related characteristics, COVID-19 stress, interpersonal(caregiver-patient) stress, emotional labor and burnout. The collected data was analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 25.0 statistical program for frequency analysis, descriptive statistical analysis, independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffé test, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. The average score of COVID-19 stress in ER nurses was 3.64, interpersonal(caregiver-patient) stress 4.35, emotional labor 3.38, and burnout 3.44. As a result of analyzing differences according to general & job-related characteristics, burnout showed a significant difference according to gender, marital status, total clinical experience, and working organization. And burnout showed a significant positive correlation with COVID-19 stress, interpersonal stress and emotional labor. As a result of multiple linear regression analysis, regional emergency medical centers and local emergency medical centers among the work organization types, interpersonal stress, COVID-19 stress, and gender and the explanatory power was 28.6%. Through these results, we intend to provide basic data for the development of an intervention program to prevent burnout of emergency room nurses and improve nursing performance at the time of a new infectious disease pandemic.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.69-80
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• 2008

During New year's day and Thanksgiving holiday, the 1339 Information Center in Gwangju and Jeonnam received an emergency medical situation and carried out the analysis as follows ; 1. The reason for the higher phone guidance(72%) of the hospital was based on the simple query for the pain control rather than emergency care. This was explained by the unfamiliar environment of the holiday movers. Pharmaceutical guidance(12.6%) in rural area was also given during the holidays. 2. The disease counselling(2.4%) and emergency treatment instruction(First Aid)(1.6%) decreased because of the small number of request for the diseases. This explained the decrease of the disease counselling. 3. The phone calls increased 8-13 times more than usual. Five-day holidays could have more emergency patients than three-day holidays. During New year's day and Thanksgiving day, the number of received phone calls was 6,444(25.7%) and this accounted for one fourth of the total number in 2007. 4. The number of the patients increased on New year's day and Thanksgiving day because most of the medical institutions and pharmacy were off duty. 5. The patients were centered in Internal medicine and pediatrics. This showed the food-borne diseases and air-borne infection such as common cold. 6. During Thanksgiving day, ophthalmologic patients having viral keratoconjunctivitis(Apollo eye disease) increased 8 folds than in New year's day. It was estimated from the continuous epidemic of Apollo eye disease. 7. There broke out the traffic accidents, food poisoning, infectious diseases, dermatological diseases due to seasonal and environmental changes during the holiday move.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.110-126
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to find out the current status of toxicology laboratory operated by six locations nationwide and to investigate the satisfaction of emergency medical professionals who working at local and regional emergency medical centers. Methods: This survey was conducted prospective. It was conducted on 665 emergency medical professionals working at regional and regional emergency medical centers across the South Korea. Among them, the analysis was conducted with data that 510 emergency medical professionals who respond to this survey. The questionnaire was conducted on an online basis for a month. To ensure statistical significance, consider a dropout rate of 10% based on a minimum response recovery rate of 70%. 506 people were selected for the survey. Results: According to a survey on the status of addiction analysis room usage, the average monthly usage of addiction test rooms among respondents were 406 cases.71.0 cases (17.4%) of toxicology laboratory in Seoul and 71 cases (17.4%) in Gwangju. 32 cases (7.8%), 118 cases (29.0%) requested by toxicology laboratory in Busan, and the toxicology laboratory in Daegu. Eighty two cases (20.1%), Daejeon area 25 cases (6.1%), Wonju area toxicology laboratory was 78 (19.6%). According to a survey on the satisfaction of the addiction analysis room,Seoul (4.9±2.71) and Gwangju (4.8±2.52) showed high satisfaction. Conclusion: Due to the limited operation time of the four addiction analysis rooms currently in operation, the satisfaction level of addiction analysis by emergency medical professionals in the area is low due to the delay until the result is notified.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.477-485
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• 2020

This study is a random allocation similar experimental study to compare and analyze the difference in BVM (Bag-Valve-Mask) ventilation volume according to the characteristics of the rescuer's hand and the type of mask using a standardized mannequin. To this end, the Basic Life Resuscitation Education Center of D University in gwangju. Recruiting 39 students who have completed the basic resuscitation course for emergency medical personnel and the Korean-style specialized cardiac rescue course, In addition to measuring the physical characteristics of the hand, the average amount of ventilation per minute using a bag-mask was measured and analyzed. As a result, the type of mask that was not most affected by the characteristics of the hand and provided adequate Minute Ventilation was the soft type (tube, silicone) mask. On the other hard (tube, silicone) masks were found to be unsuitable for general use as they were greatly affected by the characteristics of workers' hands. COVID-19 is currently increasing the risk of transmission to paramedics and patients. Considering this situation, the universal use of a semi-permanent hard-type mask, which is disadvantageous not only for preventing infection but also for proper ventilation, should be avoided. In addition to the ease of use, it should be actively utilized in the field by supplying a soft type mask that can provide stable ventilation even with 'predominance recognition' and proper ventilation.