• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.224-234
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• 2003

Purpose: This study was to test the effects of a full body massage on labor pain and delivery stress reaction for primipara during labor. Method: This study employed a quasi- experimental method(nonequivalent control group, pre-post test design). The subjects of this study were 57 primipara hospitalized at the U OB & GYN hospital in Inchon from November 1. 2001 to July 31, 2002. 28 women were assigned to the experimental group and 29 to the control group. The experimental group was given 20 minutes full body massage for each of three delivery phases. The control group was given conventional delivery care. The levels of labor pain were measured by the Visual Analogue Scale and the expression scores of the labor pain and the levels of delivery stress reaction were measured by pulse rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure, and State-Anxiety Scale. Data were analyzed using the repeated measures analysis of covariance(ANCOVA), t-test, $X^2$- test, simple ANCOVA with SPSS program. Result: There was no interaction effect between time and group(F=.370, p=.693), but significant time effects were found for subjective labor pain(F=3.840, p=.028). There was no interaction effect between time and group(F=.112, p=.894), but significant group effects were found for objective labor pain(F=12.299, p=.001). There was no interaction effect between time and group for PR(F=.172, p=.843), RR(F=.626, p=.539), SBP(F=.089, p=.915), DBP(F=.748, p=.479), but significant group effects were found for SBP(F=7.547, p=.008). The level of status anxiety of the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group(F=11.787, p=.001). Conclusion: This study showed that the full body massage has partially positive effect on labor pain and delivery stress reaction. Therefore this study suggested that the full body massage might be used clinically to help primipara during labor.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.195-204
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the spouse's aromatherapy massage on labor pain, anxiety during labor and childbirth satisfaction for laboring women. Methods: The subjects of this study were laboring women who didn't have any complication during pregnancy and who have admitted for childbirth with their spouse to E. hospital in D city. This study was carried out from June to November in 2007. The subjects were allocated into three groups: spouse's aromatherapy massage group, spouse's carrier oil massage group and control group. Aromatherapy massage and carrier oil massage was applied for ten minutes every hour after the cervix dilated 5cm. The subjects in the control group were with their spouse during labor. Results: The labor pain by VAS was significantly different among the three groups (Kruskal-Wallis $x^2$=7.09 p=.029) in the deceleration phase. The anxiety during labor by VAS were significantly different among the three groups (Kruskal-Wallis $x^2$=6.77 p=.034) in the deceleration phase. There was no significant difference in childbirth satisfaction among the three groups. Conclusion: The spouse's aromatherapy massage using Lavender, Clary sage, Frankincense and Neroli could be effective in decreasing labor pain and decreasing anxiety level during labor.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.200-208
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was aimed to examine the gap between predicted cesarean section rate and real cesarean section rate and it's determining factors of 44 tertiary hospitals. Method: This study is a cross-sectional analysis using the data of 25,623 deliveries in 2009 drawn from homepage of Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Data were analyzed with t-test, F-test, Scheff$\acute{e}$ test, and logistic regression. Result: There were statistically significant differences in the gap of cesarean section rate (more gap indicates higher quality of delivery) by grade of nurse staffing and delivery cases. Hospitals with nurse staffing grade 1 to 2 had more possibility to be classified into higher grade in quality of delivery (OR 5.67, 95% CI 1.07-30.08). Also hospitals with over 500 delivery cases had more possibility be classified into higher grade in quality of delivery (OR 4.92, 95% CI 1.14-21.23, respectively). Conclusion: The finding suggests that grade of nurse staffing may influence the real cesarean section rate because nurses do a vital role to prevent unnecessary cesarean section. Further study is required to provide evidence that nurse staffing influence on patient outcome and cost-effectiveness in order to obtain adequate number of nursing staffs.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.180-189
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of clinical practice and simulation-based practice for obstetrical nursing in terms of self-efficacy, practice satisfaction, and practice stress. Methods: A non-equivalent control group post test design was used. The participants were 171 junior nursing students, 103 in the experimental group, and 68 in the control group. Simulation-based practice consisted of nursing assessment during labor, nursing assessment and intervention for normal and high risk mother, nursing education for mother and family during labor, and open lab. The experimental group participated in simulation-based practice for two days and the control group participated in clinical practice at delivery room for two weeks. Results: The experimental group showed higher level of self-efficacy (p= .043), practice satisfaction (p<.001) and practice stress (p=.003) compared to the control group. Conclusion: Simulation-based practice is an effective learning method for obstetrical nursing and can be used as the alternative for clinical practice. However, stress management strategies are needed for simulation-based practice.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.129-134
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• 2005

Purpose: This study was purposed to survey pain, efficacy, and comfort during the first stage of labor and to identify correlations among them. Method: The subjects were 116 laboring women who were admitted to a baby-friendly hospital recommended by UNICEF for breast feeding. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire composed of labor pain, labor efficacy, and labor comfort with 10 cm visual analog scale respectively. The data were analyzed by frequency, Pearson's correlation, and ANOVA. Result: Labor pain, labor efficacy, and labor comfort in latent phase were positive correlation with them in active phase. The more pain, the less labor efficacy and the less comfort in latent phase. and the more pain, the less comfort in active phase. Labor efficacy was positively correlated with labor comfort in both phase. Lastly, women supported by their husbands had significantly higher labor pain than women supported by their mothers. Conclusion: The results suggest that nurses develop a labor efficacy program for pregnant women and their mothers or spouses.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.188-202
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• 2001

This study was designed to investigate the effect of one-to-one labor support on labor pain, labor stress response, childbirth experience and neonatal status for primipara by a quasi experiment (nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design), from April 30, 1999 to February 20, 2000. The subjects of this experiment consisted of eighty two primipara with single gestation, full term, uncomplicated pregnancies. Forty one were in the experimental group and forty one in the control group. Their mean age was 25.95 years, their mean gestation period was 39.9 weeks. A caring package of one-to-one labor support had three components. Physical support consisted of massage, back pressure, touch. Emotional support was provided by a continuous nurse's presence, acceptance and encouragement. Informational support involved teaching breathing skills, relaxation skills and knowledge about the labor process. Data assessed labor pain, pulse rate and blood pressure to measure labor stress response. Also, in measuring the value of labor stress response, plasma epinephrine, plasma norepinephrine and serum cortisol were measured. In the 24 hours after birth, the data for the postpartum mother's childbirth experiences was collected. Umbilical cord arterial blood pH, one minute and five minute Apgar score were measured after birth. Data was analyzed by t-test, $x^2$-test, repeated measures ANOVA, ANCOVA with SAS Program. The results were as follows; 1. Labor pain was significantly low in the experimental group(P=.016). 2. No significant group effects were found, but significant time effects were found for plasma epinephrine, norepinephrine, serum cortisol, pulse rate and blood pressure. 3. The childbirth experience of the experimental group was significantly more positive than the control group (P = .005). 4. The umbilical cord arterial blood pH of the experimental group was significantly higher than the control group(P=.014). There was no significant difference between the two groups in neonatal one minute and five minute Apgar scores. In conclusion, these findings indicate that one-to-one labor support could be effective in decreasing labor pain, and increasing positive childbirth experiences, also increasing the neonatal umbilical cord arterial blood pH for primipara. So, one-to-one labor support could be applied as an effective nursing treatment for primipara.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.126-137
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• 2018

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of an experience-focused prenatal program on stress, anxiety, childbirth confidence, and maternal-fetal attachment for women in their first pregnancy. Methods: The participants were 57 pregnant women at 32 weeks or more of a first pregnancy who agreed to participate in this study. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test, $x^2$ test, and Fisher's exact test using the SPSS 21.0 program. Results: The experimental group showed significant differences in stress, anxiety, childbirth confidence, and maternal-fetal attachment from the control group. Conclusion: The four-week experience-focused prenatal program can be used for women in their first pregnancy to reduce their stress and anxiety and to increase their childbirth confidence and maternal-fetal attachment.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.138-149
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• 2018

Purpose: To identify and clarify the concept of labor support. Methods: This study used Schwartz-Barcott & Kim's hybrid model to identify the main attributes and indicators. In the fieldwork stage, data were collected in Seoul and Chenmam, Korea. The participants were five nurses working in the delivery room and four women who delivered more than two children by vaginal delivery. Results: The concept of labor support was found to have nine attributes and 23 indicators in two dimensions. For the physical intervention dimension, five attributes were derived. They were pain relief, selective use of technology, ambulation/positioning, physiological pushing, and increasing comfort. For the labor support practices dimension the attributeswereprovidinginformation, relief and encouragement, family support, and presence. Conclusion: The concept analysis of labor support in this study could provide guidelines for 'labor support' nursing practice and be useful for research in the women's health field.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.215-223
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was intended to explore the essential structure and the meanings of childbirth experiences among Korean women participated in Lamaze childbirth education. Methods: Giorgi's phenomenological method was used to analyze data collected by in-depth interviews with six primiparous women from March to July 2009. Results: Five components identified in the meanings of experience: 'Simplicity', 'Self-control', 'Uncontrollable pain', 'Spiritual maturity', 'Physiologic event'. Conclusion: The study results revealed that the childbirth experience was positive generally, partially influenced by Lamaze childbirth education. But, meanings of childbirth experience with Lamaze childbirth education were mostly physiological respect related to labor pain or one's own efforts to endure labor pain. Therefore, nursing strategies for drawing emotional and socio-environmental experiences from childbirth experience with Lamaze childbirth education is needed.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.78-88
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• 2017

Purpose: This study aimed to understand meaning and essentials in work experiences of delivery room nurses. Methods: A phenomenological perspective was used for this qualitative research. Ten delivery room nurse with more than 3 years of work experience participated in this study. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews with the nurses, between December 2012 and April 2013. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's method. Results: Nine theme clusters and four categories emerged from the data as follows: 1) factors influencing career decision-making, 2) gap between reality and expectations, 3) difficulties with working in the delivery room, and 4) motivation to work in the delivery room. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, strategies to improve working environment of the delivery room nurses are necessary. Also, better policy are required to firmly establish the role of the delivery room nurses' role as recognized professionals.