• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.17-37
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• 2017

Purpose: This study describes current curricula for paramedic students in South Korea and proposes a standardization of the curriculum. Methods: Data were collected from 38 colleges and universities from March 1 to 31, 2016. Descriptive statistics were calculated using SPSS 23.0. Results: The proposed standard curriculum was below. Requisite liberal arts consisted of 2 subjects and 6 credits including biomedical ethics, communications and human relationships. Common major subjects were composed of 6 areas, 22 subjects, and 78 credits. The areas of basic medicine consisted of 6 subjects and 16 credits including medical terminology. Introduction to paramedicine consisted of 3 subjects and 7 credits. Emergency patient management consisted of 2 subjects and 9 credits. Particulars to paramedic care consisted of 8 subjects and 31 credits. The law area consisted of 1 subject and 3 credits. Other major areas consisted of 2 subjects and 12 credits including integrated simulation and physician assistance. Common field practice area consisted of 3 to 4 subjects and 9 to 12 credits. Conclusion: It is important to establish and adapt a standardized curriculum for paramedic students in order to ensure competence and to provide high quality emergency medical services.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2015

A newly-structured Korean pharmacist license exam has been launched in 2015, reflecting upon the changes in the pharmacy curriculum from a 4 year program to a 6 year program in 2009. In order to provide new ideas to ensure that the new exam is one of the most effective pharmacist evaluations that have taken place thus far, this study was done to compare the pharmacy exams in Korea and Canada. One of the major differences noted between the two countries' exams is that along with paper based MCQ portion of the exam, Canada's exam also includes a performance-based section, known as OSCE, which the Korean Pharmacy Exam (KPE) does not have. Furthermore, with the MCQ portion of the exam, the Canadian exam asks about 300 questions, with 450 minutes of test time allocated and taken during a period of two consecutive days, the KPE asks 350 questions, with 325 minutes of test time allocated in one day. Although, similarly, many of the questions in both exams place emphasis on clinical or patient care, Canada's exam puts significantly more emphasis (50.5% of exam questions) on these types of questions than Korea (29.7% of exam questions). However, this percentage does not reflect the exact weight placed for the specific areas of knowledge it requires to answer these questions, since the types of questions asked in this section in Canada could be placed in another section on the KPE. Canada's exam also has more questions (10% +150 questions for BC) on the topics of law and ethics compared to the KPE (5.7%). The reason for this may be that the Canadian society puts emphasis on the legal and ethical duties of pharmacists as a leader. However, since each country is unique in their social, economical, and cultural points of view, comparing the KPE to the Canadian licensing exam and applying these differences to the new KPE may not be appropriate. One last thing to consider is that, as WHO/FIP mentioned, in good pharmacy practice, continually updating and developing an appropriate pharmacy exam with consideration of societal changes, is key to success in developing the scope of practice for current and future pharmacists.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.163-172
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between cultural competency and the importance of nurses' qualities perceived by undergraduate nursing students. Methods: Researchers developed two tools for this study after reviewing the related literature and conducting research team workshops: questionnaire of cultural competency and the importance of nurses' qualities. 200 nursing students were recruited in convenient sampling to respond to these questionnaires. Of nurses' 10 qualities, major affecting factors on the cultural competency were identified by stepwise multiple regression analysis. Results: The nursing students perceived technical nursing skills and professional nursing knowledge as nurses' most important qualities. However, 'having a passion for patient care', 'demonstrating strong nursing profession's code of ethics' and 'teaching and research ability' were found as significant influencing factors on the variance of the cultural competency. These three factors explained 16% of the total variances of the cultural competency (F=13.98, p<.001). Conclusion: The educational strategies to improve cultural nursing competency need to incorporate students' expectations for the professional nurses' roles. Also, further studies need to develop reliable and valid measurement tools for cultural competency.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.360-369
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate public preferences regarding allocation principles for scarce medical resources in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, particularly in comparison with the recommendations of ethicists. Methods: An online survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 1509 adults residing in Korea, from November 2 to 5, 2020. The degree of agreement with resource allocation principles in the context of the medical resource constraints precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic was examined. The results were then compared with ethicists' recommendations. We also examined whether the perceived severity of COVID-19 explained differences in individual preferences, and by doing so, whether perceived severity helps explain discrepancies between public preferences and ethicists' recommendations. Results: Overall, the public of Korea agreed strongly with the principles of "save the most lives," "Koreans first," and "sickest first," but less with "random selection," in contrast to the recommendations of ethicists. "Save the most lives" was given the highest priority by both the public and ethicists. Higher perceived severity of the pandemic was associated with a greater likelihood of agreeing with allocation principles based on utilitarianism, as well as those promoting and rewarding social usefulness, in line with the opinions of expert ethicists. Conclusions: The general public of Korea preferred rationing scarce medical resources in the COVID-19 pandemic predominantly based on utilitarianism, identity and prioritarianism, rather than egalitarianism. Further research is needed to explore the reasons for discrepancies between public preferences and ethicists' recommendations.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.2096-2101
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• 2020

Background: The effect of mobilization on lumbar back pain has been fully described in several clinical aspects, but evidence for muscle strength would be still less clear. Objective: To assess the effect of lumbar mobilization on lower limb strength in healthy individuals. Methods and Analysis: Healthy people aged 18-65 will be included regardless of race or sex. Original peer-reviewed primary reporting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) will be included. Electronic databases, such as MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, Pedro, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.gov will be searched from inception until July 30. Only studies published in English will be included in this review. Two reviewers will complete the screening for eligibility independently, and the other two reviewers will also complete the risks of data extraction and bias assessment independently. Lower Limb strength will be assessed as primary outcome, and particular intervention or participant characteristics will be assessed as the secondary outcomes. Meta-analysis will be conducted using Review Manager 5.3.3, and evidence level will be assessed using the method for Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation. Outcomes will be presented as the weighted mean difference or standardized mean difference with 95% CI. If I² ≤ 50%, P>.1, the fixed effect model will be used, otherwise, random-effects model will be used. Ethics and dissemination: This review might not be necessary ethical approval because it does not require individual patient's data; these findings will be published in conference presentations or peer-reviewed journal articles. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020150144.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.597-627
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• 2012

As misalignments among images, identity, and legitimacy of health professionals and institutions have been on the rise, CEOs of health care organizations have been required to enhance organizational accountability. Despite the accumulation of literature on the conceptual discussions of accountability, only a few studies empirically investigated key barriers to accountability and its facilitators. To identify perception on accountability with key barriers and facilitators of organizational accountability, a semi-structured interview with 11 CEOs of Korean hospitals was conducted. A short survey was taken to get quantitative data on CEO's perception on organizational accountability. To CEOs, accountability was very complex and unfamiliar concept, but understood as physician's code of ethics by nature and basic principle of hospital management. CEOs thought accountability could be improved through ethical leadership, financial stability and learning climate of hospitals. Distrust of the government, which failed to provide economic incentives for hospitals to increase accountability activities, was emphasized as a serious barrier to hospital accountability. There was consensus among hospital CEOs as to the importance of accountability in management. However, there were concerns that, without policy instruments to motivate hospitals toward increasing community benefits as well as collective efforts among health professionals to rebuild moral climate for being accountable, greater accountability would not be achieved in hospitals.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.591-602
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• 2013

This paper aims to explore the role of the home economics subject in helping high school students preparing for an independent aged life and to develop problem based teaching plans toward this goal. Contents related to the elderly in the high school home economics and technology 2007 and 2009 revised curricula were analyzed, and elderly-related contents in other subject areas (the 2009 revised curricula of ethics, public health, and social studies) were also comparatively analyzed to determine the identity of the home economics subject in relation to preparation for independent aging. Based on these analysis, five subjects and teaching plans were presented: the aging society and population changes, the characteristics of the elderly, individual preparation for aging, care of the elderly, and welfare services for the elderly. The ultimate objectives of the lessons were, through critical reasoning, to inquire into the causes of current problems the elderly face so that teenagers can understand aging societies and the elderly and to seek reasonable alternatives for teenagers as they prepare for successful and independent aging, increasing their problem-solving abilities in choosing the best course of action by considering the ripple effect of consequences of each of those alternatives. Suggestions on what direction elderly-related education should take in the future, and what roles teachers should take are also provided.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.39-53
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• 2021

Purpose: Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) have so far been trained as professionals under the same conditions, with no change in the 1995 Act. We aimed to find ways for them to secure expertise in accordance with social needs by strengthening the quality of the EMT education. Methods: This is a descriptive study comparing the operation status of the national emergency medical examination conducted by the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute, and the national examinations of EMT paramedic and EMT basic. The scope of the national examinations for EMT was compared by subject and area. Results: The national written exam for EMT paramedic consists of five areas. EMT basic does not include basic medicine in three related subjects, 11 areas, and 18 detail areas. Paramedic care does not include advanced pediatric life support. In addition, nine areas and 20 detail areas are not included. Conclusion: The study suggests the need for institutional supplementation so that those who have completed EMT basic and the subjects prescribed by the ordinance of the Ministry of Health and Welfare at universities, etc., in the Higher Education Act can take the EMT paramedic national exam.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.26-36
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• 1998

This primary study was done to develop an ethical guideline for organ transplantation, a life-saving treatment which helps improve the quality of life. This study tried to identify the current situation in Korea, in terms of ethical considerations in organ transplantations. This study collected basic data in organ transplantations, in the hope that procedure of organ transplantations could be developed that would be fair to both organ donors and recipients. The immediate goals of this study were : 1)to identify staff in charge of organ transplantations and their jobs in the hospital, 2)to survey whether there exists a Hospital Ethics Committee(HEC), 3)to research what consideration are formally taken in selecting recipients, and 4)to accumulate data on how consent from donors are currently obtained. The study used a survey questionnaire and received responses from 31 hospitals out of 45 hospitals where organ transplantation are being done. Organ transplantation coordinators were found in 16 hospitals, but the job description varied among hospitals. The survey showed that all 16 hospitals with an HEC that health care personnel unnecessarily dominate the committee. The study notes that HECs should be vitalized by recruiting, as members, ethicists, theologians, patients, guardians, as well as the general public outside of the hospital. The study revealed that in selecting recipients the hospital take into account ABO blood type, histocompatibility, age, waiting time. and level of patient compliance. Finally, it was shown that in the cases of living donors the transplanting hospitals seek a formal consent, whereas there are no common consenting practice established for cadaveric donors. The study concludes with three proposals. First, a nationwide institution responsible exclusively for procurement and distribution of cadaveric organs for transplantation should be established. Second. we should rebuild the national health insurance system so that have costly organ transplantation expenses are substantially covered. Last, but certainly not least. there is a need to emphasize the HEC's committment to prepare a proper ethical guideline for organ transplantation in general.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.11 no.7
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• pp.298-305
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• 2011

The purpose of this dissertation is finding the meaning and form of Euthanasia, Considering by Criminal law that the core of the debate over the 'pros and cons' of euthanasia, And seeking measures about needs of currently Euthanasia legislation and institutional establishment. Through the remarkable progress, today's medical science makes to cure the Incurable patients, and artificially prolong human life by life-support system. These changes of Healthcare Environments extending a permissible range of Euthanasia over the series of criminal discussions about Euthanasia. And medical treatment has been discussed from negative side to positive side. So, In the current legal system, seeking for realistic measure is demands of the times behind the penally and ethical problems. Therefore, I will study the needs of legal system and reestablish values about Respect for Human Life.