Barriers to Learning Healthcare-Associated Infections Prevention and Control during Clinical Practicum among Nursing Students in Korea: A Focus Group Study.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) refer to infections that patients may acquire from healthcare facilities through nursing activities. Nursing students involved in patient care are regularly exposed to an array of pathogens and clinical practicum is essential for them to appropriately practice HAI prevention and control. This study aimed to explore the barriers to learning HAI prevention and control experienced by nursing students during their clinical practicum. A qualitative study was performed using focus group interviews. A total of 12 nursing students from South Korea, consisting of six third-year students and six fourth-year students, were enrolled. Both groups had taken clinical practicum courses. Data were collected using semi-structured questions and analyzed with conventional content analysis. Barriers experienced by the participants when learning HAI prevention and control were limited learning opportunities, inadequate infection control-related knowledge, inadequate practicum experience, and passive learning attitudes. Addressing the identified barriers would allow nursing students to effectively acquire infection control competencies during their clinical practicum.

Team-Based Learning Experiences of Nursing Students in a Health Assessment Subject: A Qualitative Study.

Health assessment as a subject comprises knowledge and practices in which health problems are identified by collecting individual health data. As the subject requires fast learning of voluminous content, it becomes cumbersome. Team-based learning (TBL) has been proposed as an effective teaching and learning strategy in such situations. This study aimed to explore the lived TBL experiences of nursing students from their perspectives in a health assessment subject. This study adopted a qualitative research method. TBL was applied in a health assessment subject at a university in South Korea, as a 2-credit course for 16 weeks. Twelve sophomore nursing students who enrolled in a health assessment subject were the participants. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi's method. The results contained twelve themes categorized into five theme clusters: "Getting ready for learning", "Effective class promoting concentration and immersion", "Proactive participation in a non-hierarchical learning environment", "Complementary collaboration", and "Sense of burden". The findings suggest that TBL is an effective teaching and learning strategy for the discipline, imparting positive experiences such as class engagement, teamwork, learning outcomes, and improvement of problem-solving skills if students' role conflicts and continuous learning burden can be addressed.

Nursing students' perception of class immersion facilitators in psychiatric nursing: Team-based learning combined with flipped learning.

BACKGROUND: Psychiatric nursing is a complex subject for nursing students due to abstract concepts and required pre-licensure competencies including collaboration and communication. A student-centred educational approach is needed to encourage engagement and immersion in class. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to use students' perspectives to explore factors facilitating class immersion in a psychiatric nursing subject using team-based learning combined with flipped learning. DESIGN: This study used a qualitative approach. SETTINGS: Team-based learning combined with flipped learning was applied in a 3-credit psychiatric nursing subject over a 15-week semester at a university in Daejeon, South Korea. PARTICIPANTS: Participants included 12 senior nursing students who had completed a psychiatric nursing subject. METHODS: Data were collected using individual interviews, and analysed by reflexive thematic analysis. Data analysis was based on constructivist learning theory. RESULTS: The following four main themes emerged, teacher as a facilitator, inquiry-based learning, collaboration, and reflection. The teacher's role as a facilitator was to guide student's self-directed learning and immersion in enjoyable classes with a non-hierarchical environment. Realistic complex problems allowed students to prepare for future clinical practice and helped students with immersion. Students actively integrated different opinions through collaboration with team members and became immersed in class. Students were able to immerse more in class through critical thinking process and immediate feedback. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that team-based learning combined with flipped learning based on constructivist learning theory may be an effective instructional approach for increasing class immersion in a psychiatric nursing subject, thereby improving instructor's design for the subject.

Barriers to and Facilitators of Physical Activity among Korean Female Adults with Knee Osteoarthritis and Comorbidity: A Qualitative Study.

When knee osteoarthritis is combined with comorbidity, it is associated with limited physical activity. This study aimed to identify barriers to and facilitators of physical activity among Korean female adults with knee osteoarthritis and comorbidity, such as hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. A qualitative content analysis study was conducted. Ten female knee osteoarthritis participants with comorbidity were recruited at an orthopedic outpatient center in South Korea. Data were collected using in-depth interviews and were analyzed using a conventional content analysis method. Ten participants with a mean age of 70.7 years participated in this study. Four categories of barriers and three of facilitators were identified. Barriers to physical activity were physical hardships, lack of motivation, environmental restrictions, and lack of knowledge. Categories of facilitators were pain management, self-control in physical activity, and understanding the importance of physical activity. Participants did not express any social or environmental facilitators of physical exercise. Healthcare professionals should include social support and environmental facilities to achieve medical and institutional compliance. Understanding female adults with knee osteoarthritis and comorbidity would support provision of appropriately tailored interventions that account for the characteristics of the comorbidity.

The moderating role of acculturation mode on the relationship between depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life among international students in Korea.

We examined the moderating role of acculturation mode on the relationship between depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in international students. This cross-sectional study enrolled a convenience sample of 147 international students at a university in Korea. Participants' overall HRQoL was moderate (mean = 57.2 of 80). The main and interaction effects of depressive symptoms and selected acculturation modes explained 39.9% of the variance in HRQoL. For all acculturation modes except the integration mode, as depressive symptom scores increased, HRQoL decreased. Specifically, at high depressive symptoms levels, participants with the marginalization, separation, and assimilation modes had worse HRQoL than did the integration mode, while HRQoL was similar for all acculturation modes at low depressive symptom levels. These findings suggest that future prospective intervention strategies should be considered for not only depressive symptoms levels, but also for different acculturation modes to enhance HRQoL in this population.

Effects of team-based learning on perceived teamwork and academic performance in a health assessment subject.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of team-based learning (a well-recognized learning and teaching strategy), applied in a health assessment subject, on nursing students' perceived teamwork (team-efficacy and team skills) and academic performance (individual and team readiness assurance tests, and examination scores). A prospective, one-group, pre- and post-test design enrolled a convenience sample of 74 second-year nursing students at a university in Suwon, Korea. Team-based learning was applied in a 2-credit health assessment subject over a 16-week semester. All students received written material one week before each class for readiness preparation. After administering individual- and team-readiness assurance tests consecutively, the subject instructor gave immediate feedback and delivered a mini-lecture to the students. Finally, students carried out skill based application exercises. The findings showed significant improvements in the mean scores of students' perceived teamwork after the introduction of team-based learning. In addition, team-efficacy was associated with team-adaptability skills and team-interpersonal skills. Regarding academic performance, team readiness assurance tests were significantly higher than individual readiness assurance tests over time. Individual readiness assurance tests were significantly related with examination scores, while team readiness assurance tests were correlated with team-efficacy and team-interpersonal skills. The application of team-based learning in a health assessment subject can enhance students' perceived teamwork and academic performance. This finding suggests that team-based learning may be an effective learning and teaching strategy for improving team-work of nursing students, who need to collaborate and effectively communicate with health care providers to improve patients' health.

Effects of case-based learning on communication skills, problem-solving ability, and learning motivation in nursing students.

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of case-based learning on communication skills, problem-solving ability, and learning motivation in sophomore nursing students. In this prospective, quasi-experimental study, we compared the pretest and post-test scores of an experimental group and a nonequivalent, nonsynchronized control group. Both groups were selected using convenience sampling, and consisted of students enrolled in a health communication course in the fall semesters of 2011 (control group) and 2012 (experimental group) at a nursing college in Suwon, South Korea. The two courses covered the same material, but in 2011 the course was lecture-based, while in 2012, lectures were replaced by case-based learning comprising five authentic cases of patient-nurse communication. At post-test, the case-based learning group showed significantly greater communication skills, problem-solving ability, and learning motivation than the lecture-based learning group. This finding suggests that case-based learning is an effective learning and teaching method.

Effects of a community-based intervention on cardio-metabolic risk and self-care behaviour in older adults with metabolic syndrome.

This pilot study was performed to investigate the effects of a community-based intervention (CBI) on cardio-metabolic risk and self-care behaviour in 92 older adults with metabolic syndrome at public health centres in Suwon, Korea. A prospective, pretest and posttest, controlled, quasi-experimental design was used. The older adults in the intervention group participated in an 8-week intensive lifestyle counselling, whereas those in the control group received usual care. The mean (standard deviation) age of the participants was 71.4 (4.43) years ranging from 60 to 84, and 75.0% of the participants were female. The intervention group at 8 weeks showed significant reduction in waist circumference by -1.35 cm (P<0.001) and improved self-care behaviour (+5.17 score, P<0.05) and self-efficacy (+4.84 score, P<0.001) when compared with the control group. The percentages of those who successfully completed the targeted behavioural modification were 71.7% for exercise and 52.2% for dietary control in the intervention group at 8 weeks. This pilot study provided evidence of the beneficial impact of the CBI for Korean older adults with metabolic syndrome.

Effects of a cardiovascular risk reduction intervention with psychobehavioral strategies for Korean adults with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and metabolic syndrome are associated with high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and depression. Although lifestyle modifications including regular exercise and weight control are recommended as a primary approach to glycemic control and CVD risk reduction for people with DM and/or metabolic syndrome, little is known concerning the effects of CVD risk reduction interventions using psychobehavioral strategies in this population. OBJECTIVE: This pilot study investigated the effects of a 16-week CVD risk reduction intervention in Korean adults with type 2 DM and metabolic syndrome. METHODS: A prospective, pretest and posttest, controlled, quasi-experimental design enrolled a convenience sample of 43 Korean adults with type 2 DM and metabolic syndrome at a university hospital. The adults in the intervention group participated in a 16-week CVD risk reduction intervention consisting of 150 minutes of regular exercise per week; 200- to 300-kcal reduced daily diet for weight control; one-on-one psychobehavioral counseling based on constructs from the Transtheoretical Model such as processes of change, self-efficacy, and decisional balance; and telephone coaching for behavioral modification. Participants in the control group received a booklet with basic diabetic education as part of their routine care. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used for analyzing the effects of the CVD risk reduction intervention on cardiometabolic risk factors including the UK Prospective Diabetes Study score for 10-year CVD risk, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and depression. RESULTS: The intervention group showed significant reductions (P < .05) at 16 weeks, compared with the control group on the UK Prospective Diabetes Study fatal risk scale (-1.73% vs -0.04%), triglycerides (-38.5 vs -15.1 mg/dL), fasting plasma glucose (-29.24 vs +1.77 mg/dL), HbA1c (-0.37% vs +0.17%), and depression (score, -3.24 vs 1.40) measurements. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study yielded evidence for the beneficial impact of the CVD risk reduction intervention for Korean adults with type 2 DM and metabolic syndrome on improved glycemic control, reduced CVD risk, and depression.

A survey of Brugia malayi infection on the Heugsan Islands, Korea.

Lymphatic filariasis due to Brugia malayi infection was endemic in several areas of South Korea. The infection was controlled, or disappeared, in most areas, with the exception of the remote southwestern islands of Jeonranam-do, including the Heugsan Islands. To discover its current situation, a small-scale survey was performed on the Heugsan Islands in September 2000. A total of 378 people, 151 male and 227 female, living in 8 villages (6 on Daeheugsan-do, 1 on Daejang-do, and 1 on Yeongsan-do) were subjected to a night blood survey for microfilaremia, and physical examination for elephantiasis on the extremities. There were 6 (1.6%) microfilaria positive cases, all in females aged 57-72 years, and from only two villages of the Daeheugsan-do area. There were 4 patients with lower leg elephantiasis, but they showed no microfilaremia. The results show that a low-grade endemicity of filariasis remains on the Daeheugsan-do.