• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.68-80
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• 2013

Background: This study investigates improvements in non-value-added nursing activities in clinical work, in order to improve the efficiency and quality of nursing activities. Methods: The study was performed as a quality improvement project at a tertiary general hospital. The nursing activities that needed improvements were categories into admission care, discharge care, supply management, diagnostic work-up related activities, and others. The nursing time and frequency of non-value-added activities were compared across nine nursing units before and after implementation of the quality improvement program. Post-implementation patient and nurse satisfaction were subsequently analyzed. Result: Post-implementation, the time spent on non-value-added nursing activities was reduced and patients and nurses were satisfied with the improvements. Discussion: Reducing non-value-added activities in nursing can increase the work efficiency and ensure time for patient care, thus improving the quality of nursing care. For further study, accurate surveys on nursing activities based on nursing time are required.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.5-18
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• 2003

Purpose : For improvement of nursing services in ambulatory unit, ambulatory nursing activity was identified and the required time by nursing activity was measured. Method : The data were collected from 4 tertiary hospitals and 2 secondary hospitals. The method of data collection was used the self-reporting method. The 123 nurse-work days and 137 nurse-aid-work days in 6 hospitals were analyzed. Results : As a result, 11 ambulatory nursing domains and 79 ambulatory nursing activities were confirmed. Above 50% of subjects performed the general outpatient affair domain. The percentage of total time spent in each domain were as follows : general outpatient affair domain, 58.3%, patient education ${\cdot}$ counseling domain, 10.8%, therapeutic care domain, 8.6% and so on. And the average hours were measured by activity and domain. Conclusion : For the improvement of ambulatory nursing care, the strategies that keep the legal standard of number of ambulatory nurse and exchange the nursing-aid for the nurse is needed. And it is also needed to standardize the ambulatory nursing services.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.245-254
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was done to examine predictive validity of Critical Care Non-verbal Pain Scale (CNPS) and develop criteria for pain assessment using CNPS with critically ill patients who have communication problems. Methods: Data were collected from intensive care units at three major general hospitals in Seoul and Kyunggi province. During each observation, a nurse assessed pain severity using CNPS ratings (range 0-9) at four treatment stages: at rest, during central catheter dressing change (nonpainful procedure), position change and suctioning (routine painful procedures). Patients also assessed their pain using a self-report 4-point VRS-4. Results: There were significant differences between the four treatment stages except between "at rest" and "nonpainful procedure". Strong correlations were found between CNPS and VRS-4 for "at rest" (r=.552, p<.001), central catheter dressing change (r=.505, p<.001), position change (r=.709, p<.001), and suctioning (r=.662, p<.001). ROC curve analysis of CNPS based on 3 point on VRS-4 showed the cutoff point was 3 for CNPS, the starting point for pain management with 73% sensitivity, 92.2% specificity, 73% positive predictive value, and 92.8% negative predictive value. Conclusion: Results indicate that CNPS is a valid tool for measuring pain in critically ill patients with communication problems and 3 point should be the standardized pain treatment point.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.73-84
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• 2019

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the perceived nursing work environment (NWE) on person-centered critical care nursing (PCCN) practices among nurses in intensive care units (ICUs). Methods : A cross-sectional research design was adopted for this study; participants were 126 ICU nurses working in five hospitals in B city. From December 2018 to February 2019, a survey questionnaire on NWE and PCCN were conducted. The collected data were analyzed with a multiple hierarchical regression analysis. Results : The mean score for NWE was $2.98{\pm}0.39$. Among the factors, basic work system was the highest ($3.39{\pm}0.41$), followed by leadership of the head nurse ($3.31{\pm}0.55$), interpersonal relationships ($2.77{\pm}0.62$), and institutional support ($2.58{\pm}0.52$). The mean score for PCCN was $3.52{\pm}0.46$. Among the factors, comfort was the highest ($3.77{\pm}0.62$), followed by respect ($3.55{\pm}0.56$), compassion ($3.43{\pm}0.60$), and individuality ($3.38{\pm}0.56$). The interpersonal relationship (${\beta}=.31$, p=.001) and the number of patients per shift (${\beta}=-.23$, p=.005) had a significant effect on PCCN, accounting for 25.9% of the total variance. Conclusion : These results suggest that it is necessary to enhance the relationship-oriented culture and reduce the workload of nurses in order to improve the quality of nursing care in ICUs.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.109-122
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• 2023

Purpose : This study aims to explore nursing activities after the decision to discontinue life-sustaining treatment, awareness of a good death, and perception of life-sustaining treatment decisions among nurses in intensive care units (ICUs) at tertiary general hospitals. Methods : Participants were 173 nurses working in two tertiary general hospitals. The data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using an independent t-test, paired t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffé's test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results : Participants were 173 nurses working in two tertiary hospitals. The nursing activity increase was the greatest in the spiritual domain, and the physical domain was where the activities decreased the most. There were significant associations between Awareness of good death (Clinical) and Perception of life-sustaining treatment decision(r=.26, p <.001), Awareness of good death (Closure) and Perception of life-sustaining treatment decision(r=.36, p <.001), and Awareness of good death (Personal control) and Perception of life-sustaining treatment decision(r=.49, p <.001). Conclusion : Based on the results, systematic education programs and job training are required to improve the awareness regarding good death and perception of life-sustaining treatment decision for nurses in ICUs where discontinuing life-sustaining treatment decisions are made.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.58-68
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• 2022

Purpose : This study aimed to provide basic data for developing strategies to improve the nursing performance of nurses working in the intensive care unit by identifying the degree of their communication ability, job satisfaction, organization commitment, and nursing performance, and the relation between each of these variables in the intensive care unit by examining the factors affecting nursing performance. Methods : The participants comprised of 150 nurses working in the intensive care unit in two advanced general hospitals. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using a t-test, ANOVA, the Scheffé test, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis using the SPSS/WIN 25.0 program. Results : Nursing performance of the participants was positively correlated with communication ability (r=.64, p<.001), job satisfaction (r=.26, p<.001), and organization commitment (r=.29, p<.001). Factors significantly influencing the participants' nursing performance included academic background (𝛽=.16, p=.032) and communication ability (𝛽=.50, p<.001). The explanatory power of these variables for nursing performance was recorded at 49.9% (F=19.04, p<.001). Conclusion : The use of various programs in the hospital and the development of effective communication ability with medical staff and other departments among nurses will help improve nursing performance, cooperation with other departments, and patient care.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.229-236
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of fatherhood among fathers of high-risk neonates and their confidence regarding neonatal care. Methods: A study was conducted of 100 fathers whose neonates had been admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for at least 48 hours. Perceptions of fatherhood, neonatal characteristics, and fathers' confidence regarding neonatal care were measured using a self-reported questionnaire. The survey took approximately 10 minutes to complete and was completed anonymously. The factors that affected fathers' confidence regarding neonatal care were analyzed using multiple regression. Results: The scores for positive and negative perceptions of fatherhood were relatively high at 4.27 and 3.42 out of 5 points, respectively. A positive perception of fatherhood was found to influence fathers' confidence regarding neonatal care. Conclusion: NICU nurses should encourage fathers to effectively perform their parenting roles by implementing educational programs and interventions to promote positive perceptions of fatherhood and fathers' confidence regarding neonatal care after discharge.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.296-308
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the noise level and frequency experienced by premature infants receiving incubator care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods: The participants were 20 premature infants receiving incubator care in the NICU of a university hospital in Daejeon Metropolitan city. The noise level was measured using a professional sound-level meter (ET-958, FLUS, Shenzhen, China) based on a noise classification table developed by the author. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, the t-test, analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation coefficients using SPSS for Windows version 22.0. Results: The average noise level experienced by premature infants receiving incubator care in the NICU was 51.25 dB (range: 45.0~81.7 dB). The frequency of noises was highest for factors related to nursing activities (40.3%), followed by human factors (29.1%), machine alarm sounds (20.1%), incubator operation (6.6%), and internal environmental factors (3.9%). Conclusion: According to the above results, the noise level experienced by premature infants receiving incubator care in the NICU exceeded the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an interventional program to reduce noise in the NICU, and to conduct follow-up studies to verify its effectiveness.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.621-629
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the nutritional support, gastric residual volume, and nutritional status of the intensive care unit (ICU) patients on enteral feeding. Methods: A descriptive longitudinal design was used to collect 5 day data on enteral nutrition of 52 ICU patients in an university hospital. Nutritional support was calculated with actual caloric intake compared to individual caloric requirement. Residual volumes were measured prior to routine feedings, and the serum albumin levels and the total lymphocyte counts were checked to evaluate nutritional status. The data were analyzed using one group repeated measures ANOVA, paired t-test, and Spearman's bivariate correlation analysis. Results: The subjects received their first enteral feeding on the $5.75^{th}$ day of ICU admission. The mean nutritional support rate was 49.1% of the requirement, however prescription rate and support rate were increased as time goes by. Gastric residual volumes were less than 10 cc in 95% cases. A significant negative correlation was found between nutritional support and nutritional status. Conclusion: The nutritional support for ICU patient was low compared to the requirement, and their nutritional status was worse than at the time of ICU admission. Further studies are necessary to develop nursing interventions for improving nutritional support for ICU patients.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.1-13
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the difference in reported discharge learning needs between nurses and liver transplantation (LT) patients. Methods: The participants of this study were 40 patients discharged after LT at P University Hospital in Y City and 42 nurses in intensive care units and the ward. The data were collected for two months from December 1, 2012, to January 31, 2013, and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Student's t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: Patients earning a low income (p=.041), having no experience of hospitalization after LT (p=.023), and receiving information about LT from nurses (p=.003) indicated higher discharge learning needs. Among the items evaluated regarding discharge learning needs, "rejection symptoms or signs" were regarded to be more important by nurses than LT patients (p=.038). However, "management of other diseases after LT" (p=.003), "risk of recurrence" (p=.001), "food choices" (p<.001), "obesity prevention" (p=.020), "amount of exercise" (p=.007), and "ways to receive financial help"(p=.033), were thought to be more important by LT patients than nurses. Conclusion: There exist differences between LT patients and nurses with respect to their perceptions of LT discharge learning needs. Therefore, an individualized education program reflecting patients' conditions and learning needs rather than providing information uniformly needs to be developed.