• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.960-972
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to validate the nursing intervention standards of home care to home care setting for a guide in giving quality care to home hospice patients. Methods: The developed nursing standards were applied to 79 home hospice patients at K hospital, C university. Data were collected through the developed nursing intervention standards of home care with 19 selected nursing interventions and 418 associated nursing activities from January to June in 2006. Results: The performance frequency was 509 times for total nursing interventions and 7,815 times for total associated nursing activities. The most frequently used nursing activity was 722 times(9.24%) on teaching prescribed medication, followed by surveillance(718 times, 9.18%), and vital signs & neurologic monitoring nursing intervention(701 times, 8.97%). The highest mean nursing activity performance rate showed on Intravenous therapy(82%), followed by dying care(81%), and vital signs & neurologic monitoring (80%). Among 418 nursing activities, there were three classifications: 168 as core activities, 165 as major, and 85 as accessory activities. Conclusion: The final validated nursing intervention standards can guide home care nurses to perform quality care and contribute to computerized nursing services and request of nursing fees.

• Healthcare Informatics Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.317-326
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• 2018

Objectives: The demand for hospice has been increasing among patients with cancer. This study examined the current hospice referral scenario for terminally ill cancer patients and created a data form to collect hospice information and a modified health information exchange (HIE) form for a more efficient referral system for terminally ill cancer patients. Methods: Surveys were conducted asking detailed information such as medical instruments and patient admission policies of hospices, and interviews were held to examine the current referral flow and any additional requirements. A task force team was organized to analyze the results of the interviews and surveys. Results: Six hospices completed the survey, and 3 physicians, 2 nurses, and 2 hospital staff from a tertiary hospital were interviewed. Seven categories were defined as essential for establishing hospice data. Ten categories and 40 data items were newly suggested for the existing HIE document form. An implementation guide for the Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture developed by Health Level 7 (HL7 CCDA) was also proposed. It is an international standard for interoperability that provides a framework for the exchange, integration, sharing, and retrieval of electronic health information. Based on these changes, a hospice referral scenario for terminally ill cancer patients was designed. Conclusions: Our findings show potential improvements that can be made to the current hospice referral system for terminally ill cancer patients. To make the referral system useful in practice, governmental efforts and investments are needed.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.85-96
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• 2021

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigatecomplementary therapiesprovided at hospice palliative care facilities in South Koreaas designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Methods: The survey was conducted via e-mail from September 2 to September 23, 2020, with responsesfrom 109 therapists and 59 managers from 55 different hospice care facilities. Results: Hospices provided an average of 3.67 different types of therapies, ranging from 1 to 7 different types. The most common types of therapies were horticultural therapy (81.4%), music therapy (79.7%), art therapy (76.3%), and aromatherapy (57.6%). The average frequency of sessions was once a week, the median duration was 60 minutes. Most therapists (96.3%) had qualifications, but the certification-issuing organizations and training intensiveness varied greatly. None of the therapists were employed on a full-time basis, and their average monthly income was KRW 270,000. Therapists and managers gave average scores of 8.90 and 8.38 out of 10, respectively, regarding the positive impact of complementary therapies on patients. Conclusion: In order for patients and their families to benefit from complementary therapiesat hospice care facilities, in addition tobetter terms of employment for therapists, evidence-based guidelines for different types of therapies are needed so that therapy sessions can be conducted according to the theoretical underpinnings and characteristics of the type of therapy. It is expected that the results of this study will be used for policy-making in support of therapy as an essential hospice service.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.146-159
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• 1994

The conecpt of hospice care for the terminally ill is a development of relatively modern times, although it has its origins in antiquity. The hospice will be able to handle progressively more and more patient, to the limit of its resources. The purposes of this study were to review of demand and issues of the hospice care programes and to recommand the hospice care approaches in south Korea that using the book-review method. At this point, although at present there is a general unawareness of hospice throughout Korean society, the public will become gradually aware of hospice. This will thus aid the development of hospices. Awareness will come about because of the educational efforts of medical schools, nursing schools, allied health training programs, practicing hospice care giver, universities, and others interested in hospice education. At present, there are many issues of the hospice care program that are hospice resources problems of manpower, facilities, finances, and cost of hospice services, quality of care, and ethics. Additional studies are needed to determine the most efficacious organizational hospice models for varying conditions. They will insist upon reasonable regulatory agency regulations that will promote the hospice idea and. permit adequate remuneration for services provided. More research is needed on health professionals', patients', and others' attitudes towards death.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.217-224
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• 2006

Purpose: This study was done to investigate the effects of pilocarpine mouth care on the condition and discomfort of the oral cavity in patients with terminal cancer. Method: A quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group, pre- and post-test was used. The participants were 30 patients admitted to the hospice care unit of C university hospital. Fourteen patients received pilocarpine mouth care for 5 days. The other sixteen received general mouth care. Results: Improvement in the condition of the oral cavity was significantly higher in the experimental group compared to the control group. Decrease in oral discomfort scores was significantly higher in the experimental group compared to the control group. The incidence of oral candidiasis was significantly higher in the control group compared to the experimental group. Conclusion: These findings indicate that pilocarpine mouth care could be an effective intervention for relieving oral discomfort, improving the condition of the oral cavity, and decreasing the incidence of oral candidiasis in patients with terminal cancer.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.184-193
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• 2021

Purpose: This study attempted to develop clinical guidelines to help patients use hospice and palliative care (HPC) at an appropriate time after writing physician orders for life-sustaining treatment (POLST) by identifying the characteristics of HPC use of patients with terminal cancer. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted to understand the characteristics of HPC use of patients with terminal cancer through decision tree analysis. The participants were 394 terminal cancer patients who were hospitalized at a cancer-specialized hospital in Seoul, South Korea and wrote POLST from January 1, 2019 to March 31, 2021. Results: The predictive model for the characteristics of HPC use showed three main nodes (living together, pain control, and period to death after writing POLST). The decision tree analysis of HPC use by terminal cancer patients showed that the most likely group to use HPC use was terminal cancer patients who had a cohabitant, received pain control, and died 2 months or more after writing a POLST. The probability of HPC usage rate in this group was 87.5%. The next most likely group to use HPC had a cohabitant and received pain control; 64.8% of this group used HPC. Finally, 55.1% of participants who had a cohabitant used HPC, which was a significantly higher proportion than that of participants who did not have a cohabitant (1.7%). Conclusion: This study provides meaningful clinical evidence to help make decisions on HPC use more easily at an appropriate time.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.138-143
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• 2011

Korean hospice care has been greatly developed in a short period of time, thanks to help of foreign specialists and aids from developed countries. With enormous growth in economy, Korea which once received foreign aids now give help to other countries. It is the time for the Korean hospice society to consider ways to make an international contribution. That way, Korea could help terminal patients both in Korea and neighboring countries overcome sufferings, maintain their dignity as human beings until the end of their lives and have a comfortable moment of death. Thus, we need to think about ways to contribute to the international hospice society and make related plans.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.254-260
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• 2021

Continuous deep sedation (CDS) is an extreme form of palliative sedation to relieve refractory symptoms at the end of life. In this study, we shared our experiences with CDS and examined the clinical characteristics associated with survival in patients with terminal cancer who received CDS. We conducted a chart audit of 106 consecutive patients with terminal cancer who received CDS at a single hospice care unit between January 2014 and December 2016. Survival was defined as the first day of admission to the date of death. The associations between clinical characteristics and survival were presented as hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals using a Cox proportional hazard model. The mean age of participants was 65.2 years, and 33.0% (n=35) were women. Diazepam was the most commonly administered drug, and haloperidol or lorazepam were also used if needed. One sedative was enough for a majority of the patients. Stepwise multivariate analysis identified poor functioning, a high Palliative Prognostic Index score, hyperbilirubinemia, high serum ferritin levels, and a low number of sedatives as independent poor prognostic factors. Our experiences and findings are expected to be helpful for shared decision-making and further research on palliative sedation.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.159-166
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• 2017

According to the advance of antiretroviral regimen and the early treatment strategy, people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) are achieving the goal of virologic suppression and immune restoration. Most of them no more die of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) defining illnesses, and become older with chronic comorbidities such as cardiovascular, metabolic, hepatic, renal and neurological diseases. However some PLWH still visit hospitals as late presenters with very low CD4+ T cell counts, so that they suffer AIDS defining illnesses to die or experience severe neurological complications resulting in disabilities. Early palliative interventions are needed on the various symptoms of PLWH. Thus far chronic pains such as distal symmetric sensory polyneuropathies have been underevaluated. Active pain-relieving interventions are important to them. Recently we define end of life condition of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or eligibility to hospice care after adjusting current status of HIV treatment. Hospice teams should pay attention to the specific medical conditions, psychological needs, and social circumstances of PLWH. With just standard precautions as common infection control measures, general hospice cares can be provided to them like to other hospices subjects. For giving PLWH opportunities to have the end of life with value and dignity, hospice multidisciplinary team should intervene them early and aggressively. Now we need more clinical experiences and institutional improvements.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.4953-4958
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to determine how nurses recognize the need for supportive care of advanced cancer patients and to provide preliminary data on how adequate circumstances are to be set up and maintained in Korea. For the purpose of this study, we developed a preliminary questionnaire based on a focus group of 8 nurses run by a clinical psychologist and administered it to 228 nurses in a cancer hospital, over a 3-month period. Participants of this study were nurses with more than 5 years' experience of treating advanced cancer patients. The result showed that 207 respondents (90.8%) agreed that a smooth communication system for treatment taking into account the symptoms experienced by patients and rehabilitation issues was needed. More than 80% agreed that the items needed for an integrated management service for advanced cancer patients should include psychological support, an integrated pain and symptom management, and education for the patient and his or her caregivers. These results strongly suggest that a new system distinct from palliative care or hospices is needed for patients with advanced cancer in Korea.