Effects of a Recreation Therapy Program on Mental Health and Heart Rate Variability in Burn Rehabilitation Patients

PURPOSE: This study was done to evaluate the effects of a recreation therapy program on burn rehabilitation patients to determine if the program is an effective nursing intervention which can affect mental health problems and heart rate variability. METHODS: Subjects were 54 hospitalized burn rehabilitation patients (25 in the control group, 29 in the experimental group). The experimental group participated 6 times in a recreation therapy program led by a qualified instructor. Brief symptoms inventory-18 (somatization, anxiety, depression) questionnaire, and heart rate variability were checked before and after the recreation therapy program. RESULTS: The mental health scale showed significant differences in somatization (p<.001), anxiety (p<.001) and depression (p<.001). There was no significant difference in heart rate variability (autonomic activity, autonomic balance, stress resistance, stress parameter and fatigue, mean heart rate, electro-cardiac stability). CONCLUSION: The findings from this study suggest that a recreation therapy program is an effective nursing intervention to decrease the level of mental health problems of burn rehabilitation patients. However, a subsequent study is needed to develop an intervention program that will induce the effect of physiological parameters like heart rate variability (HRV).

Inter-generation Occupational Mobility Experience of Nurses: Focus on Mother's Experience / 한국간호교육학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to analyze how the experiences of nurses influence their role model function when they are mothers of children who in turn have become nurses or nursing students. METHOD: The subjects of this study were 12 nurses, 8 of their children who became nurses and another 4 children then in training to become one. Data were collected through in-depth personal interviews and subsequently analyzed through a phenomenological approach. RESULTS: Four main themes were identified as follows; 'Persuasion and dissuasion,' 'Proud but still pathetic,' 'As mom and senior nurse' and 'Great to pass it down.' CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that the nurse as mother could be a positive professional role model for her children. However, they tended to stress the arduous clinical routines and poor work conditions nurses currently experience. Should such routines and conditions improve, mothers who are nurses would be more willing to recommend the nursing profession to their children. Improving the professional environment is thus important because inter-generation nursing mobility provides a reliable resource to recruit qualified and dedicated nursing personnel.