Resilience as a Possible Predictor for Psychological Distress in Chronic Spinal Cord Injured Patients Living in the Community

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether higher resilience level predicts low levels of psychological distress in chronic SCI patients living in the community. METHOD: Thirty seven patients (mean age 41.5+/-10.9, male : female=28 : 9) with chronic spinal cord injury (duration 8.35+/-7.0 years) living in the community are included, who were hospitalized for annual checkups from November, 2010 to May, 2011. First, their spinal cord injury level, completeness and complications were evaluated. The patients completed questionnaires about their educational status, religion, employment status, marital status, medical and psychological history and also the following questionnaires: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-alcohol consumption questions (AUDIT-C) and Health-related quality of life (EQ-5D). The patients were divided into two subgroups: patients with HADS > or =13 are classified as high psychological distress group and others as low psychological distress group. We compared the two groups to find statistically significant differences among the variables. RESULTS: CD-RISC, EQ-5D and employment status are significantly different between two groups (p<0.05). In a forward stepwise regression, we found that EQ-5D had a greater contribution than CD-RISC to the psychological distress level. CONCLUSION: In addition to health-related quality of life, resilience can be suggested as a possible predictor of psychological distress in chronic SCI patients.

Nutritional Assessment of Geriatric Stroke Patients in a Rehabilitation Hospital

OBJECTIVE: It was aimed to evaluate the nutritional status of geriatric stroke patients admitted to a convalescent and rehabilitation hospital and the clinical usefulness of the mini-nutritional assessment (MNA) to identify malnutrition in elderly stroke patients. METHOD: We performed a nutritional evaluation using the MNA questionnaire, anthropometric, haematological, and biochemical parameters in 30 stroke patients. Malnutrition was defined if there were abnormalities in at least one of the following parameters: serum values of albumin and transferrin, hemoglobin and total lymphocytes in blood, and body mass index. The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of MNA for malnutrition were assessed. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 69.5 years and mean body mass index was 22.8 kg/m2. The prevalence of malnutrition was 46.7% while malnutrition or risk of malnutrition by MNA was 80%. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive/negative predictive values of MNA for malnutrition were respectively 92.9%, 31.3%, 54.2%, and 83.3% with a cutoff point lower than 23.5. There was a significant difference of hemoglobin value between malnourished and nourished group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Malnutrition was common in geriatric stroke patients. MNA was a useful screening tool to exclude nourished geriatric patients.

Rehabilitation Need on-Hospital with Disabilities / 재활간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study were to investigate the health status, the currency of rehabilitation therapy, and the patient learning needs on hospital with disabilities. METHOD: The subjects consisted of 87 disabled adults on hospital. Data was collected from February until to June 2005, where they asked structured questionnaires. A descriptive survey design was used and the SPSS 12.0 program was used for data analysis, which included t-test, ANOVA and Duncan's multiple comparison test. RESULT: There are a lot of patient through the transfer from the general hospital and the rehabilitation hospital. Their heath status changed good after hospital admission. Patients took exercise therapy the most, which is one of the rehabilitation therapy. But they need to enough physical therapy because patients have limited time for treatment. The education-need-level was high on hospital with disabilities, especially the need of support and care are the highest on the subscale of patient learning need. There are significant patient learning need differences in income and admission location (p< .05). CONCLUSION: Disabled persons on hospital needs to help and learning exercise by nurses. There should be rehabilitation programs for patients who are ready to leave the hospital. After discharging, there needs to be various rehabilitation services, support and care for the community based rehabilitation.

A Study of Rehabilitation Nursing Curriculum / 재활간호학회지

PURPOSE: To survey the present status of the rehabilitation nursing course at three year diploma programs, baccalaureate degree programs (BSN), RN-BSN, and graduate programs in Korea and to analyze the contents of the syllabus to provide the basic data in developing a standard model for rehabilitation nursing curriculum. METHOD: Data was collected from all the nursing programs in Korea from July 2005 to Nov. 2005 by mail and fax. RESULT: The rehabilitation nursing courses has been offered 12 diploma program, 16 BSN, 4 RN-BSN, and 16 graduate programs. And the credits of the rehabilitation nursing course offered by the program were as follows : one credit (6 diploma and 1 BSN), two credits (6 diploma, 14 BSN and 1 RN-BSN), and three credits (1 BSN, 3 RN-BSN and 16 graduate). CONCLUSION: Future studies need to be focused on developing rehabilitation nursing curricula reflecting the updated contents of rehabilitation nursing.

The Changes in Interest and Attitudes of Nursing Students toward the Disabled before and after the Disability Experience Program / 재활간호학회지

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in the concern and attitudes of Nursing students toward the disabled before and after the disability experience program. METHOD: 151 Nursing students with clinical practice in National rehabilitation hospital were conveniently selected as the subject. All subjects had experience the disability program, and their attitudes toward the disabled were measured before and after the 3hours' program. Collected data were analyzed by SPSS 11.0 with paired t-test. RESULTS: 1. The concern toward the disabled after their disability experience program was more positive than before(t= -4.930, p= .000). 2. The attitudes toward the disabled after their disability experience program was more positive than before(t=5.892, p=.000). 3. The appreciation of daily life after their disability experience program was higher than before(t=- -8.563, p= .000). CONCLUSION: In summary, the disability experience program should be effective in order to promote the positive attitude toward the disabled. Therefore expansion of this program is of profound significant.