The Effects of a Low Intensity Excercise Program on Psychosocial Factors of Excercise and Physical Factors in Elderly Women

PURPOSE: An exercise program, which was composed of motions simple and easy to follow, was developed and applied to aged women as a way to improve their health conditions. METHOD: To ascertain the effects of the exercise, which was conducted twice a week and 16 times in total for 8 weeks from September 10 to November 5, 2005 in two experimental groups (31 persons) and a control group (31 persons), this study conducted quasi-experiments of nonequivalent control group pre-post test design. Data were analyzed using SPSS/PC Win 10.0, the reliability of the measuring tools using Cronbach's alpha, the verification of equivalence for general properties and dependent variables using Chi-square test and t-test, and the verification of hypotheses using t-test and ANCOVA. RESULTS: After the exercise program, the aged women showed profitable evaluation of decisional balance, high feeling of self-efficacy as well as improved subjective awareness of health. Their diastolic blood pressure and total cholesterol were also reduced significantly after the exercise. CONCLUSION: After the conduct of the exercise program for 8 weeks, aged women showed increased profitable decisional balance, self-efficacy and subjective awareness of health. This suggests that continuous and proper exercise is effective as an intervention for health improvement for the aged as well as the prevention of and recovery from geriatric diseases.

Effectiveness of Web-Based Learning in Basic Nursing Practice Education: focusing on Asepsis technique practice / 기본간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was done to compare the effectiveness of web learning versus traditional education for learning Asepsis technique in Basic Nursing Practice. METHOD: This research was a quasi-experimental study. The participants were 60 students who were taking Basic Nursing at a nursing college in G city. Thirty students each were assigned to the experimental and the control group. Data were collected between September 26 and 30, 2005. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Independent t-test and ANCOVA. RESULTS: The mean score for competence in Asepsis technique practice in the experimental group was 24.73 and in the control group 22.80. This result was statistically significant(t = 3.723, P = .001). The mean score for knowledge in the experimental group was 42.93 and in the control group 38.93. This result was statistically significant(t = 2.119, P = .038). The mean score for satisfaction with degree of study in the experimental group was 55.50 for the pre-test and 56.17 for the post-test, and in the control group 60.23 and 58.00 respectively. This result was statistically significant(F = 10.537, P = .002). CONCLUSION: The Web based learning was found to be effective in nursing practice, student satisfaction and knowledge, but web-based programs have to be continuously managed and various demands from learners have to be accepted. Eventually we have to use web-based program as educational medium to promote effective learning nursing education.

A Study on the Type of Role Awareness for Medical Institutions Home Health Care Specialists: A Q-Methodological Approach

PURPOSE: This study is to identify the types of role awareness of home health care specialists working at medical institutions, to understand their role awareness correctly by grasping the quality of each type, and to provide useful help in the education of home health care specialists. METHOD: Q-methodology is used to objectify role awareness of medical institution specialists who may recognize situations differently according to their individual experience and comprehension based on the view of behavior. Q-classification was carried out on 30 home health care specialists working at medical institutions using 30 selected questions. Collected data were examined through factor analysis using QUANL PC program. RESULTS: Three different types of role awareness of home health care specialists working at medical institutions were identified. Type I is "educational-function-centered", Type II "patient-centered" and Type III "professional-service-centered". CONCLUSION: Regardless of these types, home health care specialists commonly had a high pride as a specialist and a sense of mission regarding themselves as important persons responsible for patients' health.