• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.26-35
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• 2009

Purpose: This paper reviews current diagnostic evaluation, treatment, nursing considerations, and the nurse practitioner’s (NP) role in acute ischemic stroke care. Methods: National guidelines and extensive literature on acute stroke care were reviewed and a relevant clinical case was introduced. Results: Computerized tomography (CT) of the head without contrast is the initial brain imaging procedure for patients with an acute stroke. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be an alternative test. Restoration of cerebral perfusion to the affected area is a key therapeutic strategy for ischemic stroke. A number of treatment strategies such as thrombolysis, anticoagulation, antiplatelet, and surgical treatment can be selected to improve blood flow to the ischemic region. The NP on the stroke team is involved with immediate stroke management including neurological assessment, ensuring adequate oxygenation, blood pressure management, activity, and diet. Discharge planning with the patient, family teaching and coordination of follow up care should also be implemented early in the hospitalization. Conclusion: The nurse practitioner is one of the cardinal members on the stroke team, and must be updated with current treatment and management guidelines.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.287-295
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• 2003

Purpose: This descriptive study was conducted to project the number of critical care APNs needed in critical care units in an acute care hospital setting, up to the year 2020. Method: Necessary data and information were collected from various funded reports, professional literature, web-sites and personal visits to national and private institutions. The demand of critical care APNs were projected based on two critical care APNs per critical care units. Result: The projected number of critical APNs for the critical care units in acute care hospital settings as follows: 1) The total projected number of critical care APNs needed for critical care units were 1,270 in 2001. 2) By the year 2020, total number of projected critical care APNs needed in critical care units will be 1,080-1,700. Conclusion: In order to match the supply to the need, the professional organization should direct their efforts toward enacting legislation. Educational systems should identify strategies in initiation of critical care APN programs in masters level as well as standardizing curriculums across the programs.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.91-99
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this literature review was to describe the roles of advanced practice nurses related to advance directives. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted utilizing Pubmed, Ovid, and CINAHL. The key words for search were 'advance directives', 'living wills', 'durable power of attorney', 'advanced practice nursing', 'advanced practice nurse', 'nurse practitioner', and 'nurse specialist'. Research articles published between January 1990 and September 2010 and written in English were included. Review papers and expert's opinion were excluded. Results: Five articles were yielded and analyzed. Among them, two focused on the advanced practice nurses' role during the process of advance directives. The other three presented the outcomes depending on the type of nurses' involvement in each health care delivery system. Conclusion: Recently, Korea established advance directives and expanded to diverse sites. Advanced practice nurses' role in the advance directive decision-making process should be examined and developed in research and practice.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.254-260
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• 2012

Purpose: Ongoing treatment and care, as well as initial stabilization, are required for trauma patients. With increasing number of sickest trauma patients and shortage of surgeons, the need for advanced practice nurse to provide and coordinate trauma care has been greater. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of hiring a trauma clinical nurse specialist and its influence on the treatment of trauma patients. Methods: Based on the employment of the clinical nurse specialist in December 2010, the patients were divided into two groups: patients admitted from January 1, 2010 to November 30, 2010 and patients admitted from December 1, 2010 to December 31, 2011. Retrospectively, data were collected using electronic medical records. The general characteristics, clinical courses, and ICU re-admission rates, collaboration (transfers to other departments and collaborative surgery) were compared. Results: To have a clinical nurse specialist on the trauma team resulted in a statistically significant reductions in the length of general ward hospital stay (p<0.05), the ICU re-admission rate, (p<0.03), the lead-time before transfer to other departments (p<0.05). Conclusion: The clinical nurse specialist, as a professional practitioner, improved the quality of treatment through early detection and management of problems. In addition, as a coordinator, the clinical nurse specialist maintained a cooperative relationship with multi-disciplinary medical personnel. The trauma clinical nurse specialist contributed to the treatment of trauma patients positively through a decrease in ICU re-admission rate and length of hospital stay.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.527-538
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to reclassify the advanced nursing practices of critical care nurse practitioners(CCNPs) in intensive care unit and measure the time and frequency of CCNP's activities. Method: Practices of ICU nurses are divided into RN's and CCNP's practices by a panel of ICU nursing experts. Each practice of CCNP is defined and CCNP's working time and service frequencies are monitored in general hospitals. Result: Practices of CCNP were classified into 4 domains and 32 practices. Fourteen practices by CCNPs were completed in 10 minutes and the other 12 practices consumed 10-30 minutes. A priority of practice in respiratory therapy was given to artificial airway management, management of tracheostomy patient, lower respiratory care, and the priority of CRRT was management of anticoagulation. Conclusions: Advanced nursing practices of CCNPs were recognized from those of RNs. A further research of CCNPs practices should be extended to other advanced practices and it is required to evaluate economic value of advanced nursing practice in the national health insurance system.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.586-593
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe patients' anxiety in the ICU and to investigate related factors on the anxiety level. Methods: An exploratory cross-sectional survey design was used. Forty-eight patients participated in the study. Questionnaires were asked to patients who had been cared in the ICUs. Results: Related to the anxiety level, the mean of the total anxiety score was 5.47, and 60% of the patients had moderate or severe level of anxiety. Patients from the coronary care unit had a significantly higher level of anxiety than those from surgical intensive care unit or pulmonary surgery care unit. Moreover, significantly different levels of anxiety were found among patients who had been stayed for 2, 3, or 4 days. Conclusion: Patients who were from the coronary care unit or had been stayed longer (up to 4 days) in the ICU were significantly associated with higher anxiety level.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.42-56
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• 2021

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to understand and describe the experiences of the advanced nurse practitioner (APN) system used by healthcare providers including APNs, doctors who worked with APNs, and APN master's course professors at a graduate school. Methods : Qualitative data were collected via snowball sampling. The participants were nine APNs, six doctors, and three professors. They were divided into three focus groups, each of which consisted of all three types of healthcare providers. Data were collected via interviews with the three focus groups conducted from September to October 2019. All interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. The transcribed data then underwent qualitative content analysis. Results : Based on the data, we extracted four themes and 14 categories. The themes were "Role and system of APNs started according to healthcare environment changes", "Optimal healthcare provider to ensure quality of care", "Confused role and system of APNs due to incomplete medical law", and "Tasks for the stable operation of the APN system." Conclusion : For quality treatment and safety of patients, a legal basis must be established for the APN system. For its stable operation, social consensus regarding legislation about APNs' scope of practice is required. Finally, a discussion is necessary about the integration of APNs' 13 fields.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.24-32
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of discharge planning on patient satisfaction, the readmission rate and preparedness for discharge in the elderly admitted to the emergency room (ER) for pulmonary disease. Methods: A quasi-experimental intervention study design was used. Older adults with pulmonary health problems in the ER in one general hospital were randomly allocated to either an experimental (n=21, 74.2 years) or control group (n=19, 70.7 years). The experimental group participated in a discharge planning program by a geriatric nurse practitioner. Data were collected from medical records, physical measurements and structured questionnaires including information on demographics, patient satisfaction, readmission, and preparedness for discharge. Results: Participants in the experimental group had significantly better outcomes with regard to patient satisfaction with nursing services (p=.003) and preparedness for discharge (p=.034). However, there was no significant effect on the readmission rate (p=.392) Conclusion: The results suggested that a discharge planning program could bolster nursing service satisfaction and preparedness for discharge in older patients admitted to the ER for pulmonary health problems. To clarify the effects of discharge planning on older patients admitted to the ER, a larger sample population, better instruments for various measures, a new manual on discharge planning and frequent follow-up will be necessary.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.12-23
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• 2020

Purpose : This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of direct interhospital transfers (IHTs) of patients with acute aortic syndrome (AAS) led by advanced practice nurses (APNs). Methods : From September 2014 to June 2017, the study retrospectively investigated 183 patients with AAS who were transferred to a high-volume tertiary hospital. Results : One hundred forty-eight (81%) patients were admitted through direct IHTs, and 35 (19%) patients were admitted through non-direct IHTs. The direct IHT group had a significantly shorter time from symptom onset to hospital arrival than the non-direct IHT group (11.4 vs. 32.1 h, p=.043). There were no significant differences in other clinical outcomes, such as peri-transfer status, mortality, hospital length of stay, and readmission, between the two groups. In the direct IHT group, 55% of transfers were led by APNs. There was no significant difference in outcomes between APN- and physician-led transfers. Conclusions : Implementation of direct IHTs markedly shortened the time from symptom onset to hospital arrival in patients with AAS. Finally, direct IHTs can potentially improve the outcomes of patients with AAS, a condition with time-dependent mortality and morbidity. In addition, APNs can effectively lead the direct IHT of patients with AAS.