Development and Validation of a Korean Nursing Work Environment Scale for Critical Care Nurses / 임상간호연구

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to develop a Korean nursing work environment scale for critical care nurses (KNWES-CCN) and verify its validity and reliability. @*Methods@#A total of 46 preliminary items were selected using content validity analysis of experts on 64 candidate items derived through literature reviews and in-depth interviews with critical care nurses. 535 critical care nurses from 21 hospitals responded to the preliminary questionnaire from February to March 2021. The collected data were analysed using construct, convergent and discriminant validities, and internal consistency and test-retest reliability. @*Results@#The 23 items in 4 factors accounted for 55.6% of the total variance were identified through item analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). EFA was performed with maximum likelihood method including direct oblimin method. In the confirmatory factor analysis, KNWES-CCN consisted of 21 items in 4 factors by deleting the items that were not meet the condition that the factor loading over .50 or the squared multiple correlation over .30. This model was considered to be suitable because it satisfied the fit index and acceptable criteria of the model [x2 =440.47 (p<.001), CMIN/DF=2.41, GFI=.86, SRMR=.06, RMSEA=.07, TLI=.90, CFI=.91]. The item total correlation values ranged form .32 to .73 and its internal consistency was Cronbach's ⍺=.92. The reliability of the test-retest correlation coefficient was .72 and the intra-class correlation coefficient was .83. @*Conclusion@#The KNWES-CCN showed good validity and reliability. Therefore, it is expected that the use of this scale would measure and improve nursing work environment for critical care nurses in Korea.

The Structural Equation Model of Organizational Culture, Authentic Leadership, Self-Esteem, and Bullying in Nurses at Critical Care Units / 임상간호연구

PURPOSE@#The purpose of this study were to identify the influential factors of bullying of intensive care nurses and to suggest a final structural model based on identified relationships between nursing organizational culture, authentic leadership, self-esteem, and bullying in the workplace.@*METHODS@#Data were collected from 221 nurses at intensive care units in eight general hospitals using structured questionnaires and analyzed by structural equation modeling.@*RESULTS@#In this study, the average of bullying in the workplace was 1.34±0.40, nursing organizational culture was 3.31±0.47, self-esteem was 2.79±0.44, and authentic leadership was 3.61±0.60. The factors affecting nursing organizational culture were authentic leadership (β=.54, p<.001) and self-esteem (β=.24, p=.002) that had direct positive effects on the nursing organizational culture. The nursing organizational culture had also a direct effect on reducing workplace bullying (β=−.45, p<.001). Authentic leadership (β=−.24, p=.004) and self-esteem (β=−.11, p=.004) had indirect effects on workplace bullying, which was mediated by the nursing organizational culture.@*CONCLUSION@#To understand and reduce workplace bullying, evaluating a nursing organizational culture should be preceded. Based on the finding of this study, an intervention for increasing authentic leadership and self-esteem of nurses can positively help to create the nursing organizational culture and then reduce workplace bullying.

Intensive Care Unit Nurses' Death Perception, End of Life Stress and End of Life Nursing Attitudes / 임상간호연구

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify the view of life and death among ICU nurses and to analyze the problems related to end-of-life care in the current ICUs. METHODS: A descriptive study design was used. The participants were 975 nurses working in the intensive care units of 16 general hospitals. Using a descriptive survey design, data were collected from August to December in 2016 and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: As a result of a correlation analysis of the data, Death perception had a significant positive correlation with EOL of nursing attitudes(r=.100, p=.002), and negative correlation with EOL stress care(r=−.221, p= < .001). The regression model explained for individual characteristics in the model, age(β=.126, p < .001) and death perception(β=.182, p < .001), Satisfaction of the EOL care(β=.173, p < .001), Healing training needs on the EOL(β=−.144, p < .001) were the most influential factors for EOL stress. CONCLUSION: Results reveal that ICU nurses have a moderate level of EOL stress, and that individual, age, death perception, Satisfaction of the EOL care, Healing traning needs on the EOL relevant in ICU nurses' EOL stress. Programs or interventions to reduce EOL stress and to should be developed taking into account these multidimensional factors.

A Prospective Study on the lncidence of Ventilator-associated Pneumonia in Patients with Circuit Changes every 3 days Versus Weekly Changes / 병원감염관리

BACKGROUND: Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most serious nosocomial infection of intensive care units. Several studies have investigated the relationship between the interval of ventilator circuit changes and the incidence of pneumonia in foreign countries, but there are no reports about it in Korea yet. So we performed this study to compare the clinical and cost impact between 3 days and 7 days interval in ventilator circuit changes. METHODS: Seoul National University Hospital is a 1,500-bed, university affiliated, tertiary and acute care hospital. All patients admitted to medical intensive care unit (MICU) and surgical intensive care unlt (SICU) between April 1, 1998 and October 31, 1998, requiring mechanical ventilation were included. Patients were divided into two groups of a-cay circuit changes and weekly changes. Daily surveillance was conducted using the criteria of VAP of the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System. Incidence of VAP and risk factors for VAP were evaluated. Standard microbiologic methods were used for the identification of clinical and environmental isolates. Statistical analysis was done by SAS Program (version 6.12), analysis of difference in variables was performed using chi-square test and t-test. Analysis of odds ratios was done with logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: VAP developed at a rate of 12.2 per 1,000 ventilator-days in the 3 days change group and 15.6 per 1,000 ventilator-days in the weekly change group (P=0.7240). The only statistically significant risk factor of VAP was duration of mechanical ventilation, The risk of VAP in patients with more than 7 days was 2.23 times higher than in patients with 7 days and below (OR; 2.2296). Estimated annual savings of nursing time by extending ventilator circuit change interval from 3 days to 7 days were 26,806 min 48 sec and estimated savings of cost by reduction of nursing times was calculated as 6,701,700 won. CONCLUSIONS: Weekly ventilator circuit changes in patients undergoing ventilation therapy in the ICU do not contribute to increased the rates of VAP and are cost-effective.