The Association of Health Behaviors with Stress Perception among High School Students in Korea: Based on 2015 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Survey

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to identify Korean high school students' health behaviors and perceived stress and to examine effects of their health behaviors on their stress perception. METHODS: The subjects were 33,744 high school students who participated in the 11th Korea youth risk behavior web-based survey 2015 in Korea. Data were analyzed using complex samples analysis with the PASW 18.0 program. The questionnaire utilized in this study is designed to find the subjects' general characteristics, health behaviors, and perceived stress. RESULTS: The prevalence of subjects with high level stress was 38.9%(n=13,137) in this study. There were significant differences in the general characteristics and stress perception among the Korean high school students in terms of gender, grade, school achievement, family's affluence, mother's education, perceived happiness, perceived health status, and stressor. The variables of health behaviors of Korean high school students were significantly different from stress perception. Under complex samples logistic regression, predictive factors of stress for the high school students include gender, grade, father's education, family's affluence, living arrangement, perceived health status, perceived happiness, current smoking, current alcohol experience, and enough sleep. CONCLUSION: The study suggests multilateral efforts are needed to help high school students' stress management including health behaviors for high school students.

Level of Cultural Competence (CC) and Educational Needs for Cultural Competence in Nursing (CCN) in Undergraduate Nursing Students / 한국간호교육학회지

PURPOSE: This study evaluates the level of cultural competence (CC) and educational needs for cultural competence in nursing (CCN) in undergraduate nursing students. METHODS: completed by 330 nursing students in three nursing colleges. Descriptive statistics, a t-test, an ANOVA, Pearson correlation analyses, and multiple regression were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The mean CC score was 2.99 and the mean CCN educational needs score was 7.1. CC positively correlated with educational needs for CCN. The regression model explained 36% of the variance in CC. Factors affecting CC were school grades, multicultural education experience, frequency of meeting foreigners, length of encounters with foreigners, foreign-language fluency, and degree of interest in multicultural nursing. CONCLUSION: To strengthen the CC of students, nursing educators should develop an educational program for CCN and incorporate CCN into nursing school curricula.

Path Analysis of Empowerment and Work Effectiveness among Staff Nurses

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to test a predictive model that could predict and explain work effectiveness among staff nurses at local hospitals. METHODS: Between April 1 and May 15, 2009, 340 nurses were recruited from two hospitals (one in Ulsan and one in Yangsan). Data were collected via self-administered questionnaires and analyzed using structural equation modeling. RESULTS: A modified model was retained, as the final path model showed a very good fit with the data. Job characteristics and compensation justice were found to have direct and positive effects on empowerment. Job characteristics, transformational leadership, and empowerment were found to directly and positively affect work effectiveness. In addition, job characteristics were found to have a greater effect on empowerment and work effectiveness than other factors do. CONCLUSION: This structural equation model was used to test the relationships between these factors and work effectiveness. Empowerment mediated the relationship between job characteristics, transformational leadership, and work effectiveness. Findings from this study can be used to design the strategies for increasing work effectiveness in Korean nurses.

Effects of Head Nurses' Managerial Competencies and Professional Nurse Autonomy in Nursing Performance / 간호행정학회지

PURPOSE: The aim in this study was to identify head nurses' nursing performance according to their managerial competencies and professional nurse autonomy. METHODS: From January 15 to January 31, 2013 a survey was distributed to 200 head nurses working in 5 tertiary hospitals in B city and J city. The response rate was 80% (160 responses). The survey content included the Managerial Competencies Scale (MCS), Schutzenhofer professional nurse autonomy Scale (SPNA), and Nursing Performance Scale (SPNA). RESULTS: The score for MCS was 4.53, for SPNA, 177.05, and for SPNA, 4.62. Nursing performance was related to managerial competencies (beta=0.741; p<.001; SE=0.059) and professional autonomy (beta=0.135; p=.010; SE=0.001). These factors accounted for 64.8~67.3% of the variability in nursing performance. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that head nurses' performance would be improved through increased nursing managerial competencies and expansion of professional autonomy suggesting a need to develop work systems designed to achieve high managerial competency and professional autonomy in head nurses.

Effect of Spiritual Well-being on Mental Health in Nursing Students / 정신간호학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify the correlation between spiritual well-being and mental health and to examine the effect of spiritual well-being on mental health in nursing students. METHODS: Between October 2011 and November 2012 nursing students (n=193) in 2 universities in 2 cities completed measures of spiritual well-being and mental health. Data were collected using questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression with the SPSS/Win 20.0 program. RESULTS: All variables correlated significantly with each other in the positive direction: mental health was correlated with existential well-being (r=.72) and religious spiritual well-being (r=.23). The factor influencing mental health was existential well-being (beta=.70, p<.001). Existential well-being explained 51.0% of nursing students' mental health. CONCLUSION: The results of the study indicate that spiritual well-being of nursing students is related to mental health. Especially, existential well-being has a major effect on mental health in nursing students. Therefore, it is necessary to develop strategies which strengthen existential well-being in order to improve perspective nursing students.

The Impacts of C-Reactive Protein and Atrial Fibrillation on Carotid Atherosclerosis and Ischemic Stroke in Patients with Suspected Ischemic Cerebrovascular Disease: A Single-Center Retrospective Observational Cohort Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is associated with chronic inflammation, and C-reactive protein (CRP) level is elevated in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We investigated the impacts of CRP and AF on carotid atherosclerosis and ischemic stroke in patients with suspected ischemic cerebrovascular disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One-hundred forty patients (78 males) with suspected ischemic cerebrovascular disease underwent carotid ultrasonography. The mean common carotid artery IMT, mean internal carotid artery (ICA) IMT, and plaque score were measured. Patients were divided into four groups according to the presence of AF and elevated CRP level {n=46 for AF(-)CRP(-), n=38 for AF(-)CRP(+), n=43 for AF(+)CRP(-), and n=13 for AF(+)CRP(+)}. RESULTS: Common carotid artery IMT was significantly higher in the AF(-)CRP(+) (0.98+/-0.51 mm) and AF(+)CRP(+) (0.96+/-0.27 mm) groups compared to the AF(-)CRP(-) (0.80+/-0.32 mm) and AF(+)CRP(-) (0.77+/-0.19 mm) groups (p=0.027). Although there was no significant difference in mean ICA IMT among the groups, plaque score was the highest in the AF(+)CRP(+) (4.18+/-3.84 mm) group, followed by AF(-)CRP(+) (3.87+/-2.78 mm), AF(+)CRP(-) (1.34+/-2.61 mm), and AF(-)CRP(-) (1.17+/-2.02 mm) (p<0.001). The AF(+)CRP(+) group showed significantly higher incidence of ischemic stroke than the other groups (all p<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that age {odds ratio (OR)=1.033, p=0.001}, elevated CRP (OR=3.884, p=0.001), and the presence of AF (OR=1.375, p=0.018) were significantly correlated with incidence of ischemic stroke. CONCLUSION: Elevated plasma CRP concentration may be a reliable surrogate marker for predicting carotid atherosclerosis in patients with AF, which may be related to increased risk of ischemic stroke.

The Effects of Knowledge about the Harmfulness of Smoking and Attitude Toward Smoking Temptation for Middle School Students

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of knowledge about the harmfulness of smoking and attitude toward smoking temptation for middle school students. METHODS: A survey was conducted in this study on 745 students from 12 middle schools in the Y City. Data were analyzed with SPSS/WIN 12.0 using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANCOVA, Scheffe's test and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: There was statistically significant difference in knowledge about the harmfulness of smoking (F=2.88, p<.05) and attitude toward smoking (F=54.61, p<.001). And there was statistically significant difference in smoking temptations among tempting factors such as negative mood of individual (F=63.61, p<.001), positive mood of social situation (F=67.08, p<.001), habitualness (F=57.68, p<.001), weight control (F=33.01, p<.001), and others' smoking (F=73.13, p<.001). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that smoking-cessation programs to enhance the effectiveness of nursing interventions should be tailored to the level of smoking temptation and that educational programs should be developed for middle school students.

Factors Influencing the Occurrence of Peritonitis in Patients on CAPD / 기본간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was done to identify the effects of self.care behavior, self.efficacy and family support on the occurrence of peritonitis in patients on CAPD (Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis). Methods: Data were collected from 81 patients on CAPD either as out.patients or in.patients between July and September 2004. Data were analyzed to identify relevant frequencies, percentages, averages, and standard deviations, and t.test and logistic regression were done using SPSS WIN 10.0 RESULTS: a) Mean score for self.care behavior was 2.9 (of a possible 4.0), for general self.efficacy, 3.2 (of a possible 5.0), for specific self.efficacy 3.5 (of a possible 5), and for family support, 3.7 (of a possible 5). Family support generally showed the most positive results. b) Occurrence of peritonitis was not affected by general characteristics. c) There was a significant difference in the occurrence of peritonitis in terms of self.efficacy. Patients with peritonitis had lower self.efficacy than those who did not. d) Of the four factors reviewed in relation to peritonitis, only self.efficacy was statistically significant: an increase in selfefficacy by 1 point increased the occurrence of peritonitis by 0.90. CONCLUSION: Among the four factors potentially affecting peritonitis in CAPD patients, general self.efficacy was found to be the main factor influencing the occurrence of peritonitis.

Development and Evaluation of an e-Learning Program for Mothers of Premature Infants / 간호학회지

PURPOSE: It has been attempted to support mother of premature infants by providing information of premature infant care using e-learning because premature infants need continuous care from birth to after discharge. METHOD: The e-Learning Program for mother of premature was developed with Xpert, Namo web editor, Adobe Photoshop, and PowerPoint and applied for 4 weeks from 4 to 30 September 2006. RESULT: 1) We found that the contents of information which premature infants' need when being in the hospital and after discharge were the definition of a premature infant, orientation of NICU, care of premature infants, care of premature infants' common diseases, the connection of healthcare resources, exchange of information, and the management of rearing stress. 2) The program content consisted of cause of premature birth, comparison to full-term baby, physiology character, orientation of NICU, common health problems, follow up care, infection control, feeding, normal development physically and mentally, weaning method, and vaccination. CONCLUSION: Considering the results, this program for mother of premature is a useful means to provide premature-care information to mothers. This information can be readily accessible and can be varied and complex enough to be able to help mothers to the information and assistance they require.

The Experiences of Mental Health Hospital Workers / 간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of mental health hospital workers. METHODS: Participants in the study were a total of 8 mental health hospital workers who consisted of nurses, social welfare workers and health managers. To prevent them from being omitted, the interviews were all recorded under the participants prior agreement. The method was analysis using the phenomenological method proposed by Colaizzi(1978). RESULTS: The experiences of the participants of this study were classified into 15 significant areas, from which 10 subjects hard work, conflicts, heavy feeling, irritability, getting familiar, changes of recognition, aptitude determination, feeling of achievement and sense of pride were drawn out. These subjects were then grouped into 5 themes. These five themes were finally grouped into 5 categories, negative emotion, depressive emotion, changes of thinking, delight and value discovery. CONCLUSIONS: The study tried to analyze the experiences of key informants like nurses, social welfare workers and health managers all of whom were serving at mental health hospitals, contribute to social recognition about the special medical establishment, promote qualitative mental health nursing and further provide educational information necessary for understanding mental health hospital workers.

The Experiences of Patients in Intensive Care Units(ICU) / 간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the essence of the experiences of patients in an ICU, and to understand them from the patients' point of view. METHODS: Participants in this study were six patients in P hospital. Data collection consisted of in-depth interviews and an observation method done from January to April in 2005. The method was analysis using the phenomenological method proposed by Colaizzi(1978). RESULTS: The themes were classified into eight theme clusters. The eight theme clusters were finally grouped into four categories, 'shock', 'pain', 'gratefulness' and 'pleasure of revival'. CONCLUSION: The ICU patients had negative experiences in physical.mental critical situations, but also positive experiences in consolation and nurses and families' encouragement. Therefore, ICU nurses must support patients and their families to minimize the negative experiences and maximize the positive experiences.