The Effect of a Teaching Model for Improving Undergraduate Nursing Students' Cultural Competency / 한국간호교육학회지

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the effect of a teaching model to improve cultural competency (TMCC) for Korean undergraduate nursing students. METHODS: A nonequivalent control group pretest/posttest quasi-experimental study was conducted with a convenience sample of 168 undergraduate nursing students in South Korea. The experimental group of 121 seniors was taught a 13-week teaching model in order to improve cultural competence. A control group with 47 junior students underwent nursing major courses, but did not take this teaching model. Before and after the program, students' level of cultural competency was measured using the Questionnaire for Cultural Competence (QCC) consisting of three sub-scales: “awareness and desire,” “encounter,” and “nursing skill and knowledge.” RESULTS: After the experiment, the experimental group showed significantly higher improvement in the Questionnaire for Cultural Competence in the three sub-scales of “awareness and desire,” “encounter,” and “nursing skill and knowledge” than the control group (p= < .050). CONCLUSION: A teaching model to improve cultural competence was effective in improving Korean undergraduate nursing students' cultural competency. Further studies need to be repeated in order to identify the effectiveness of the teaching model to improve cultural competency with graduate or clinical nurses.

The Relationship between Cultural Competency and the Importance of Nurses' Qualities Perceived by Undergraduate Nursing Students

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between cultural competency and the importance of nurses' qualities perceived by undergraduate nursing students. METHODS: Researchers developed two tools for this study after reviewing the related literature and conducting research team workshops: questionnaire of cultural competency and the importance of nurses' qualities. 200 nursing students were recruited in convenient sampling to respond to these questionnaires. Of nurses' 10 qualities, major affecting factors on the cultural competency were identified by stepwise multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The nursing students perceived technical nursing skills and professional nursing knowledge as nurses' most important qualities. However, 'having a passion for patient care', 'demonstrating strong nursing profession's code of ethics??and 'teaching and research ability' were found as significant influencing factors on the variance of the cultural competency. These three factors explained 16% of the total variances of the cultural competency (F=13.98, p<.001). CONCLUSION: The educational strategies to improve cultural nursing competency need to incorporate students' expectations for the professional nurses' roles. Also, further studies need to develop reliable and valid measurement tools for cultural competency

The Effect of Back Pain Prevention Intervention Program on Back Pain Relief in Patients Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention / 재활간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effectiveness of back pain prevention intervention program on reducing back pain of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: The patients were divided into two groups as the experimental group and control group. In the experimental group, the participants took bedrest for 4 hours after PCI and then received back pain prevention intervention program (BPPIP). Total of 5 times BPPIP with 1 hour interval for 5-10 minutes per each intervention was administered to the patients taking bedrest for 4 hours after PCI. In the control group, total of 5 times routine nursing care with 1 hour interval was administered to the patients taking bedrest for 4 hours after PCI. The data were collected on admission in the ICU and after the 5 exercise sessions. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN program. RESULTS: No significant differences in the occurrence of hemorrhage after the BPPIP were observed between the experimental group and the control group. After the BPPIP, back pain outcomes were significantly low in the experimental group. However, urination disorder and cortisol level did not show a statistically significant differences between two groups. CONCLUSION: It is clear that BPPIP is a useful nursing intervention for reducing back pain of patients undergoing PCI.

Sox9 Increases the Proliferation and Colony-forming Activity of Outer Root Sheath Cells Cultured In Vitro

BACKGROUND: beta-catenin plays a pivotal role in hair follicle development and hair growth cycle. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify beta-catenin-regulated genes in cultured human hair outer root sheath (ORS) cells. METHODS: Primary cultured ORS cells were transduced with recombinant adenovirus expressing N-terminal truncated beta-catenin (constitutive active form), and beta-catenin-regulated genes were identified. RESULTS: Overexpression of the constitutively active form of beta-catenin led to induction of Sox9 expression at both mRNA and protein levels. To investigate the potential role of Sox9, we made the recombinant adenovirus expressing green fluorescent protein-tagged Sox9, and then transduced into cultured ORS cells. Interestingly, Sox9 induced the expression of keratin 15, increased the proliferation of ORS cells in vitro, and enhanced colony-forming activity. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that Sox9 is a beta-catenin-regulated gene in ORS cells, and has potential importance in the regulation of hair follicle homeostasis.

Risk Factors of Local Recurrence in Phyllodes Tumor of the Breast according to the Clinicopathological Characteristics

PURPOSE: Phyllodes tumor is a rare fibroepithelial disease of the breast that is classified as benign, borderline malignant, or malignant according to the pathological characteristics. To clarify diagnostic criteria for these groups, we analyzed the clinico-pathological characteristics of phyllodes tumors and the risk factors for local recurrence after surgery. METHODS: Between January 1997 and March 2003, we included 70 cases of recurring, pathologically-confirmed phyllodes tumors after surgery. Medical records were reviewed retrospectively for clinical characteristics and pathologic findings. RESULTS: The mean follow up period was 69.3 months (range 45.4 to 119.3 months) and mean age, 39.4 years old (range 18 to 63 years old). Benign phyllodes tumors were present in 45 cases (64.3%), borderline malignant tumors in 15 cases (21.4%), and malignant tumors in 10 cases (14.3%). A local recurrence developed in 9 cases (12.9%), with three of these cases benign (33.3%), 5 cases were borderline malignant (55.6%), and 1 case was malignant (11.1%). Borderline malignant cases showed a higher local recurrent rate (6.7%, 33.3%, and 10.0%, P=0.027). The local recurrence rate between the tumor-positive or close (<1 mm) resection margins and non-involved cases was different for benign (7.7% vs. 6.3%, P=0.031) and borderline malignant cases (60.0% vs. 20.0%, ns). CONCLUSION: Pathologic classification and small resection margins are risk factors for local recurrence in phyllodes tumors. Therefore, borderline malignant phyllodes tumors require wide excision with a sufficient resection margin or a mastectomy to prevent local recurrence.