• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.34-41
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the reason to select complementary and alternative therapy for terminally ill cancer patients. Methods: The data were collected from 21 terminal cancer patients and families through the in-depth interview. Data analysis were performed by the Colaizzi's phenomenological method (1976). Results: The reason to select complementary and alternative therapy for terminal cancer patients and families was then categorized with 4 elements; Awareness of limitations in contemporary medical treatments, Belief in effectiveness of the CAM, Satisfaction with emotional needs of family members, and Disbelief due to negative attitudes of physicians. The result indicated the following 9 themes expectation for a complete cure, uncertainty in hospital treatments, complementary method for management of side effect of chemotherapy, alleviation of symptoms and life-sustaining, fear for side effects of cancer treatments, belief in earned information, referrals by other, responsibility of family, and dissatisfaction with negatine attitudes of physicians. Conclusion: Physicians should provide a sufficient explanation and try to effectively communicate with clients about hospice and palliative service and the CAM. We strongly realized that concerns about patients' best care and satisfactions with family's needs should be understood.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.12-21
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• 2015

In an effort to expand working opportunities for women and encourage childbirth, the government of Korea introduced the free infant care policy in 2013. This policy, however, was controversial with regard to issues, such as budget shortages and dissatisfaction based on socioeconomic status. In addition, the lack of evidence-based data regarding adequate age criteria for the entry of children into childcare facilities was noted as a challenge. As child development professionals who are concerned with mental health issues, we investigated the influence and challenges of the free infant care policy with regard to infant mental health. In this review, we examined the policies enacted by developed countries, such as the United Kingdom (UK), and compared them with those in Korea. The childcare systems in Korea and the UK differ historically and socially, but show some similarities, such as maternal responsibility for parenting and household issues. Like Korea, the need for UK childcare facilities increased in the 1990's in response to market recovery and associated increase in female employment. Among the new policies in the UK, the Sure Start program has begun to provide integrated services for infants, particularly to those 0-4 years of age, who are vulnerable to social exclusion. Similar to the Dream Start program in Korea, it has been successful in providing family-related services, resulting in improvements in problematic behaviors of children, enhanced parenting skills, and decreased rates of severely injured children.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.57-82
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• 2012

The purpose of the study is to suggest the measure for the improvement of job satisfaction and level of empowerment of sanatoriums' social workers by analyzing factors of empowerments' effect on the job satisfaction, and investigating level of empowerment and job satisfaction of social workers of sanatoriums for the elderly and the handicapped. The result of investigation and analysis on subjects of 420 social workers of sanatoriums for the elderly and the handicapped in Youngnam area for this is as follows: First, job characteristic that is empowerments' influence factor of sanatoriums' social workers is appeared in order of feedback, and function variety, and in organization characteristic is appeared in order of leadership, reward, and employee development. Second, level of empowerment that is recognized by sanatoriums' social workers is appeared a little higher than normal level and significance is appeared highest, and next are capability, self-determination ability, and influence. Third, features that showed significant difference with significance in general characteristic of sanatoriums' social workers were 'sex', 'marital status', and 'religion', and features that showed significant difference with capability were sex, age, marital status, academic background, and employment history. And features that showed significant difference with self-determination ability were sex, age, marital status, and employment history, and features that showed significant difference with influence were sex, age, employment history and types of facilities. Fourth, the whole average of job satisfaction of sanatoriums' social workers was 3.82 out of 5, which is generally high, features that showed significant difference statistically were age, marital status, academic background, employment history, and types of facilities. Thus, job satisfaction was appeared as high as 'more than age of thirty' in age, 'married' in marital status, 'under graduates of colleges' in academic background, and 'less than three years' in employment history. Fifth, as for factors that had influence on job satisfaction, the indirect effect with empowerment was appeared that had significant effect in organization characteristic, and had few effect in organization features. On these results, practical measures to increase job satisfaction of sanatoriums' social workers are as follows: First, political approach is required to standardize duty system(by various types of facilities and clients' characteristic) of social workers of sanatoriums for elderly and the handicapped, and help to do the role as professionals with giving better treatment and building self-respect by enough reward. Second, to suggest chances to perform the responsibility for the duty of the scenes by the regular supervision, establish regular supervision system of social workers of sanatoriums for the elderly and the handicapped, and the extension of duty to increase the functional varieties. Third, it is required to motivate to have self confidence for the work and to use potential ability with transforming leadership, and to have more chances of education for the self-development. To increase job satisfaction of sanatoriums' social workers who give direct services in sanatoriums for the elderly and the handicapped, more active and positive empowerment's level improvement is in need by improvement of empowerment for them.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to reveal the circumstances under which the cases of harm to health caused by humidifier disinfectant were neglected and show the points where the number of victims and the degree of damage could have been reduced. In addition, it attempts to describe how damage management proceeded immediately after the incident and actually exacerbated the damage. Finally, it explores the unfortunate aspects of the recent trial. By doing so, it attempts to take this as an opportunity to consider whether a tragic event such as the humidifier disinfectant incident could occur in the future. Methods: This study collected and analyzed data on chemical material characteristics related to humidifier disinfectants, data on health effect characteristics, data on related laws and regulations from the Ministry of Environment, data related to the damage investigation by the Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute, and current contents. Results: The lack of related systems and laws is the area where the greatest responsibility for the cause of the humidifier disinfectant disaster falls, so it is difficult for the government to escape this responsibility. Establishing a dedicated department to identify the prevalence of certain diseases within the functions of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service to monitor health can greatly contribute to the prevention and management of diseases through early detection and management of group outbreaks caused by harmful factors. Humidifier disinfectant damage relief should have been expanded earlier beyond HDLI (humidifier disinfectant lung injury) to include non-specific diseases such as asthma, pneumonia, and interstitial pneumonia. The scope of relief benefits should have also been expanded earlier to include the payment of disability benefits. Fortunately, with the 2020 revision of the Special Act, the conditions for estimating causal relations were eased and individual screening systems such as health impact assessment were reorganized along with the introduction of a rapid screening system. Conclusions: The management system for chemical substances in a country is clearly of paramount importance, and the ministry in charge must have a response system in case of damage to health effects. Administration that looks at the victims' situation from their point of view is needed, and technical countermeasures are required to quickly recognize the prevalence of certain diseases.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.179-194
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• 1991

Despite its universal coverage of health insurance, the rural health insurance program(RHIP) stands at the crossroads in Korea. The RHIP has weaknesses in stability of financing, problems of inequities in the provision of health services and has suffered from high cost of running the program. The author has analyzed these problems from the perspective of health insurance policy and presented several options for improvement. First of all, this study urged the importance of a firm Governmental commitment of RHIP with the 50% subsidization of contributions as the Government had promised, instead of the current 40%. This can be justified from the 20% subsidization by the Government for the contributions of private school teachers and their dependents, who belong to richer segments of the population. Second, various cost containment measures ought to be sought curbing the rising demand for medical through strengthening health education and increasing individual responsibility, and tightening the claim review process. Third, this study requires the Government to run a demonstration project on the introduction of case payment system for primary health care. Fourth introducing an income-related cost sharing scheme is another possibility. Reforming the cost sharing formula for large medical expenditures is recommendable for a beginning. This measure can take the form of tax credit for medical expenditures of the poor. Fifth, the degree of financial adjustment among health insurance plans should be levelled up for enhancing stability of RHIP and social solidarity. Sixth, health policy should be redirected toward development of rural health resources and higher priority should be put on relieving difficulties in access to care. Seventh. the insurance plan owned-hospital needs to be developed or provision of health services in the medically underserved areas, and the need of such facilities is particularly acute for geriatric care, rehabilitation and renal dialysis, etc. Eighth, more generous insurance benefits are required of the elderly who are suffering the most : elimination of the maximum 180 days of benefit period and provision of glasses and artificial dentures, etc. Ninth. the economies of scale principle is working for the operating expenses of regional self-employed insurance plan. Thus, measures should be instituted to pursue an optimum size of health insurance plans. Lastly, excessive dependence on exclusion items is an evil so that some radical remedies are urgently required to cut them.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.9 no.9
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• pp.94-107
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• 2019

This study was aimed to clarify the concept of professionalism of the nurse. Walker and Avant's concept analysis process was used. The main attributes of professionalism of the nurse were advanced nursing knowledge, excellent nursing skill, person-centered nursing care, ethicality, responsibility, peer cooperation, autonomy, and outstanding situational judgement, and problem solving. The antecedents were a long enough period of nursing education and experience, research activities, personal qualities, and self-directed training. The consequences were improvement of professional identity and low turnover rates of nurses; improvement of nursing satisfaction, health recovery and well-being for patients; improvement of nursing quality, revenue, and reputation for hospital; gaining social recognition and development of nursing profession; obtaining financial benefits in national health care for nation. The findings of the study provide clarification of the concept of professionalism of the nurse and lay the foundation to establish professionalism among nurses to deliver good nursing care.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 2024

This paper discusses the implications of the birth notification system and the Protected Birth Act in Korea. Aiming to prevent infanticide and abandonment of infants, the law will enter into force on July 19, 2024 in South Korea. The birth notification system mandates that both parents and the head of the medical institution where the birth occurred must report the event. In parallel, the Protected Birth Act will be implemented, allowing pregnant women in crisis who wish to remain anonymous, the option to give birth outside of a hospital setting in a way that safeguards the life and health of the child. However, many issues are being raised in Korean society in advance of the implementation of the Protected Birth Act. There is widespread concern that the Protected Birth Act fails to protect either women or children, especially as it raises issues regarding the need for legislation to protect children with disabilities and to address gaps for migrant women and children. This paper examines the gender and healthcare issues relating to the Protected Birth Act, focusing on women's health and human rights. The Act continues to perpetuate discrimination against out-of-wedlock pregnancies and upholds the ideology of the traditional family model. Furthermore, the legislative process did not address protective measures for the various reasons behind child abandonment. Critical issues such as women's autonomy, safe pregnancy termination, and paternal responsibility in childbirth are also notably absent. However, with the Act set to take effect soon, it is crucial for healthcare providers to comprehend the rationale and procedures associated with birth notification and the Protected Birth Act, and to prepare for its nationwide implementation. The law defines the socially vulnerable as its main beneficiaries, and it is necessary to strengthen social safety nets to improve their access to healthcare, eliminate prejudice and discrimination against out-of-wedlock pregnancies, and embrace the diversity of our society. We eagerly anticipate future discussions on gender and healthcare issues, as well as amendments to the law that reflect real-world circumstances to provide genuine protection for pregnant women in crisis and their infants.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.179-186
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• 2001

The purpose of this study is to develop a systematic and efficient curriculum for the rehabilitation nurse specialist program. This research was carried out as a group work of 15 experts in order to share various opinions about the curriculum, and also through literature review. Articles, curriculums of other Clinical Nurse Specialist Programs, medical laws guidelines, as well as Clinical Nurse Specialist Program from the Korean Nurses Association were reviewed, and the issue was discussed throughly via group meetings. The developed curriculum is as follows: 1. Educational philosophy lies in the fact that the rehabilitation nurses support the patients to maximize their potential and functional level, so that they could maintain healthy state and re-adapt to changed environment. Furthermore the rehabilitation nurses are disposed of arbitrary decision power under their own responsibility, thus they take charge of welfare and healthy environment of the local society through the patients(subjects) and local resources. 2. Educational goals are to train rehabilitation nurse specialist, who correspond to the social needs, so to say, those who have the knowledge and skills for nursing practice, education and research. 3. The curriculum consists of 37 credits, of which 24 credits are based on lectures and 13 credits based on clinical practice. General courses are 3 subjects (5 credits) ; nursing theory, nursing research, and laws/ethics. Mandatry courses are 8 subjects with 19 credits; advanced physical assessment, pharmacology, pathophysiology, issues in rehabilitation nursing, advanced rehabilitation nursing intervention I, advanced rehabilitation nursing intervention II, sports physiology, special rehabilitation nursing intervention. As for the clinical practice courses, assessment and evaluation for rehabilitation(64 hours), community and home based rehabilitation nursing(128 hours), hospital based rehabilitation nursing(128 hours), institution based rehabilitation nursing(96 hours) would be treated. 4. Contents of the curses were developed to correspond with the courses' objectives and specific items. 5. Evaluation would be carried out both in the lecture and in the clinical practice. The knowledge and skills of the students would be measured to ensure full validity and credibility. However this developed curriculum should be continuously modified and updated in more desirable direction.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.24-40
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• 2001

This study is to observe the effectiveness of the applied model and to present the improvement plan and directions for development for the case management practical model suitable for the actual condition of Korea Labor Welfare Co. and needs of the industrial injury patients. The concrete purpose of this study is: First, observe the difference of stressor experience and experience degree between the experimental group and the comparative group. Second, observe the difference of stress of the experimental group and the comparative group. Third, find out how the stress affects the support degree and satisfaction degree. Fourth, present the improvement plan of case management model, which can promote the psychosocial rehabilitation of the industrial injury patient based on the research results. The outline of the main research results identified in this study is as follows. The stressors the industrial injury patients perceived are health problems, family matters, the problems concerning hospital recuperation (hospital staff and environmental problems), economical problems, problems of coming back to society, problems with companies, problems with Korea labour Welfare Co. and other problems. And the experience of stressor was prominently lower in experimental group than comparative group in the whole problem, health problem, problems with Korea Labour-Welfare Co. and other problems. The stressor experience degree was conspicuously lower in experimental group in the whole problem experience degree, health problem experience degree, problem with Korea Labour Co. experience degree and other problem experience degree. Besides whether or not the case management is applied is having a prominent affect on the primary factor affecting the stressor experience degree, therefore the patients applied with case management has less stressor than the patient who didn't. The difference of degree of tension experienced by the stressor in both groups, the degree of stress, was not conspicuous in statistics so it shows that the application of case management in this research has not affected the degree of tension. The field which had been the most help was emotional support in help level the experimental group perceived through applying case management about industrial accident patients and recuperation, compensation problem, medical treatment problem, family matters has been helpful in this order. The help level of the whole problem was in higher level than the middle value. The stress factor which affects the case management problem settlement is the whole body of stress. The satisfaction level of help through applying case management was highest in emotional support and family matters, recuperation problem, company problem, compensation problem, and medical treatment problem was the next highest. The satisfaction level of the whole problem was higher than the middle value. The stress factor affecting the satisfaction level of help is the whole body of stress. Therefore to reduce the stress level of industrial accident patients and for them to come back to local societies, we need to reinforce the continuance and responsibility of case management model, increase staff, reinforce the role of counsel and medical treatment, intervene in the patient's plan of leaving the hospital, develop social support system and the need to establish After Care Center.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.22-39
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• 1997

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of rehabilitation education on the reduction of the stress of family members who have patients suffering from stroke and to find a new way to nurse the patients and their family. Subjects & Methods: The subjects were sixty-one family members with the patients who had been hospotalized in K hospital of oriental medicine from september the 9th, 1996 to september the fourteen, 1996. This study was performed by simulated control group pretest-posttest design; pretest was done on the control group through a questionnaire, counselling and observation while posttest was done on the experimental group 1-2 days after systemic rehabilitation education. To teach the patients and their family, the amended version of a book written by Lee Hae-jin was used as a tool for systemic rehabilitation education. As a method to estimate ADL score, modified Kang's method was applied and ADL score was measured by well-trained technician. As for the tool to estimate the degree of family stress, Choi's method adjusted to this study was applied. In the analysis of the data, social property of the patient and the characteristic of the disease were surveyed in $X^2$ examination to confirm the consistency between the experimental group and the control group. The diffrence in the degree of the stress, which is a dependent factor, was examined by t-test. The difference in ADL score between the experimental group and the control group was examined by t-test. The difference in the degree of the stress according to the general feature of the family with stroke patient, social property of the patients and the characteristic of the disease were surveyed by F examination. The difference in family stress according to the degree of ADL was surveyed by F examination. RESULTS: 1. After hypothetically-examined systemic rehabilitation education, the total of the score of family stress surveyed in 34 items of three domains was compared between the experimental group and the control group. There was no statistically significant difference between two groups; mean score of experimental group=2.28, that of control group=2.93(t=.17, df=59, p=. 66). 2. In the survey on family stress in 34 items, the items over mean score 3.0 were firstly the anxiety of possible disability and relapse of the disease and secondly to watch the patient's suffering without doing anything in the domain of the change of the disease and the difficulty in caring. And the items of the lowest stress with less than mean 2.0 score were little chance to meet the relative and friends, inconsistent treatment and attitude of the medical workers and the change of the attitude of the relative due to the patient orderly in the domain of social and personal relation and the responsibility as the family. The items which showed the difference between two groups were aggravation of neighboring patient(t=3.36, df= 59, p=.001) and the possibility of patient's death(t=2.19, df=58.38, p=.033) in the domain of the change of the disease and the difficulty in caring. 3. In the study on the stress difference according to general features of the family with the stroke patient, the score of family stress with the occupation was higher with mean 2.49 than that of the family stress without occupation with mean 2.16, but there was no significant difference. (F=5.21, df=1/59, p=.026). 4. In the study on the stress difference according to social property of the patient and the characteristic of the disease, there was significant difference in the age of the patients (F=2.98, df=3/57, p=.039). These results show that even if there is no statistically significant difference between two groups, sixteen of the experimental group are less than 3.0 in ADL score(standard 6 score)while eight of the control group are less than 3.0 and that ten of the experimental group are in the year range of 39-49 while four of the control group are in the year range of 39-49 which showed significant difference in family stress. These imply that there is a possibility that the experimental group have serious and fundamental stress resulting in high pretest stress compared with the control group. It might be due to the characteristic of simulated control group pretest-posttest design that the psychologic-supportive effect by the education was not observed. On the basis of these results, the followings are suggested. 1) A study on the nursing-mediated method to reduce the stress in the items which are not resolved by rehabilitation education, a study on nursing according to the patient's age and a study on the supportive nursing toward the family with occupation are required. 2) More than two times consecutive nursing-mediated rehabilitation education to measure the family stress is required. 3) Comprehensive and multilateral systemic education program including the instruction on western-eastern medicine, physical therapy, exercise and diet through collaboration of the experts in each field is required. 4) Family stress at home as well as in the hospital needs to be estimated and home rehabilitation and home-nursing needs to be continued.