• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 2018

Objective: An automated process for medication preparation and dispensing is essential to improve the quality of work. To reduce night pharmacy workload, a new automated dispensing cabinet system was implemented in a hospital emergency medical center. The purpose of this study is to verify that implementation of an automated dispensing cabinet system will influence the efficiency of night pharmacy work. Methods: To evaluate the new system implementation, a retrospective study and survey was performed in the Ewha Womans University medical center. We compared the dispensing and near-miss error rates between the automated dispensing cabinet system and a night pharmacy. The degree of satisfaction of night shift workers with the new system was surveyed. Results: This study showed significantly reduced dispensing rates of night medications (56.1% and 37.3%; p < 0.01) and near-miss night medications (0.27% and 0.17%; p<0.01). Thirty-two persons responded to the survey, and the satisfaction score for the new system was 4.0 (${\pm}0.8$). The scores were high in order of efficiency, management, and convenience. Time requirement was also reduced because of the simple step of only reviewing in the pharmacy with the new system. Conclusion: Due to system implementation, workload was reduced and time was saved for not only night shift workers but also patients receiving emergency discharge medicine. It was suggested that this will have a positive effect on pharmacist medical service and patient safety.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.254-259
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• 2019

Background: This cross-sectional study assessed the sleep quality using the ActiGraph and investigated the relationship between the parameters of sleep assessment and the type of shift work in Korean firefighters. Methods: The participants were 359 firefighters: 65 day workers (control group) and 294 shift workers (shift work group: 77 firefighters with 3-day shift, 72 firefighters with 6-day shift, 65 firefighters with 9-day shift, and 80 firefighters with 21-day shift). Sleep assessments were performed using the ActiGraph (wGT3X-BT) for 24 hours during day shift (control and shift work group) and night shift and rest day (shift work group). The participants recorded bed time and sleep hours during the measurement period. Results: Sleep efficiency, total sleep time, and percentage of wake after sleep onset during night work were lower in the shift work group than control group (p < 0.05). Sleep efficiency decreased in night shift and increased in rest day, whereas wake after sleep onset increased in night shift and decreased in rest day (p < 0.05). Among shift work groups, sleep efficiency of 6-day shift was higher in day shift, and sleep efficiency of 21-day shift was lower in night shift than other shift groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: We found that the sleep quality in night shift of the shift work group was poorer than the control group. As to the type of shift work, sleep quality was good in 6-day shift and poor in 21-day shift. Thus, fast rotating shift such as 6-day shift may be recommended to improve the sleep quality of the firefighters.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.109-113
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• 2019

Background: In both developed and developing countries, noise is regarded as the most common occupational hazard in various industries. The present study aimed to examine the effect of sound pressure level (SPL) on serum cortisol concentration in three different times during the night shift. Methods: This case-control study was conducted among 75 workers of an industrial and mining firm in 2017. The participants were assigned to one of the three groups (one control and two case groups), with an equal number of workers (25 participants) in each group. Following the ISO 9612 standard, dosimetry was adopted to evaluate equivalent SPL using a TES-1345 dosimeter. The influence of SPL on serum cortisol concentration was measured during the night shift. The serum cortisol concentration was measured using a radioimmunoassay (RIA) test in the laboratory. Repeated measure analysis of variance and linear mixed models were used with ${\alpha}=0.05$. Results: The results indicated a downward trend in the serum cortisol concentration of the three groups during the night shift. Both SPL and exposure time significantly affected cortisol concentration (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001). Conversely, age and body mass index had no significant influence on cortisol concentration (p = 0.360, p = 0.62). Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, increasing SPL will lead to enhancement of serum cortisol concentration. Given that cortisol concentration varies while workers are exposed to different SPLs, this hormone can be used as a biomarker to study the effect of noise-induced stress.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.77-97
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• 1994

The circadian system represents a temporal order which is mediated by the mutual coupling of oscillators and by the synchronizing effects of zeitgebers. It is known that well-being of man depends partly on the maintenance of this order, and that repeated or long lasting disturbances to it such as shift work will Cause harmful effects. This study was a quasi-experimental study to test the effect of shift directions for the clinical nurses on the circadian rhythm. Fourteen nurses working at the general units of Y hospital were selected according to the established criteria. Fourteen subjects were assigned to a weekly shift but the directions of shift work were phase delay first and then phase advance or vice versa. Oral temperature, total sleeping time, frequency of sleep-wake cycle, fatigue, mental performance, and physical symptom were measured during these days except holidays. The data collection period was from April 26, 1993 to July 3, 1993. MANOVA and Wilcoxon signed rank test were used for statistical analysis. The results are summarized as follows. 1. Having worked on evening and night shifts in either phase delay or phase advance schedules, temperature rhythms of shift workers were gradually adapted to the new sleep-wake cycles. A complete adaptation to work on the night shift was achieved the sixth day of the night shift in the phase delay schedule compared to the partial adaptation to the work on the night shift in the phase advance schedule. Accordingly, by putting evening shift between day and night shifts, it will be possible for circadian rhythm to adapt easily to the night shift. 2. There were differences in the total sleeping time, frequency of steep-wake cycle, fatigue, and physical symptom except for mental performance between night shift and day, evening shift. This indicates further that shift workers working on the night shift have a hard time adapting to the shift work compared to the other shifts. 3. Evaluating all the acrophases of temperature rhythm either in phase delay or phase ad-vance schedules, it was shown that night to evening shift in the phase ad-vance schedule revealed the smallest phase move. Also phase advance schedule showed poorer adaptation to shift work than phase delay schedule in connection with total sleeping time, frequency of sleep-wake cycle, fatigue, mental performance, and physical symptom. It is suggested, taken together, these findings reflect that phase delay schedule facilitated the degree of adjustment to the shift work compared to the phase advance schedule.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.68-75
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• 1999

Objectives: We intended to observe changes in sleep patterns and mood states of night-shift workers following light exposure. We also estimated the degree of tolerance of light exposure. By studying these, we investigated the possibility of applying light therapy to night-shift workers for improving their adaptation. Methods: Twelve night-shift nurses working at Yong-In Mental Hospital volunteered to participate in this study. The study consisted of 3 parts: 1) night-shift control study; 2) light exposure study; 3) day-shift control study. All the nurses accomplished 3 parts of the study, each of which continued for 3 days, except one nurse who did not participate in day-shift control study. During light exposure study, nurses were exposed to bright light for 4 hours from 1AM to 5AM. Sleep patterns were evaluated with wrist actigraphy and automatic sleep analysis program. Mood states and side effects of light exposure were assessed with self-report scales. Results: Sleep period time, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency were increased following light exposure compared with night-shift control study. Light exposure study showed no difference from day-shift control study in above-mentioned sleep parameters. Daily fluctuation of sleep efficiency was less prominent during light exposure study than during night-shift control study. During light exposure study, the subjects felt more elated and energetic in the evening after daytime sleep than during night-shift control study. None of the subjects complained of severe side effects related to light exposure on the third day of light exposure. Tolerance of side effects was noted to develop with the repetition of light exposure. Conclusion: Light exposure improved the daytime sleep of night-shift workers to the level of normal nighttime sleep, making the subjects more elated and energetic. Side effects of light exposure were found to be tolerable. Light exposure seems to be safely applicable to night-shift workers for their adaptation.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.5-13
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• 1997

For the purpose of investigating the subjective symptom of industrial fatigue, a questionnaire survey was carried out on 282 labor workers and 189 managerial workers who were employed at the manufacture of electronic products in two small scale industries. Checklist of industrial fatigue was composed of physical symptoms(10 items), mental symptoms(10 items), and sensory neurotic symptoms(10 items). The results were as follows : 1. Complain rate of fatigue was the highest in "eye strain" of physical symptom, "feel anxious about things" of mental symptom, and "feel stiffness in the neck or the shoulders" of sensory neurotic symptom in labor workers and managerial workers. 2. Managerial workers demonstrated II dominant type (mental or night work type), while labor workers demonstrated I dominant type of fatigue (general type). 3. Mean weighted score of fatigue complaints in labor workers (23.16) was significantly higher than that in managerial workers (20.34). 4. Mean weighted scores of fatigue complaints in male, 5~9 years of work duration, married, 4~5 hours of sleeping time, graduation of high school and college, and large of workload were significantly higher in labor workers than in managerial workers. 5. In poor work condition with temperature, ventilation, illumination and noise, the average weighted score was significantly higher in labor workers than in managerial workers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.118-127
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• 2022

This study analyzes the characteristics of occupational accidents of food delivery via motorcycle in terms of accident probability and work-days. Depending on their employment status, food-delivery workers were divided into "employed" workers (who work for restaurants) and "special-type" workers (who work for delivery platforms). Collected data include occupational accident-information during the last two years (1,468 cases for employed workers and 4,899 cases for special-type workers) and their risk information such as age, work experience, accident location, season of the accident, and weather conditions. The study finds that special-type workers had a significantly higher accident probability for the younger age group (80.8%), while employed workers had more accidents in both 20's or younger (34.9%) and 50's or older (25.4%). The number of work-days-lost was higher for special-type workers with less work experience, and it decreased with increasing work experience. Moreover, the chance for accidents was higher at night time (55%) than for day time (45%) for special-type workers as well as for employed workers. The number of work-days-lost was higher in foreign workers (180.79 days) than in Korean workers (121.44 days). Accident probability (30.7%) and work-days-lost (136.2 days) was higher in winter than in other seasons. In addition, accidents-per-day was higher on snowy days (12.7 cases per day) than rainy (8.1) and windy days (7.1). In addition, it was found that deadly accidents mainly caused injuries to face, head, and chest, while non-deadly accidents affected mainly the legs and feet. This study enables the development of better policies to prevent accidents of food delivery workers.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.13-22
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• 1977

In an attempt to evaluate working conditions and hazardous environmental factors, a survey on health problems was conducted for 721 employees from 18 industrial plants in Young Dung Po and Sung Dong districts of Seoul in the period from May 1975 to Feb, 1976. The questionnaire and survey was inclusive of all illnesses known as most common to industrial workers (according to the report by Korea Industrial Health Association) of this country and envi ronmental factors pointed out by the workers. The results were as following. 1. The over whelming majority of complaints were psychiatric, ear,eye, and digestive disorders. 2. Those whose work time is the longest have a propotionately higer incidence of complaints especially in eye,ear, neuromusculoskeletal, and neurosensory systems. 3. In females whose occupational history is relatively short, a higher incidence of digestive and skin section disorders was noted and this is especially true among those working in night shift. 4. Among machinery industry workers, most complaints were of eye, ear, and neuro musculoskeletal disturbances, and this fact seems to be closely related to physical over works. 5. Dust and noise were pointed out by the largest number of workers as undisirable conditions in work environment. 6. Distribution of complaints are closely related to the type of industry, and in comparison with the result reported by Korea Industrial Health Association in 1972, the prevalence rates of occupational disorder were similar in our study,

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.87-96
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• 1971

This Study was undertaken to evaluate the present health status and fatigue of the workers in T. Industrial Company in Pusan in Jan. 1971. The results were based on a question are from 354 working girls. The results of this study are as follows: 1. The largest portion of the workers, 20.2% of the questioned employees, were observed to lie at age 20. 2. Regarding their formal education, 76.0% of them had completed middle school. while only 7. 1% had graduated from high school, . 3. 63.0% receive 7-8 hrs. of sleep a day while 18.4% receive S-6 hrs. of sleep a day. 4. 36.4% spend leisure time reading: while 15.5% spend it resting and thinking. 5. 53.8% of them live in the company′s dormitory and 31.6% live at home. 6. Time spent in travel to work: 32.8% spent 40-49 min., 23.6% spent 10-29 min. 7. The shift times were reported as: 44.1% wonting from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M. and 33.9% working from 6. A.M. to 2. P.M. which is what they are doing now. 8. Regarding symptoms of fatigue: 1) Physical symptoms were: 48.3% complained of "feeling bean in the legs, ", and 39.3% complained of "general exhaustion. " 2) Psychological symptoms were: 37.6% said that "it is boring to talk"and 26.3% said" they had a desire to be alone". 3) Nitrogenic symptoms were 49.7% complained of "asthenopia"and 37.0% complained of"vertigo and "staggering legs". 9. When asked about the most fatiguing time during work, the following information was reported: 25.2% felt the first hour in the morning was most fatiguing while 22.9% felt the sixth hour in the evening, and 22.8% eelt the fifth hour at night was. 10. 38.4% complained of sleepiness at 3 A.M. and 35.0% at 4 A.M. during night work. 11. 38.1% found Sunday the most fatiguing work day and 20.% found Monday. 12. The results of the effects of their work on certain diseases: 51.1% showed those with anemia as most effected by work. 13. In their Response to the question, "do you eat breakfast\ulcorner"57.0%, the largest portion, answered, " none at all ": 36.3%, enough. 14. Regarding the accident rate relating to the length of time employed at the company 28.5% was the highest accident rate from 5year to 6 year. As a result of this study, it could be concluded that the employer should consider the following points: 1. employ according to the worker′s vocational aptitude. 2. adjust the shifts. 3. offer rest time and off days, and establish recreational facilities. In the end we can contribute to the promotion of the workers of the workers and to the prevention of accidents due to industrial fatigue.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.87-98
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• 1992

This study was undertaken to investigate protein effects on the adaptation of shift work. Since biorhythms differ according to the time of day, an investigation of the change of metabolism during day-shift and night-shift was undertaken by dividing twenty 3-shift worker into two groups: dormitory diet group and milk & egg supplemented group. Between the two groups, estimations were made on the concentrations of serum protain, albumin, cholesterol and cortisol and the excretion of vanilymandelic acid(VMA), creatinine and nitrogen in urine. The results are summarized as follows: 1. Serum ingredients were gathered from workers at 6:00-7:00h and 14:00-15:00h on the day of their change from morning shift(6:00-14:00h) to night shift(22:00-6:00h). On examnation of the serum ingredient it was found that, in dormitory diet group only the concentrarion level of serum albumin showed a change of rhythm adapted to night work, and in the milk & egg supplemented group the concentration levels of serum protein, albumin and cholesterol all showed a change of rhythm adapted to night work. Serum cortisol of both groups showed the same rhythm as during morining shfits, which implied nonadatation to night work, but the concentration was observed to be lower. 2. Excretion of urinary VMA and nitrogen were higher during night work than during morning work: they were also higher on the 6th day than on the 1st, in comparing the two groups, excretion of VMA was higher among the dormitory diet group, whereas the opposite was ture for excretion of nitrogen among the milk & egg supplemented group. There was no sign of difference in excretion of cretinine among the two experiment groups.