• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.72-79
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the correlation between the levels of spiritual well-being and spiritual nursing care of nurses for cancer patients and to provide baseline data for spiritual nursing care. Methods: In the study, there were 209 nurses involved who cared for cancer patients, and they were from Christian General Hospital in a city, Jeonju. Data were collected from September 17 to 30 in 2008 using structured questionnaires. The data were analyzed using research methods, including descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Duncan test, and Pearson correlation coefficients. Results: The mean score of spiritual well-being of nurses was $63.41{\pm}10.32$ (range $20{\sim}80$) and that of spiritual nursing care was $26.96{\pm}7.05$ (range $15{\sim}60$). There was a significant positive correlation between the spiritual well-being of nurses and their spiritual nursing care (r=.353, P=.000). Conclusion: The spiritual well-being and spiritual nursing care have a positive correlation. The level of spiritual well-being of nurses was relatively significant, whereas that of spiritual nursing care was relatively low. Therefore, it is recommended, for spiritual nursing care that nurses responsible for cancer patients should pursue more spiritual growth, attend church services regularly, and should further be educated in their care and responsibility.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.170-179
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• 2016

Purpose: This study examined self-efficacy, self-care behavior, posttraumatic growth, and quality of life in cancer patients and their levels by disease characteristics groups to identify patient groups that require psychosocial intervention. Methods: We surveyed 107 patients using a structured questionnaire about the four factors and analyzed the factors by stratifying the patients by the period after the cancer diagnosis, by stage and by current treatment status. Results: The mean score for self-efficacy was 37.78, and that for self-care behavior 49.96. Patients who were diagnosed less than one year ago scored higher on medication, a sub-category of self-care behavior, than the post-diagnosis period of 1~2 year group. The score was higher in the currently-treated group than the follow-up and distant metastasis groups. For posttraumatic growth, the mean was 56.17, and the factor was higher in the 1~2 year post-diagnosis group after than the less than one year group. The score was higher in the follow-up group than the currently-treated group. With regard to quality of life, the mean score was 25.79, and no significant correlation was found with disease characteristics. Conclusion: A shorter post-diagnosis period increased self-care behavior, and the greatest posttraumatic growth was reported by the 1~2 year post-diagnosis group. It may be necessary to provide cancer patients with an education program and other strategies less than one year after the diagnosis to improve self-efficacy and self-care behavior. To promote post-traumatic growth, it may be helpful to provide patients with psychosocial intervention within two years after the diagnosis.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.189-199
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• 2004

Purpose: Despite the small incidence, head and neck cancer may cause a wide range of physical transformation by surgical operation, damage to active functions such as eating and speaking. It may provoke hopelessness, change self-esteem and self-concept after its operation, influencing the quality life of head and neck cancer patients. Thus nursing intervention should be developed to provide supportive nursing for head and neck cancer patients and play roles as competent supporters. Methods: This study was a nonequivalent, control group, pretest-posttest, non-synchronized quasi-experimental research designed to determine how supportive nursing intervention effects on hopelessness, self-esteem and self-concept of head and neck cancer patients. Subjects of the study included 40 adult inpatients of K University hospital in Pusan who were diagnosed as having head and neck cancer and operated. They were divided into experimental and comparison groups, each consisting of 20 members. The data were collected during the period from December 1, 1999 to April 11, 2000. Tools of the study included the protocol of supportive nursing intervention which was developed by researcher by means of reference, literal review and expert's advice. The measurement tool of hopelessness was translated by Won was the device of hopelessness self-evaluation from Beck, the tool for self-esteem measurement was developed by Rosenberg and translated by Kim, and the device of self-concept used by Lee et al, modified by Lee were used respectively. Data were analyzed using the SPSS/PC 9.0 program. The homogeneity of the subjects were tested using $x^2-test$ and t-test. 3 hypotheses were tested using t-test. Results: The results of the study can be summarized as follows. 1. The third hypothesis that the experimental group receiving supportive nursing intervention showed a little hopelessness than the control group not receiving supportive nursing intervention was supported (t=4.550, P=.000). 2. The third hypothesis that the experimental group receiving supportive nursing intervention showed more self-esteem than the control group not receiving supportive nursing intervention was supported (t=-6.40, p=.000). 3. The third hypothesis that the experimental group receiving supportive nursing intervention showed more self-concept than the control group not receiving supportive nursing intervention was supported (t=-6.065, P=.000). Conclusion: Supportive nursing intervention was effective nursing intervention strategy for reducing hopelessness and increasing self-esteem and self-concept of head and neck cancer patients. Then the quality of life of head and neck cancer patients can be enhanced by providing supportive nursing intervention in nursing practice.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.169-178
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• 2004

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess changes of the attitudes and opinions about disclosure of cancer diagnosis to patients. Methods: We analyzed the attitudes and opinions of in-patients with metastatic cancer, their families, physicians, nurses, medical students, nursing students. Three questionnaires were used for in-patients, families, and surroundings in hospital. Data was collected in the St. Mary hospital for 3 months from October, 2002. We investigated the preference of disclosure, the reason the patients should be informed of disclosure, when, how and who to tell the cancer diagnosis to patients. 242 persons participated in these questionnaires (50 in-patients, 50 their families, 51 physicians and nurses, 41 medical students, 50 nursing students). Only 34 in-patients with metastatic cancer were enrolled, and so 16 in-patients with lymphoma were added. All in-patients were undergoing anticancer chemotherapy. Results: 89.3% of the participants wanted to be told about disclosure of cancer and terminal illness (in-patients 98.0%, their families 88.0%, physicians and nurses 90.2%, medical students 73.2%, nursing students 94.0%, in-patients with metastatic cancer 97.1%). 79.8% of the respondents hoped that the moment to tell the truth was immediately when the disease was diagnosed (in-patients 94.0%, their families 80.0%, physicians and nurses 68.6%, medical students 68.3%, nursing students 86.0%). 64.4% of all prefered to be told the truth once for alt including patients' diagnosis, present status and prognosis (in-patients 81.6%, their families 66.0%, physicians and nurses 56.0%, medical students 48.8%, nursing students 70.0%). Most indicated the first reason to be told the truth was the possibility to participate in treatment design. 86.4% responded that physicians were the proper persons to disclose the diagnosis. Conclusion: Not only in-patients, families but also physicians, nurses, medical students and nursing students all preferred the disclosure of cancer diagnosis. This preference was increased compared with the previous papers. The first reason to be told the truth was the possibility to participate in treatment design. Most of the participants wanted to be told the truth once for all.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2015

Purpose: This study is to find relationship between cancer patient's spiritual health and the level of their anxiety and pain. Methods: From April 27 through May 11, 2012, a survey was conducted with 167 cancer patients hospitalized at a university hospital in Busan. Spiritual health was measured by the Spiritual Health Inventory developed by Highfield (1992). The instrument for anxiety measurement was the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory by Spielberger (1975) and that for pain was the Visual Analogue Scale (2009). The association between patients' characteristics and spiritual health, anxiety or pain degree were analyzed using the ANOVA test. The interrelationship between spiritual health, anxiety and pain was analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficients. Results: The patients exhibited a moderate degree of spiritual health and anxiety and a mild level of pain. Patients' spiritual health significantly differed by their religion, education, monthly income of the family, illness conditions, physical conditions, metastasis, daily living and support. Their anxiety level was significantly different according to age, religion, education, illness conditions, physical conditions, metastasis, daily living, family/friends' support and use of analgesics. Significant differences were also found in the level of pain according to illness conditions, physical conditions, metastasis, daily living, family/friends' support and use of analgesics. We found a moderately negative correlation between spiritual health and anxiety. Anxiety and pain showed a positive correlation, and spiritual health and pain exhibited a negative correlation. Conclusion: To help cancer patients to manage their spiritual health, anxiety and pain, a program should be developed considering the primary factors discussed in this study.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine how patients' coping style and social support affect post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in breast cancer patients who are treated with chemotherapy. Methods: The sample consisted of 134 outpatients who received breast cancer treatments at the cancer clinic of a university hospital. The collected data were analyzed by frequency, percentage, t-test, ANOVA, ${\chi}^2$-test, Pearson correlation coefficients using SPSS for Windows, version 18.0. Results: Among total, 26.9% of patients were classified into a high-risk PTSD group. In the high-risk group, a positive correlation was found between active and passive coping styles and between social support and active coping styles. Conclusion: In this study, the stronger the social support was, the more active the coping style was for high-risk PTSD patients with breast cancer. Considering the fact that cancer requires life-long self-management, strong social support could improve patients' healthcare capability. Furthermore, solid social support could effectively reduce the stress level and improve the quality of life for breast cancer patients in the high-risk PTSD group.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.80-89
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• 2013

Purpose: We investigated how intensive care unit (ICU) nurses understand the meaning of death, death anxiety, death concern and respect for life. Methods: From November 2009 through February 2010, a survey was conducted on 230 nurses working at the ICU of 10 general hospitals located in Seoul and Gyeonggi province. Participants were asked to answer a questionnaire consisted of 67 questions under four categories of the meaning of death, death anxiety, death concern and respect for life. Results: Participants scored 4.27 points on their understanding of the meaning of death, 4.43 on death anxiety, 4.12 on death concern and 4.18 on respect for life. Participants' meaning of death was negatively correlated with death anxiety and death concern and positively with respect for life. Participants' positive meaning of death was negatively correlated with death anxiety and death concern and positively with respect for life. Participants' negative meaning of death was negatively correlated with death anxiety and death concern and positively with respect for life. Participants' death anxiety was positively correlated with death concern and negatively with respect for life. Participants' death concern was negatively correlated with respect for life. Conclusion: Compared with nurses who served at ICU for a long time, nurses with less ICU experience scored lower on the meaning of death and respect for life, while they presented high anxiety and concern about death. A training course may help nurses develop their view on the meaning of death, which in turn would enhance their performance in caring dying patients.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.26-36
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• 2017

Purpose: To explore the meaning of prayer in Korean patients with end-stage cancer who profess Christianity or Buddhism, given the significant differences between these religions. Methods: The Colaizzi (1978) analysis method was employed. In-depth interview were performed with 13 participants (seven Christians and six Buddhists) who were admitted to a University-affiliated hospital in Korea. Results: The six categories emerged: 1) communication with God, 2) mind discipline, 3) spiritual growth, 4) mysterious experiences, 5) perception of death and after-life, and 6) various forms of prayers. Conclusion: The participants' prayer experiences were described in a religious context. Christians believed that prayer is communication with God while Buddhists regarded it as disciplining of minds. Despite some differences between the religious groups, a general meaning of prayer was a desperate desire to solve their health issues by relying on God or someone who is more powerful than themselves. They also experienced personal and spiritual growth through prayer. This study explains the phenomenon of prayer experiences and shows that prayer is an important coping mechanism.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.61-71
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a CD program of applied logotherapy for psycho spiritual care of late adolescents with terminal cancer. Methods: Keller & Song's ARCS theory and a model for developing learning materials was applied to develop this program composed four distinct phases: planning, designing, developing, and evaluation stages. Results: This program was entitled 'Finding meaning in my life' and consisted of 5 sessions and its educational contents were made up as follows: "First Secret" is 'learning three natures of the human mind', "Second Secret" is 'learning creative values first method to find meaning of life', "Third Secret" is 'learning experiential value as second method to find meaning of life', "Fourth Secret" is 'learning attitudinal value as third method to find meaning of life', and "Fifth Secret" is 'Becoming the master of my life'. The sub-menu was made up of 'Beginning', 'Opening mind', 'Learning'. 'Laughing Song', 'Experiencing'. Conclusion: This CD program applied logotherapy with flash animation technique as an emotional and spiritual nursing intervention program for easier and more scientific application in pediatric oncology and hospice care area.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.8-16
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• 2004

Purpose: The porpose of this descriptive study was grasp the QOL (Quality of Life) of cervix cancer patient and to analysis QOL (Quality of Life) by stage of disease, type of treatment and de me graphic characteristics Methods: Data were collected from 67 patients with cervical cancer from 3 General Hospitals from March 15 to June 4 using The "QOL (Quality of Life)-Cancer Version" inventory made by Ferrell et al (1995). The data were analysed by using SPSS $PC^+$ program including t-test, ANOVA, and Scheffe test. Results: Progressing stage of disease and QOL, the significant between the progressing stage of disease and QOL was significant (F=5.06, P=.003). The degree of difference between the progresstion of the stage of the disease and each item in the test was physical well-being (F=3.97 P=.012), the items of psychological well-being (F=3.91, P=.013), the items of social well-being (F=4.96, P=.004). It show a significant difference, but the item of spiritual well-being (F=1.36, P=.262) was not significant difference. The significance between the type of treatment and QOL was insignificant. The degree of difference between each area of life was the psychological well-being (t=-2.14, P=.037), the social well-being (t=-2.15, P=.036). But the physical well-being (t=-.93, P=.356), the spiritual well-being (t=.73, P=.469) was insignificant. Conclusion: As a result, The QOL of patients with cervical cancer is differentiated by the stage of disease, the type of treatment, and the demographic data. Therefore, there is a need to apply nursing intervention to patients with cervical cancer by considering the stage of disease, the type of treatment, and the demographic data.