• Title/Summary/Keyword: emergency treatment

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Relationship Between Deterioration State and Conservation Treatment Types for State-designated Stone Cultural Heritage in Korea (국가지정 석조문화재의 훼손상태에 따른 보존처리 상관성 연구)

  • Lee, Myeong Seong;Chun, Yu Gun;Lee, Mi Hye;Lee, Jae Man;Park, Sung Mi;Kim, Jae Hwan
    • 보존과학연구
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    • s.34
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    • pp.64-81
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    • 2013
  • It is not easy to define the priority criteria of the need of conservation treatment for stone cultural heritage, although many of them have been treated and restored over the past decade. This study approached the correlation between damage grade and the need of conservation treatment based on damage diagnosis of stone cultural heritage carried out from 2001 to 2005. The number of Third-graded (from First to Fifth-grade) stone heritage in deterioration was the highest among state-designated stone cultural heritage. The Fourth-graded stone cultural heritage (143 in total) was mostly influenced by high physiochemical deterioration, whereas the Fifth-graded ones (61 in total) was dominantly affected by biological colonization. It was estimated that total 211 stone cultural heritage were treated for conservation and restoration from 2002 to 2011. They were usually cleaned (total 134, 26.1%), joined and consolidated, and maintenance works as shelter construction, drainage installation and surrounding cleaning were carried out for some of them. The number of conservation intervention increased with the high deterioration grade, and the case number of metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. By age, the stone cultural heritage in Three-kingdom Period were treated the most, and other heritage in Unified Shilla, Goryeo and Joseon showed an approximate ratio. The stone cultural heritage fallen in the fifth-grade in deterioration demonstrated the highest ratio, approximately 80% of conservation intervention. These results can be used as preliminary data to define the emergency criteria for conservation intervention policy.

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From the Onset of Panic Symptoms to Getting to a Psychiatric Treatment : The Change by Improved Public Awareness of Panic Disorder in Korea (증상의 발현부터 치료의 시작까지 : 한국인의 공황장애 인식도 변화가 치료적 접근에 미친 영향)

  • Choi, Yong-Won;Seo, Ho-Jun;Han, Sang-Woo;Hong, Jin-Pyo;Lee, Kyoung-Uk;Kim, Se-Joo;Lim, Se-Won;Lee, Sang-Hyuk;Yang, Jong-Chul;Lee, Seung-Jae;Park, Seon-Cheol;Gim, Min-Sook;Chae, Jeong-Ho
    • Anxiety and mood
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    • v.15 no.2
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    • pp.61-67
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    • 2019
  • Objective : This study aimed to investigate the general process from the symptom onset to the psychiatric treatment in Korean panic patients and the effect of improved public awareness on it. Methods : This study has a retrospective design. The subjects were the new patients with panic disorder who visited the psychiatric outpatient clinic in twelve university-affiliated hospitals all across Korea. The medical chart was reviewed retrospectively and the data were collected including chief complaints of symptoms, recent stressors, the time to visit the psychiatric outpatient clinic, and visit of other departments and diagnostic approaches for their symptoms. Results : A total of 814 participants were included in the study. The most common department other than psychiatry the panic patients visited were cardiology (28.3%), general internal medicine (16.0%) and neurology (11.4%). The most frequently used diagnostic tests were a echocardiography (17.9%), 24-hour Holter monitoring (11.2%), and brain MRI (8.2%). Only 37.3% of participants visited psychiatric clinic directly. About 80% of participants visited psychiatric department within 1 year after their first panic symptoms and it took $13.8{\pm}13.7weeks$ on average. Comparing before and after 2012, the number of participants increased who visit directly the psychiatric clinic without visiting other departments (p=0.002) and without visiting emergency room (p<0.001). Conclusions : Our results suggest that a substantial number of patients visit departments other than psychiatry when they experience first panic symptoms. However, most patients begin psychiatric treatment within 1 year after their first symptoms and the number of patient are increasing who visit psychiatric department directly without visiting other departments.

The Effects of Chest Injury in the Early Deaths of Trauma Patients (외상에 의한 초기 사망에서 흉부손상에 대한 고찰)

  • Lee Dong Hoon;Cho Dai Yun;Kim Chan Woong;Sohn Dong Suep
    • Journal of Chest Surgery
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    • v.39 no.2 s.259
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    • pp.127-133
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    • 2006
  • Background: In the studies of the distribution of time to death in trauma patients, the early deaths within several hours after injury were a large component of total trauma deaths. Due to the development of trauma system, overall mortality of trauma was decreased, but trauma is still the major cause of deaths. Material and Method: From January 1994 to December 2003, trauma patients who had been admitted and had expired at tertiary hospital were enrolled. There was a total of 400 cases, a retrospective study was done to determine the distribution of trauma mortality according to the part of the body that were severely injured part and compared the difference between early deaths within 6 hours and late deaths after 6 hours. We also analysed the risk factors of early deaths due to trauma. Result: In severe injury to the head and abdomen, the distribution of mortality was bimodal. But, in severe chest injuries, the distribution was log-shape and most early deaths were almost of trauma related. The average of GCS were 5.86$\pm$4.15 for the early deaths and 8.24$\pm$5.02 for the late deaths (p < 0.05). The AIS of thorax were 2.66$\pm$1.87 for the early deaths and 1.55$\pm$1.76 for late deaths. The risk factors for early mortality were non-EMS transportation (odds ratio 3.474), high AIS (odds ratio 1.491) and GCS (odds ratio 0.859). Conclusion: In trauma patients, the causes of early mortality were severe brain injury and massive hemorrhage. Also severe chest injuries were the major cause of the early deaths in truama. Early diagnosis of chest injury can frequently be missed in the acute trauma setting. Therefore, high index of suspicion, a careful examination, and aggressive surgical treatment are important in multiple trauma patients.

Clinical Experience of the Surgical Treatment of Cardiac Tumor (심장 종양의 수술적인 치료의 임상적 고찰)

  • Bang, Jung-Hee;Woo, Jong-Soo;Choi, Pill-Jo;Cho, Gwang-Jo;Kim, Si-Ho;Park, Kwon-Jae
    • Journal of Chest Surgery
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    • v.43 no.4
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    • pp.375-380
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    • 2010
  • Background: Primary cardiac tumors are extremely rare. The most common type are benign myxomas, and these are almost completely curable with early surgery. Malignant tumors, however, such as sarcomas, are difficult to remove surgically, and their prognosis is known to be poor. In this study, data on patients who had undergone surgical treatment of cardiac tumor in the authors' hospital were collected and analyzed. Material and Method: The subjects included 28 patients who had undergone surgical treatment of cardiac tumor from August 1993 to December 2008. Their medical records were reviewed and retrospectively analyzed. Result: The patients were aged from 20 to 76 years (mean age: $54.2{\pm}15.6$), and 11 were male (39%) and 17 female (61%). Fifteen of them (54%) underwent emergency surgery to improve heart failure symptoms. The most common preoperative symptom was dyspnea (15 cases, 54%). Preoperative echocardiography was performed on all the patients. The average size of the tumor as measured during the operation was $7.0{\pm}6.9cm$ (the average length of the long axis was 2∼40 cm), and the sites of tumor attachment were the interatrial septum (18 cases, 64%), the left atrium (9 cases, 32%), the mitral valve annulus (2 cases, 7%), and the left ventricle (2 cases, 7%). The operation was performed with an incision through both atria in all the patients, and a complete excision was made in 25 cases (89%). According to the biopsy results, there were 4 cases of sarcoma (14%), 1 case of lipoma (4%), and 23 cases of myxoma (82%). The three cases in which the tumors were not completely excised were sarcomas. No operative deaths occurred after the operations. Outpatient follow-up was possible for 24 cases (86%), with a mean follow-up period of $46.8{\pm}42.7$ months. Late death occurred in 3 of the 24 patients; each of these patients had sarcomas. Of these patients, the first had undergone two repeat surgeries, the second had metastatic sites removed, and the last had only chemotherapy. The average recurrence time was $12.7{\pm}10.8$ months, and the average metastasis time was $20.5{\pm}16.8$ months. Conclusion: Most cardiac tumors are benign myxomas. In principle, they should be surgically treated because they can create risks such as embolism, and can be radically treated when surgically removed. In most cases, however, malignant sarcomas are already considerably advanced with severe infiltration into the neighboring tissues at the time of diagnosis. The surgical removal of malignant sarcomas is known to be difficult because of the advanced stage and degree of infiltration. We suggest that excision of the removable portion of the tumor sites to alleviate symptoms such as heart failure can improve quality of life.

암환자 인식에 관한 연구 - 간호사ㆍ의사를 중심으로

  • Jo, In-Hyang
    • Korean Journal of Hospice Care
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    • v.2 no.1
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    • pp.58-74
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    • 2002
  • This paper constitutes a descriptive investigation and used a structured questionnaire to investigate nurses' and doctors' recognition of cancer patients. The subjects were extracted from the medical personnel working at the internal medicine, the surgery ward, the obstetrics and gynecology department, the pediatrics department, the cancer ward, and the emergency room of five general hospitals located in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The research lasted from August, 2001 to September 2001. Total 137 nurses and 65 doctors were included and made out the questionnaires directly distributed by the investigator. The study tool was also developed by the investigator and consisted of such items as the demographic and social characteristics, the medical personnel's recognition degree of cancer and cancer patients, their recognition of the management of cancer patients, and their participation in a hospice. The results were analyzed using the SPSS Window program in terms of technological statistics, ranks, t-test, and ANOVA. The reliability was represented in Cronbach' α=.75. The nurses' and doctors' recognition degree of cancer and cancer patients had an overall average of 3.86 at the 5 point-scale. The items that received an average of 4.0 or more included 'Medical personnel should explain about the cancer cure plans to the cancer patient and his or her family', 'A patient whose case has been diagnosed as a terminal cancer should be notified of it, 'If I were a cancer patient, I would want to get informed of it,' and 'Cancer shall be conquered whenever it is'. In the meantime, the items that received an average of 3.0 or less was 'My relationship with the cancer patient's family has gotten worse since I announced his or her impending death.' And according to the general characteristics and the difference test, the recognition degree of cancer and cancer patient was high among the subgroups of nurses, females, married persons, who were in their 30s, who had a family member that was a cancer patient, and who received a hospice education. The biggest number of the nurses and doctors saw 'a gradual approach over several days'(68.8%) as a method to tell a cancer patient about his or her cancer diagnosis or impending death. Those who usually tell tragic news were the physician in charge(62.8%), the family members or relatives(32.1%) and the clergymen(3.8%) in the order. The greatest number of them recommended a cancer patient's home as the place where he or she should face death because they thought 'it would stabilize his or her mentality'(91.9%) while a number of them recommended the hospital because they 'should give the psychological satisfaction to the patient'(40%) or 'should try their best until the last moment of the patient's death'(30%). A majority of the medical personnel regarded 'smoking or drinking' and 'diet' as the causes of cancer. The biggest symptom of a cancer patient was 'pain' and the pain management of a cancer patient was mostly impeded by the 'excessive fear of drug addiction, tolerance to drugs and side effects of drugs' by medical personnel, the patient, and his or her family. The most frequently adopted treatment plan of a terminal cancer patient was 'to do whatever the patient or his or her family wants' to resort to a hospice' and 'to continue active treatment efforts' in the order. The biggest reasons why a terminal cancer patient went to see a doctor were 'pain alleviation' 'control of symptoms other than pain(intravenous supply)' and 'incapability of the patient's family' in the order. Terminal cancer patients placed their major concern in 'spiritual(religious) matter' 'emotional matters' their family' 'existence' and 'physical matters' in the order. 113(58.5%) of the whole medical personnel answered they 'would recommend' an alternative treatment to a terminal cancer patient mostly because they assumed it would 'stabilize the patient's mentality.' Meanwhile, 80(41.5%) of them chose 'not to recommend it mostly due to the unverified effects and high cost of it(78.7%). A majority of them, I. e. 190(94.1%) subjects said they 'would recommend' a hospice to a terminal cancer patient mostly because they thought it would help the patient to 'mentally prepare'(66.6%) Only 17.3% of them, however, had received a hospice education, most of which was done through the hospital duty education(41.4%) and volunteer training(34.5%). The follows are results of this study: 1. The nurses and the doctors turned out to be still passive and experience confusion in dealing with a cancer patient despite their great sense of responsibility for him or her. 2.Nurses and Doctors realize the need of a hospice, but an extremely small number of them participate in a hospice education or performance. Thus, a whole recognition of a hospice should be changed, for which purpose a hospice education for nurses and doctors should be provided. 3.Terminal cancer patients preferred their home to a hospital as the place to face their impending death because they felt it would bring 'mental stability.' And most of nurses and doctors think it would be unnecessary for them to be hospitalized just for control of their symptoms. Accordingly a terminal cancer patient can be cared at home, and a home hospice care needs to be activated.

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A CLINICAL STUDY ON ZYGOMATIC BONE FRACTURE (관골 골절에 대한 임상적 연구)

  • Ryu, Sun-Youl;Jung, Hyun;Park, Se-Chan;Oh, Yu-Keun;Park, Hong-Ju;So, Kwang-Sub;Cho, Yong-Ki;Oh, Hee-Kyun
    • Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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    • v.21 no.1
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    • pp.54-59
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    • 1999
  • This study was based on a series of 164 patients with zygomatic bone fracture treated at Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of Chonnam University Hospital from January 1992 to December 1996. The male-to-female ratio was 7:1. Their ages ranged from 8 to 78 years, with a median age of 35.6 years. The age frequency was highest in the second decade (30.5%), and third decade (23.8%), fifth decade (16.5%) in orders. The monthly distrbution of incidence showed October to be the month in which the greatest percentage occured (14.0%). The major cause of zygomatic bone fracture was alleged traffic accidents (53.7%). The incidence of concomitant facial bone fractures was 69,5%, and maxilla fracture (52.4%) was most frequently combined. The admission route was through emergency room (72.3%) and through outpatient department (26.8%). The incidence of associated injuries was 37.2%. The intraoral approach was the major method of treatment in zygomatic bone fracture (57.1%). The most frequent type of zygoma fracture was class IV (33.5%), and class III (25.6%) was next in order of frequency. Complications were enophthalmos (7.3%), facial asymmetry (6.7%), paresthesia (6.1%), and diplopia (2.4%) These results suggest that correct diagnosis and treatment of severity of fracture, concomitant fracture, and associated injuries are necessary, and co-operative treatment with medical department should be performed to reduce postoperative complication.

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A student on the Nursing Needs and Satisfaction of Primipara During the Early Postpartum Period (산욕기 초산모의 간호요구와 만족도에 관한 연구)

  • Chun, Young-Ja
    • Women's Health Nursing
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    • v.3 no.1
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    • pp.5-27
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    • 1997
  • This study was carried out to identify the difference between nursing needs and levels of satisfaction of primiparae during the early postpartum period. The goal of the study was to obtain data needed to develope maternal education programs and to improve the nursing quality for primipara. The subjects were 111 primiparae who had normal delivery at 2 general hospitals in the Seoul area. The data was gathered using an 81 items questionnaire which was developed by the researcher from Nov. 30, 1995 to Feb. 5, 1996. Results found are as follows : 1. The characteristics of subjects : The majority of subjects were aged 26-30yrs(60.4%), high school graduated(49.5%), jobless(52.3%), had no religion(49.5%), no antenatal(74.5%), and postnatal education on self and infant care(55.9%). A large proportion of primiparae intended to feed breast milk(49.5%) but in fact only 7.2% fed breast milk while in the hospital. Many subjects perceived that they had reasonable self confidence about self care(46.8%), and infant care(36%). 2. The level of nursing needs of overall nursing care was relatively high(Mn 3.98) but the level of satisfaction was of average level(Mn 3.09). Therefore, difference between the level of nursing needs and satisfaction was significant(p=0.0001). 3. The nursing needs by category of nursing care the highest need was on the education of infant care(4.29), the lowest was on physical care(3.80). The level of satisfaction was higher on environmental care(3.40) and physical care(3.32). But the category that showed the lowest satisfaction was education of infant care(2.67). Hence, difference of categories between the level of nursing needs and satisfaction was significant(p=0.0001). 4. Among items of physical care, observation of primiparas' conditions(4.21), accurate medication and treatment(4.18), care of breast engorgement(4.07) and control of postpartal hemorrage(4.01) showed high nursing needs. On the other hand, only the level of satisfaction was higher on accurate medication and treatment(3.82). The rest of items revealed only average level of satisfactions. Difference of items between the level of nursing needs and satisfaction was significant(p=0.0001) except items of dietary care. 5. Among items of psychological care, 8 items of nursing needs were high(3.72-4.29), expecially detailed explanation on which mothers want to know(4.29), treatment and nursing care they receive(4.23), kind and faithful care(4.22), early contacts with their baby(4.20), and adequate draping during the care and treatment(4.18). Among items of psychological care higher satisfactions were shown on items of kind and faithful care(3.80), personal treatment(3.70), and detailed explanation to mothers, but the least satisfied items was early contact with baby(2.13). Difference between the level of nursing needs and satisfaction was significant(p=0.0001). 6. Among items of environmental care, the highest level of need and satisfaction was on the items of neat bedding and pajamas(3.54). The difference was significant (p=0.0001). 7. Among the items of educational needs on self care, all of 22 items revealed higher educational needs(3.50-4.33) but the levels of satisfaction varied with a range of 2.63-3.42. Among the items the satisfactions were high on items of breast care including massages(3.42), perineal care(3.36) and expression of breast milk(3.32). Less satisfied items were drugs not be taken by breast milk feeder(2.63), maintenance of breast figure(2.76) and postpartum exercise(2.80) and so on. The difference was significant(p=0.0001). maintain 8. Among the items of educational needs on infant care, 19 items revealed higher educational needs(3.28-4.54). And the highest need were on the 3 items of normal growth and development of infant, safety and emergency care, symptoms of sick(4.45) and the meaning of crying of the baby(4.52). The level of satisfaction among items of education of infant care ranged from 2.47 to 3.16. Most satisfied items were buriping(3.16), bathing(3.11) and diapering(3.09). The items of which the mother's needs were high revealed the lowest satisfaction level. The difference was significant (p=0.0001). 9. Relationship between nursing needs and levels of satisfaction among primiparae of different characteristics were as follows : 1) Nursing needs of physical and psychological areas were significantly different among different age levels but no relationship was found on other categories regardless of the level of satisfaction. 2) With regard to different levels of education, some relationship was found in nursing needs of psychological area(p=0.007), educational needs on infant care(p=0.04) and environmental care(p=0.01). Also, the difference of satisfaction level was significant. 3) Working mothers had higher nursing needs and were more satisfied on items of physical care(p=0.05), education on self care and infant care. Difference were significant between nursing needs and level of satisfaction. 4) With regards to different religion a moderate relation was found between nursing needs of environmental care infant care education but no relationship was found on levels of satisfaction. 5) With regards to antenatal education, the mothers who have had no antenatal education revealed higher nursing needs on physical care but those who had antenatal education were more satisfied with education on self care and infant care. The difference was significant. (p=0.0001). 6) With regards to postpartum education, the mothers who have had some sort of postpartum education revealed higher nursing needs on physical and self care. And they were more satisfied with nursing of every category except infant care than mothers who had not any postpartum education. Differences was significant between the nursing needs and levels of satisfaction.(p=0.0001). 7) With regards to breast feeding experience during the hospitalization, those who had no experience of breast feeding revealed higher nursing needs on physical care in contrast to breast feeders, who had higher educational needs on infant care. And breast feeder were more satisfied with all categories. Differences was significant(p=0.0001). 8) With regards to perception of self confidence on self care and infant care, no relationship was found on nursing needs and level of satisfaction in every category of nursing.

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The clinical physiopathological changes by induction of hypothermia in rabbits (토끼에서 저체온증의 유발에 의한 생리학적 및 임상병리학적 변화)

  • Lee, Byeong-han;Han, Jin-soo;Chung, Byung-hyun
    • Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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    • v.38 no.4
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    • pp.867-881
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    • 1998
  • The studies were carried out to investigate the phygiological changes in deep hypothermia in rabbits. Sixty rabbits were continuously cooled with femoral arterio-venous bypass circulation to rectal temperatures of $34.0{\pm}0.3^{\circ}C$(mild hypothermia), $30.0{\pm}0.3^{\circ}C$(moderate hypothermia), and $25.0{\pm}0.3^{\circ}C$(deep hypothermia). The results obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows : In mild, moderate, and deep hypothermia, MAP, HR, RR, pH, $pCO_2$, $pO_2$, $Na^+$, $K^+$, HCT, PLT, glucose, L-lactate, BUN, and creatinine were analyzed. During hypothermia, a statistically significant decrease of MAP occurred between $30^{\circ}C$ and early $25^{\circ}C$(Start) of rectal temperature while significant increases occurred between baseline($38.7^{\circ}C$) and $30^{\circ}C$. Significant decreases of HR and RR were observed in the rabbits, particularly those changes appeared to similar patterns in proportion to hypothermia. Significant decreases of pH occurred between $34^{\circ}C$ and $25^{\circ}C$, and significant increases of $pO_2$ and $pCO_2$ were observed continuously in the hypothermic rabbits. The hypothermia had no significant effect on blood $Na^+$ and serum creatinine. Blood $K^+$ significantly decreased from $3.1{\pm}0.5$(baseline) to $2.6{\pm}0.6mmol/l$($34^{\circ}C$) with the hypothermia for about 30 minutes, and significantly increased from $2.4{\pm}0.6$($25^{\circ}C$(S)) to $2.7{\pm}0.5mmol/l$($25^{\circ}C$(E)) with the hypothermia for 2 hrs. HCT significantly increased to $34^{\circ}C$, thereafter, continuously increased to $25^{\circ}C$(Start, End). PLT increased to $34^{\circ}C$, thereafter, continuously decreased to $25^{\circ}C$(Start, End). Also PLT decreased significantly from 414.3($30^{\circ}C$) to $308.8{\times}103/mm^3$($25^{\circ}C$, Start). Significant increases of blood glucose and L-lactate occurred between $30^{\circ}C$ and $25^{\circ}C$ (Start, End). Slight increase of serum BUN continuously appeared with the hypothermia. These results, such as characteristic changes of the significant decrease of pH and PLT at $34^{\circ}C$, the significant decrease of MAP at $30^{\circ}C$, and the significant increase of glucose and l-lactate at $30^{\circ}C$, suggest that homeostasis of rabbits to hypothermia rapidly decreases at $34{\sim}30^{\circ}C$ of rectal temperature. Therefore, we suggest that, during the period with the rapidly decreased homeostasis, the very carefully control and treatment need to recover hypothermic animals under the circumstances of the various hypothermic experiments and emergency medicine.

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Anticipating the Need for Healthcare Resources Following the Escalation of the COVID-19 Outbreak in the Republic of Kazakhstan

  • Semenova, Yuliya;Pivina, Lyudmila;Khismetova, Zaituna;Auyezova, Ardak;Nurbakyt, Ardak;Kauysheva, Almagul;Ospanova, Dinara;Kuziyeva, Gulmira;Kushkarova, Altynshash;Ivankov, Alexandr;Glushkova, Natalya
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.53 no.6
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    • pp.387-396
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    • 2020
  • Objectives: The lack of advance planning in a public health emergency can lead to wasted resources and inadvertent loss of lives. This study is aimed at forecasting the needs for healthcare resources following the expansion of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in the Republic of Kazakhstan, focusing on hospital beds, equipment, and the professional workforce in light of the developing epidemiological situation and the data on resources currently available. Methods: We constructed a forecast model of the epidemiological scenario via the classic susceptible-exposed-infected-removed (SEIR) approach. The World Health Organization's COVID-19 Essential Supplies Forecasting Tool was used to evaluate the healthcare resources needed for the next 12 weeks. Results: Over the forecast period, there will be 104 713.7 hospital admissions due to severe disease and 34 904.5 hospital admissions due to critical disease. This will require 47 247.7 beds for severe disease and 1929.9 beds for critical disease at the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak. There will also be high needs for all categories of healthcare workers and for both diagnostic and treatment equipment. Thus, Republic of Kazakhstan faces the need for a rapid increase in available healthcare resources and/or for finding ways to redistribute resources effectively. Conclusions: Republic of Kazakhstan will be able to reduce the rates of infections and deaths among its population by developing and following a consistent strategy targeting COVID-19 in a number of inter-related directions.

Workload Measurement of Home Health Care Nurses상 Services using Relative Value Units (가정간호행위 업무량의 상대적 가치 측정에 관한 연구)

  • 이태화;박정숙;김인숙
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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    • v.30 no.6
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    • pp.1543-1555
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    • 2000
  • Home health care is moving into a set of new realities. An era of competition and cost containment has arrived. Before nurses are able to contain costs or describe the relationship between nursing activities, cost must be accurately measured based on the nurse's workload. Nurses in home health care usually desire to measure expenses for one of three reasons : reimbursement, management, or research. The purpose of the study was to investigate the work input by Registered Nurse in each of the home health care activities by relative value units and identify the factors affecting the nurses' total work input in health care services. To measure the work input by nurses, work was defined by four dimensions: time, physical effort, mental effort, and stress. This study used a descriptive-correlational design. Data collection consisted of two phases. In phase I, data on home health activities performed by nurses were collected. In phase II, data on nurses' time, physical effort, mental effort, and stress in each of home health care activities discovered phase I were collected. In this method, the respondent was asked to rate a service in relation to a reference service using a ratio scale. The sample included 39 home health care nurses. The results of the study indicated that home health care activities performed by the nurses were in 10 categories and 69 items. Measuring the relative work inputs in each of home health care activities, and foley catheterization was selected as the reference to service. In terms of time and physical effort dimensions, full bath service was rated as the most strenuous among 69 activities by the respondents, and intramuscular injection was rated as least. It was found that emergency treatment required the highest mental effort and the highest stress, while blood sugar tests required the lowest mental effort. Approximately 91.3% of the variance in total work input was accounted for by the linear combination of time, physical effort, mental effort judgement, and stress. Examining the regression coefficients of those variables, physical effort, time, and stress were found as the predictors which were significantly associated with the total work of nurses in home health care. Professional nursing's next step in the conundrum of economic volatility is to develop a tool to reflect the interaction of functional deficiency and direct professional nursing care. And this will be a more accurate predictor of nursing resource use and ultimately a great forcaeter cost.

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