• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.251-263
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• 2012

Purpose: It was necessary for developing a neonatal classification system based on nursing needs and direct care time. This study was, thus, aimed at identifying nursing activities and measuring the standard nursing practice time for developing a neonatal patient classification system in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Methods: The study was taken place in 8 general hospitals located in Seoul and Kyungi province, South Korea from Dec, 2009 to Jan, 2010. By using 'the modified Workload Management System for critical care Nurses' (WMSN), nursing categories, activities, standard time, and task frequencies were measured with direct observation. The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics. Results: Neonatal nursing activities were categorized into 8 areas: vital signs (manual), monitoring, activity of daily living (ADL), feeding, medication, treatment and procedure, respiratory therapy, and education-emotional support. The most frequent and time-consuming area was an ADL, unlike that of adult patients. Conclusion: The findings of the study provide a foundation for developing a neonatal patient classification system in NICU. Further research is warranted to verify the reliability and validity of the instrument.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.83 no.4
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• pp.303-311
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• 2020

Background: If the duration of mechanical ventilation (MV) is related with the intensive care unit (ICU) readmission must be clarified. The purpose of this study was to elucidate if prolonged MV duration increases ICU readmission rate. Methods: The present observational cohort study analyzed national healthcare claims data from 2006 to 2015. Critically ill patients who received MV in the ICU were classified into five groups according to the MV duration: MV for <7 days, 7-13 days, 14-20 days, 21-27 days, and ≥28 days. The rate and risk of the ICU readmission were estimated according to the MV duration using the unadjusted and adjusted analyses. Results: We found that 12,929 patients had at least one episode of MV in the ICU. There was a significant linear relationship between the MV duration and the ICU readmission (R²=0.85, p=0.025). The total readmission rate was significantly higher as the MV duration is prolonged (MV for <7 days, 13.9%; for 7-13 days, 16.7%; for 14-20 days, 19.4%; for 21-27 days, 20.4%; for ≥28 days, 35.7%; p<0.001). The analyses adjusted by covariables and weighted with the multinomial propensity scores showed similar results. In the adjusted regression analysis with a Cox proportional hazards model, the MV duration was significantly related to the ICU readmission (hazard ratio, 1.058 [95% confidence interval, 1.047-1.069], p<0.001). Conclusion: The rate of readmission to the ICU was significantly higher in patients who received longer durations of the MV in the ICU. In the clinical setting, closer observation of patients discharged from the ICU after prolonged periods of MV is required.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.28-43
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• 2023

Purpose : Intensive care unit (ICU) diaries have been implemented across the international ICU community. This study aimed to comprehend the meaning and nature of the lived experience of patients' families using the ICU diary in Korea. Methods : This qualitative study adopted van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenology. The participants comprised eight women and two men who were the family members of patients in the ICU for more than three days. Data were collected using in-depth interviews and observation from July 2018 to January 2019. Results : Patients' families who experienced the ICU diary recognized it with six beings according to time: a good idea, forgotten stuff, burdensome work, touching service, my stuff, and a thing in the memory. The ICU diary had three essential meanings for the families: communication, solace and hope, and a record of life. These findings were rearranged according to van Manen's fundamental existential, and the lived things and lived others were remarkably confirmed. Conclusion : Patients' families experienced various ICU diary forms over time and recognized an ICU diary as a means of communication. Therefore, the ICU diary is expected to be used as an intervention between families and healthcare providers in the ICU to support mutual communication.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.228-240
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• 2023

Growing complexity in ecosystem structure and functions, under impacts of climate and land-use changes, requires interdisciplinary understandings of processes and the whole-system, and accurate estimates of the changing functions. In the last three decades, observation networks for biodiversity, ecosystems, and ecosystem functions under climate change, have been developed by interested scientists, research institutions and universities. In this paper we will review (1) the development and on-going activities of those observation networks, (2) some outcomes from forest carbon cycle studies at our super-site "Takayama site" in Japan, and (3) a few ideas how we connect in-situ and satellite observations as well as fill observation gaps in the Asia-Oceania region. There have been many intensive research and networking efforts to promote investigations for ecosystem change and functions (e.g., Long-Term Ecological Research Network), measurements of greenhouse gas, heat, and water fluxes (flux network), and biodiversity from genetic to ecosystem level (Biodiversity Observation Network). Combining those in-situ field research data with modeling analysis and satellite remote sensing allows the research communities to up-scale spatially from local to global, and temporally from the past to future. These observation networks oftern use different methodologies and target different scientific disciplines. However growing needs for comprehensive observations to understand the response of biodiversity and ecosystem functions to climate and societal changes at local, national, regional, and global scales are providing opportunities and expectations to network these networks. Among the challenges to produce and share integrated knowledge on climate, ecosystem functions and biodiversity, filling scale-gaps in space and time among the phenomena is crucial. To showcase such efforts, interdisciplinary research at 'Takayama super-site' was reviewed by focusing on studies on forest carbon cycle and phenology. A key approach to respond to multidisciplinary questions is to integrate in-situ field research, ecosystem modeling, and satellite remote sensing by developing cross-scale methodologies at long-term observation field sites called "super-sites". The research approach at 'Takayama site' in Japan showcases this response to the needs of multidisciplinary questions and further development of terrestrial ecosystem research to address environmental change issues from local to national, regional and global scales.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.55-81
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• 2000

This study examined nursing care in a Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) by reviewing nursing activities for the newborns. Through direct observation, time used for nursing care according to the nursing activity, shift, day of the week, and position of the nurses was measured. This study was done on November 15, 21, 24, 1999 at a university medical center hospital and included eight nurses and 179 newborns as the study subjects. The data were collected from the medical records, and by using a nursing activity record for the NICU, and a nursing activity time record for the NICU. The first step in the data collection process was to develop a list of nursing activities which was done through a literature review, examination of medical affairs and duty records. Content validity was measured by a panel of three professors who were experienced clinicians. In the second step two pre-training sessions were held with three sophomore student nurses who then measured the time for each nursing activity using a stopwatch. The data were analyzed using frequencies for nursing activities, averages, percentages and ANOVA for differences between shift and between days of the week, and percentages and t-test for differences according to position of the nurse. The results are as follows: 1) The total number of activities was 156, direct or indirect nursing activities. Direct nursing activity classified according to physical, educational, emotional/social/economic/spiritual needs. There were 109 direct nursing activities in 16 fields. 2) The order of nursing activities, according to time required, was record keeping, nutritional care, measurement/observation, medication, hygiene care, examination and specimen collection, and checking supplies, and according to frequency, measurement/ examination, record keeping, nutrition care, hygiene care, elimination care and medication. 3) According to shift, direct care during the night shift at 313.4 minutes was the longest time and indirect nursing care during the night shift at 252.2 minutes was the highest time. 4) For days of the week, Monday had the highest time for direct care 275.8 minutes (34.6%) and Wednessday had the highest time for indirect nursing care 269.6 minutes (36.1%). 5) For nursing time according to position of nurse, general nurses had the highest for direct care (330.7 minutes), nurse managers for indirect nursing activities (239.0 minutes) and general nurses for individual private time (63.9 minutes). The results of this study show that the major nursing time consuming activities included record keeping, nutrition care and measurement/examination. For newborns, time needs to be allowed for care to be sensitive, sophisticated and specialized rather than concentrated on indirect nursing tasks such as record keeping. Therefore, it is imperative to develop computerized systems that support a systematic approach to record keeping which is more efficient. Moreover, nursing needs according to shift, day or position of nurse can be utilized in assessing nursing resources through a computerized process.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.1401-1409
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• 2007

The formation mechanism of the snow cells of the Yellow Sea associated with snowfall over the southwestern part of Korea on 4 February, 2004 has been investigated using special upper-air sounding and radar data obtained for the KEOP(Korea Enhanced Observing Period) Intensive Observing Period(IOP). Results show that the types of snow cells for the selected period are classified into L(Longitudinal)-mode, Low-level convergence, and T(Transverse)-mode with their evolution from L-mode to T-mode. In particular, the existence of low-level warm and humid layer associated with temporally southwesterly inflow for about 4 hours provides a favorable condition in forming the T-mode snow cells. The vertical depth of the T-mode snow cells is deeper than that of L-mode ones due to the southeastward penetration of cold and dry air into relatively warm and humid air. In addition, it is found that wind shear vector between 1000 hPa and 600 hPa is one of the factors which control the orientation of snow cells in formation embedded into the snowbands for the both modes.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.41-49
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of nurses staffing level on patient health outcomes in intensive care units (ICUs) in Korea. Methods: The study was retrospective in nature. Information on patients and their outcomes, as well as nurse cohort data, were obtained from Korea's National Health Insurance Service Database. The observation period was from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2018, and data for 2,964,991 patients were analyzed. Independent variables included patient' age and sex and hospital type, intensivist, and nurses staffing level. Results: The mortality rate in ICUs was significantly higher at tertiary hospitals with a level 3~4 (HR, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.19~1.22) or level 5~9 nurse staffing (HR, 1.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.27~1.34) compare to that of tertiary hospitals with a 1~2 level. 28-day mortality rate was also higher at general hospitals with a level 3~4 (HR, 1.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.12~1.14), level 5~6 (HR. 1.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.32~1.36), level 7~9 nurse staffing (HR, 1.38; 95% confidence interval, 1.38~1.42), using level 1~2 as reference. Conclusion: Nurses staffing level is a key determinant of healthcare-associated mortality in critically ICUs patients. Policies to achieve adequate nurse staffing levels are therefore required to enhance patient outcomes.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.19-26
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• 2013

This study developed the classification of National Soil Quality Monitoring Network (NSQM) and its site selection criteria to meet the recently established purposes of the NSQM. The NSQM were suggested by this study to classify into the six-purposes site groups from the current classification of land uses. The six purposes site groups were 1) intensive observation sites, 2) contaminant loading sites, 3) human activity sites, 4) background sites, 5) river soil sites, and 6) sites near the groundwater quality monitoring wells. Furthermore, this study developed the site selection criteria of NSQM utilizing the accumulated NSQM data, road traffic data, chemical emission data, census, soil information, and the literature related to soil quality variation due to contaminant loads. For selecting suitable sites for NSQM, this study used road traffic, chemical emission, the distance from the contaminant sources, and population information as specific criteria. The suggested site classification and criteria were appled for the current 100 NSQM sites for evaluation. Forty sites were met to the criteria suggested by this study, but sixty sites were not met to the criteria. However, some of the sixty sites also included the obscure sites that their addresses were not apparent to find them.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of a Korean version of the Critical Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT) developed for assessment of pain in critically ill nonverbal patients. Methods: Data were collected from a convenience sample of 30 critically ill patients admitted to a medical ICU in a hospital. The CPOT was tested at before, during and 20 minutes after changing a position and suction. Upon establishment of content and translation equivalence between the English and Korean version of CPOT. Results: The interrater reliability was found to be acceptable with the kappa coefficients of .76-1. The construct validity of the pain scores were increased from 0.43 to 2.5 in changing a position (t=-8.60, p<.001)and 0.1 to 3.23 (t=-9.36, p<.001) in suctioning. The pain scores were decreased from 6.06 to 4.01 in changing a position (t=-10.19, p<.001) and 6.45 to 4.13 (t=-10.39, p<.001) in suctioning. The concurrent validity the correlations between pain scores and physiological indicators, and a increased in Heart rate before and after changing a position (r=.65, p<.001). Conclusion: The CPOT can be used as a reliable and valid measure to assess pain in critically ill nonverbal a medical ICU patients.

• Atmosphere
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2014

This study provides a comparative analysis of cloud top heights observed by a Ka-band cloud radar and the Communication, Ocean and Meteorological Satellite (COMS) at Boseong National Center for Intensive Observation of severe weather (NCIO) from May 25, 2013 (1600 UTC) to May 27. The rainfall duration is defined as the period of rainfall from start to finish, and the no rainfall duration is defined as the period other than the rainfall duration. As a result of the comparative analysis, the cloud top heights observed by the cloud radar have been estimated to be lower than that observed by the COMS for the rainfall duration due to the signal attenuation caused by raindrops. The stronger rainfall intensity gets, the more the difference grows. On the other hand, the cloud top heights observed by the cloud radar have been relatively similar to that observed by the COMS for the no rainfall duration. In this case, the cloud radar can effectively detect cloud top heights within the range of its observation. The COMS indicates the cloud top heights lower than the actual ones due to the upper thin clouds under the influence of ground surface temperature. As a result, the cloud radar can be useful in detecting cloud top heights when there are no precipitation events. The COMS data can be used to correct the cloud top heights when the radar gets beyond the valid range of observation or there are precipitation events.