Employment Experiences of Female Mongolian Migrant Workers in Korea

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to understand the employment experiences of female Mongolian migrant workers in Korea and identify their meanings. @*Methods@#Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews with eight such women using the phenomenological Colaizzi qualitative research approach. @*Results@#Six categories were drawn from the research: “Facing a dilemma when hitting the wall,” “Foreigners’ lives disrespected,” “Physically filled with wounds,” “Lonely, laborious, and sad,“ “Growing stronger and knowledgeable,” and “Happiness found in the workplace.” @*Conclusion@#The results of this study revealed the substantial meaning of the employment experience of female Mongolian migrant workers in Korea. The results of the study could provide basic data for offering such women various kinds of programs to support them psychologically and in their adjustment to their jobs. These programs would enhance their ability to adapt to both working and in Korea.

The Lived Experience of Mentally Disabled Persons Living in Group Homes / 정신간호학회지

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning and nature of the experience of mentally disabled persons living in group homes. @*Methods@#Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews with six mentally disabled persons from April to October in 2017. The data were analyzed using hermeneutic phenomenological methodology based on four fundamental existential concepts: that lived space, lived body, lived time, and lived others. @*Results@#Ten essential themes emerged: lived space-settle down in a strange environment, wish for my independent space in a daily routine; lived body-make a balance between soul and body, lead normal daily life by myself; lived time-rewrite my life; lived others-unapproachable relationship, meet my advocators. @*Conclusion@#The meaning of living in group homes as mentally disabled persons was ‘living as an ordinary person’. This information would be useful in providing interventions to enable such people to return to the community.

Self-Care Experiences of Family Members of Mentally Ill Patients / 정신간호학회지

Purpose@#The purpose of this study is to find out the meaning of self-care experiences of family members of mentally ill patients and describe its essential structure. @*Methods@#The Giorgi's phenomenological research methodology was used. Six families participated in this study. In-depth individual interviews were used to collect data from October to December in 2021. @*Results@#Five clusters of themes were identified. They were “Selfless life”, “Life on shaky grounds”, “Attempts to escape from the suffering”, “Moving forward on self-care path”, and “Happiness blooming in being together”. @*Conclusion@#The findings suggest that mental health care professionals should provide educational programs to enable families of patients with mental illness to recognize the necessity for self-care and discover ways to take care of themselves. In addition, it is necessary to develop policies to expand patient management services at mental health welfare centers so that families of patients with mental illness can secure time for self-care.

Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study on the Experiences of Employment of Married North Korean Women Defectors Rearing Children

PURPOSE@#This study aimed to understand the experiences of married North Korean women's child-rearing, working lives, and their home and work environment in depth.@*METHODS@#This study adopted van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological method to qualitatively analyze data. The participants were 8 married North Korean women defectors. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and observations from July 4 to August 20, 2018.@*RESULTS@#Nine essential themes emerged: more personal challenges after overcoming a life-threatening crisis; hopes of firmly settling in this land; the wound from the north, which chased them here; a body that becomes stronger through hardship; being stuck in a past full of anxiety and pain; the present is full of hope; hope for the future; sense of alienation from coworkers that cannot be overcome; and sense of power to endure an exhausting work life.@*CONCLUSION@#This study provided a broader understanding of the life and experiences of married women from North Korea. It highlights the need for nurses to recognize their importance in nursing care. The study also suggests that academic and practical approaches for nursing, and basic data for a nursing intervention for married women from North Korea be provided. The study findings can be used as a basis for preparing a national policy that will help North Korean defectors to find employment and gain stability.

The Daily Life Experiences of Community Dwelling People with Mental Disabilities

Purpose@#As the daily life experiences of community-dwelling people with mental disabilities are closely correlated to mental health recovery, this study aimed to analyze their daily life experiences in depth to determine their significance. Method: Participants included eight community-dwelling people with mental disabilities. A total of 12 in-depth interviews were conducted once or twice per participant. The collected data were analyzed using the phenomenological analysis method described by Giorgi. @*Results@#The daily life experiences of community-dwelling people with mental disabilities were categorized into the following four components: “encountering shocking reality in the outside world”, “life tied down by the mental illness”, “happiness and gratefulness encountered in daily life”, and “wishing for a change and self-sustaining life”. Conclusion: This study found that the recovery and welfare of community-dwelling people with mental disabilities were promoted and that these patients made necessary efforts to become a member of the local community. These findings could be used as a reference for establishing social welfare policies which enable people with mental disabilities to participate as functioning members of the community that facilitate the prevention of relapse, to promote their integration into the community. Furthermore, the present results will contribute to the development of nursing intervention programs to promote recovery and prevent relapse, to ultimately establish a mental health management system.

Development and Effectiveness of the Interpersonal Caring Program for Young North Korean Defectors

Purpose@#The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the interpersonal caring program for young North Korean defectors which we developed based on Kim's interpersonal caring technique. @*Methods@#This study employs a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects of this study are 36 young North Korean defectors living in three areas. The participants are recruited through alternative schools, churches, and acquaintances. The experimental group consists of 20 participants and the control group consists of 16 participants. Experiments are conducted by four days. Specifically, the experiments are conducted eight times and each takes about 120 minutes. Furthermore, we run the camp for two nights and three days. We test our hypothesis by using Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Independent t-test, Paired t-test, and Independent t-test. @*Results@#All the test statistics support our hypotheses such as self-esteem (t=1.87, p=.035), mental health (t=-1.69, p=.049), interpersonal relationships (t=1.93, p=.031), and quality of life (t=1.88, p=.034). @*Conclusion@#We found that the interpersonal caring program developed in this study is effective in improving North Korean defectors’ self-esteem, mental health, interpersonal relationships, and quality of life.

Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study on the Experiences of Employment of Married North Korean Women Defectors Rearing Children

PURPOSE@#This study aimed to understand the experiences of married North Korean women's child-rearing, working lives, and their home and work environment in depth.@*METHODS@#This study adopted van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological method to qualitatively analyze data. The participants were 8 married North Korean women defectors. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and observations from July 4 to August 20, 2018.@*RESULTS@#Nine essential themes emerged: more personal challenges after overcoming a life-threatening crisis; hopes of firmly settling in this land; the wound from the north, which chased them here; a body that becomes stronger through hardship; being stuck in a past full of anxiety and pain; the present is full of hope; hope for the future; sense of alienation from coworkers that cannot be overcome; and sense of power to endure an exhausting work life.@*CONCLUSION@#This study provided a broader understanding of the life and experiences of married women from North Korea. It highlights the need for nurses to recognize their importance in nursing care. The study also suggests that academic and practical approaches for nursing, and basic data for a nursing intervention for married women from North Korea be provided. The study findings can be used as a basis for preparing a national policy that will help North Korean defectors to find employment and gain stability.

The Daily Life Experiences of Community Dwelling People with Mental Disabilities

Purpose@#As the daily life experiences of community-dwelling people with mental disabilities are closely correlated to mental health recovery, this study aimed to analyze their daily life experiences in depth to determine their significance. Method: Participants included eight community-dwelling people with mental disabilities. A total of 12 in-depth interviews were conducted once or twice per participant. The collected data were analyzed using the phenomenological analysis method described by Giorgi. @*Results@#The daily life experiences of community-dwelling people with mental disabilities were categorized into the following four components: “encountering shocking reality in the outside world”, “life tied down by the mental illness”, “happiness and gratefulness encountered in daily life”, and “wishing for a change and self-sustaining life”. Conclusion: This study found that the recovery and welfare of community-dwelling people with mental disabilities were promoted and that these patients made necessary efforts to become a member of the local community. These findings could be used as a reference for establishing social welfare policies which enable people with mental disabilities to participate as functioning members of the community that facilitate the prevention of relapse, to promote their integration into the community. Furthermore, the present results will contribute to the development of nursing intervention programs to promote recovery and prevent relapse, to ultimately establish a mental health management system.

Development and Effectiveness of the Interpersonal Caring Program for Young North Korean Defectors

Purpose@#The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the interpersonal caring program for young North Korean defectors which we developed based on Kim's interpersonal caring technique. @*Methods@#This study employs a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects of this study are 36 young North Korean defectors living in three areas. The participants are recruited through alternative schools, churches, and acquaintances. The experimental group consists of 20 participants and the control group consists of 16 participants. Experiments are conducted by four days. Specifically, the experiments are conducted eight times and each takes about 120 minutes. Furthermore, we run the camp for two nights and three days. We test our hypothesis by using Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Independent t-test, Paired t-test, and Independent t-test. @*Results@#All the test statistics support our hypotheses such as self-esteem (t=1.87, p=.035), mental health (t=-1.69, p=.049), interpersonal relationships (t=1.93, p=.031), and quality of life (t=1.88, p=.034). @*Conclusion@#We found that the interpersonal caring program developed in this study is effective in improving North Korean defectors’ self-esteem, mental health, interpersonal relationships, and quality of life.

Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study on the Experiences of Employment of Married North Korean Women Defectors Rearing Children

PURPOSE: This study aimed to understand the experiences of married North Korean women's child-rearing, working lives, and their home and work environment in depth.METHODS: This study adopted van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological method to qualitatively analyze data. The participants were 8 married North Korean women defectors. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and observations from July 4 to August 20, 2018.RESULTS: Nine essential themes emerged: more personal challenges after overcoming a life-threatening crisis; hopes of firmly settling in this land; the wound from the north, which chased them here; a body that becomes stronger through hardship; being stuck in a past full of anxiety and pain; the present is full of hope; hope for the future; sense of alienation from coworkers that cannot be overcome; and sense of power to endure an exhausting work life.CONCLUSION: This study provided a broader understanding of the life and experiences of married women from North Korea. It highlights the need for nurses to recognize their importance in nursing care. The study also suggests that academic and practical approaches for nursing, and basic data for a nursing intervention for married women from North Korea be provided. The study findings can be used as a basis for preparing a national policy that will help North Korean defectors to find employment and gain stability.

Suffering Experience of Primary Caregivers of People with Mental Disabilities in Community Dwellings / 정신간호학회지

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to examine the suffering experienced by the primary caregiver of people with mental disabilities in community dwellings to explain the fundamental structure thereof. @*Methods@#The Giorgi’s phenomenological research methodology was used. Three male subjects and five female subjects participated in this study. The data were collected September-December, 2019 through in-depth individual interviews, and analysis based on the Giorgi’s method. @*Results@#Four clusters of themes were identified. They are: “Mental disability came as a burden of pain”, “Painful time from caring due to being mentally recoiled and being hurtful”, “My life is broken by illness”, and “Hope discovered in the midst of pain”. @*Conclusion@#The findings provide deeper understanding and insight into the suffering experienced by primary caregivers for people with mental disabilities in community dwellings. A comprehensive program encompassing psychological and social aspects must be developed to facilitate resolving the problem of the suffering experienced by the primary caregiver for people with mental disabilities.

Nursing College Life Experiences of North Korean Defectors

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to understand nursing college life experiences of North Korean Defectors and identify their meanings. METHODS: The study collected data through individual in-depth interviews among six undergraduates or graduates from nursing colleges, using phenomenological research methodology of Colaizzi-one of qualitative research approaches. RESULTS: Six categories drawn as a result of research include ‘Be bumped against hard reality wall’, ‘Bondage of discrimination and prejudice’, ‘Endure and stand with strength of faith’, ‘Myself grown up along with work’, ‘Becoming one amid differences’, and ‘Stepping towards unification’. CONCLUSION: The result of this study would contribute to understanding academic and interpersonal difficulties North Korean defectors might experience at nursing colleges. And it may also help people to learn that they would play an important role in integration of the nursing fields of South and North Korea as well as the nation's unification. Along the way, the results of the study could be basic data to establish national policy helping North Korean defectors adapt to nursing college life, and develop the supporting system of colleges as well as setting up appropriate supports and measures from the perspective of the nursing field.

The Effect of Self-efficacy and Depression on Sense of Family Coherence in Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy and Primary Caregivers in Day Care Wards: Using the Method Actor-partner Interdependence Model

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to determine the effects of self-efficacy and depression on the sense of family coherence in both cancer patients and their caregivers using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) analysis.METHODS: A total of 274 patients were registered in the study, including 137 cancer patients who were undergoing chemotherapy in a day care ward and 137 primary caregivers. The data was collected from December 30, 2017 to July 30, 2018. Data were analyzed by the data analysis method using SPSS/WIN 20.0 (SPSS Korea Data Solution Inc) and AMOS 21.0 (SPSS Korea Data Solution Inc).RESULTS: Self-efficacy of cancer patients had a direct effect on patient depression (β=−.24, p=.008). Self-efficacy of primary caregivers also had a direct effect on patient depression (β=−.51, p < .001). Factors significantly affecting cancer patient FSOC were cancer patient self-efficacy (β=.34, p < .001) and cancer patient depression (β=−.42, p < .001). Factors significantly affecting primary caregiver FSOC (Family Sense of Coherence) were cancer patient self-efficacy (β=.13, p=.026) and caregiver depression (β=−.29, p=.008).CONCLUSION: It is thought that self-efficacy and depression should be controlled to improve the family cohesion of cancer patients and their primary caregivers.

Influence of Trauma Experiences and Social Adjustment on Health-related Quality of Life in North Korean Defectors

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify the influence of trauma experiences and social adjustment on health-related quality of life in North Korean defectors. METHODS: The subjects were 117 North Korean defectors living in B and Y city. The data were collected from September 1 to September 20, 2014, and analyzed by the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in the health-related quality of life with respect to the subjects' education, marriage status, types of dwelling, family types, duration of residence in South Korea, jobs in South Korea and in North Korea, families left in North Korea or other surrounding countries, and subjective health status. Health-related quality of life is negatively related to trauma experiences during escape from North Korea and during their life in South Korea. Health-related quality of life positively is related to social adjustment. The meaningful variables which influenced the subjects'health-related quality include social adjustment, job in South Korea, job in North Korea, current family structure, and trauma experiences in South Korea. Total explanatory power of these factors for health-related quality in North Korean Defectors is 43.0% and social adjustment is the most influential factor. CONCLUSION: Therefore, in order to enhance health-related quality of life in North Korean defectors, it is necessary for them to increase social adjustment and decrease trauma experiences. In addition, methods are needed to provide job opportunities, better education and family services for North Korean defectors.

Effects of Family Burden, Resilience and Spiritual Well-being on the Quality of Life of Primary Caregivers of People with Mental Illness / 정신간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was done to identify family burden, resilience, spiritual well-being and quality of life of primary caregivers of people with mental illness. METHODS: Participants were 160 primary caregivers of people with mental illness being treated at one of three mental health clinics in Busan. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe test, Pearson's correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: Quality of life was positively correlated with resilience (r=.55, p=.006), spiritual well-being (r=.41, p<.001), and negatively correlated with family burden (r=-.28, p<.001). Factors influencing quality of life were resilience (β=.36), family monthly income (β=.24), support from others (β=.20) and education (β=.18). The explanatory power of these factors for quality of life of primary caregivers of people with mental illness was 45%. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that resilience is the most important factor affecting quality of life of primary caregivers of people with mental illness. Therefore, the development of nursing interventions to improve resilience and enhance the quality of life of primary caregivers is necessary.

Attitudes of Elementary School Teachers toward Mental Illness / 정신간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study is done to investigate the attitudes of teachers toward mental illness and to provide appropriate information about mental illness. METHODS: The participants were 228 teachers recruited from 15 elementary schools in the National Capital region and B metropolitan city. Data were collected from October to December, 2013 and analyzed using t-test, ANOVA and Scheffee test with SPSS 18.0. RESULTS: Neutral attitudes (77.4+/-7.79) toward mental illness were shown among the teachers. A negative attitude for stereotyping (23.2+/-6.08), a positive attitude for optimism (19.3+/-3.01) and neutral attitudes for coping (19.3+/-1.92) and understanding (15.6 +/-3.05) were revealed. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that elementary school teachers have neutral attitudes towards mental illness which is closely related to the experience of learning about mental illness. Thus, when teachers learn about mental illness they can understand and guide children who have unusual behaviors.

Terminal Care Stress, Job Satisfaction and Terminal Care Performance for Nurses in Internal Medicine Wards / 한국호스피스완화의료학회지

PURPOSE: This study is aimed to investigate the relationship among terminal care stress, job satisfaction and terminal care performance nurses in internal medicine wards and to provide a basis to improve terminal care performance. METHODS: This is a descriptive study performed with 201 nurses who have at least one year of experience and are stationed at the internal medicine department of three general hospitals and three university hospitals in P city of a metropolitan city B. The nurses also had an experience with a dying patient. Data were collected from March 1 through March 31, 2014. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Kosin University. RESULTS: Job satisfaction was negatively correlated with stress in end-of-life care (r=-212, P=0.003) and positively correlated with terminal care performance (r=0.383, P<0.001). There was no correlation between terminal care stress and terminal care performance. CONCLUSION: Appropriate programs are needed to improve job satisfaction for high quality terminal care performance.

Perception and Knowledge of Hospice Care and Attitude toward Death Held by Medical Professionals from the Same Region in Korea / 한국호스피스완화의료학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine medical professionals' perception and knowledge of hospice and palliative care (HPC) and attitude toward death. METHODS: The survey was performed on 84 physicians and 172 nurses in Busan, Korea. Data were collected from April 5, 2012 to April 30, 2012. RESULTS: Regarding the purpose of HPC, the most popular perception was "To alleviate pain and accommodate comfort" among both physicians and nurses. For the need for HPC, "Terminal patients need a separate ward for emotional fluctuation" the answer chosen by both groups the most. Both groups scored low on knowledge of HPC. For pain and symptom management, physicians scored higher than nurses (physicians: 6.97+/-1.82, nurses: 5.68+/-1.93, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Considering the survey results, we suggest development of a program to improve medical professionals' perception and knowledge of HPC and attitude toward death.

Trends in Research on Hospice Care in Korea / 한국호스피스완화의료학회지

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to analyze a trend in studies of hospice care in Korea and to suggest future research directions. METHODS: This study analyzed a total of 183 studies related to hospice care which were found at http://www.riss.kr. RESULTS: Of the 183 studies, 62 (33.9%) were for thesis studies for a degree, 121 (66.1%) for academic journals. There were 159 (87.8%) quantitative studies, 18 (8.9%) qualitative studies, and 6 (3.3%) Q-Method studies. The most frequently used study design was a descriptive study. The majority of study participants were terminal cancer patients, patients' family members and health care personnel. The thesis articles were searched by using key words as follows: health, nursing, environment, children's hospice, and others. CONCLUSION: The number of studies of hospice care has increased, and research key words varied. Furthermore, more experimental research is needed on nursing intervention such as pain relief, alternative therapies and hospice care for children.