Typology of Community Health Vulnerabilities and Their Effects on Health Status by Type-Using Community Health Survey

Purpose@#This study examined health determinants at a community level and put forward to a typology of five different forms of community health vulnerabilities. We also investigated the differences in the prevalence of chronic diseases, self-rated health, and quality of life (EQ-5D) among the five types. @*Methods@#Latent class analysis was applied to material, social capital, and health behavior vulnerability variables across 255 regions of South Korea. The data came from 2017 & 2019 Community Health Survey. @*Results@#We found five types of community health vulnerabilities: Type 1 group had the highest material vulnerabilities compared to Type 5. The typology was found to be significant in all the regression analysis on the prevalence of chronic diseases (hypertension and diabetes), self-rated health status, and quality of life. In the regions with high material vulnerabilities, the material vulnerability appeared the most effective to the health status of individual’s. In the other regions with less material vulnerabilities, the social capital and health behavior resources were found to be effective. @*Conclusion@#A comprehensive measure of vulnerability can be helpful to understand community health. Policy makers need to consider the level of material vulnerability when planning for a health promotion project.

A Case Study on Workers' Compensation Approval for a Hospital Nurse's Suicide / 산업간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the process from occurrence of a hospital nurse's suicide to workers' compensation approval, responses of the parties involved, issues debated during approval deliberations, and significant policy changes resulting from the incident.METHODS: We conducted in-depth interviews with involved parties and collected various documents, including newspaper articles, forum proceedings, and the agency report on determination of workers' compensation. Content analysis was performed on the collected data.RESULTS: A Joint Task Force continuously reported its progress and findings through mass media such as newspaper, radio, and TV. These activities exerted pressure on a government agency to conduct an occupational disease review and significantly impacted the workers' compensation approval. The agency recognized associations between the hospital's inadequate nurse training and the suicide but did not confirm the excessive overtime and workplace harassment experienced by the nurse as causes of the suicide. This case's media coverage and impact resulted in a law prohibiting workplace harassment and a hospital system dedicating at least one nurse to training activities.CONCLUSION: This incident had a significant social impact as the first case of workers' compensation approval for a hospital nurse's suicide. However, the case produced no structural changes in nurses' working conditions such as heavy workloads.

A Case Study on Workers' Compensation Approval for a Hospital Nurse's Suicide / 한국직업건강간호학회지

PURPOSE@#This study aimed to examine the process from occurrence of a hospital nurse's suicide to workers' compensation approval, responses of the parties involved, issues debated during approval deliberations, and significant policy changes resulting from the incident.@*METHODS@#We conducted in-depth interviews with involved parties and collected various documents, including newspaper articles, forum proceedings, and the agency report on determination of workers' compensation. Content analysis was performed on the collected data.@*RESULTS@#A Joint Task Force continuously reported its progress and findings through mass media such as newspaper, radio, and TV. These activities exerted pressure on a government agency to conduct an occupational disease review and significantly impacted the workers' compensation approval. The agency recognized associations between the hospital's inadequate nurse training and the suicide but did not confirm the excessive overtime and workplace harassment experienced by the nurse as causes of the suicide. This case's media coverage and impact resulted in a law prohibiting workplace harassment and a hospital system dedicating at least one nurse to training activities.@*CONCLUSION@#This incident had a significant social impact as the first case of workers' compensation approval for a hospital nurse's suicide. However, the case produced no structural changes in nurses' working conditions such as heavy workloads.

Experiences of Clinical Nurses Aged over 40 as Shift Workers / 간호행정학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of clinical nurses over 40 years of age who were shift workers. METHODS: Data were collected from in-depth interviews with 10 clinical nurses over 40 years of age who had at least 10 years of clinical experience and who worked in 5 acute care hospitals. The data were analyzed using Braun & Clark's thematic analysis. RESULTS: One main theme, 3 themes, and 9 subthemes were derived. The main theme was "Sustaining a position still in conflict", and themes were as follows; "Being trained as a professional nurse", "Having unfavorable working conditions and damaged self-esteem", "Trying hard to get a sense of value as an experienced nurse" CONCLUSION: The results of this study show the issues of age and generational diversities in nurses in acute care hospitals. It is necessary to explore various ways to utilize the experience of older clinical nurses for the integrity of nursing organization and the development of the nursing profession.