Medication Status and the Effects of a Medication Management Education Program for the Elderly in a Community

PURPOSE: This study investigated medication status by examining the effects of a medication management education program on the knowledge of medications and medication misuse behaviors in the elderly in a local community. METHODS: This study used a non-equivalent control group quasi-experimental design. For the study, 116 subjects were assigned to the control group and another 116 subjects were assigned to the experimental group. The medication management education program consisted of 1:1 education, practice in medication management, consultation, and discussion. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 21.0 program. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were found between the experimental and control groups in terms of their knowledge of medications and medication misuse behaviors. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the medical management education program is effective in improving the knowledge of medications and decreasing medication misuse behaviors. Therefore, this education program can be used as an intervention to improve the medication behaviors of the elderly in local communities.

The Effects of Exercise in the Frail Elderly

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine the effects of exercise on physiological, physical and psychological functions of the frail elderly. METHODS: The research design was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Data were collected from September 9 to October 10, 2009. The subjects were 56 frail elders who agreed to participate in this study and each subject was randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n=28) or the control group (n=28). The exercise program was provided to each subject in the experimental group twice in a week for 6 weeks. Data were analyzed with frequency, chi2-test, Kolmogorov-Smirnor test and independent t-test using SPSS/WIN 12.0. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in psychological functions in the experimental group compared to the control group (t=1.726, p=.045). CONCLUSION: The exercise program showed the effects to improve the psychological functions of the frail elderly with chronic disease. In recommendation, this exercise program could be utilized as a health promoting program for the frail elderly.

Experiences of Interpersonal Relationships among Head Nurses in General Hospital Settings / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of interpersonal relationships of head nurses in interacting with others in general hospital settings. METHODS: The data were collected by individual in-depth interviews from seven head nurses and were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Five major categories emerged and they represent a major strategy according to five different groups of interacting people. 'Establishing trust' was identified as the key strategy in dealing with patients and family members. 'Embracing with sisterly love' and 'helping with self-defense' were major strategies for subordinate nurses and physicians, respectively. 'Respecting and recognizing' was the main approach for other professionals such as dietitians and 'emphasizing rules and educating' were a major one for non-professionals. Head nurses paid more attention and made efforts in dealing with their subordinate nurses than with other groups of people, because they felt the most difficulty in their relationship with subordinate nurses. CONCLUSION: The results of the study showed that head nurses employ unique strategies in interacting with different groups of people to increase the efficiency of communication. This study would help nurse administrators establish an effective program for improving interpersonal relationships of head nurse.

Analysis of Importance, Difficulty, and Frequency of Nurses' Job in Outpatient Departments / 기본간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the importance, difficulty, and frequency of work (duties and tasks) done by nurses' in Outpatient Departments (OPD). METHOD: Data were collected using structured questionnaires, which included 11 duties and 92 tasks making up the OPD nurse's job. Questionnaires were completed by 286 nurses. Each duty and task was analyzed for importance, difficulty, and frequency (range 1-3). RESULTS: The mean score for importance was 2.58+/-0.29, for difficulty, 2.11+/-0.31, and for frequency, 2.18+/-0.31. OPD nurses recognized'patient education and consultation' as important and difficult. However, in practice OPD nurses reported the most frequent task as'support for medical services'. There was a significant difference in importance and difficulty of duties according to OPD nurses' university degree (F=3.693, p= .026; F=4.089, p= .018) and hospital size (F=4.274, p= .006; F=3.154, p= .025). However there were no differences in importance, difficulty, or frequency according to clinical experience in OPD. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that OPD nurses must be able to do important and difficult duties and tasks, especially patient education and consultation. To have time for these uniquely nursing tasks, OPD nurses need to delegate'preparation for medical service', and'management of facility and environment' to nonmedical health-care workers.

Comparison on Perceived Importance and Frequency of Nurse's Role Behaviors between Medical and Surgical Nurses / 기본간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine differences in the perceived importance and frequency of nurse role behaviors for medical and surgical nurses and to examine the relationship between perceived importance and frequency of nurse role behaviors in the two groups. METHOD: A descriptive design was used with convenience sampling of 351 medical and surgical nurses in the 40 hospitals with over 500 beds. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: 1) The total score for perceived importance of nurse role behaviors was 4.09+/-.53 for medical nurses and 4.13+/-.53 for surgical nurses. 2) The total score for frequency was 3.15+/-.54 for medical nurses and 3.24+/-.56 for surgical nurses. 3) The perceived importance of nurse role behaviors was higher than the frequency, but the difference between two groups was not significant. 4) The perceived importance of nurse role behaviors was highly correlated with frequency (r=.579, p=.000) for the two groups. CONCLUSION: Medical and surgical nurses perceived the importance nurse role behavior but the frequency of the behavior is lower. Therefore, further research is needed to develop strategies to increase the frequency of nurse role behaviors.

Evaluation of in-Hospital Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

BACKGROUND: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has been practised since the introduction of external cardiac massage in 1960. Observed results of in-hospital CPR in many published studies vary greatly. Data on survival has called attention to patient-related factors, lack of medical personnel training and delay in initiation of CPR. We evaluated the results of CPR attempted in a single institute in Korea. SUBJECTS: Our subjects were patients in whom CPR was instituted in our hospital with activation of the emergency call system between August 1, 1995 and December 31, 1997 (n=308, M=181, F=127, mean age=47.8+/-26.4 years). RESULTS: One hundred and ninety-eight among the 308 cases of in-hospital CPR were reviewed, excluding preventive CPR cases and CPR performed on subjects designated DNAR (Do not attempt resuscitation). Mechanism of arrest were respiraory arrest in 84 cases (42.4%), ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation in 59 (29.8%), asytole in 52 (26.3%), and electromechanical dissocaition in 3 (1.5%) in order of declining frequency. Overall survival rate at discharge was 12.6%. Among different age groups, the rates were:21.6% in the pediatric group (age or = 70). Survival outcomes associated with mechanism of arrest were:11.9% for respiratory arrest, 15.3% for ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation and 9.6% for asystole. No significant difference in survival was found between mechanisms of arrest. Successful outcome after CPR was significantly associated with CPR duration, showing higher wurvival rates with CPR performed for less than 15 minutes than over 15 minutes (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Among in-hospital CPR cases, only 12.6% survive to discharge. We suggest that guidelines for performing and evaluating in-hospital CPR should be set up to improve the survival rate.

Histochemical Studies of the Mucous of the Small Intestine in the Postnatal Albino Rats / 체질인류학회지

No abstract available.

An Evaluation of Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System ( TISS ) in Critically Ill Pediatric Patients / 대한마취과학회지

There are few reports analyzing the results of intensive care for children in Korea. A total of 40 critically ill pediatric patients were evaluated in terms of Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System (TISS), The group was composed of patients from 4 services: cardiothoracic surgery, pediatric surgery, pediatrics and other surgeries. We evaluated duration of stay and cost in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), Seoul National University Hospital, and TISS related to departments. The patients with higher TISS showed longer duration of stay and higher cost in PICU than those with lower TISS. The duration of stay of the patients with high TISS more than 50 was 5.0 days, but it was 2.8 days in 40-49, 2.4 days in 30-39, 2.1 days in 20-29 and 1.9 days in 10-19 of TISS's, respectively. The postoperative first day cost of intensive care was approximately 2,210,000 Won in the patients with high TISS more than 50, but it was 1,060,000 Won in 40-49, 220,000 Won in 30-39, 460,000 Won in 20-29, 120,000 Won in 10-19 of TISS's, respectively. The patients in cardiothoracic surgery showed higher values in maximum, minimum and discharge TISS than other services. Maximum, minimum and discharge TISS of the patients in cardiothoracic surgery were 41, 28 and 23, respectively. TISS's of patients in pediatric surgery and neurosurgery were similar, but durations of stay in PICU were 3.5 days in pediatric surgery and 1.2 days in neurosurgery. In this study, we conclude that duration of stay in PICU and cost of intensive care might be proportional to TISS.