Awareness of good death, perception of life-sustaining treatment decision, and changes in nursing activities after decision to discontinue life-sustaining treatment among nurses in intensive care units at tertiary general hospitals / 중환자간호학회지

Purpose@#: This study aims to explore nursing activities after the decision to discontinue life-sustaining treatment, awareness of a good death, and perception of life-sustaining treatment decisions among nurses in intensive care units (ICUs) at tertiary general hospitals. @*Methods@#: Participants were 173 nurses working in two tertiary general hospitals. The data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using an independent t-test, paired t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffé’s test, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. @*Results@#: Participants were 173 nurses working in two tertiary hospitals. The nursing activity increase was the greatest in the spiritual domain, and the physical domain was where the activities decreased the most. There were significant associations between Awareness of good death (Clinical) and Perception of life-sustaining treatment decision(r=.26, p＜.001), Awareness of good death (Closure) and Perception of life-sustaining treatment decision(r=.36, p＜.001), and Awareness of good death (Personal control) and Perception of life-sustaining treatment decision(r=.49, p＜.001). @*Conclusion@#: Based on the results, systematic education programs and job training are required to improve the awareness regarding good death and perception of life-sustaining treatment decision for nurses in ICUs where discontinuing lifesustaining treatment decisions are made.

Research of Home-Based Exercise Program Development and Effect Analysis: Prevention of Sarcopenia in Hemiplegic Disorder / 재활간호학회지

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to develop and verify the effectiveness of the home-based exercise program for prevention of sarcopenia in hemiplegic disorder patients. @*Methods@#The participants consisted of 26 experimental group and 26 control group with hemiplegic disorders. The home-based exercise program to prevent sarcopenia was conducted twice a week and for six weeks from 11 January 2021 to 19 April 2021, measuring muscle mass, muscular strength, daily life movements, balance, dynamic posture control ability and quality of life. @*Results@#The results showed the effectiveness of the home-based exercise program for hemiplegic patients.There were statistically significant differences between the control group and experimental group in patients’ muscle mass (F=8.26, p=.006), muscle strength (F=7.99,p=.007) and quality of life (F=12.19, p=.001). But, there were not statistically significant in patients’ daily life movements (F=0.33, p=.565), balance (F=0.04, p=.841) and dynamic posture control ability (F=3.48, p=.068). @*Conclusion@#In conclusion, the home-based exercise program was effective in improving muscle mass, muscle strength and quality of life in hemiplegic patients. Therefore, it is expected that the home-based exercise program developed in this study will be applied as an intervention for prevention of sarcopenia in hemiplegic patients and will be effective.

The Effects of Tai Chi Exercise on Physical Function, Stress and Depression in Middle Aged Women with Osteoarthritis / 기본간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of 12 weeks of Tai Chi exercise on physical function, stress and depression in middle aged women with osteoarthritis. METHOD: The research design was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Forty two participants were assigned to either the experimental group (21) or control group (21). Frequency, percentages, mean, standard deviations, chi-square-test, Wilcoxon rank sum test and repeated measured ANOVA with SPSS 12.0/PC program were used to analyzed the collected data. RESULTS: For physical function the physical fitness of the experimental group improved significantly more than the control group: Leg strength, balance, flexibility and grip strength. Difficulty of performing activity had a tendency of decrease. Stress showed a tendency of as time passed but the decrease was not significant. Depression decreased and the change was significant. CONCLUSION: The Tai Chi exercise was effective in improving physical function and reducing the stress and depression of middle aged women with osteoarthritis. Therefore the Tai Chi exercise could be used as a nursing intervention for osteoarthritis in middle aged women.

The Effects of a Rehabilitation Program on Physical Health, Physiological Indicator and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Mastectomy Patients / 간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a rehabilitation program on physical health, physiological indicators and quality of life in breast cancer mastectomy patients. METHODS: The subjects included thirty-one patients with breast cancer (17 in the experimental group and 14 in the control group). The subjects in the experimental group participated in a rehabilitation program for 10 weeks, which was composed of an exercise program, teaching, counseling and support for 2 sessions per week. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in flexion, internal rotation and external rotation but no significant increase in extension in the experimental group compared to the control group. The total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL, LDL, and CD56 in the experimental group compared to the control group was not significantly decreased after the rehabilitation program. Compared to the control group, quality of life in the experimental group was significantly improved and fatigue in that group was significantly decreased after the rehabilitation program. CONCLUSION: The 10-week rehabilitation program showed a large affirmative effect on physical health, physiological indicators and quality of life in breast cancer mastectomy patients.

A Study on Use of Complementary-Alternative Therapy in Middle-aged Women / 여성건강간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the use pattern of alternative therapies in middle aged women. METHOD: The subjects of this study were 530 women from 40 to 64 years of age. The data of this study was patients' records. The data was gathered from April 1st, 2004 to June 30th, 2004. Data was analyzed statistically by using the SPSS/WIN 10.0 program. RESULT: It was shown that 63.5% of the subjects have utilized one or more types of alternative therapy. The most common type of alternative therapy was dietary and nutritional therapy 38.3%, and the place of use was the home 64.1%. The most common reason was a recommendation by friends. The degree of satisfaction after the use of alternative therapy was 95.2%. Among users of alternative therapies, the most frequent responses to each question were as follows; Motive of Use- "for health maintenance and promotion." (62.7%) In the relation ship between general characteristics and utilization of alternative therapy, religion (x2=12.33, p=.02), exercise (x2=8.21, p=004), and health status (x2=14.95, p=.005) showed a significant statistical difference. CONCLUSION: We found that middle aged women used alternative therapies more frequently than other populations. Therefore, it is suggested that medical doctors or nurses verify the true effects or side-effects from the most therapies or nurses verify the true effects or side-effects from the most common complementary or alternative therapies through experiments.

Effects of 6-week Foot Reflexology on the Blood Pressure and Fatigue in Elderly Patients with Hypertension / 기본간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was done to evaluate the effects of foot reflexology on blood pressure, serum lipids, fatigue and self-efficacy in patients with hypertension. METHODS: The research was done between June 23 and July 31, 2003 and the design was an experimental treatment design. The thirty-four participants were assigned to either an experimental group (18) or a control group (16), Foot reflexology was administered twice a week for 6 weeks to participants in the experimental group. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure and diastolic pressure in the experimental group compared to the control group. After the foot reflexology, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels for the experimental group did not decrease significantly compared to the control group. High density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein levels also did not decrease significantly after foot reflexology. Fatigue in the experimental group decreased significantly after foot reflexology. Self-efficacy in the experimental group did not decrease significantly after foot reflexology. CONCLUSION: The results show that foot reflexology is an effective nursing intervention to decrease systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and to treat fatigue but not serum lipids. Therefore, blood cholesterol should be further evaluated with a larger group of participants and for a longer period. Further research is necessary to evaluate and to compare effects of self-foot reflexology and foot reflexology.

The Effect of an Integrated Health-Promotion Program in Middle-Aged Women / 여성건강간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to test the effect of an integrated health promotion program in middle-aged women. METHOD: The research design was a quasi experimental, one-group pretest-posttest design. Data was collected from July 1st to August 31st, 2003. One group consisted of 30 subjects. The instruments used for the study were the Self Efficacy Scale and the Health Promotion Behavior Scale developed by Park (1995), Subjective health status developed Speake (1989) and menopause-related symptoms developed by Park (1995). The data was analyzed using the SPSS WIN 10.0 program. In order to compare the effects of the pre-post synthesized health promotion program, the ed t-test was employed. RESULT: There was not a significant increase in subjective health status after the integrated health promotion program, nor was there a significant decrease in menopause-related symptoms after the synthesized health promotion program. There was a significant increase in self efficacy after the integrated health promotion program (p=.029), and there was also a significant increase in health promotion behavior after the integrated health promotion program (p=.006). CONCLUSIONS: Through an 8 week education program for health promotion, self efficacy and health promotion behavior were effectively changed in middle-aged women.

Effects of Foot Reflexology on Essential Hypertension Patients / 간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was to evaluate the effects of foot reflexology on blood pressure, serum lipids level and life satisfaction in essential hypertension patients. METHOD: The research design used was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Foot Reflexology was used as the experimental treatment from June 23rd, 2003 until August 31st, 2003. Thirty-four subjects were assigned to an experimental group(18) and control group(16). Foot Reflexology was administered twice a week for 6 weeks and self foot Reflexology was administered twice a week for 4 weeks on the experimental group. RESULT: There was a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure but no significant decrease indiastolic pressure in the experimental group compared to the control group. The total cholesterol level in the experimental group compared to the control group was not significantly decreased after foot reflexology. However, the triglyceride level in theexperimental group compared to the control group was significantly decreased after foot reflexology. On the other hand, high density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein levels in the experimental group compared to the control group was not significantly decreased after foot reflexology. Life satisfaction in the experimental group compared to the control group was significantly improved after foot reflexology. CONCLUSION: The results proved that foot reflexology was an effective nursing intervention to decrease systolic pressure, and triglyceride but not for the blood cholesterol and to improve life satisfaction. Therefore, blood cholesterol should be further evaluated in a larger group of subjects and for a longer period. Further research is regarded as necessary to evaluate and to compareeffects of self-foot reflexology and foot reflexology.

A Study on Climacteric Symptoms, Depression and Quality of Life in Middle-Aged Women / 여성건강간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between self reported climacteric symptoms, and depression, and the quality of life in middle aged women. METHOD: The subjects of this study were 149 women from 40 to 64 years of age. Climacteric symptoms were measured with Neugarton's tool(1965) and depression with Zung's tool. Quality of life was related to self reported climacteric symptoms were education level(F=3.011, p=.035), income measured by Rho's tool(1988). RESULT: The general characteristic variables significantly level(F=2.670, p=.057), income satisfaction (F=3.413, p=.011), perceived subjective health condition(F=28.623, p=.000). The general characteristic variables significantly related to depression were age(t=-2.476, p=.014), education level(F=4.492, p.013), income satisfaction (F=2.845, p.026), perceived subjective health condition(F=8.468, p=.000). The general characteristics variables significantly related to quality of life were income level(F=5.010, p=.000), income satisfaction(F=6.314, p=.000), perceived subjective health condition(F=3.516, p<=.032), menstruation cycles(t=-2.66, p=.023). The relationship between self reported climacteric symptoms and depression had a statistically a positive correlation(r=.357, p=.000). The relationship between depression and quality of life had a statistically with a negative correlation(r=-.397, p=.000). CONCLUSION: These results may contribute to a better understanding of depression and quality of life in middle aged women. Therefore, health programs for prompting climacteric women's health should be a planned based on results of the study.

A Study on Climacteric Symptoms, Knowledge of Menopause, Menopausal Management in Middle-Aged Women / 여성건강간호학회지

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between self reported climacteric symptoms, knowledge of menopause, menopausal management, in middle-aged women. The subjects of this study were 209 women from 40 to 64 years of age. The data was analyzed using SPSS program for t-test, ANOVA and Pearson's correlation coefficients. The results of the study were as follows : 1. The characteristic variables significantly related to self reported climacteric symptoms were education(F=6.371, p<0.001), income (F=4.481, p<0.05), mensturation state(t= -2.004, p<0.05), mensturation cycle(t=-2.039, p<0.05), hormone therapy(t=2.107, p<0.05), health condition(F=21.111, p<0.001).2. The characteristic variables significantly related to knowledge of menopause were education(F=6.580, p<0.001), health condition (F=3.487, p<0.05).3. The characteristic variable significantly related to menopausal management was income(F=3.080, p<0.05). 4. The relationship between self reported climacteric symptoms and menopausal management was statistically significant with a negative correlation(r=-0.323, p<0.05).In conclusion, climacteric symptoms - based complaints by middle-aged women was negatively correlated to menopausal management. Therefore, health promotions designed to increase climacteric women's health should be a planned program based on results of the study.

A Study on Needs of the Families of Head Injury Patients / 기본간호학회지

The purpose of this study is to identify the needs which are perceived by one of the familiy members who have head injury parients by traffic accidents in the intensive care units. Subjects were 70 families members of head injury patients admitted to 2 general hospitals NICU located Pusan city, 1 general hospital NICU located Ulsan city from December 1. 1998 to February 28. 1999. For this study, 70 family members were interviewed with aid of a Likert scale which was developed by researcher for this study. For development of the survey instrument, literature review and open questionnaire technique with family members and the nurses working in NICU. The 50needs-items were classified into 7 groups according to the homogeneity of the items with the support of literature review. For the content validity, the instrument was reviewed by 1 nursing professor and the internal reliability of this instrument was Cronbach alpha=0.94 which is highly accepted. Data was analyzed by a SPSS computer program. Data analysis included frequency, percentage, mean, standard variance and t-test or ANOVA. The results were as followings; 1. The general characteristics of head injury patients shows that the male was 74.3%, the female was 25.7% and age distribution shows that the fifty-fifty nine years was 30%, the highest. Of religion the buddhism was the most. The diagnosis distribution shows that epidural hematoma was 32.9% and subdural hematoma was 24.3%. The mentalility distribution shows that semicoma was 31.4% and stupor was 31.4%. Hemiplegia was 42.9%. 2. The general charaterisrics of the family needs of head injury patients shows that thirty-thirty nine years was 31.4%, the highest. sex distribution shows that the male was 20%, the female was 80%. Of religion the buddism was the most. 3. The family needs of head injury patients was 3.03+/-0.42, needs for the information of a patient's condition was 3.65+/-0.48, the highest. And needs for the information of care and treatment was 3.48+/-0.48, needs to be supplied with comfortable facilities for family was 3.04+/-0.66, needs to be participate in a patient's care was 2.90+/-0.55, needs to be informed about the available resources was 2.83+/-0.59, needs to be supported emotionally for family was 2.79+/-0.55, needs for religious assistance was 2.51+/-0.85. 4. Examining the family needs of head injury patients according to patient's characteristics, mentality, plegia degree and operation were shown be variables to make an effect on the needs for the head injury patients family. At all, according to severity of head injury, the family needs of head injury patients was high. 5. Examining the family needs of head injury patients according to their general characteristics, we could know that religion, job, income were shown to be variables to make an effect on the family needs. Through the examination it can be seen that the characteristics of head injury patients and the family needs of head injury patients. In conclusion, the family needs of head injury patients was almost same the family needs of ICU patients. Therefore we must involve the family's care of head injury patients and we must provide exact and repeated explanation, education and support the family of head injury patients. As this study was resulted in selecting the families admitted to NICU of some general hospital, we couldn't stretch the result in our favor. Therefore, continuous studies are suggested.