• Title/Summary/Keyword: Leisure Activities

Search Result 932, Processing Time 0.026 seconds

Search for the Meaning of Social Support in Korean Society (Social Support의 한국적 의미)

  • 오가실;서미혜;이선옥;김정아;오경옥;정추자;김희순
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
    • /
    • v.24 no.2
    • /
    • pp.264-277
    • /
    • 1994
  • In Korea the concept of social support was first used as a research concept in nursing and has not had much application in the clinical field. Another problem is that research on social support has used a direct translation of the words “social support” into Korean as “sawhejuk jiji”. Three questions were posed to direct the re-search. 1) Is there a concept of social support in Korean society? 2) if so, what words or expressions are used to de-scribe it? 3) further, if so, how is social support structured and how does it function? In order to answer the research questions a three-step research methodology was used : The first step consisted of a literature review on re-search related to social support and on information on the background of, and the way of thinking re-lated to interpersonal relations among Korean people. The second step, which was done to identify whether there is a concept of social support in korean society, involved interviewing a sample of the population. The third step involved a panel discussion that included the members of the research team and three consultants, a sociologist, a philosopher and a scholor in korean literature. A review of the literature on interpersonal relationships in traditional korean society identified a four cirole structure that explains interpersonal relationships. The first circle with “me” at the center is the family but here “me” disappears into the “we” that is essential for a cooperative agricultural society. In the second circle are those close to “me” but outside the family. The third circle includes those with whom “I ” have infrequent but regular contact and with whom correct conduct is important. The last circle is all the people with whom “I” have nothing in common. They are excluded in interpersonal relationships. The literature on interpersonal relationships showed that within the traditional Korean society people lived in villages where most people were very familiar with each other. “Yun”, the social network established the connection and “Jung”, the feeling of affection increased with time as the connection was strengthened. In the traditional village psychological support was provided through “Mallaniki”, “Pumashi” and “Kae” with the latter two also providing material support. In modern Korea there are more informal and formal social networks, like social services and community activities on the formal level and cultural and leisure groups along with “kae’s on the informal level. But even with this modern variety of groups, most social support comes from informal networks that resemble the traditiorlal “Pumashi”, “Kai” md “Mallaniki”. The six member research team interviewed 65 people in order to identify whether there is a concept of social support and then analysed their responses. There were 20 different words describing the reception of the social support and these could be grouped into seven major categories : virtuous, fortunate, helped, supported, blessed, attached(receiving affection) and receiving (grace) benevolence. there were 27 words describing the act of social support which could be categorized into seven major categories : love, looking after, affection(attachment), kindness(goodness), faith, psychological help and material help. for the meaning of social support translated as “sawhe juk jiji” there were a total of 14 different answers which could be categorized into 3 major categories : help, agreement, and faith. In third step, the results of the literature review and the answers to the questions were discussed in a pannel. The results of the discussion led to the following definition of social support in Korea which is shaped like a the four sided pyramid on a base. Social support is the apex of the pyramid and four sides are made up of : “do-oom” (both emotional and material help), “jung” (connectedness, or relationship bound by affection, regard or shared common experience ), “midum” (faith or belief in), “eunhae” (kindness or benevolence). The research team identified “Yun”( the basic network of relationships) as the base of the pyramid and as such the foundation for the components of social support in Korean culture. On “Yun” rest the other four components of social support : “Jung”, “Midum”, “Do-oom”, and “Eunhae”, For social support to take place there must be “Yun”. This is an important factor in social support. In private social network “Jung” is an essential factor in social support. But not in the public social network. “Yun” is a condition for “Jung” and “Jung” is the manifestation of support.

  • PDF

The Distribution and Characteristics of Use of Urban Farms - A Case Study of the Siji Region in Daegu Metropolitan City - (도시텃밭의 분포 및 이용 특성 - 대구광역시 시지지역을 사례로 -)

  • Nam, Tae-Ho;Jung, Tae-Yeol
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
    • /
    • v.42 no.6
    • /
    • pp.1-9
    • /
    • 2014
  • Within the urban area, over the past decades unused land and public land such as streams and road sides have given urban residents a space for farming (urban farms). However, because this use is illegal, farming in unused and public lands could cause conflicts between urban farm users and land owners, degrade the quality of the urban landscape and contaminate the environment. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to provide a way of legalizing these farming practices that have been cultivated in unused urban areas and public lands. This study analyzed the status of distribution and use of the urban farms that have been scattered around urban areas in many different forms. The survey was conducted through on-the-spot investigation and in-person interviews with farm users and those who were operating weekend farms in the Siji region of Daegu Metropolitan City. According to the results of this study, urban farms were mainly found in green areas that were easily accessible from residential districts and prohibited from development. It was also revealed that the nearer to the border of the residential districts the sites of urban farms were, the larger the number of urban farms was. When it comes to the type of land use, although the proportion of urban farms located in farmlands was very high, the proportion of those located on state-owned lands such as roads, railroads and streams was also high, over 1/3 of that of the former sites. Among the users of urban farms, the percentage of users who were farming private-owned land for free was highest and that of state-owned land without permission ranked second. Most people who were farming unused lands or state-owned lands without permission, such as streams, roads, railroads, were the elderly. This shows the potential of farms in urban area as leisure activities spaces for the elderly. Even though this study has limitations in that the survey target area was selected in a certain area and the sizes of all urban farms were not measured by surveying apparatus and instruments, it helps to determine the characteristics of use and distribution associated with the spaces of urban farming, and to raise the importance and necessity of legalizing urban farms cultivated illegally in public land.

The influence of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of experience store on satisfaction and loyalty (체험매장의 지각된 용이성과 유용성이 만족과 충성도에 미치는 영향)

  • Lee, Ji-Hyun
    • Journal of Distribution Science
    • /
    • v.9 no.3
    • /
    • pp.5-14
    • /
    • 2011
  • One of the new roles of modern retail stores is to supply consumers with a memorable experience. In Korea, enhancing a store's environment so that customers remember a unique shopping experience is recognized as a sound strategy for strengthening the store's competitiveness. Motivated by this incentive, awareness of the experience-store concept is starting to increase in various categories of the retail industry. However, many experience stores, except in a few cases, have yet to derive a significant profit, explaining why Korean consumers are somewhat unfamiliar with, yet fascinated by, the experience stores that now exist in the country. Consumer satisfaction directly, and indirectly, affects a company's future profit and potential financial gain; customer satisfaction also affects loyalty. Therefore, knowing the significant factors that increase satisfaction and loyalty is essential for any company, in any field, to be able to effectively differentiate itself from the competition. Intrigued by increased competition opportunities, most Korean companies have adopted experience-store marketing strategies. When establishing the most effective processes for increasing sales and achieving a sustainable competitive advantage of a new concept, companies should consider certain factors that influence consumers' ability to accept new concepts and ideas. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is a theory that models how people accept new concepts. TAM proposes the following two factors that influence a person's decisions about how, and when, he or she will use a new product: "perceived usefulness" and "perceived ease of use." Much of the existing research has suggested that a person's character also affects the process for accepting new ideas. Such personal character attributes as individual preferences, self-confidence, and a person's values, traits, and/or skills affect the process for willingly consenting to try something new. It will be meaningful to establish how the TAM theory's components, as well as personal character, affect individuals accepting the experience-store concept. To that end, as it pertains to an experience store, the first goal of the study is to examine the influence of innovative factors (perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use) on satisfaction and loyalty. The second objective is to define the moderate effect of consumers' personal characteristics on the model. The proposed model was tested on 149 respondents who were engaged in leisure sports activities and bought sports outdoor garments and equipment. According to the study's findings, the satisfaction and loyalty of an experience store can be explained by perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, with the study's results demonstrating the stronger of the two factors being "perceived ease of use." The study failed to explain the effects of a person's character on the model. In conclusion, when the companies that operate the experience stores execute their marketing and promotion strategies, they should stress the stores' "ease of use" product components. Additionally, it can be extrapolated from the study data that since the experience-store idea is still relatively unfamiliar to Korean consumers, most customers are not yet able to evaluate, nor take a position regarding, their respective attitudes toward experience stores.

  • PDF

An Historical and Cultural Analysis on the Eastern and Western Moat (동·서양 해자(垓字)의 역사와 문화적 해석)

  • Jung, Yong-Jo;Sim, Woo-Kyung
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
    • /
    • v.29 no.1
    • /
    • pp.105-120
    • /
    • 2011
  • A moat is a pond or waterway paved on the outside of a fortress that is one of the facilities to prevent enemy from approaching the fortress wall or classify it as the boundary space, moats had existed in Europe, Asia and the America from ancient times to medieval times. however it is has been disappeared in modem society. In addition, a moat is a great value in historical and cultural sense such as offering a variety of cultural activities and habitats for animals, but unfortunately there is little consideration of its restoration plan. This research is aimed to investigate historical and cultural meaning and significance of moats which had been existing from ancient times to medieval times in the Eastern and Western. For this purpose, this research analyzed concepts and functions in consideration with times and ideological backgrounds of moats in Korea, China, and Japan. Results were as follows: 1. Moats in Korea existed not only in the castle towns of Goguryeo but also in ancient castle towns of Baekje and Silla. Natural moats and artificial moats existed around castles that were built to prevent and disconnect accessibility of enemies In Goryeo Dynasty and Chosun Dynasty, moats were also used as a defensive function. 2. A moat was generally installed by digging in the ground deep and wide at regular intervals from the ramparts, A moat was installed not only around a castle but also in its interiors. Moats outside castles played an important role in stomping the ground hard besides enhancing its defensive power. In addition, water bodies around a facility often discouraged people's access and walls or fences segregated space physically, but a moat with its open space had an alert and defensive means while pertaining its visual characteristics. 3. The moat found at Nagan Eupseong rumor has it that a village officials' strength was extremely tough due to strong energy of the blue dragon[Dongcheon] in Pungsujiri aspects, so such worries could be eliminated by letting the stream of the blue dragon flow in the form of 'S'. 4. The rampart of the Forbidden City of China is 7.9 meters high, and 3,428 meters long in circumference. It was built with 15 layers of bricks which were tamped down after being mixed with glutinous rice and earth, so it is really solid. The moat of the Forbidden City is 52 meters in width and 6 meters in depth, which surrounds the rampart of the Forbidden City, possibly blocking off enemies' approach. 5. Japan moats functioned as waterways due to their location in cities, further, with the arrangement of leisure facilities nearby, such as boating, fishing from boats, and restaurants, it helped relieve city dwellers' stress and functions as a lively city space. 6. Korean moats are smaller in scale than those of the Forbidden City of China, and Edo, and Osaka castles in Japan, Moats were mostly installed to protect royal palaces or castles in the Eastern Asia whereas moats were installed to protect kings, lords, or properties of wealthy people in the west.

LSTM Based Prediction of Ocean Mixed Layer Temperature Using Meteorological Data (기상 데이터를 활용한 LSTM 기반의 해양 혼합층 수온 예측)

  • Ko, Kwan-Seob;Kim, Young-Won;Byeon, Seong-Hyeon;Lee, Soo-Jin
    • Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
    • /
    • v.37 no.3
    • /
    • pp.603-614
    • /
    • 2021
  • Recently, the surface temperature in the seas around Korea has been continuously rising. This temperature rise causes changes in fishery resources and affects leisure activities such as fishing. In particular, high temperatures lead to the occurrence of red tides, causing severe damage to ocean industries such as aquaculture. Meanwhile, changes in sea temperature are closely related to military operation to detect submarines. This is because the degree of diffraction, refraction, or reflection of sound waves used to detect submarines varies depending on the ocean mixed layer. Currently, research on the prediction of changes in sea water temperature is being actively conducted. However, existing research is focused on predicting only the surface temperature of the ocean, so it is difficult to identify fishery resources according to depth and apply them to military operations such as submarine detection. Therefore, in this study, we predicted the temperature of the ocean mixed layer at a depth of 38m by using temperature data for each water depth in the upper mixed layer and meteorological data such as temperature, atmospheric pressure, and sunlight that are related to the surface temperature. The data used are meteorological data and sea temperature data by water depth observed from 2016 to 2020 at the IEODO Ocean Research Station. In order to increase the accuracy and efficiency of prediction, LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory), which is known to be suitable for time series data among deep learning techniques, was used. As a result of the experiment, in the daily prediction, the RMSE (Root Mean Square Error) of the model using temperature, atmospheric pressure, and sunlight data together was 0.473. On the other hand, the RMSE of the model using only the surface temperature was 0.631. These results confirm that the model using meteorological data together shows better performance in predicting the temperature of the upper ocean mixed layer.

A Study on the Development of Environment Color Checklists for Senior Center Based on Characteristics of the elders (재가노인의 특성을 고려한 경로당 환경색채 체크리스트 개발)

  • Choi, Yerim;Park, Heykyung
    • Korea Science and Art Forum
    • /
    • v.34
    • /
    • pp.327-337
    • /
    • 2018
  • Korea is rapidly becoming an aging society as much as it takes the first place among OECD countries, and as the life expectancy of Korea gradually increases, the proportion of the elders in society increases. Accordingly, the happiness of the elders is contributed to the overall social atmosphere and happiness, however, the lower quality of life of the elders due to physical, psychological and social changes can be developed into social problems such as depression and rising suicide rate. As a result, there is a social interest in improving the quality of life and satisfaction of the elders, and the senior citizen center is receiving renewed attention as a form of welfare facility that can play a pivotal role in the social activities of the elders. In recent years, efforts to improve the environment of the senior citizen center have been made due to the growing role of it, however, there is a controversy over whether the quality of the indoor environment is user-friendly or not due to the limitations of material resources and human resources. It is considered that the quality of the color environment should be improved in the senior citizen center in the way that the color environment is not only an indoor environmental factor which gives high psychological and mental effects to users but also a way to improve the environmental satisfaction at the lowest cost. Previous studies on the facilities related to the elders have been actively carried out, but they were very sporadic and there was very little information about the color environment in the related laws or in the guideline presented by cities. It is necessary to integrate guidelines that are scattered within a comprehensive range without any specific target in order to grasp the current status of the color environment and to properly evaluate it. In addition, considering that the senior citizen center is an important leisure facility for the elders that functions in a residential area with a nationwide network, the results of this study are expected to contribute to the environmental improvement of existing senior citizen center which will be activated in the future by enabling the improvement of psychological satisfaction of the elders.

Identify the Type of Exercise to Prevent Falls for Healthy Elderly Life (고령자의 건강한 삶을 위한 낙상 예방 운동유형 확인)

  • Park, Yang-Sun;Kim, Mi-Ye;Park, Seong-Won;Lee, Ok-Jin
    • Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
    • /
    • v.13 no.7
    • /
    • pp.361-373
    • /
    • 2019
  • Falls are a threat to the physical health of the elderly as well as to their overall quality of life. The purpose of this study was to identify which type of exercise is effective for improving the balance of the elderly, and to obtain the basic data for developing the falls prevention exercise intervention program for the elderly. We compared to the differential effects between rhythmic step exercise and core muscle strengthening exercise in terms of functional balance test and self-reported balance test. Women older than 65 years and under 80 years of age were assigned to one of the step exercise group(21), core muscle exercise group(20), and control group(21), and for 8 weeks, twice per week, 20-30 minutes of exercise were treated. All participants performed one foot static balance test with open and closed eyes. And they responded to self-reported balance test, such as Fall Efficacy Scale(FES) and Activities-specific Balance Confidence(ABC) Scale. The results of statistical analysis are summarized as follows. First, rhythmic stepping exercise was more effective in improving functional balance than core muscle strengthening exercise. In particular, the effect of step exercise was obvious in the one-foot static balance test with open eyes. Second, the self-reported balance test showed better step exercise than core muscle exercise. Specifically, rhythmic step exercise was more effective in enhancing fall efficacy than core muscle exercise. In conclusion, the rhythmic step exercise was more effective in improving the balance ability of the elderly than the core muscle exercise. The rhythmic step exercise is more related to the lower extremity muscles, and especially since the rhythmic step exercise is performed in various ground changes, it seems to have a high similarity to the fall occurrence situation. For future research, we recommended the development of task-oriented ankle proprioceptive exercise intervention program and exercise equipment based on the specific motion situation in which the fall accident occurs in the elderly.

A Comparative Study of Domestic Travel Patterns and Determinant Factors Affecting Satisfaction by Generations (대한민국 국민의 세대별 국내여행 방식 및 만족도 영향요인)

  • Mi-Sook Lee;Yoon-Joo Park
    • Information Systems Review
    • /
    • v.22 no.2
    • /
    • pp.137-166
    • /
    • 2020
  • While South Koreans overseas travelling rate has been increased every year, domestic travelling rate has been at a standstill for several years. The purpose of this study is to analyze domestic traveling styles of Koreans according to their generations in order to provide generation-specific traveling services. For this purpose, we categorized the survey respondents into four different generations, which are Millennium (age 19~34), X generation (35~54), Baby Boomer (55~64) and senior by following the criterions of the Korea National Tourism Organization. After then, we analyze factors related to travel preparation process, the actual traveling activities and satisfaction after the travel. In this study, 16,713 data collected by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism are used. The results of this study show that Korean people tends to acquire domestic traveling information from their own or acquaintances past experiences. Also, they do not prefer the organized trip for domestic travels, thus do not buy package products a lot. In addition, natural scenery, rich in cultural heritage, and convenient accommodation are the most important determinant factors affecting the overall travel satisfaction of level for all generations. The traveling characteristics for each generation are as follows. Millennium get traveling information from the internet a lot, and more specifically, they refer portal sites and social network services (SNS) in many cases. Also, they tend to travel in summer peak season to popular destinations and pursues active traveling experiences. Generation X has similar traveling patterns with Millennium, however they major transportation method is using their own car. Also, transportation convenience and satisfactory leisure activity are important factors affecting the overall satisfaction level to Generation X. On the other hand, Baby boomer generation has a greater emphasis on appreciation of nature, visiting famous restaurants, and relaxation, rather than actively participating experiencing programs. They travel evenly in summer and spring/fall season to many different areas instead of focusing on popular tourist spots. In addition, shopping and eating delicious food are the important factors affecting the overall satisfaction level for them. Lastly, Senior generation has similar characteristics with Baby boomer in many ways, however, they travel a lot on the same day using public transportations or car rental service. They prefer spring and autumn trips rather than summer peak season, and tend to buy packaged travel products a lot compared with other generations. If these different traveling characteristics of each generation are considered for organizing and customizing tourism services, it is expected that domestic tourism satisfaction level will be ultimately increased.

Directions for Legislative Improvement for the Creation and Operation of Ecological Parks (생태공원의 조성과 운영 내실화를 위한 법제적 개선 방향)

  • Kim, Ah-Yeon
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
    • /
    • v.52 no.1
    • /
    • pp.71-86
    • /
    • 2024
  • Despite the increasing importance of urban parks' ecological functions in dealing with the climate crisis, ecological parks are not clearly defined in Korea's legal system. Numerous ecological parks created nationwide cannot be systematically designated and managed due to various legal bases and varying management authorities. It is important to clarify the legal status of ecological parks in order to lead the ecological paradigm shift of urban parks and to improve the natural park system for a comprehensive and integrated approach to protect the national ecosystem. To this end, related laws were analyzed to identify problems and to draw directions for legislative improvement. Through the literature review of relevant laws, acts, and ordinances, six major directions for improvement were suggested based on the analysis of problems. First, the legal status of ecological parks in the administrative dichotomy of the current park system is ambiguous, and ecological parks should be clarified through the revision of park-related laws. Second, an ecological park can be defined as a sustainable park created and managed in an ecological manner, promoting the protection and restoration of the ecosystem, conservation, and promotion of biodiversity, and balancing nature observation, ecological learning, and leisure activities. Third, the role of the state and local governments should be systematically revised to lead to a new park planning and management model through new governance. Fourth, since the characteristics of ecological parks are affected by individual laws, the possibility of overlapping ecological parks for other uses should be allowed. Fifth, detailed guidelines and standard ordinances need to be enacted to meet the goals, principles, and facilities of ecological parks. Lastly, along with the revision of the laws, ordinances by local governments also need to be more concrete. This study, which tracks various legal realities related to ecological parks, can contribute to policymaking that can systematize the foundation for the creation of ecological parks to preserve nationwide ecosystems and provide citizens with opportunities to experience and learn about nature.

A Study on Hoslital Nurses' Preferred Duty Shift and Duty Hours (병원 간호사의 선호근무시간대에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Gyeong-Sik;Jeong, Geum-Hui
    • The Korean Nurse
    • /
    • v.36 no.1
    • /
    • pp.77-96
    • /
    • 1997
  • The duty shifts of hospital nurses not only affect nurses' physical and mental health but also present various personnel management problems which often result in high turnover rates. In this context a study was carried out from October to November 1995 for a period of two months to find out the status of hospital nurses' duty shift patterns, and preferred duty hours and fixed duty shifts. The study population was 867 RNs working in five general hospitals located in Seoul and its vicinity. The questionnaire developed by the writer was used for data collection. The response rate was 85.9 percent or 745 returns. The SAS program was used for data analysis with the computation of frequencies, percentages and Chi square test. The findings of the study are as follows: 1. General characteristics of the study population: 56 percent of respondents was (25 years group and 76.5 percent were "single": the predominant proportion of respondents was junior nursing college graduates(92.2%) and have less than 5 years nursing experience in hospitals(65.5%). For their future working plan in nursing profession, nearly 50% responded as uncertain The reasons given for their career plan was predominantly 'personal growth and development' rather than financial reasons. 2. The interval for rotations of duty stations was found to be mostly irregular(56.4%) while others reported as weekly(16.1%), monthly(12.9%), and fixed terms(4.6%). 3. The main problems related to duty shifts particularly the evening and night duty nurses reported were "not enough time for the family, " "afraid of security problems after the work when returning home late at night." and "lack of leisure time". "problems in physical and physiological adjustment." "problems in family life." "lack of time for interactions with fellow nurses" etc. 4. The forty percent of respondents reported to have '1-2 times' of duty shift rotations while all others reported that '0 time'. '2-3 times'. 'more than 3 times' etc. which suggest the irregularity in duty shift rotations. 5. The majority(62.8%) of study population found to favor the rotating system of duty stations. The reasons for favoring the rotation system were: the opportunity for "learning new things and personal development." "better human relations are possible. "better understanding in various duty stations." "changes in monotonous routine job" etc. The proportion of those disfavor the rotating 'system was 34.7 percent. giving the reasons of"it impedes development of specialization." "poor job performances." "stress factors" etc. Furthermore. respondents made the following comments in relation to the rotation of duty stations: the nurses should be given the opportunity to participate in the. decision making process: personal interest and aptitudes should be considered: regular intervals for the rotations or it should be planned in advance. etc. 6. For the future career plan. the older. married group with longer nursing experiences appeared to think the nursing as their lifetime career more likely than the younger. single group with shorter nursing experiences ($x^2=61.19.{\;}p=.000;{\;}x^2=41.55.{\;}p=.000$). The reason given for their future career plan regardless of length of future service, was predominantly "personal growth and development" rather than financial reasons. For further analysis, the group those with the shorter career plan appeared to claim "financial reasons" for their future career more readily than the group who consider the nursing job as their lifetime career$(x^2$= 11.73, p=.003) did. This finding suggests the need for careful .considerations in personnel management of nursing administration particularly when dealing with the nurses' career development. The majority of respondents preferred the fixed day shift. However, further analysis of those preferred evening shift by age and civil status, "< 25 years group"(15.1%) and "single group"(13.2) were more likely to favor the fixed evening shift than > 25 years(6.4%) and married(4.8%)groups. This differences were statistically significant ($x^2=14.54, {\;}p=.000;{\;}x^2=8.75, {\;}p=.003$). 7. A great majority of respondents(86.9% or n=647) found to prefer the day shifts. When the four different types of duty shifts(Types A. B. C, D) were presented, 55.0 percent of total respondents preferred the A type or the existing one followed by D type(22.7%). B type(12.4%) and C type(8.2%). 8. When the condition of monetary incentives for the evening(20% of salary) and night shifts(40% of. salary) of the existing duty type was presented. again the day shift appeared to be the most preferred one although the rate was slightly lower(66.4% against 86.9%). In the case of evening shift, with the same incentive, the preference rates for evening and night shifts increased from 11.0 to 22.4 percent and from 0.5 to 3.0 percent respectively. When the age variable was controlled. < 25 yrs group showed higher rates(31.6%. 4.8%) than those of > 25 yrs group(15.5%. 1.3%) respectively preferring the evening and night shifts(p=.000). The civil status also seemed to operate on the preferences of the duty shifts as the single group showed lower rate(69.0%) for day duty against 83. 6% of the married group. and higher rates for evening and night duties(27.2%. 15.1%) respectively against those of the married group(3.8%. 1.8%) while a higher proportion of the married group(83. 6%) preferred the day duties than the single group(69.0%). These differences were found to be statistically all significant(p=.001). 9. The findings on preferences of three different types of fixed duty hours namely, B, C. and D(with additional monetary incentives) are as follows in order of preference: B type(12hrs a day, 3days a wk): day shift(64.1%), evening shift(26.1%). night shift(6.5%) C type(12hrs a day. 4days a wk) : evening shift(49.2%). day shift(32.8%), night shift(11.5%) D type(10hrs a day. 4days a wk): showed the similar trend as B type. The findings of higher preferences on the evening and night duties when the incentives are given. as shown above, suggest the need for the introductions of different patterns of duty hours and incentive measures in order to overcome the difficulties in rostering the nursing duties. However, the interpretation of the above data, particularly the C type, needs cautions as the total number of respondents is very small(n=61). It requires further in-depth study. In conclusion. it seemed to suggest that the patterns of nurses duty hours and shifts in the most hospitals in the country have neither been tried for different duty types nor been flexible. The stereotype rostering system of three shifts and insensitiveness for personal life aspect of nurses seemed to be prevailing. This study seems to support that irregular and frequent rotations of duty shifts may be contributing factors for most nurses' maladjustment problems in physical and mental health. personal and family life which eventually may result in high turnover rates. In order to overcome the increasing problems in personnel management of hospital nurses particularly in rostering of evening and night duty shifts, which may related to eventual high turnover rates, the findings of this study strongly suggest the need for an introduction of new rostering systems including fixed duties and appropriate incentive measures for evenings and nights which the most nurses want to avoid, In considering the nursing care of inpatients is the round-the clock business. the practice of the nursing duty shift system is inevitable. In this context, based on the findings of this study. the following are recommended: 1. The further in-depth studies on duty shifts and hours need to be undertaken for the development of appropriate and effective rostering systems for hospital nurses. 2. An introduction of appropriate incentive measures for evening and night duty shifts along with organizational considerations such as the trials for preferred duty time bands, duty hours, and fixed duty shifts should be considered if good quality of care for the patients be maintained for the round the clock. This may require an initiation of systematic research and development activities in the field of hospital nursing administration as a part of permanent system in the hospital. 3. Planned and regular intervals, orientation and training, and professional and personal growth should be considered for the rotation of different duty stations or units. 4. In considering the higher degree of preferences in the duty type of "10hours a day, 4days a week" shown in this study, it would be worthwhile to undertake the R&D type studies in large hospital settings.

  • PDF