• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.52 no.1
• /
• pp.83-89
• /
• 2020

There is a noticeable gap in the personnel structures of clinical laboratories between North Korea and South Korea. In North Korea, 'Laboratory Doctor' is similar to the workforce of 'Medical Technologist (commonly known as Clinical Laboratory Technologist or Medical Laboratory Scientist)' in South Korea. Considering preceding research based on the verbal evidence of North Korean healthcare personnel defectors, it is estimated that the status of laboratory doctor in North Korea generally corresponds to physician and feldsher (such as physician assistant in Western countries). Physicians and feldshers are trained and fostered for five and a half years in medical universities and for three years in medical vocational schools (so-called junior college of medicine). Unlike South Korea, the North Korea's healthcare personnel system does not subdivide the tasks, education, qualifications and law regarding the specialties of health experts. It is thought that the Korean Association of Medical Technologists needs to collaboratively search and present the milestones for establishment of a professional system on clinical laboratory personnel in North Korea through cooperative research on policies with the related organizations for better preparation of the unification of the Korean Peninsula.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Dental Administration
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.36-42
• /
• 2018

This study aimed to assess dental hygiene students' and other medical personnel's knowledge of dental hygienists' legal responsibilities. A self-reported questionnaire was conducted for 2 weeks from March 25 to April 9, 2017. One of the main questions focused on the legal scope of practice for dental hygienists according to current medical technicians. A total of 298 subjects' responses were analyzed. We found that 62.1% of the respondents were aware of dental hygienists' legal responsibilities. Of the dental hygiene students surveyed, 93.6% replied that they were aware of other medical personnel's expectations. Responses to 12 legal questions were shown to have different distributions depending upon the level of dental hygienist education. Overall, knowledge of dental hygienist legal responsibilities was more comprehensive for senior students in each legal topic. However, few students (1.7%) answered all 12 legal questions correctly. In conclusion, dental hygiene students' awareness of their profession's legal scope should be improved. In addition, the Korean Dental Hygienists Association needs to more actively promote understanding of the profession's legal scope as well as of medical personnel's expectations of dental hygienists' legal roles.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.177-183
• /
• 2020

The purpose of the study is to investigate the women's college students' perceptions on work scope of dental hygienists and the inclusion of dental hygienists in the category of medical personnel. A self-reported questionnaire was completed by 180 Suwon women's college students from August 26, to September 11, 2019. The questionnaire consisted of oral health condition of the subjects, perception of both legal and illegal work scope of dental hygienist, the degree of recognition of medical personnel occupations by subject, and the reason why they thought dental hygienists are medical personnel. The collected data were analyzed based on frequency, percentage, and descriptive statistics using IBM SPSS VER 22.0. It showed significantly different perception of work scope of dental hygienists according to the major. Percent of 70 of the subjects perceived dental hygienist as a medical personnel, the opinions on the necessity were as follows: The Ministry of Health and Welfare issues a license through the national examination role and dental hygienists assist the care of dentist. Therefore, clinical dental hygienists should be promoted to medical personnel through the amendment of the medical law so that the duties practiced by the dental hygienist can be matched with the legal practice.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.1013-1024
• /
• 2017

Objectives: The study investigated health professionals working in the metropolitan area and Jeolla-bukdo, South Korea, from April 30 to May 17, 2017 to understand their views on the issue of including dental hygienists in the scope of medical personnel of South Korea. Methods:A total of 270 surveys were analyzed in this study. The survey consists of 5 questions on general issues; 10 on the awareness of present work of dental hygienist; and 1 on opposition or approval about including dental hygienist in medical personnel. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows 18.0, as well as frequency analysis, cross analysis and logistic regression analysis. Statistical significance level (${\alpha}$) is 0.05. Results: 1. Broken down by gender, male subjects showed more oppositions against including dental hygienists in the category of medical personnel while female subjects showed more favorable opinions (p<0.05). In terms of academic background, those who had graduated from graduate school or higher showed a higher propensity for opposition while those who had graduated from a 3-year college showed a higher tendency for approval on the idea (p<0.05), In terms of occupational type, health professionals showed more opposing views whereas medical technologists showed more approvals than others (p<0.001). 2. With respect to the awareness of work specialty and proficiency of dental hygienist according to general characteristics, the higher the age, the higher the awareness level was. In terms of the occupational type, medical technologists were found to have higher awareness level than health professionals (p<0.001). 3. With respect to the relationship between general characteristics and view on including dental hygienists in medical personnel, the occupational type of health professional was found to have 6.33 times more oppositions than medical technologists. When the awareness level on proficiency of dental hygienist was low, opposition was 6.52 times more frequent (p<0.05). Conclusions: Based on the findings above, the inclusion of dental hygienists in medical personnel seems necessary in properly establishing the specialty and role of dental hygienist in the dentist medical environment of the country in order to enhance national oral health related preventive dental service and expand the demand. To this end, it is necessary to provide nationwide promotion, work to change the awareness of health professionals in other occupational types, and facilitate public promotion for legal ground establishment.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.1211-1220
• /
• 2015

There exists dead zone from the aspects of health equity and health medical equity for maritime personnel. They could not have been benefited from disease prevention and health promotion in comparison with shore personnel due to the restricted medical accessibility caused by long voyage ship operation. Furthermore, the system of health management and medical assistance for maritime personnel is insufficient, the continuous health monitoring system does not exist, nor health diagnosis system, maritime industrial accidents and occupational disease control systems are adequate. The International Maritime Organization and the International Labour Organization recommend their Member Governments to take necessary measures in the management of seafarers' health and diseases through conducting continuous and systematic investigation. Thus, this study intends to propose action strategy and tasks for introducing marine telemedicine system aiming to provide seafarers with health management service for the years to come. The conclusions of this study can be given as follows. First, it is required that a systematic medical service system needs to be provided to promote seafarers' health. Second it is recommended to establish the marine telemedicine system incorporating U-Health technology. Third, it is necessary to revise the relevant laws and regulations to introduce the marine telemedicine system. Fourth, it is also necessary to provide various assistance system at the national level in the furtherance of global marketing of marine telemedicine system.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.35-48
• /
• 2019

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the rationality for and countermeasures against the use of prehospital patient restraint (PPR) techniques in efforts to limit violent behavior toward 119 emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Methods: Previous countermeasures to limit violent behavior toward 119 EMTs and medical personnel were focused on strict reactive and passive proactive responses. However, those in support of the countermeasures do not believe that violent and criminal behavior can be limited or extinguished by strengthening the punishment unconditionally. Results: When it comes to the far-reaching effects of stigmatization on people who engage in violent and criminal behavior, it is possible that unconditional punishment leads to more crime, increases the costs of imprisonment, and consequently, adds to the financial burden of the government. Conclusion: Thus, we are faced with an urgent need to prepare legal grounds for the use of PPR techniques by 119 EMTs for agitated or combative patients only, with direct medical oversight. Moreover, the legal foundation for the use of PPR techniques also needs to be established for emergency medical personnel. The use of PPR techniques not only ensures the safety of emergency medical services personnel, but also protects patients from injuring themselves and others.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.211-222
• /
• 2017

Purpose: To develop staffing levels for nursing personnel (registered nurses and nursing assistants) to provide inpatients with integrated nursing care that includes, in addition to professional nursing care, personal care previously provided by patients' families or private caregivers. Methods: A time & motion study was conducted to observe nursing care activities and the time spent by nursing personnel, families, and private caregivers in 10 medical-surgical units. The Korean Patient Classification System-1 (KPCS-1) was used for the nurse manager survey conducted to measure staffing levels and patient needs for nursing care. Results: Current nurse to patient ratios from the time-motion study and the survey study were 1:10 and 1:11, respectively. Time spent in direct patient care by nursing personnel and family/private caregivers was 51 and 130 minutes per day, respectively. Direct nursing care hours correlated with KPCS-1 scores. Nursing personnel to patient ratio required to provide integrated inpatient care ranged from 1:3.9 to 1:6.1 in tertiary hospitals and from 1:4.4 to 1:6.0 in general hospitals. The functional nursing care delivery system had been implemented in 38.5% of the nursing units. Conclusion: Findings indicate that appropriate nurse staffing and efficient nursing care delivery systems are required to provide integrated inpatient nursing care.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.463-471
• /
• 2023

Objectives: Medical personnel are professionals subject to stressful situations and psychological distress. This case series reports the results of a mindfulness meditation program combined with digital health for medical personnel at a Korean medicine (KM) hospital. Methods: An online mindfulness program was implemented in 2022 to improve the mental health of nursing staff in a KM clinic. The online mindfulness program, which was supplemented based on previous results and limitations, was applied to KM doctors and nurses working at a KM hospital in this case series. An important difference from the existing case series was the introduction of a smartphone application that promoted the daily routine of meditation. A total of 7 medical personnel, including 4 doctors and 3 nurses, participated in the program. Results: After participating in the program, an increase in deep acting and a decrease in surface acting, which are aspects of emotional labor, were consistent with the results of a previous case series. However, the patterns of change in burnout and hwa-byung symptoms differed depending on the occupation of the participants. Participants' satisfaction with this program and the smartphone application and willingness to recommend it to colleagues were high. Conclusions: As this study was only a small case series, the author plans to continue to expand and improve the program based on the findings.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.488-500
• /
• 2011

This study analyzes medical clothing trends and provides future directions for research. Based on 38 patents in Korea and 221 patents in the USA, the contents of patents were analyzed by year, subject, clothing type, and specific content. The results are as follows. The number of patent applications in Korea and the USA was found to be increasing. The distribution by subject was in the order of patient clothing, medical personnel clothing, and materials for medical clothing. Clothing of various types such as upper garment, bottoms, pajamas, gowns, and jump-suits were observed in patient clothing comparatively. However, gowns occupied a higher portion in medical personnel clothing. Patents in the USA related to patient clothing included patient clothing that provided examination convenience, monitoring patient clothing, patient clothing revising appearance, and patient clothing that assisted in movement. Korean patents related to patient clothing include functional patient clothing, patient clothing providing examination convenience, clothing for Alzheimer patients, and monitoring patient clothing. Many of the patents related to medical personnel clothing were about surgery gowns and mainly concerned with developments related to devices that allows putting on gowns while maintaining a sterile state and functionality to prevent liquid permeation. Regarding materials for medical clothing, there were many applications on breathability and liquid impermeable materials.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.115-122
• /
• 2009

Purpose: This study was to examine patient satisfaction related to an increase in nursing personnel staffing. Methods: The subjects of this study were 317 hospitalized patients in the general wards of a medical center in Kyungki Do. Data were collected at 2 and 8 months following an increase in nursing personnel in the hospital. Patient Satisfaction Scale developed by Lee(1986) and revised by Seo(2000) was used. The data were analyzed by descriptive analysis, t-test, ${\chi}2$ test, and one way ANOVA. Results: Although the patient satisfaction scores at 8 months were higher than the scores at 2 months, there were no significant differences in patient satisfaction between the two periods Among the patient satisfaction subscales, the scores of the education subscale at 8 months were marginally higher than at 2 months (t=-1.97, p=.050). Conclusions: Adequate nursing staffing is important in patient satisfaction and patient outcome. The results provide data that suggests a positive direction for nursing intervention and development of nursing professionals.