• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.22-35
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• 2019

Purpose : This study was to determine the levels of environmental stressor, posttraumatic stress disorder, and quality of life in intensive care units (ICU) survivors after intensive care, and to explore the factors affecting posttraumatic stress disorder and quality of life. Methods: With a longitudinal survey design, data were collected from 116 patients who were discharged from the ICU of a university hospital. The environmental stressor, posttraumatic stress disorder, and quality of life were measured immediately following and 1 month after the ICU discharge. Results: Of all the subjects, 16.4% experienced posttraumatic stress disorder after discharge. Multiple regression analysis revealed that ICU environmental stressors, experience of ICU readmission, using psychotropic drugs and narcotic analgesics, and ICU admission after surgery or cardiac intervention accounted for 22.2% of posttraumatic stress disorder. Posttraumatic stress disorder and sedation status when entering ICU accounted for 28.3% of the quality of life 1 month after ICU discharge. Conclusion: Nursing interventions focused on ICU environmental stressors would not only reduce environmental stress but also contribute to the reduction of posttraumatic stress disorder and later improvement of quality of life.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 2005

Purpose: Regardless of treatment, brain metastases are associated with a poor prognosis. We aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of cancer patients with brain mestastases they after admission into a hospice unit and knowing they have received appropriate hospice and palliative care. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records in 40 cancer patients with brain metastases they after admission into a hospice unit from March in 2003 to March in 2005. Results: There were 20 males (50%) and 20 females (50%), and the median age of the patients was 64 years. The most common cause of brain metastases was lung cancer (22 patients, 55%), followed by stomach cancer (5, 13%) and breast cancer (3, 8%). Sixteen patients (40%) have never been teated and 20 patient have received the chemotherapy for the primary cancer. The most common symptom of cancer patients with brain metastases is headache (12 patients, 30%), followed by mental change (10, 25%), focal weakness (9, 23%) and convulsion (4, 10%). The most prevalent cause for admission was mental change (13 patients, 33%), followed by pain (9 patients, 23%). The reasons for hospice and palliative care were through recommendation of physician (1 patient, 3%), patient and family self (14, 35%) and the others (25, 62%). Twenty five of the others has been referred to hospice and palliative care during conservative management after referral and enrolled at hospice unit. The median hospitalization was 19 days and median survival in hospice and palliative care was 41 days. The median survival was 87 days from the day when the cancer patients have been diagnosed as brain metastases to death. Conclusion: The duration of hospice and palliative care was not enough to care the cancer patients with brain metastases. We suggest physicians, patients and family need the education and promotion for effective hospice and palliative care.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.205-212
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the differences according to the hospitals of antenatal care in premature infants. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of premature infants with gestational ages <37 weeks and very low birth weights who were admitted immediately after birth to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital between March 2007 and February 2009. The hospitals of antenatal care were divided into two levels (primary antenatal care hospital: hospitals with less than a level 2 NICU, secondary antenatal care hospital: hospitals with a level 3 NICU) based on the level of NICU in hospitals. In addition, total infants were divided into two groups (Immediate group: infants born within 24 hours of maternal admission, Delayed group: infants born after 24 hours of maternal admission). The differences between maternal and neonatal variables in each groups were studied. Results: Neonates in secondary antenatal care hospitals comprised 11.0% of the study neonates (10 of 91). We compared with two groups (primary antenatal care hospital and secondary antenatal care hospital), but there were no differences in all subjects. However, the 1 minute Apgar score ($\leq3$) was lower in the immediate group than the delayed group. Conclusion: Shorter duration of maternal admission to delivery was associated with a lower 1 minute Apgar score of neonates. These findings suggest that if maintenance of pregnancy is difficult when high-risk gravidas are transferred, clinicians must prepare for emergencies of neonates.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.181-189
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• 2010

Purpose: Recently, health policy making is increasingly based on evidence. Therefore, Korean Terminal Cancer Patient Information System (KTCPIS) was developed to meet such need. We aimed to report its developmental process and statistics from 6 months data. Methods: Items for KTCPIS were developed through the consultation with practitioners. E-Velos web-based clinical trial management system was used as a technical platform. Data were collected for patients who were registered to 34 inpatient palliative care services, designated by Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Family Affairs, from $1^{st}$ of January to $30^{th}$ of June in 2009. Descriptive statistics were used for the analysis. Results: From the nationally representative set of 2,940 patients, we obtained the following results. Mean age was $64.8{\pm}12.9$ years, and 56.6% were male. Lung cancer (18.0%) was most common diagnosis. Only 50.3% of patients received the confirmation of terminal diagnosis by two or more physicians, and 69.7% had an insight of terminal diagnosis at the time of admission. About half of patients were admitted to the units on their own without any formal referral. Average and worst pain scores were significantly reduced after 1 week when compared to those at the time of admission. 73.4% faced death in the units, and home-discharge comprised only 13.3%. Mean length of stay per admission was $20.2{\pm}21.2$ days, with median value of 13. Conclusion: Nationally representative data on the characteristics of patients and their caregiver, and current practice of service delivery in palliative care units were obtained through the operation of KTCPIS.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2007

Purpose: This study was to identify the significant acute physiological predictors of mortality and of functional and cognitive recovery in hemorrhagic stroke patients. Methods: The subjects were 108 hemorrhagic stroke patients admitted to Neurological Intensive Care Unit of a university hospital. Results: The significant physiological predictors of mortality and of functional and cognitive recovery were quite different upon admission Glasgow Coma Scale scores: respiratory rate, hematocrit, serum pH, osmolality, and $PaCO_2$ were the predictors in the subjects with a high Glasgow Coma Scale scores while blood pressure, $PaO_2$, respiratory rate, and hematocrit in the subjects with a low Glasgow coma scale scores. Conclusion: The physiological derangements induced by acute stroke are undoubtedly influence clinical outcome. More study is required to determine their diverse impacts on clinical outcomes.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 2012

Pediatric patients in hospital are at risk of malnutrition at admission and even during their hospitalization. Although the concept of nutritional support team (NST) was introduced to hospitals for optimal nutritional care since 1960s and the benefits of pediatric NST have been proven by many studies and reports in terms of patient clinical outcome and cost saving, the pediatric NST is not widespread yet. The pediatric NST composed of pediatricians, dieticians, pharmacist, and nutrition support nurses as core members dedicated to nutritional care in children should be independent of central NST or other disciplines, but closely cooperate with other teams in hospitals. There is no doubt that a multidisciplinary NST is an effective way to provide appropriate nutritional support to an individual patient. Therefore, the implementation of the pediatric NST in hospitals should be recommended to provide optimum nutritional support including enteral tube feeding and parenteral nutrition and to assess pediatric patients at risk of malnutrition.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.8-13
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• 2016

Purpose: Specialized general trauma surgeons play an important role in the care of trauma patients. Hemoperitoneum is a severe, but representative, condition following a life-threatened trauma. The objective of this study was to compare the outcomes for polytrauma patients with hemoperitoneum between the periods during which a trauma surgeon was available and that unavailable. Methods: Thirty-one trauma patients with hemoperitoneum who were treated at Korea University Guro Hospital over a period of 4 years were included in this study, and their case records were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups, the 2011 and 2012 group and the 2013 and 2014 group corresponding, respectively, to the periods that a trauma surgeon was not and was working. Vital signs on admission, scores on the injury severity scale and, Glasgow coma scale, elapsed time to diagnostic, and therapeutic, and/or operative interventions were studied. The effects on intensive care unit and hospital lengths of stay, as well as mortality, were also studied. Results: The study population consisted of 16 and 15 patients in group 1 and 2, respectively. The patients in both groups had six unstable hemodynamic on admission. The time to the main procedure (intervention, operation etc.) was longer during the periods when a trauma surgeon was not working than it was during the period when working. This difference did not reached statistical significance. The mortality rates for the two groups were not statistically different either (18.75% vs 26.67%; p=0.928). Conclusion: Having at least one specialized general trauma surgeon on duty may reduce the time to intervention and surgery for severe trauma patients with hemoperitoneum, but appears to have no effect on the mortality rates. In conclusion, having only one trauma surgeon on duty does not improve the quality of care for trauma patients.

• The Journal of Korean Oriental Chronic Disease
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.21-31
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• 2005

We have analyzed 247 patients who were admitted to the 3rd ICU for intensive care between January 2003 and December 2003 to investigate characteristics of ICU patients and obtain better guidance and management in the ICU. The results are as follows: 1) The total number of patients was 247. The proportion of males was 59.1 %, of females was 40.9%, and the ratio of male to female was about 1.45:1. 2) The most prevalent age group is those in their seventies, the proportion is 33.6%. 3) The total admission days was 3,438days, and mean patient stay being 13.9days. 4) The total number of expired patients was 26, the mortality rate was 10.5%. The mortality in distribution by disease was higest in Cerebral infarction, rate was 53.8%. the proportion of raised intracranial pressure was 42.3%, of hemorrhagic transformation was 11.5%. 5) In distribution by admission channel, Oriental hospital E.R. was 60.7%, Oriental hospital ward was 38.5%, and etc. was 0.8%. 6) The number of patients of Cerebral infarction was 146(59.1%), being the highest in distribution by chief disease and the proportion of MCA territory infarction is highest in the Cerebral infarction(61.6%). 7) In distribution by Oriental Medicine therapy, the proportion of Acupuncture treatment was 15.8%, of Acupuncture treatment combination Herb medication was 78.5%, and of Acupuncture, Herb medication plus subcutaneous Acupuncture treatment was 5.7%.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2022

Purpose: This study was undertaken to investigate how sedative-hypnotics affect the occurrence and severity of the patient's symptoms. In addition, we conducted a study to determine the type of patients who reacted severely and required hospitalization; patients were accordingly classified as hospitalized patients and patients discharged from the emergency room. Methods: From January 2017 to December 2019, we investigated the demographics, drug information, history, laboratory tests, and severity of patients who visited our emergency department and were diagnosed with benzodiazepine, zolpidem, and doxylamine succinate overdose. We further compared details of hospitalized patients and discharged patients. Results: Subjects who had overdosed and visited the ED included 120 for benzodiazepine, 147 for zolpidem, and 27 for doxylamine succinate. Comparisons between the three groups revealed differences in their early diagnosis, psychiatric history, and sleep disturbance. Differences between groups were also determined for mental state, poisoning history, treatment received in the intensive care unit, and intubation and ventilator support. In cases of benzodiazepine overdose, we obtained a high hospitalization rate (40.0%), admission to the intensive care unit (24.2%), and intubation rate (18.3%). Comparisons between hospitalized patients and discharged groups showed differences in transferred patients, early diagnosis, and mental state. Conclusion: Patients poisoned by sedative-hypnotics are increasing every year. In cases of benzodiazepine and zolpidem, the hospitalization rates were high, and benzodiazepine overdose resulted in hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, and pneumonia in a majority of cases. Therefore, active treatment and quick decisions in the emergency room are greatly required.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.93-111
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• 1975

As the hospitalized patients will be facing new stress situation due to change of his environment from home to hospital it will be very important to understand the psychological stress experienced by hospital patients not only for helping patients in the process of recovery from illness but also fulfil1ing the objective of comprehensive nursing care by understanding the needs of the patients. There is no doubt that it would be very helpful for treatment of patients as well as for improvement of nursing care if we know more about psychological needs of patients and give them adequate support to meet these needs. The study to find out the causes and degree of stress events experienced by hospitalized patients, with the objective of instituting improvement of nursing care program based on the needs of patients, was conducted during the month of September 1974 with 60 patients randomly selected from those admitted to medical and surgical wards at Yonsei Medical Center in that period The questionnaire form included 36 questions which are considered to be stress events for hospital patients, and was devide into five areas namely, such events related to 1) disease itself, 2) hospital environment, 3) nursing care and treatment, 4) communication and human relations, and 5) family and economic problems. The results of the study were as follows: 1. It was confirmed that hospitalization considered to be a stress producing factor and most patients perceived the admission to hospital as a stress factor. 2. According to the rating scale, it was found that degree of perceived stress shows a variation according to the source of stress producing event. 3. No significant differences in the mean values were observed statistically with the perceived stress levels according to demographic and other variables of patients related to hospitalization. 4. Among the questions related to disease itself, "Admission for surgery" was perceived most frequently as a stress event (97.14%) by patients. 5. With regard to the questions related to hospital environment, "death of the patient room-mate" was the most serious stress event perceived by patients (90%) and "living with hospital regulations"was considered to be less serious stress event (23.33%). 6. As for the questions related to nursing care and treatment, "limitation of freedom" was perceived as a stress factor most frequently (70.91%) by the patients and "worry for wrong treatment" turned out to be less frequent stress event (50.0%). 7. As for the questions related to communication and human relations, "difficulty to meet doctors when wanted"appeared to be the most frequent stress event by the respondents (75.86%) , followed by "no explanation about treatment or examination"(75.0%) and "no explanation about nursing care procedures"(71.66%). 8. With regard 111 tile questions related to family and economic problems, "inadequate finances for family living due to hospitalization"and "high cost of hospitalization" were the most frequent cause of stress mentioned by the patients. (80.0%). 9. As a result of application of the stepwise regression analysis, it was found that about 89% was explained by those events associated with disease itself, hospital environment and family and economic problems. By adding those events related to "nursing care and treatment" and "communication and human relation", 100% of stress associated with hospitalization was explained.