The Experience of Male Nurses Working in Intensive Care Units / 임상간호연구

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to understand and describe the meaning of the experience of male nurses working in Intensive Care Units (ICU). @*Methods@#Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 8 male nurses. Data were collected from november 2019 to february 2020 and were analyzed using Colaizzi's method, a phenomenological approach. @*Results@#8 theme clusters, and 28 themes were identified. The 8 clusters were as follows; the feeling of burden in a busy and sensitive situation, the daily life facing life and death, female colleagues and patients who are still difficult to treat, a reliable and grateful male colleague, being proud of this role that a man can do, various experiences that improve me, constant effort to be recognized as a team member, and wavering and weighing in the career. @*Conclusion@#These results could help to expand understanding the role of male nurses working in the ICU and in other areas. In addition, the results provide basic data needed to improve mutual respect and relationships between male and female nurses. It is necessary to offer mentoring programs for male nurses to adapt to nursing field.

Factors influencing career preparation behavior of nursing students: A systemic review and meta-analysis / 한국간호교육학회지

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to systematically review and conduct meta-analysis on factors affecting career preparation behavior of Korean nursing students. @*Methods@#Related articles published in Korean and English were collected based on search terms and converted into a numerical database. Data extraction, quality assessment and analysis including a systematic review and meta-analysis were completed. @*Results@#The review included 27 studies. There were 25 factors influencing career preparation behavior of Korean nursing students. Factors were categorized into four sub-factors: personal, contextual, cognitive-emotional, and goal-related. In the meta-analysis of 27 articles the total effect size (ESr) was .34. The effect sizes of the four sub-factors were .37 for individual factors, .25 for situation factors, .34 for cognitive and emotional factors, and .41 for target factors. The main factors were .53 for career-related efficacy, .43 for self-leadership, and .43 for career decision level. @*Conclusion@#Nursing students with high career-related efficacy and self-leadership are more likely to demonstrate career preparation behavior. Based on these results, educational institutions for nursing students must improve students’ self-leadership and career effectiveness through education so that they can set career goals.

The Experience of Male Nurses Working in Intensive Care Units / 임상간호연구

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to understand and describe the meaning of the experience of male nurses working in Intensive Care Units (ICU). @*Methods@#Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 8 male nurses. Data were collected from november 2019 to february 2020 and were analyzed using Colaizzi's method, a phenomenological approach. @*Results@#8 theme clusters, and 28 themes were identified. The 8 clusters were as follows; the feeling of burden in a busy and sensitive situation, the daily life facing life and death, female colleagues and patients who are still difficult to treat, a reliable and grateful male colleague, being proud of this role that a man can do, various experiences that improve me, constant effort to be recognized as a team member, and wavering and weighing in the career. @*Conclusion@#These results could help to expand understanding the role of male nurses working in the ICU and in other areas. In addition, the results provide basic data needed to improve mutual respect and relationships between male and female nurses. It is necessary to offer mentoring programs for male nurses to adapt to nursing field.

A Survey on Activities of Daily Living and Occupations of Upper Extremity Amputees

OBJECTIVE: To assess prosthetic use by upper extremity amputees, and their difficulties with prostheses in activities of daily living and occupations. METHOD: This study is based on a survey of 307 subjects, who were using prostheses manufactured in the Center of Prosthetics and Orthotics. The survey questionnaire included items about general demographic characteristics, side and level of amputation, type of prosthesis and its use, and difficulties in the activities of daily living, employment and driving. RESULTS: The most common type of prosthesis was the cosmetic hand type (80.2%). There were no statistically significant correlations between satisfaction with prosthesis and the amputation level or type of prosthesis. The most common difficulties in daily living activities experienced by amputees were lacing shoes, removing bottle-tops with a bottle opener, and using scissors. Only 7.3% of amputees received rehabilitation services. Less than half of the amputees (44.7%) used their prostheses for eight or more hours a day, and 76.9% used their prostheses for regular or irregular cosmetic purposes. After amputation, most of the respondents (69.0%) became unemployed or changed workplaces. CONCLUSION: In our study, respondents preferred cosmetic usage to functional usage. Only 30.0% of respondents reported satisfaction with their prostheses. Many of the amputees had difficulties in complex tasks and either changed jobs or became unemployed. Clerical workers were the occupation group, which was most likely to return to work. The development of a more functional prosthetic hand and additional rehabilitation services are required.

Gait Characteristics of Transfemoral Amputees in Long Term Users of Poly Centric Knee

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate characteristic gait patterns of transfemoral amputees who have been using polycentric knee for a long time. METHOD: Subjects were 22 transfemoral amputees using prosthesis for 29.0 years and 23 age-matched healthy adults. The three-dimensional gait analysis was performed. Temporospatial, kinematic and kinetic parameters were measured. RESULTS: Cadence and walking velocity of amputees decreased (p<0.05). Single support period decreased in amputee limb. There were no significant differences in hip flexion moment and power. In amputated limb, knee flexion in loading response was not observed and ankle plantar flexion was less than sound limb and control group. Excessive compensations of amputee side hip joint were not significant. CONCLUSION: Long term polycentric knee unit transfemoral prosthesis users show asymmetry of gait pattern which can increase the risk of musculoskeletal problems. Epidemiologic investigation would be necessary for prevention and proper management.

Crossing Obstacles of Different Heights in Hemiplegic Stroke Patients

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the changes of gait patterns during crossing obstacles of different heights in hemiplegic stroke patients and to compare gait characteristics with those of healthy control subjects. METHOD: Subjects were 13 hemiplegic stroke patients and 9 age-matched healthy adults. Subjects stepped over obstacles with each height of 3, 8 and 13 cm. The three- dimensional gait analysis was performed. Temporospatial, kinematic and kinetic parameters were measured in both lead and trail limb. The pre- and post-obstacle distance, pre- and post-obstacle swing time and toe clearance were also measured. RESULTS: With increase in height of obstacles, ratio of single limb support time, angle of hip, knee flexion in swing phase and hip extensor moment increased in both lead and trail limbs. In the lead limb, post-obstacle distance and toe clearance also increased (p<0.05). Compared with control groups, the angle of knee flexion, hip extensor and hip flexor moment and pre- and post-obstacle distance decreased significantly in the lead limb of hemiplegic patients (p<0.05). In the trail limb of hemiplegic patients, the angle of hip flexion, hip flexor moment and post-obstacle distance decreased (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Understanding strategies for adequate control and coordination of the swing limb during crossing obstacles may be the basis for the safe training of obstacle crossing in hemiplegic stroke patients.

Total Surface Bearing Socket for a Transtibial Prosthesis: Preference, Satisfaction, and Clinical Implications

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the preference of transtibial amputees for the total surface bearing (TSB) socket versus the patellar tendon bearing (PTB) socket, to examine the reasons for their preferences and to determine the clinical indications of each socket. METHOD: We investigated fifty five subjects who could walk with the TSB silicon liner socket and had already used the PTB socket with supracondylar suspension. The subjects responded to a questionnaire of the 19 items. RESULTS: 67.3% (37/55) of the subjects preferred the TSB silicon liner socket over the PTB socket. More than 60% of the respondents regarded the wearing, appearance, donning & doffing, weight and noise positively. However, knee flexion, walking on an uneven surface, amount of perspiration, heating and odor were regarded negatively by more than 50% of respondents. When we compared the satisfaction scores of 37 respondents who preferred TSB socket and 18 respondents who did not, the two groups showed significant differences in the level of satisfaction for wearing appearance, walking, pistoning, donning & doffing, adaptation, perspiration, heating, odor, skin disorder, stump pain, tightening feeling, and noise (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The TSB silicon liner socket was preferred by many transtibial amputee patients. TSB silicon liner socket showed positive effects on comfort, donning & doffing and cosmesis. Also it improved prosthetic suspension as a decrease in pistoning compared to the PTB socket with supracondylar suspension. However the TSB silicon liner socket has some problems such as causing excessive perspiration, heating and odor etc.