Test-Retest Reliability of Word Recognition Score Using Korean Standard Monosyllabic Word Lists for Adults as a Function of the Number of Test Words

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose was to establish the test-retest reliability of word recognition score (WRS) using Korean standard monosyllabic word lists for adults (KS-MWL-A) recently developed based on the international standard for speech audiometry (ISO 8253-3:2012). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Subjects consisted of 159 adults aged to 18 to 25 years with normal hearing sensitivity. WRSs were obtained in 2 dB steps from the level of speech recognition thresholds to the level of 86% correct responses or greater. After one or two weeks, retest was performed. Correlation, confidence interval (CI) and prediction interval (PI) were calculated for the reliability. RESULTS: Correlation coefficients were 0.88 for 50 test words, 0.76 for 25 and 0.61 for 10 words. Results also showed that 95% CIs and PIs were narrower for 25 and 50 test words than those for 10 test words. CONCLUSIONS: Korean WRS using the KS-MWL-A has high reliability for 25 and 50 test words, but relatively low for 10 words. It suggested that 95% CIs for each test words would be criteria for significant differences in WRS for groups and 95% PIs at each score of WRS could be utilized for a considerable difference for each individual at retest.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Confidence on Patient Safety of Undergraduate Nursing Students / 한국간호교육학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine undergraduate students' level of knowledge, attitude, and confidence toward patient safety. METHODS: A descriptive survey design was used. The subjects consisted of 932 senior nursing students who have had clinical practice in nursing schools in a metropolitan city in Korea. The data were collected from March 4th to 28th in 2011. Knowledge, attitude, and confidence on patient safety were measured using self administered questionnaires. Data were analyzed with SPSS 18.0 using descriptive statistics, t-test, One-Way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Knowledge of patient safety was relatively low and attitude and confidence were at moderate level. There were statistically significant differences in knowledge, attitude, and confidence toward patient safety according to gender, educational system, grades, satisfaction with nursing major or clinical practice, and experience of patient safety education or patient safety campaign. There was a significant positive correlation among knowledge, attitude and confidence on patient safety. CONCLUSION: The study findings suggests that concept and skills on patient safety need to be educated systematically during undergraduate curriculum linked with clinical practicum.

The Effects of Auditory Short-Term Training in Passive Oddball Paradigm with Novel Stimuli

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine how human neural activity might be changed through auditory short-term training when listening to novel stimuli. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Among the twenty young normal hearing adult listeners who participated, ten were randomly assigned to a training group and ten were assigned to a non-training group as a control. Two synthesized novel stimuli were used: /su/ and /integralu/. Both stimuli similarly sounded like /su/, but had two different onset transition frequencies and fricative pole frequencies. In the experiment, behavioral identification test (i.e., /su/ vs. /integralu/) and the mismatch negativity (MMN) were measured before and after training for the training group. To gauge the training effect, the listeners in the training group were taught by discrimination and identification of two novel stimuli for about 20 minutes. RESULTS: The results showed that scores for the behavioral test increased significantly after auditory short-term training. Also, onset latency, duration, and area of the MMN were significantly changed when elicited by the training stimuli. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicated that auditory short-term training could change human neural activity, suggesting future clinical applications for auditory training.