• Title/Summary/Keyword: Nursing records

Search Result 576, Processing Time 0.025 seconds

Development of a Critical Pathway for Patients with Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (관상동맥 우회술 환자를 위한 Critical Pathway개발)

  • 김기연
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
    • /
    • v.28 no.1
    • /
    • pp.117-131
    • /
    • 1998
  • The purpose of this study was to develop a critical pathway for case management for patients who have received Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) because of Ischemic Heart Disease(IHD) which is a factor of rising medical expenses. For this study. a conceptual framework was developed through a review of the literature including six critical pathways which are currently being used in USA. In order to identify the overall service contents required by these patients and to draw up a preliminary critical pathway, 30 cases of medical records of patients who had CABG because of IHD between January, 1995 to June. 1996 at the Cardiovascular Center of Yonsei Medical Center in Seoul were analyzed. An expert validity test was done for the preliminary critical pathway and clinical validity test was also done using seven IHD patients with CABG between November 11 and 23, 1996. After these processes. the final critical pathway was developed. The results of this study are summarized as follows : 1. The vertical axis of the critical pathway includes the following eight items : tests, nutrition, medications, consultations, activity, assessments, treatments, education discharge planning and the horizontal axis includes the time from the start of hospitalization to discharge. 2. Analysis of the 30 medical records indicated that the average length of stay was 20.2days with the average length of stay from hospitalization day to operation day being 6.2 days, and the average length of stay from operation day to discharge day was 13. 9 days. Analysis of the service contents showed that the horizontal axis of the preliminary critical pathway was set from hospitalization to the 14th post operation day and the vertical axis was set to include eight items, the contents which ought to have occurred, according to the time frames of the horizontal axis. 3. As a result of the experts validity, it was found that among the total of 571 items. there was over 83% agreement for 482 items, less than 83% for 89 items, which were then deleted and a revision of the critical pathway was done. 4. A clinical validity test was done using seven IHD patients with CABG. During the process, three patients were deleted because they were out of the criteria the investigator set. Finally, four patients were used. The result of study indicated that only one patient was discharged on the tenth post operation day, which was one day later than the expected day. Three patients were discharged later than the expected day from three days to nine days. All the cases progressed on schedule until the operation day and the first post operation day, but from the second post operation days, there were differences between the critical pathway and the actual practice. The differences came from tests, assessments, and treatments. 5. On the basis of the results of the clinical validity test. the following revisions in the final critical pathway were made : the transfer from ICU to step down ward would be the second post operation day, and the transfer to a general ward, the fifth post operation day, for patients who complained of lack of sleep from the fifth post operation day to discharge, a sleeping pill would be prescribed, skin observations would be performed routinely from immediately after the operation until the third post operation day, and would continue if there was a sign of skin injury on the fourth post operation day, and assessment of chest pain would be done from the third post operation day, and the “stairs climbing” item, expected to be done on the ninth post operation day would be deleted. In conclusion, this critical pathway is partially applicable to the care of patients with CABG but there are some parts needed to be further investigated.

  • PDF

An Analysis of the Determinants of Employment and Wage of New College Graduates (신규대졸자의 취업 및 임금수준 결정요인 분석)

  • Chai, Goo-Mook
    • Korean Journal of Social Welfare
    • /
    • v.59 no.4
    • /
    • pp.35-61
    • /
    • 2007
  • This study examines the determinants of employment and wage of new college graduates by using Youth Panel Data(2003-2005) of the Work Information Center, and seeks assignments for mitigating unemployment and wage disparities of new college graduates. Results are summarized as follows. First, an analysis of the determinants of employment shows that the Kyunggi Inchon district in school locations, higher school records, and qualification certificates positively affect the employment rate, while the private college group in the non-capital area negatively affects the employment rate. Second, an analysis of determinants of standard employment demonstrates that the Kyunggi Inchon district in school locations, higher school records, qualification certificates, and the major group of medical science, pharmacy, nursing science and health science, and the major group of education positively affect the employment rate, while the private college group in the non-capital area, the junior college groups in the capital and non-capital areas negatively affect the employment rate. Third, an analysis of determinants of nonstandard employment shows that the junior college graduation in scholarly attainments, the junior college groups in the capital and non-capital areas positively affect the employment rate, while the private college group in the non-capital area negatively affects the employment rate. Fourth, an analysis of the determinants of wages demonstrates that male in sex, the older in ages, the major group of medical science, pharmacy, nursing science and health science, and the major group of education positively affect the wages, while nonstandard employment, Kyunggi Inchon and Cholla districts in school locations negatively affect the wages. These results suggest several implications. First, college education should be reformed to cultivate professional manpower who are required by industries. Second, alternative measures to mitigate sex discrimination in labor markets should be prepared. Third, the process of attaining qualification certificates should be reformed in order that it is actually connected to the abilities of work performances and the improvement of productivity. Fourth, a locally balanced development must be realized through the decentralization of industries. Fifth a systematic and comprehensive program need to be prepared to promote the employment of new college graduates.

  • PDF

An Operations Study on a Home Health Nursing Demonstration Program for the Patients Discharged with Chronic Residual Health Care Problems (추후관리가 필요한 만성질환 퇴원환자 가정간호 시범사업 운영 연구)

  • 홍여신;이은옥;이소우;김매자;홍경자;서문자;이영자;박정호;송미순
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
    • /
    • v.20 no.2
    • /
    • pp.227-248
    • /
    • 1990
  • The study was conceived in relation to a concern over the growing gap between the needs of chronic patients and the availability of care from the current health care system in Korea. Patients with agonizing chronic pain, discomfort, despair and disability are left with helplessly unprepared families with little help from the acute care oriented health care system after discharge from hospital. There is a great need for the development of an alternative means of quality care that is economically feasible and culturally adaptible to our society. Thus, the study was designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of home heath care as an alternative to bridge the existing gap between the patients' needs and the current practice of health care. The study specifically purports to test the effects of home care on health expenditure, readmission, job retention, compliance to health care regime, general conditions, complications, and self-care knowledge and practices. The study was guided by the operations research method advocated by the Primary Health Care Operations Research Institute(PRICOR) which constitutes 3 stages of research : namely, problem analysis solution development, and solution validation. The first step in the operations research was field preparation to develop the necessary consensus and cooperation. This was done through the formation of a consulting body at the hospital and a steering committee among the researchers. For the stage of problem analysis, the Annual Report of Seoul National University Hospital and the patients records for last 5 years were reviewed and selective patient interviews were conducted to find out the magnitude of chronic health problems and areas of unmect health care needs to finally decide on the kinds of health problems to study. On the basis of problem analysis, the solution development stage was devoted to home care program development asa solution alternative. Assessment tools, teaching guidelines and care protocols were developed and tested for their validity. The final stage was the stage of experimentation and evaluation. Patients with liver diseases, hemiplegic and diabetic conditions were selected as study samples. Discharge evaluation, follow up home care, measurement and evaluation were carried out according to the protocols of care and measurement plan for each patient for the period of 6 months after discharge. The study was carried out for the period from Jan. 1987 to Dec. 1989. The following are the results of the study presented according to the hypotheses set forth for the study ; 1. Total expenditures for the period of study were not reduced for the experimental group, however, since the cost per hospital visit is about 4 times as great as the cost per home visit, the effect of cost saving by home care will become a reality as home care replaces part of the hospital visits. 2. The effect on the rate of readmission and job retention was found to be statistically nonsignificant though the number of readmission was less among the experimental group receiving home care. 3. The effect on compliance to the health care regime was found to be statistically significant at the 5% level for hepatopathic and diabetic patients. 4. Education on diet, rest and excise, and medication through home care had an effect on improved liver function test scores, prevention of complications and self - care knowledge in hepatopathic patients at a statistically significant level. 5. In hemiplegic patient, home care had an effect on increased grasping power at a significant level. However. there was no significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the level of compliane, prevention of complications or in self-care practices. 6. In diabetic patients, there was no difference between the experimental and control groups in scores of laboratory tests, appearance of complications, and self-care knowledge or self -care practices. The above findings indicate that a home care program instituted for such short term as 6 months period could not totally demonstrate its effectiveness at a statistically significant level by quantitative analysis however, what was shown in part in this analysis, and in the continuous consultation sought by those who had been in the experimental group, is that home health care has a great potential in retarding or preventing pathological progress, facilitating rehabilitative and productive life, and improving quality of life by adding comfort, confidence and strength to patients and their families. For the further studies of this kind with chronic patients it is recommended that a sample of newly diagnosed patients be followed up for a longer period of time with more frequent observations to demonstrate a more dear- cut picture of the effectiveness of home care.

  • PDF

Clinical review of Typhoid Fever Patients (장티브스에 관한 임상적 관찰)

  • 최정신
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
    • /
    • v.6 no.1
    • /
    • pp.60-71
    • /
    • 1976
  • The author reviewed the medical records of 96 typhoid fever patients who were diagnosed, admitted, and treated at Sea grave Memorial Hospital from January 1 , 1973 through August 31, 1975. Diagnosis was determined by clinical observation, aerology and bacteriology, eighty patients were treated medically, the remaining 16 patients required surgical intervention. The following results were obtained: 1) The age distribution of the patients revealed that 33.3% wert between 10 and 19 years old 21.9% were between 20 and 29, and 19.8% were between 30 and 39. The majority of patients were from these more active age groups. Male to female sex ratio was 1.3 : 1 2) Seasonal distribution was observed. Most illness occurred in the summer and autumn month 5. 3) 84. 3%of the patients came from farm families. 4) Duration between onset and admission averaged 16.0 days. The group without compilations was admitted after an average of 15. 1 days; The group with complications was ad-matted after an average of 19.4 days. 5) Methods of treatment before admission were as follows: 10.4% at medical clinics, 61, 5% at pharmacies (antibiotics 47.9%, other. drugs 13.5%), 7.3% by herb medications, 20.8% had no treatment. 6) Main clinical symptoms were as follows: fever 93.8%, headache 47.9%, abdominal pain 47.9%, chills 38.5%, cough 36.5%, general weakness 26.0%, nausea e vomiting 24.0% and generalized pain 21.9%. 7) Temperature of patients on admission: 22.9% were 39f or more, 67.6% were between 37℃ and 38℃, and 9.4% were 37℃ or less. 8) Occurrence of intensional bleeding after onset of disease averaged 9.3 days; perforation occurred at an average of 19. 1 days. 9) Interval between onset of major complication and surgical intervention averaged 2.8 days. 10) Among the 68 patients who underwent the bacteriological test the positive rate was 44.1% (30). The positive ,ales to, each separate culture method were as follows: 20.4% in the blood culture, 40.4% in the stool culture and 6.7% in the urine culture. Among these bacteriological positive patients 15 patients had a negative results or less than 160 titer of vidal reaction. 11) The initial vidal test of the total group showed a counts of 160 titer or more in 60.4% and less than 160 titer in 39.6%, 12) W. B. C. Counts in the uncomplicated group indicated that 32.5% were 6,000/㎣ or less, 47.5% were between 6,000 and 10,000, arid 20.0% were 10,000/㎣ or more. In the complicated group, 37.6% were 6,000/㎣ or less, 25,0% were 6,000-10,000/㎣ and 37.6% were 10,000/㎣ or more. 13) Duration of hospital stay of the patients averaged 6.4 days in the uncomplicated group and 12.7 days in the complicated group. 14) Subdiaphragmatic free air simple X-ray was found in 91.7% of the perforated cases. 15) Duration of antibiotic therapy until an febrile state was attained averaged 4.8 days in the uncomplicated group and 6.5 days in the complicated group. 16) Operative procedures were as follows: one layer simple closure of their perforation with or without debasement in 56.3%, drainage only in 6.3%, small bowel resection with primary anastomosis in 18.8% , externalization in 6.3%, cholecystectomy in 6.3%, The clinical findings of this study suggest the following recommendations. According to Top's report; 1% of typhoid fever patients treated with chlorarnphenicol and 2% of patients treated with other drugs become chronic carriers. Therefore, importance should be given to the strict control of these carriers. Immunization, improvement of sanitation and living standards are all needed for the prevention and treatment of disease, but a more serious problem is a lack of knowledge on the part of patients and their families. Thus it is most urgent to enlighten the citizens about the transmission and hygiene related to contagious disease. Legal restriction of sale of antibiotics at drug stores without a physician's prescription is an urgent matter for public health administrators. An even more important nursing responsibility is the reemphasis on health education both in the clinical setting and in the home.

  • PDF

A Study of the Effect, Safety and Saving Expense by Reusing Hemodialyzer (재사용(再使用) 투석기(透析器)의 효과(效果) ${\cdot}$ 안정성(安定性) 및 비용절감(費用節減)에 관한 연구(硏究))

  • Jung, Ha-Chung
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
    • /
    • v.3 no.1
    • /
    • pp.93-106
    • /
    • 1997
  • By the increase of the rate of existence of the hemodialyzing patients, they were required the long run treatment. Regardless of medical insurance expansion, hemodialyzing cost much expenses so that hospital has been considering the reuse of hemodialyzer and flowing euqipments along with the diverse study and progress of the ways of hemodialyzing and medical instruments. This study was aimed to provide the basic materials regarding the reuse of hemodialyzer which is used for the patients of chronic renal disease. The reusing program in the artificial kidney center of K hospital has been used for this study from 50 patients aften one year result from Sep. 1995 through Aug. 1996. Automatic equipment of DRS-4 made by Seratronic Co., was used as the equipment and it was retreated with the function test simultaneously. Compliaction and confirmation of the infection were by the records of the hemodialysis of the patients. SPSS was used for the analysis of the materials by computerization. The character of the patients and the rate of removal was by mistake and percentage, function test and rate of complication by Ftest(ANOVA) and the rate of complication per items by ${\chi}^2$ and Ftest. As the post test the Duncan's test was used for the statistically significant different variables in the standard of p<.05 after Ftest. The followings are the summary of the result : 1) In the function test of the new hemodialyzer and the reused one, and in all of CA110 and CF15.11, the dialyzer ultrafiltration coeffient(KUf) was appeared to have been higher in the reusing groups than the first use ones. This has been the normal limit showing no troubles with them. 2) In the function test of the new and reused hemodialyzer, in all of CA110 and CF15.11, the total blood volume was appeared to have been the less value in the reuse groups than the new ones. This was the price within 80% of the first price that both showed possible for use. 3) The result of reuse hemodialyzer of CA110 was $29.48{\pm}7.83$ in average in the test of leak test while $17.3{\pm}7.96$ in reuse of CF15.11. The normal limit of <60 was the leak test result. So both of the hemodialyzer was normal for reuse. 4) The rate of removal of Blood Urea Nitrogen(BUN) was 72.25% in CA110 hemodialyzer by reusing 16-20 times as the highest rate showing the better result in the reuse hemodialyzer, while in CF15.11 hemodialyzer showed 71.16% by highest rate in the first use by the highest rate with no difference from the reuse. 5) The rate of removal of serum creatinine of CA110 was 64.08% by highest rate in reuse of 1-5 times by showing better result in reuse hemodialyzer. While in CF15.11 66.47% the highest by reuse of 16-20 times showing no difference from each other. 6) No patients were admitted or precribed by antibiotics in relation with reuse dialyzer and no reports were shown about hepatitis $B{\cdot}C$. AIDS in fection. 7) Of the total 248 episods of complication due to the hemodialyzing, 86 by first use, 73 by 1-5 times, 35 by 6-10 times, 35 by 11-15 times and 19 by 16-20 times have been shown which have had no significant difference between the groups. 8) In the comparison of the expense for the hemodialyzer, there was the effect of saving 11,597.6 Won between the first and reuse hemodialyzer. And by decreasing the extracted materials, they did the great role of disposing the waste matters.

  • PDF

A Study on Fall Accident (1개 종합병원 환자의 낙상에 관한 조사)

  • Lee, Hyeon-Suk;Kim, Mae-Ja
    • The Korean Nurse
    • /
    • v.36 no.5
    • /
    • pp.45-62
    • /
    • 1998
  • The study was conducted from November 1995 to May 1996 at the one general hospital in Seoul. The total subjects of this study were 412 patients who have the experience of fall accident, among them 31 was who have fallen during hospitalization and 381 was who visited emergency room and out patient clinic. The purposes of this study were to determine the characteristics, risk factors and results of fall accident and to suggest the nursing strategies for prevention of fall. Data were collected by reviewing the medical records and interviewing with the fallers and their family members. For data analysis, spss/pc+ program was utilized for descriptive statistics, adjusted standardized $X^2$-test. The results of this study were as follows: 1) Total subjects were 412 fallers, of which 245(59.5%) were men and 167(40.5%) were women. Age were 0-14 years 79(19.2%), 15-44 years 125(30.4%), 45-64 years 104(25.2%), over 65 years 104(25.2%). 2) There was significant association between age and the sexes ($X^2$=39.17, P=0.00). 3) There was significant association between age and history of falls ($X^2$=44.41. P= .00). And history of falls in the elderly was significantly associated with falls. 4) There was significant association with age and medical diagnosis ($X^2$=140.66, P= .00), chief medical diagnosis were hypertension(34), diabetis mellitus(22), arthritis(11), stroke(8), fracture(7), pulmonary tuberculosis(6), dementia(5) and cataract(5), 5) There was significant association between age and intrinsic factors: cognitive impairment, mobility impairment, insomnia, emotional problems, urinary difficulty, visual impairments, hearing impairments, use of drugs (sedatives , antihypertensive drugs, diuretics, antidepressants) (P < 0.05). But there was no significant association between age and dizziness ($X^2$=2.87, P=.41). 6) 15.3% of total fallers were drunken state when they were fallen. 7) Environmental factors of fall accident were unusual posture (50.9%), slips(35.2%), trips (9.5%) and collision(4.4%). 8) Most of falls occurred during the day time, peak frequencies of falls occurred from 1pm to 6pm and 7am to 12am. 9) The places of fall accident were roads(22.6%), house-stairs 06.7%), rooms, floors, kitchen (11.2%), the roof-top, veranda, windows(10.9%), hospital(7.5%), ice or snowy ways(5.8%), bathroom(4.9%), playground, park(4.9%), subway-stairs(4.4%) and public-bathrooms (2.2%). 10) Activities at the time of fall accident were walking(37.6%), turning around or reaching for something(20.9%), going up or down stairs09.2%), exereise, working07.4%), up or down from a bed(2.7%), using wheelchair or walking aids, standing up or down from a chair(2.2%) and standing still(2.2%). 11) Anatomical locations of injuries by falls were head, face, neck(31.3%), lower extremities (29.9%). upper extremities(20.6%), spine, thorax, abdomen or pelvic contents(l1.4%) and unspecified(2.9%). 12) Types of injures were fracture(47.6%), bruises03.8%), laceration (13.3%), sprains(9.0%), headache(6.6%), abrasions(2.9%), intracranial hemorrage(2.4%) and burns(0.5%). 13) 41.5% of the fallers were hospitalized and average of hospitalization was 22.3 days. 14) The six fallers(1.46%) died from fall injuries. The two fallers died from intracranial hemorrage and the four fallers died of secondary infection; pneumonia(2), sepsis(1) and cell lulitis(1). It is suggested that 1) Further study is needed with larger sample size to identify the fall risk factors. 2) After the fall accident, comprehensive nursing care and regular physical exercise should be emphasized for the elderly person. 3) Safety education and safety facilities of the public place and home is necessary for fall prevention.

  • PDF

Factors Related to Waiting and Staying Time for Patient Care in Emergency Care Center (응급의료센터 내원환자 진료시 소요시간과 관련된 요인)

  • Han, Nam Sook;Park, Jae Yong;Lee, Sam Beom;Do, Byung Soo;Kim, Seok Beom
    • Quality Improvement in Health Care
    • /
    • v.7 no.2
    • /
    • pp.138-155
    • /
    • 2000
  • Background: Factors related to waiting and staying time for patient care in emergency care center (ECC) were examined during 1 month from Apr. 1 to Apr. 30, 1997 at an ECC of Yeungnam university hospital in Taegu metropolitan city, to obtain the baseline data on the strategy of effective management of emergency patients. Method: The study subjects consisted of the 1,742 patients who visited at ECC and the data were obtained from the medical records of ECC and direct surveys. Results: The mean interval between ECC admission time and initial care time by each ECC duty residents was 83.1 minutes for male patients and 84.9 minutes for female patients, and mean ECC staying time (time interval between admission and final disposition from ECC) was 718.0 minutes in men and 670.5 minutes in women. As the results, the mean staying time in ECC was higher in older age, and especially the both of initial care time and staying time were highest in patients of medical aid, and shortest in patients of worker's accident compensation insurance. The on admission or not, previously endotracheal-intubation state of patient. The ECC staying ti initial care time was much more delayed in patients of not having previous medical records and the ECC staying time was higher in referred patients from out-patient department, in transferred patients from the other hospitals and patients having previous records, and in patients partly used the order-communicating system. The factors associated with the initial care time were the numbers of ECC patients and the existence of any true emergent patients, being cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) statusme was much more longer in patients of drug intoxication, in CPR patients, in medical department patients, in transfused patients and in patients related to 3 or more departments. And according to the numbers of duty internships, the ECC staying time for four internships was more longer than for five internships and after admission ordering was done, also-more longer in status being of no available beds. As above mentioned results, the factors for the ECC staying time were thought to be statistically significant (P<0.01) according to the patient's age and the laboratory orders and the X-ray films checked. And also the factor for the ECC staying time were thought to be statistically significant (P<0.01) according to the status being of no available beds, the laboratory orders and/or the special laboratory orders, the X-ray films checked, final disposing department, transferred to other hospital or not, home medication or not, admission or not, the grades of beds, the year grades of residents, the causes of ECC visit, the being CPR status on admission or not, the surgical operation or not, being known personells in our hospital. Conclution: Authors concluded that the relieving method of long-staying time in ECC was being establishing the legally proved apparatus which could differentiate the true emergency or non-emergency patients, and that the methods of shortening ECC staying time were doing definitely necessary laboratory orders and managing beds more flexibly to admit for ECC patients and finally this methods were thought to be a method of unloading for ECC personnels and improving the quality of care in emergency patients.

  • PDF

Enhanced Recovery after Surgery for Gastric Cancer Patients Improves Clinical Outcomes at a US Cancer Center

  • Desiderio, Jacopo;Stewart, Camille L.;Sun, Virginia;Melstrom, Laleh;Warner, Susanne;Lee, Byrne;Schoellhammer, Hans F.;Trisal, Vijay;Paz, Benjamin;Fong, Yuman;Woo, Yanghee
    • Journal of Gastric Cancer
    • /
    • v.18 no.3
    • /
    • pp.230-241
    • /
    • 2018
  • Purpose: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols for gastric cancer patients have shown improved outcomes in Asia. However, data on gastric cancer ERAS (GCERAS) programs in the United States are sparse. The purpose of this study was to compare perioperative outcomes before and after implementation of an GC-ERAS protocol at a National Comprehensive Cancer Center in the United States. Materials and Methods: We reviewed medical records of patients surgically treated for gastric cancer with curative intent from January 2012 to October 2016 and compared the GC-ERAS group (November 1, 2015-October 1, 2016) with the historical control (HC) group (January 1, 2012-October 31, 2015). Propensity score matching was used to adjust for age, sex, number of comorbidities, body mass index, stage of disease, and distal versus total gastrectomy. Results: Of a total of 95 identified patients, matching analysis resulted in 20 and 40 patients in the GC-ERAS and HC groups, respectively. Lower rates of nasogastric tube (35% vs. 100%, P<0.001) and intraabdominal drain placement (25% vs. 85%, P<0.001), faster advancement of diet (P<0.001), and shorter length of hospital stay (5.5 vs. 7.8 days, P=0.01) were observed in the GC-ERAS group than in the HC group. The GC-ERAS group showed a trend toward increased use of minimally invasive surgery (P=0.06). There were similar complication and 30-day readmission rates between the two groups (P=0.57 and P=0.66, respectively). Conclusions: The implementation of a GC-ERAS protocol significantly improved perioperative outcomes in a western cancer center. This finding warrants further prospective investigation.

Correlation between scope of practice and clinical paramedic properties (임상 1급응급구조사의 특성과 업무범위 간의 상관관계)

  • Uhm, Tai-Hwan;Park, Sang-Kyu
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
    • /
    • v.13 no.12
    • /
    • pp.5968-5975
    • /
    • 2012
  • The aim of this study was to reveal correlation between scope of practice and clinical paramedic properties. from April 9 to May 12, 2012, one hundred and eighty-one clinical paramedics filled out anonymously to the questionnaire which includes gender, academic background, clinical career, clinical practice and medical direction. To analyse the collected data, Pearson's r at ${\alpha}$=0.05 (two-tailed) was performed using IBM SPSS 19 (Chicago, IL, USA). One hundred and forty (77.4%) working at medical facilities, one hundred and four (57.5%) graduated from four-year colleges, seventy seven (42.5%) acquired paramedic certificate in 2010-2012, one hundred and twelve (61.9%) charted on nursing records, one hundred and sixteen (69.6%) had a good knowledge in scope of practice, one hundred and six (58.5%) thought of legal restriction & absence of direct medical direction leading to narrow clinical practice. Implementing practices and practices needed were thirty two. There were significant relationships in Likert scale 1-5 between paramedic competency and legal practice (p=0.039); implementing practice (p=0.006); practice needed (p=0.049); and overall (p=0.001). Also, between knowledge on scope of practice and implementing practice (p=0.003); overall (p=0.047); clinical career and legal practice (p=0.019); practice needed (p=0.002); and overall (p=0.002). However, these correlations were relatively low (r $$\leq_-$$ 0.238). The working condition of clinical paramedics was restricted by the Emergency Medical Services Systems Act, which requires a narrow scope of practice. This condition leads to the poor quality of emergency care, therefore the scope of practice in the act will be revised from specificism to generalism, from direct medical direction to indirect medical direction by means of quality management.

Follow-up of thyroid ultrasonography in patients with hemodialysis (혈액투석 환자에서 갑상선 초음파의 추적)

  • Kim, Hyun-Jung;Kim, Bo Ra;Seo, Yeong-Mi;Cho, Yoon Young;Baek, Jong-Ha;Kim, Kyong Young;Kim, Soo-Kyung;Woo, Seung-Hoon;Jung, Jung Hwa;Jung, Jaehoon;Hahm, Jong Ryeal
    • Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
    • /
    • v.34 no.1
    • /
    • pp.69-74
    • /
    • 2017
  • Background: Chronic kidney disease is considered a risk factor for thyroid nodules as well as thyroid dysfunction such as hypothyroidism. Among patients on hemodialysis, we assessed the size of thyroid nodule and goiter at baseline and 1 year later with ultrasonography. Methods: We prospectively selected 47 patients with hemodialysis at January 2012 and reviewed their medical records. We checked goiter and thyroid nodules at January 2012 and December 2012. Results: In the hemodialysis patients (n=47), 24 patients (51.1%) had thyroid nodules and 33 patients (70.2%) had goiter at baseline. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) was higher in patients with thyroid nodules ($204.4{\pm}102.9$ vs. $129.9{\pm}93.6pg/mL$, p=0.01). Thyroid ultrasonography was conducted in 29 patients after 1 year. The thickness of the thyroid isthmus increased ($2.8{\pm}1.6$ vs. $3.2{\pm}1.9mm$, p=0.003), but the number of nodules did not change ($1.2{\pm}1.9$ vs. $1.4{\pm}2.0$, p=0.109). PTH was associated with the enlargement of thyroid nodules significantly through logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: Thyroid goiter and nodules in hemodialysis patients were more prevalent than in the general population. PTH influenced the production of thyroid nodules in hemodialysis patients. Regular examination with thyroid ultrasonography and thyroid function test should be considered in hemodialysis patients.