• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.270-279
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• 1998

Since death is an extremely subjective and unique experience, if we take into account the lack of understanding about death due to the difficulty in methodology, it is very important to try to understand the subjectivity of death. In this respect, Q-methodology that explains and shows the respondent's subjectivity by objectifying his subjectivity is employed as a solution to the questions in this study. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to provide data on how medical personnel should treat their patients, when it comes to death : by finding out the opinions of those who are being treated, namely the patients, and those who are providing the treatment, namely the medical personnel. It also by examined the characteristics and relationships between these two groups on attitudes to death. The results of this study show that medical per sonnel have two(fate-receipient, reality-oriented) types of response and patients have three (religion-dependent, science-adherent, sardonist) types. Medical personnel saw patients as having three (life-attached. traditionalist, death-rejector) types of response and to patients saw medical personnel as having two (rationalist, humanist)types. The relationship between the above-mentioned types will be examined in a coorientation model, the subjectivity of the medical personnel and the patient toward death indicates a relatively high understanding between the two groups under the great proposition of 'death'. Therefore, in their relationship with people who are facing death, the provider of care, namely the medical personnel, should identify the subjectivity of the patient before approaching them. By doing this, they can minimize the conflicts they might experience in establishing a therapeutic relationship, reduce suffering, and help the patient in greeting a more comfortable death. Throughout the study, Q-methodology expands our understanding of coorientation model that has only been approached with R-methodology. This study confirmed Q's potentiality and its validity in human subjective matters.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.42-49
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• 2022

As population aging increases the burden of cancer, the quality of death of patients with cancer is emerging as an important issue alongside their quality of life. To improve the quality of death, it is necessary to prepare for death, allowing patients to die comfortably and with dignity at the end. Considering these issues, I aim to discuss the practical aspects of notifying the patient of the terminal phase of cancer and planning for end-of-life care (i.e., advance care planning). When cancer treatment that can extend the patent's lifespan becomes difficult, the patient enters a treatment transition period. Treatment is shifted from life-prolonging care to life-enhancing care, and end-of-life care must be well planned. Medical providers often worry too much about whether the patient will be disappointed or psychologically traumatized when notified of the terminal phase of their cancer, thus delaying plans for end-of-life care. In fact, patients can accept their condition and prepare for end-of-life care better than we expect. During the treatment transition period, notification of terminal status should be given, and a well-prepared advance care plan should be established early when the patient has decision-making ability. In addition to conveying information, it is always necessary to be sensitive to whether the patient and caregiver understand the information and respond to their emotions.

• Korean Journal of Hospice Care
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.55-68
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• 2006

In Korea, there are constantly increasing number of cancer patients with reaching 65,000 deaths and it was 26.3% of the total number of death in 2004. Many cancer patients suffer from surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy after being diagnosed as cancer. And many of them are facing fear of death because they can't be perfectly cured. Due to patients' physical, psychological, and spiritual pain, quality of life drops dramatically. Patients' families also suffer from huge medical expenses while they have to take care of patients's suffering from pain. At the same time, family's attitude can influence on the quality of patients' life. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the death orientation of first care giver and the quality of life of hospice patient. The subjects of the study were 80 hospice patients registered at ten hospice institutions with hospice team and medical practitioners in six cities including Seoul as well as their first care givers. This study used 13 questions for the hospice patients and nine questions for the first care givers to recognize general characteristic. To measure death orientation of the first care giver the tool developed by Noh, Soon-hee (2003) was used. And to measure quality of life of the hospice patients Yoo, Seung-yeon's structured tool was used. The data were collected for a month through interview method. SPSS win 12.0 was used to analyze the data by using frequency, percentage, t-test, Pearson correlation. The study result is as follows. In relationship between general characteristic of hospice patient and quality of life, the highest suffering was pain (60%) and the second suffering was anorexia (23.8%). There was no significant relationship between physical pain and general characteristics of hospice patient. In psychological aspects, religion (p=.044) showed significant difference (p<.05). In existential aspects, age (p=.035) showed significant difference (p<.05). There was no significant difference variable in support aspects. And religion (p=.000) was statistically significant variable in spiritual aspects (p<.001). Age (p=0.025) and religion (p=.050) were the variable showed significant difference according to general characteristics of first care giver's death orientation. Although the relation between death orientation of first care giver and quality of life of hospice patient was not statistically significant correlation. In conclusion, while death orientation of first care giver and hospice patient's quality of life are not statistically significant in correlation analysis.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.37-51
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• 2006

This study evaluates the reliability of the discharge status variable m health insurance claims for identifying in-hospital patient deaths. This study used 2002 national health insurance claims and the cause of death statistics from Korean national statistical office. The Study data set included acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery patients in 133 general and tertiary hospitals. The gold standard containing patient death information was made and then compared with that of claims data. The hospitals were classified into four groups based on the number of deaths in each hospital. Simple kappa coefficients were calculated to evaluate the agreements of patient deaths between the gold standard and the insurance claims. CABG (83.9%) showed higher agreements than AMI(73.0%) in matched in-hospital patient death information between data sets. Simple kappa coefficients of CABG (0.63) and AMI (0.59) showed moderate or good agreements. The agreements, however, varied depending on the disease or hospital types. The fact that the agreements are only moderate to good indicates that the accuracy of in-hospital death information in claims is not high. n the variable is used to identify patient deaths, it may mislead people. Therefore, efforts should be made to improve the reliability of the discharge status variable in health insurance claims.

• The Korean Nurse
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• v.19 no.1 s.104
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• pp.50-59
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• 1980

Death is such a difficult event that it is more than a match for nurse. In caring for the dying patient, most important thing is nurse''s attitudes and ability to face terminal illness and death. It was given to the 108 nursing students that the lecture a

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.162-178
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• 1974

The present study is purported to provide a basic information to be utilized by nurses to care and attend effectively for patients nearing the moment of death. Therefore, the primary purpose of the study has been placed upon grasping an understanding of the trends of death in general. For this purpose: 1. By utilizing the schneidman questionnaire, the trend of death has been categorized by 6 parts and analyzed. 2. A search has been conducted to find out dying patient's needs, nurse's attitudes viewed by the patient, and nurse attitudes to dying patient. The followings are itemized results of analysis: 1. Analysis by the schneidman questionnaire. (1) In general concepts of death. the first sighting of the occurrence of death was experienced upon strangers, grandfather and great grandfather. The death is openly discussed among people of all ages and sex. Ages in which the death is mostly feared were from 12 to well over 70 yews old that are evenly distributed regardless of difference in age. (2) As to the attitudes toward death the occurrence of death to most closely associated person influenced most upon the attitude of their own termination of lives. Among the reading materials, the maximum influence was effected by the Bible. In terms of religion, the thoughts of death were Influenced by religions education in case of the believers of the western religions (36%), and by their own health and physical conditions in case of the believers in the oriental religions (35%). In case of non-believer, their attitude toward death were largely determined through their own thinking meditation (45%). People aged 20 or thereunder revealed that they wished to know the day of their own death to be occurred (58%). However, the older the less thor wanted to know. (3) As to the choosing the time of death, 57% preferred senility, and 30% preferred the time in mediately following the prime period of their lives in general. In terms of religion, 85% of the believer in the oriental religion preferred senility, and 67% in the western religion, 58% in others, Therefore. the desiring of their lives to be terminated in earlier stage, not by the natural senility. sequenced as follows : Others, western religions and oriental religions. (4) Referring to the disposal of the corpse under the assumption that it had already occurred, majority desired the burial system. There has been seen a slight tendency to consider the importance of holding funeral services for the sake of survivors. Concerning the life insurance policy, it showed that the nurse had less belief in it than the patient (5) Upon the subject of life-after-death. religion wise, 72% of western religion believers preferred to have an existence of life-after-death: Among the believers of oriental regions, 35% desired this category, 30% did not mind either way. and 35% did not desire the existence of such a life-after-death. In others, 53% did not mind whether or not such a life existed. (6) In general, serious thoughts were not being attended to the commitment of suicide. 37% emphasized that such an act should be prevented. However, 30% insisted that such commitment should not be bothered, and that society possesses no right to prevented it. More male wished to commit suicide (13%) than females (9%). 2. Nurse's attitudes toward terminal patients and patient's needs. In the instance where the patient realized that their death is imminent, most of them showed desire to discuses mainly on the problems of life. When faced a situation of this nature, it is revealed that 40% of nurses could not furnish appropriate care for them.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.161-169
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was conducted to comprehensively investigate nursing students' experience of their first encounter with death of a patient during clinical practice. Methods: This study took place from January 27 through March 6, 2012 with eight female senior nursing students enrolled at Pusan National University located in Y city who have experienced patient death. We collected their experience of their first death encounter during their clinical rotation by asking, "What is your first experience of patient's death during the clinical practice?" Husserl's phenomenological approach was applied in this study. Results: In this study, 17 themes, 15 clusters of themes and eight categories were derived. The categories included "Desire to avoid the reality of death", "Powerlessness", "Anticipation for recovery shifted to fear of death", "Various interpretations of death", "Limitations in their nursing practice", "Resentment of lack of nurses", "Longing to better understand death", and "Motivation for inner growth". Conclusion: Through their first encounter with death of a patient, nursing students experienced various emotions and viewed their role as hospice caregiver by projecting themselves as fully trained nurses in future. Participants considered terminal care as a part of nursing care. The result of this study indicates the need to include education of death in the nursing school curriculum.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.114-127
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• 1999

In order to care the persons who are dying a nurse should first solve her / his own conflicts about death. and be aware of their own concepts of death and dying. In order to find out patient's spiritual needs and to give better spiritual nursing care. a nurse should know her / his own spiritual needs and be aware of their own concepts of spiritual nursing problems. To improve nurse's understanding towards death and dying and nurse's knowledge towards spiritual needs and spiritual nursing care. 14 weeks(two hours a week) spiritual nursing care education was given to 3th grade baccalaureate nursing college student. Before and after spiritual nursing care education. 30 items of prepared questionare focused on the attitudes toward death and dying was asked. Pre and post results are as follow ; 1. The dying patient's emotional and physical needs. There was no significant difference between pre and post educated groups. Both of the situations. they agreed upon$(69.64\%)$ that the dying patients have high emotional and physical needs to solve. 2. Telling the truth of dying process. There was no significant difference between pre educated group$(53.33\%)$ and post educated group$(55.95\%)$. 3. Attitudes of medical personnels. There was no significant difference between pre$(51.49\%)$ and post educated groups $(53.87\%)$. These responses indicate that nursing college student didn't have enough experiences on dying patients care. 4. General attitudes on death and dying. Number of nursing students who were thinking positively toward death and dying were Increased (pre $39.68\%$. post $45.44\%$) and who were thinking negatively toward death and dying were also decreased (pre $37.30\%$. post $33.93\%$). 5. Attitudes toward mechanical assistance for life-expanding of helpless patient. There was a significant difference between pre and post educated groups. About $34.13\%$ of them approved upon mechanical assistance for life and about $33.14\%$ of them disapproved. 6. Attitudes of family members of dying patient. There was no significant difference between pre and post educated groups. About $45.24\%$ of both groups, agreed upon that the family members feel annoyed with dying patients and about $22.42\%$ of both groups disagreed. Whether they received the spiritual nursing education or not, they were aware of that the family members feel annoyed with dying patients. 7. Special facility and educational preparation for dying patient. There was a significant difference between pre$(82.14\%)$ and post$(90.87\%)$ educated groups. These responses indicated that after they received the education, they felt more about the necessity of special facility and educational preparation for the death and dying patients. 8. Special facility and welfare system for the old. There was a significant difference between pre$(58.33\%)$ and post$70.64\%$ educated groups. There responses indicated that after they received the education, they felt more about the necessity of special facility and welfare systems for the old.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.26-35
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• 1991

From January 1984 to June 1990, 188 patients have undergone cardiac valve replacement [114 MVR, 27 AVR, 47 Multiple valve replacement] with the St. Jude Medical prosthesis. The early mortality rate was 6.9%. The most common cause of early death was low output syndrome. There were no cases of valve-related early death. The risk factors for early death were advanced preoperative NYHA functional class [> IV], and prolonged ECC and ACC time. The 175 early survivors were followed-up for a total 372.7 patient-year over a period of 2 to 74 months [Mean $\pm$SD: 25.6$\pm$18.6 months]. During follow up, 12 patient died and late mortality rate was 6.9%. There were three valve-related late deaths: two were due to valve thrombosis and one was due to hemorrhage. Most late deaths [58%, 7/12] were from cardiac non-valvular causes. Valve-related complications occurred at a linearlized rate of 3.5% /pt-yr. Embolism occurred at a rate of 0.8% /pt-yr. There were three cases of valve thrombosis [0.8% /pt-yr: two fatal]. Hemorrhage due to anticoagulant occurred in 5 patients and a rate of 1.3% pt-yr [one fatal]. Five-year actuarial survival rate was 86.5 $\pm$5.1% and 97% of patient were in NYHA functional class I or II at three months postoperatively.

• Korean Journal of Hospice Care
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2005

Purpose: To know for what the medical expenditure had been used and to seek the way how it can be efficiently redistributed, I investigated total medical expenditure according to the time period to death in the expired patients for recent 2 years. Methods: 21patients were enrolled in this study. Total medical expenditure including benefit charge and non-benefit charge charged to patients in in-patient department(IPD) and out-patient department(OPD) was counted according to the period for one year by death. Results: 94.7% of the total medical expenditure had been payed for admission-related expenditure and 89% during period 3 and 4 for 6months before death, which may be due to the more days of admission during those periods. 70.1% of the total expenditure had been charged on the admission-fee, room charge, diet, and administration of the fluid, medicines, and blood etc. Conclusion: Majority of medical expenditure has been used in the affairs being unable to improve the survival or quality of life of patients and during the periods closer to death. Here, it would be needed heartily to look for the best ways in detail how the idea of hospice can come true through nation-wide and social consensus.