• Journal of Korean Clinical Health Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.290-298
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• 2015

Purpose. This study aimed to explore family caregivers' experiences with ventilator-dependent patients at home. Methods. The number of patients using mechanical ventilators at home is expected to increase and family caregivers must be able to care for them. However, few studies focus on the experiences of family caregivers. We conducted in-depth interviews with 11 family caregivers who cared for a ventilator-dependent patient at home in South Korea. Data were analyzed using phenomenological method of enquiry. Results. Statements generated from the interviews on the meaning of the family caregiver's experiences were organized into 27 themes, 5 theme clusters, and 2 categories. The theme clusters included endurance under the burden situation, role strain as a caregiver, separation from others, trying to find coping methods, and oriental ethnical customs. Family caregivers of patients using domestic mechanical ventilators need systematic education and emotional support to cope with the challenges of managing ventilator equipment and learning new ways of communicating with patients on the ventilators. Conclusion. These findings may contribute to family caregivers' knowledge and competence, thereby allowing them to better support their ventilator-dependent family members.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.59-63
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• 2018

Purpose: Cardiomyopathy is becoming the leading cause of death in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy because mechanically assisted lung ventilation and assisted coughing have helped resolve respiratory complications. To clarify cardiopulmonary function, we compared cardiac function between the home ventilator-assisted and non-ventilator-assisted groups. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy from January 2010 to March 2016 at Gangnam Severance Hospital. Demographic characteristics, pulmonary function, and echocardiography data were investigated. Results: Fifty-four patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy were divided into 2 groups: home ventilator-assisted and non-ventilator-assisted. The patients in the home ventilator group were older ($16.25{\pm}1.85years$) than those in the nonventilator group ($14.73{\pm}1.36years$) (P=0.001). Height, weight, and body surface area did not differ significantly between groups. The home ventilator group had a lower seated functional vital capacity ($1,038{\pm}620.41mL$) than the nonventilator group ($1,455{\pm}603.2mL$). Mean left ventricular ejection fraction and fractional shortening were greater in the home ventilator group, but the data did not show any statistical difference. The early ventricular filling velocity/late ventricular filling velocity ratio ($1.7{\pm}0.44$) was lower in the home ventilator group than in the nonventilator group ($2.02{\pm}0.62$. The mitral valve annular systolic velocity was higher in the home ventilator group (estimated ${\beta}$, 1.06; standard error, 0.48). Patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy on a ventilator may have better systolic and diastolic cardiac functions. Conclusion: Noninvasive ventilator assistance can help preserve cardiac function. Therefore, early utilization of noninvasive ventilation or oxygen may positively influence cardiac function in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.5-15
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• 2013

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the self-care education experience, self-care performance, and home care service needs of patients with rare and incurable diseases who use a home ventilator. Methods: From2 ventilator rental companies and 5 hospitals, records of 162 subjects were collected to obtain data regarding self-care education experience (23 items) and home care service needs (25 items). Results: Of the subjects, 65.4% were male and 55.6% had a myotrophic lateral sclerosis. The items with the highest and lowest levels of self-care education experience were "using the ventilator"(94.0%) and "community-available resource information"(27.0%), respectively. Meanwhile, self-care was performed well in terms of "personal hygiene"(59.6%) but not performed well in "community-available resource information"(23.7%). "Health status assessment" had the highest need(88.2%) of home care services. Generally, the need of home care services was higher for the patients using invasive ventilators than that for those using non-invasive ventilators. Conclusion: Home care nurses need to not only provide physical care for the patients but also strengthen their roles of enhancing patient access to and utilization of various community resources to provide systematic and individualized training and care.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.210-220
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• 2017

Purpose: The study aimed to describe the utilization of home healthcare in patients using home mechanical ventilator(HMV) Method: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used in this study. A Questionnaires were sent to nation wide home healthcare agencies to assess their utilization status of home healthcare. A convenience sample of 158 patients data was reviewed. Result: A total of 88(55.7%) men with the mean age of 51.94(${\pm}19.52$) years were included in the study. Approximately 55.1% of patients at the outpatient department were referred to the home healthcare services after discharge. The underlying diseases were as follows : 129 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and 27 muscular dystrophies. A total of 155 patients have invasive HMV. Efficient home healthcare nursing activities provided by a highly skilled home healthcare advanced practice nurses(HHCAPN) were tracheotomy and gastrostomy tube management and urinary catheterization. The average frequency of home visit for one patient was 2.52times per month. The duration of home healthcare utilization with >1 year was 82.9%. HHCAPNs have limited knowledge and skill for HMV. Conclusion: The government support is required to provide sufficient home healthcare services to the patients discharged with HMV. HHCAPNs should be properly educated on the effective HMV care.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.123-135
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• 2023

Advances in perinatal and pediatric intensive care and recent advances in mechanical ventilation during the last two decades have resulted in an exponential increase in the number of children undergoing home mechanical ventilation (HMV) treatment. Although its efficacy in chronic respiratory failure is well established, HMV in children is more complex than that in adults, and there are more considerations. This review outlines clinical considerations for HMV in children. The goal of HMV in children is not only to correct alveolar hypoventilation but also to maximize development as much as possible. The modes of ventilation and ventilator settings, including ventilation masks, tubing, circuits, humidification, and ventilator parameters, should be tailored to the patient's individual characteristics. To ensure effective HMV, education for the parent and caregiver is important. HMV continues to change the scope of treatment for chronic respiratory failure in children in that it decreases respiratory morbidity and prolongs life spans. Further studies on this topic with larger scale and systemic approach are required to ensure the better outcomes in this population.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.153-163
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• 2018

Purpose: This study is know the home care nursing specialists' copying method for life-threatening emergency situation occurred while changing the tracheotomy tube in the patient's home through case-based learning. Methods: Two cases were analyzed using structured critical reflection while changing the tracheal tube. In the first case, the patient presented with dyspnea, cyanosis, and low oxygen saturation when connected to home mechanical ventilator after replacement of the tracheotomy tube. In the second case, replacement of the tracheal tube was difficult due to a narrowed airway from proliferated granulation tissue. Results: From the case-based learning. using a critical reflection instrument, home care nursing specialists indicated that it was important to explain the possibility of danger to the client and that nurses must check the operation of the ambu-bag to prepare for an emergency when replacing a tracheotomy tube. Moreover, they stated a need for two nurses during client visits when there is the possibility of an emergency. Conclusion: Case-based learning through critical reflection provides actual practice-focused knowledge that is helpful to home care nurse specialists who face emergency situations in a restricted environment. Therefore, we hope that home care nursing specialists will use this method to strengthen their professional knowledge.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.224-231
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• 2018

Purpose: This study was to analyze the factors affecting ventilator-associated pneumonia with severe trauma patients. Methods: This study conducted from May 1, 2018 to May 31, 2018 based on the medical records of the intensive care unit of a university hospital from May 1, 2017 to April 30, 2018 in Gangwon province. The inclusion criteria were 1) Trauma intensive care unit patient, 2) older than 19 years 3) without pneumonia at the time of admission. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive, correlation analysis, ANOVA, t-tests, $x^2$-tests and regression. Results: The severe trauma patients had a total of 2,877 days receiving ventilator, and nine VAP cases. The overall infection rate was 4.0%, and the VAP incidence rate was 3.13 per 1000 ventilator days. VAP in severe trauma patient affected ICU stay(OR=1.03), mechanical ventilator applied day(OR=1.04). Conclusion: Therefore, the development of an individualized VAP prevention bundle and nursing intervention for patients with trauma will be needed and further studies. In addition, there were no findings regarding the relationship between VAP occurrence and the severity of multiple traumatic injuries, so further studies of these factors should be performed.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was conducted to analyze factors affecting readmission of children with home ventilator care. Methods: To collect patient data, a retrospective chart review was done of medical records of children admitted between June 1, 2007 and May 31, 2010 at one children's hospital located in Seoul. During that period 30 children were discharged with a home ventilator. Results: Twenty-one of these children had a total of 63 readmissions during the study period, averaging 2.1 readmissions per child with a mean duration of hospitalization of 7.4 days. Children with nasogastric tubes were more frequently readmitted (t=7.232, p=.012) and duration of hospitalization was significantly longer (t=4.761, p=.038). Children who had cardio-pulmonary comorbidity were more frequently readmitted and had longer hospitalization than children without comorbidity (t=5.444, p=.027). When home ventilator assisted children were admitted via emergency room, they were hospitalized longer (t=14.686, p=<.001). Cardio-pulmonary morbidity and readmission via ER explained 38.1% of variation for readmission. Feeding method explained 15.0% of variation in length of hospitalization. Conclusion: The results suggest that health care providers must give individualized education on home ventilator care to parents with children who are at risk for readmission due to cardio-pulmonary comorbidities, nasogastric tube, or readmission via ER.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.595-606
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• 2016

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the influencing factors on self care, respiratory difficulty, sleep impediment, anxiety and depression among patients with neuromuscular disease who are dependent on Home Mechanical Ventilator (HMV). Methods: 157 patients were recruited through hospital based home nursing care departments and HMV rental centers. Data were collected by questionnaires. The analytic methods were n(%)/$M{\pm}SD$, $x^2$/t-test or ANOVA and multiple linear regression. Results: Patients with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis were more likely to utilize HMV, had shorter periods of morbidity and the most extended daily use of HMV. As for medical equipment, they had ambu-bag (87.2%) and oxygenator (15.4%). Reports of respiratory difficulty and sleep impediment were low. There were no significant difference. In contrast, reported anxiety and depression were high and showed significant difference between non invasive HMV and invasive HMV. Anxiety contributes to respiratory difficulty (t=3.62, p=.002), sleep impediment (t=2.06, p=.042), and depression (t=7.24, p<.001). However, home nursing care exerts a positive influence in reducing anxiety (t=-2.73, p=.008). Conclusion: Anxiety contributes to respiratory difficulty, sleep impediment, and depression. However, those who use home nursing care reported less anxiety. Home nursing care positively impacts patients dependent on HMV as a practical service and available resource.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2016

Purpose: This study aimed to survey caregivers of patients with Neuromuscular Rare and Incurable Disease (NRID) using invasive home mechanical ventilator (HMV), in order to compare the incident rate of pneumonia by tracheal suction procedures used. Method: Participants were 99 family caregivers of NRID patients using HMV. Participants were given a questionnaire consisting of 12 demographic items, 10 items about disease and HMV related characteristics, 11 items about tracheal suction procedures, and 2 items about the incidence of pneumonia. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests and t-tests. Results: The items that predicted the incidence of pneumonia were "change of irrigation saline every suction" (p=.047), "use of aseptic catheter every suction" (p=.004), and "instillation of normal saline before suction" (p=.027). In addition, these items were 47.4%, 51.4%, and 38.8% respectively. Conclusion: Family members caring for NRID patients with invasive HMV should be educated about tracheal suction, especially the necessity of changing irrigation saline after every suction, using the aseptic catheter for every suction, and instillation of normal saline before suction. Medical personnel such as home care nurses should periodically check tracheal suction procedures, and re-educate family caregivers when necessary.