The Emergence of the North Texas Korean American Nurses Society and its Contributions to Korean Immigrant Societies in the U.S / 간호행정학회지

PURPOSE: To describe the emergence of the North Texas Korean American Nurses Society (NTKANS) and to examine its sociocultural contributions to Korean immigrant societies in the U.S. for the last half century. METHODS: The study used retrospective historical analysis to explore the first North Texas Korean immigrant nurses' footsteps. Using Christy's historical research methodology, this study explored themes found in the NTKANS Minutes, the directories, and newspapers, and compared them with historical nursing contexts found in documents, immigrant nurse's pictures, and letters. Interviews with twenty first immigrant Korean nurses, the members, were also used as main data. RESULTS: Since its emergence in 1969, the NTKANS have contributed to local Korean societies through community medical services, financial supports to local Korean associations, local publications, and opening Korean school. In addition, the society has contributed to the other Korean immigrant nursing societies in the U.S. CONCLUSION: The sociocultural contributions NTKANS had made to Korean immigrant societies were not possible without its members' enormous efforts, personal struggles, and altruistic dedications. The trials and tribulations these immigrant nurses have overcome and the achievements they made for last half century would greatly inspire students and nurses in Korea who may seek international leadership and scholarship.

Determinants of Nurses' Handwashing Practice / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine handwashing-related factors in nurses. Specific purposes of this study were to examine 1) the applicability of the hypothetical model constructed for this study, on the basis of Theory of Planned Behavior(TPB), and 2) relationships between handwashing practice and other variables such as age, career, level of education, and level of recognition about handwashing. METHOD: Data were collected from 187 nurses in one university hospital in Kyung-Ki province. RESULT: The hypothetical model based on TPB was revealed applicable, but the degree of the variance explaining handwashing practice was small(26%). Perceived behavioral control(PBC) was the most strong variable explaining handwashing practice, and intention didn't have a significant effect on handwashing practice. Norm and PBC had significant effects on intention, but attitude was not a significant factor of intention. Age, career, and the level of awareness of handwashing practice were significantly related to handwashing practice. CONCLUSION: The result of this study suggests that we should focus on perceived behavioral control, awareness of handwashing practice and subjective norm about handwashing practice to increase the level of nurses' handwashing practice.

Determinants of Nurses' Handwashing Practice / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine handwashing-related factors in nurses. Specific purposes of this study were to examine 1) the applicability of the hypothetical model constructed for this study, on the basis of Theory of Planned Behavior(TPB), and 2) relationships between handwashing practice and other variables such as age, career, level of education, and level of recognition about handwashing. METHOD: Data were collected from 187 nurses in one university hospital in Kyung-Ki province. RESULT: The hypothetical model based on TPB was revealed applicable, but the degree of the variance explaining handwashing practice was small(26%). Perceived behavioral control(PBC) was the most strong variable explaining handwashing practice, and intention didn't have a significant effect on handwashing practice. Norm and PBC had significant effects on intention, but attitude was not a significant factor of intention. Age, career, and the level of awareness of handwashing practice were significantly related to handwashing practice. CONCLUSION: The result of this study suggests that we should focus on perceived behavioral control, awareness of handwashing practice and subjective norm about handwashing practice to increase the level of nurses' handwashing practice.