• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.749-755
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• 2011

Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess the reducing effect of workload on developed electro-motion scissors. Methods: To achieve this, we measured the pressure distribution, Joint angle of fingers and JSI(Job Strain Index) for electro-motion scissors and hand-operated scissor in objective assessment and surveyed the uncomfortable degree in subjective assessment. Results: As a result, The peak of pressure in the electro-motion scissors was generally lower than the hand-operated scissors. JSI and overall joint angle of fingers for the electro-motion scissors were remarkably lower than the hand-operated scissors. Also, the subjective uncomfortable degree showed that the uncomfortable point of electro-motion scissors were generally lower than the hand operated scissors. Conclusion: The impact of reducing the work load as well as distributing the pressure around the hand by using electro-motion scissors during grapes pinching was confirmed.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.557-569
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• 2011

Objectives : Based on the system and control activity for the monitoring system made of components for infection control at dental hospitals and infection rate reporting, and the role of trained infection control staff, this study tried to understand approaches to the effective infection control program by surveying infection control at dental hospitals in Korea. Methods : The survey was conducted from December 14,2010 to January 31,2011 for 121 dental hospitals in Korea. For statistical analysis, PASW Statistic 18 was used. Results : And following conclusions were reached. 1. As for the infection control system at dental hospitals, 54.7% has an infection control committee, 58.7% infection control staff, 78.5% infection control rules, and 39.7% annual infection control plan and record. 2. As for surveillance indexes to report infection rates, 50.4% has the reporting system for staff's exposure to infectious disease and needle pricking. The average number of exposures to infectious disease was $0.28{\pm}2.23$ and that of needle pricking was $1.83{\pm}5.39$. 3. As for infection control indexes, it was reviewed whether infection control rules were implemented according to operation agents, general hospitals were more active in staff infection control, and hospitals annexed to a dental university or special legal entity were more active in microorganism control. As for use of personal protection gear, there was no significant difference among operation agents. More than 71% of operators and their assistants said they did not replace their masks between patients. 4. As for personnel indexes for effective infection control staff, most hospitals designated dental hygienists, which was followed by dental doctors (or doctors). Where their workload was reviewed, the ratio of other work such as treatment was relatively higher than that of infection control (n=71). Conclusions : These results show dental hospitals in Korea have a certain level of infection control system. As infection indexes are managed mainly for staff members, patient monitoring is needed, and trained and effective infection control staff should be designated. This study reviewed surveillance, infection control and personnel indexes. And further studies are needed in the future.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.29 no.2 s.53
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• pp.239-254
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• 1996

Health services on industrial noisy environment have been provided only for noise-induced hearing loss management until now. But gradually, modem diseases and death have come to be related to stress and mental health deeply, therefore noise-induced mental disorder, like a stress became very important. In this point, the purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between noise exposure level in worksite and workers' stress symptoms. This study included a survey of 786 manual workers selected from 89 worksites in 21 factories in Puchon. The results were as follows: 1. For demographic characteristics, most of the workers were males(80.8%), the $20\sim29years$ old were 34.5% and those who graduated from high school were 65.3%. The workers whose monthly income ranged from 100,000 to 800,000 won were 37.5% and who have a religion were 47.9%. 2. For occupational characteristics, workers who had worked $1\sim5$ years in the factories were 33.0%. Those who were much for them workload were 43.9% and who worked more than 8 hours a day were 73.9%. Those who were disatisfied with their job and pay were 31.9% and 50.6%. The workers who responsed ventilation condition of their worksites were bad were 51.9% and the dissatisfed with working environment of their worksites were 45.9%. 3. Workers who were suffering from tinnitus were 53.3% and those who perceived hearing loss were 50.1%. Persons who reported they always wore earplugs at work were 35.4%. Those who felt earplugs bigger than their ears were 30.6% and those who experienced eardiseases caused by earplugs were 25.6%. 4. For the noise exposure level in worksite, workers who were exposed to $80\sim90dB$ were 30.3%, $90\sim100dB$ were 26.4% and $50\sim70dB$ were 19.2%. 5. Workers' stress symptoms were significantly related to marital status and their monthly income(p<0.05). Workers who were single and had lower monthly income showed higher PSI (Psychiatric Symptom Index) scores than those who were married and had higher monthly income. Higher PSI scores were also significantly related to $1\sim2$ days hight-work per week, much for them workload, dissatisfaction with their job, and bad relationship with their bosses and coworkers. 6. Higher PSI scores were significantly related to severe tinnitus and perceived hearing losso(p<0.001). Workers who felt the earplugs they use did not fit their ears showed significantly higher PSI scores(p<0.01). Workers who reported that they did not feel they need earplugs showed. significantly higher PSI scores (p<0.05). Increased experience of eardisease caused by earplugs that did not fit were also significantly related to higher PSI scores(p<0.01). 7. The higher noise exposure level in worksite from 80dB was, the more severe stress symptoms including PSI subparts were reported; Anxiety, Anger, Depression, and Cognitive disorder(p<0.001). 5. According to the results of stepwise multiple regression analysis, factors affecting workers' PSI scores were perceived hearing loss$(R^2=0.160)$, noise exposure level in worksite$(R^2=0.110)$, realtionship with coworkers, amount of workload, monthly income and relationship with bosses orderly and the total $R^2$ of this 6 factors was 0.371. 9. The most significant factors that have impact on manual workers' stress symptoms were perceived hearing loss and noise exposure level in worksite, especially noise exposure level in the worksite was the most affective factor on the depression symptom.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.15-31
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• 2000

The aim was to evaluate the prevailing ergonomic and psychosocial conditions regarding low back injury in an automobile assembly system. This study consisted of two parts. In the first part of the study, analytic biomechanical model and NIOSH guidelines were applied to evaluate risk levels of low back injury for automobile assembly jobs. Total of 246 workers were analysed. There were 20 jobs having greater back compressive forces than 300kg at L5/S1. Also, there were 44 jobs over Action Limit with respect to 1981 NIOSH guidelines. This might in part be explained by the ergonomic conditions of the company analysed generally being good, with a relatively low duration of 'combined' extreme work posture. The relationship between psychosocial factors and low back injury was examined in the second part of the study. It has recently been recognized that overall reaction to working conditions was influenced by a range of factors, some of which were physical and some psychosocial. The psychosocial environment surrounding the work place may contribute to the perception of risk and eventual ill-health. A battery of questionnaires concerning the psychosocial stress based on PWI(Psychosocial Well-being Index) and musculoskeletal pain symptoms at low back was completed by 246 workers at the same plant. Results showed that 207 out 246 workers experienced the symptoms and 27 workers were diagnosed as patients. Two groups(low stressed, high stressed) based on PWI score had no significant relationships with both symptoms and results of diagnosis. However, sensitivities for symptoms and diagnosis by PWI were 91.3% and 92.6% respectively. Finally, relationships between physical work load and psychosocial stress were analysed. Specifically, some postural factors {vertical deviation angle of forearm, horizontal deviation angle of upperarm, vertical deviation angle of thigh, etc) were highly correlated with psychosocial stress. The results illustrated that PWI scores were associated with some physical workloads. However, psychosocial stress levels couldn't be well related with the pain symptom as well as the actual incidence of low back injury since pain or discomfort regarding low back injury were more complex than that of other musculoskeletal disorders.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.63-81
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• 2004

Purpose: To identify job satisfaction of hospital employees and the relating factors Methods: The study sample was a total of 1,031 healthcare workers(doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical engineers, office workers, etc) at a tertiary teaching hospital. The data were collected using a questionnaire developed by a expert group. The questionnaire consisted of 21 items including job characteristics, organizational culture, and personal characteristics on the five Likert scale. Results: The overall satisfaction on job characteristics was 3.24 on the five Likert scale. The satisfaction of each item was 4.14 in role clarity, 3.26 in communication participating rate, 3.10 in work variety, 3.06 in autonomy, and 2.64 in workload. The overall satisfaction on organizational culture was 3.00. Particularly, the satisfaction on collaboration was 3.83, co-worker's support. 3.73, identity, 3.62, education/training opportunity, 3.12, pay, 2.62, welfare, 2.35, promotion, 2.34, and organizational conflict, 2.00. The level of satisfaction on personal characteristics was 3.00. In the satisfaction of each item, the score of disposition was 3.83, contribution to the hospital, 3.75, pride as a member of hospital, 3.70, and attitude on job performance, 3.68. The correlation between satisfaction and other variables was statistically significant with the exception of work variety. The satisfaction related significantly to loyalty index(r=.486, p=.000), autonomy(r=.415, p=.000), pride as a member of hospital(r=.411, p=.000), supervisor support(r=.364, p=.000). Conclusions: The results showed developing organizational strategy to promote job satisfaction can decrease the turnover rate and increase loyalty to the organization. It will contribute to enhance productivity in hospital.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.129-143
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the mediating effects of clinical nurses' job crafting on organizational effectiveness based on the job demands-resources model proposed by Bakker and Demerouti (2017). Methods: The participants consisted of 393 nurses working in nursing units of a tertiary general hospital located in Cheongju region. The data, collected using questionnaire from August 9 to August 20, 2021, were analyzed using SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 27.0. Results: The goodness-of-fit (GoF) test results on the modified model (χ² = 2.7, GFI = .94, SRMR = .03, RMSEA = .06, NFI = .92, CFI = .94, TLI = .92, AGFI = .90), indicated that the GoF index satisfied the recommended level. Regarding the effects of each variable on organizational effectiveness, job crafting showed statistically significant direct (β = .48, p < .001), indirect (β = .23, p < .001), and total effects (β = .71, p < .001). Burnout showed statistically significant direct effect (β = - .17, p < .001). Work engagement showed statistically significant direct (β = .41, p < .001) and total effects (β = .41, p < .001). The factors explaining organizational effectiveness were job crafting, burnout, and work engagement, which had an explanatory power of 76.7%. Conclusion: Nurses' job crafting is an important mediating factor for enhancing the organizational effectiveness of nursing organizations. Hospitals should develop job-crafting success cases and related education and training programs as a strategy for enhancing the job crafting of nurses and, consequently organizational effectiveness.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.5-17
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was to develop a factor-type patient classification system for general nursing unit based on nursing needs (KPCS; Korean patient classification system for nurses). Method: We reviewed workload management system for nurses(WMSN) of Walter Reed Medical Center, Korean patient classification system for ICU, and nursing activities in nursing records and developed the first version of KPCS. The final version KPCS was evaluated via validity and reliability verifications based on panel discussions and data from 800 patient classifications. Content validity was performed by Delphi method and concurrent validity was verified by the correlation of two tools (r=.71). Construct validity was also tested by medical department (p<.001), patient type (p<.001), and nurse intuition (p<.001). These verifications were performed from April to October, 2008. Results: The KPCS has 75 items in classifying 50 nursing activities, and categorized into 12 different nursing area (measuring vital sign, monitoring, respiratory treatment, hygiene, diet, excretion, movement, examination, medication, treatment, special treatment, and education/emotional support). Conclusion: The findings of the study showed sound reliability and validity of KPCS based on nursing needs. Further study is mandated to refine the system and to develop index score to estimate the necessary number of nurses for adequate care.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.332-347
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• 2017

Analysis of the interaction between the automated vehicles and manual vehicles is very important in analyzing the performance of automated cooperative driving environments. In particular, the automated vehicle platooning can affect the driving behavior of adjacent manual vehicles. The purpose of this study is to analyze the lane change behavior of the manual vehicles in automated vehicle platonning environment and to conduct the experiment and questionnaire surveys in three stages. In the first stage, a video questionnaire survey was conducted, and responsive behaviors of manual vehicles were investigated. In second stage, the driving simulator experiments were conducted to investigate the lane change behaviors of in automated vehicle platonning environments. To analyze the lane change behavior of the manual vehicles, lane change durations and acceleration noise, which are indicators of traffic flow stability, were used. The driving behavior of manual vehicles were compared across different market penetration rates (MPR) of automated vehicles and human factors. Lastly, NASA-TLX (NASA Task Load Index) was used to evaluate the workload of the manual vehicle drivers. As a result of the analysis, it was identified that manual vehicle drivers had psychological burdens while driving in automated vehicle platonning environments. Lane change durations were longer when the MPR of the automated vehicles increased, and acceleration noise were increased in the case of 30-40 years old or female drivers. The results from this study can be used as a fundamental for more realistic traffic simulations reflecting the interaction between the automated vehicles and manual vehicles. It is also expected to effectively support the establishment of valuable transportation management strategy in automated vehicle environments.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.293-312
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to find ways to improve the evaluation system of school library operation whose participation rate is getting lower. We conducted analyzing the current status of operating evaluation of school libraries through literature search. In doing so, questionnaire method was conducted to inquire the recognition of the 205 staff members of school libraries. The outcome of the survey shows that the participation rate of operating evaluation of school libraries decreased from 22.2% in 2009 to 7.2% in 2017. The validity of the quantitative evaluation method was significantly low at 2.84 and the validity of the qualitative evaluation method was 2.97. The average score of the validity index for 'Establishing the annual operation plan' was the highest at 3.90, and that of 'Community service' was the lowest at 2.27. The biggest reason for not participating in the evaluation was due to the staff's high workload. There is a need to seek ways to improve the evaluation index and ways to participate since the result shows very low awareness of the school library evaluation. Through this study, it is expected that the school library evaluation will become the foundation for effective revitalization of school library operation.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.319-326
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• 2023

Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has increased the workload of healthcare workers (HCWs), impacting their health. This study aimed to assess sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and identify factors associated with poor sleep among HCWs in Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1000 frontline HCWs were recruited from various healthcare facilities in Vietnam between October 2021 and November 2021. Data were collected using a 3-part self-administered questionnaire, which covered demographics, sleep quality, and factors related to poor sleep. Poor sleep quality was defined as a total PSQI score of 5 or higher. Results: Participants' mean age was 33.20±6.81 years (range, 20.0-61.0), and 63.0% were women. The median work experience was 8.54±6.30 years. Approximately 6.3% had chronic comorbidities, such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. About 59.5% were directly responsible for patient care and treatment, while 7.1% worked in tracing and sampling. A total of 73.8% reported poor sleep quality. Multivariate logistic regression revealed significant associations between poor sleep quality and the presence of chronic comorbidities (odds ratio [OR], 2.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17 to 5.24), being a frontline HCW directly involved in patient care and treatment (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.16 to 2.16), increased working hours (OR, 1.84; 95% CI,1.37 to 2.48), and a higher frequency of encountering critically ill and dying patients (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.95). Conclusions: The high prevalence of poor sleep among HCWs in Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic was similar to that in other countries. Working conditions should be adjusted to improve sleep quality among this population.