• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.30 no.5
• /
• pp.1156-1169
• /
• 2000

The study was aimed at developing an independent hospice center model that would be best suited for Korea based on a literature review and the current status of local and international hospices. For the study, five local and six international hospice organizations were surveyed. Components of the hospice center model include philosophy, purpose, resources (workers, facilities, and equipment), allocation of resources, management, financial support and hospice team service. The following is a summary of the developed model: Philosophies for the hospice center were set as follows: based on the dignity of human life and humanism, help patients spend the rest of their days in a meaningful way and accept life positively. On the staff side, to pursue a team-oriented holistic approach to improve comfort and quality of life for terminally ill persons and their families. The hospice center should have 20 beds with single, two, and four bed rooms. The center should employ, either on a part-time or full-time basis, a center director, nurses, doctors, chaplains, social workers, pharmacists, dieticians, therapists, and volunteers. In addition, it will need an administrative staff, facility managers and nurses aides. The hospice should also be equipped with facilities for patients, their families, and team members, furnished with equipment and goods at the same level of a hospital. represented by a center director who reports to a board and an advisory committee. Also, the center director administers a steering committee and five departments, namely, Administration, Nursing Service, Social Welfare, Religious Services, and Medical Service. Furthermore, the center should be able to utilize a direct and support delivery systems. The direct delivery system allows the hospice center to receive requests from, or transfer patients to, hospitals, clinics, other hospice organizations (by type), public health centers, religious organizations, social welfare organizations, patients, and their guardians. On the other hand, the support delivery system provides a link to outside facilities of various medical suppliers. In terms of management, details were made with regards to personnel management, records, infection control, safety, supplies and quality management. For financial support, some form of medical insurance coverage for hospice services, ways to promote a donation system and fund raising were examined. Hospice team service to be provided by the hospice center was categorized into assessment, physical care, emotional care, spiritual care, bereavement service, medication, education and demonstrations, medical supplies rental, request service, volunteer service, and respite service. Based on the results, the study has drawn up the following suggestions: 1. The proposed model for a hospice center as presented in the study needs to be tested with a pilot project. 2. Studies on criteria for legal approval and license for a hospice center need to be conducted to develop policies. 3. Studies on developing a hospice charge system and hospice standards that meet local conditions in Korea need to be conducted.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.122-129
• /
• 2010

Objective: To investigate institutional review boards and approved clinical trials of Oriental medical hospitals in Korea Methods: We e-mailed 16 Oriental medical hospitals a survey consisting of questions that addressed two topics, institutional review boards and the clinical trials they approved. The first part included questions about whether each hospital had an institutional review board, that board's staffing and education, reviews, and expedited reviews. The clinical trials portion covered the number and types of approved clinical trials, treatment methods, whether an investigator or a sponsor initiated the trials, diseases, time frame, and clinical trial fee. Results: We received a response to our e-mail from 14 hospitals, all of which had an institutional review board. The average number of institutional review board members was 13.57. Of these Oriental medical hospitals, 70% and 49% said that they regularly educated their institutional review board staff and clinical trial, investigators, respectively. 79% of the hospitals claimed to conduct regular reviews, and 50% said that they did so monthly. The number of approved clinical trials increased sharply from 11 in 2005 to 102 in 2008. 68% of these clinical trials were randomized, and the most-used treatment methods were herbal medicine (35%) and acupuncture (29%). The most common target diseases were circulatory (19%), urinogenital (14%), and musculoskeletal (13%) disease. Conclusions: Despite the rapid increase in clinical research in oriental medical hospitals, many more efforts including raising IRB quality, varying research diseases and increasing clinical trials in the hospitals located in non-metropolitan area, should be made.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.111-125
• /
• 2000

To compare the differences in the recognition on hospital utilization and satisfaction, 368 hospital employees and 485 patients were selected in four hospitals in Seoul and Kyung-gi do. The survey was done using a constructed form of checklist from Apr. 30 to May 10, 1999. And the results are as follows: l. Gaining knowledge of hospitals available among hospital employees differed from that of patients. When finding out about sources of information concerning hospitals, direct visit to the hospital was recognized to be the main factor for the hospital employees in contrast to the patients' recognition which were mass media, personal involvement of job related workplace and recommendations from other hospitals. There was no difference between university and general hospitals. 2. The factors that concern which hospital to choose there was a difference between hospital employees and patients. Hospital employees recommended their own hospital solely based on the reason that it was their work place. On the other hand, the patients made a choice based on the type of medical staff, transportation available and whether it was a university hospital or not. There was no difference between university and general hospitals. 3. The recognition of employees concerning hospital image of a hospital between hospital employees and patients was different. In university hospitals, the employees recognized the name value of university hospital and cooperation as most important, whereas the patients thought convenience, kindness were the main factors. Patients considered general hospitals to be more convenient. There was some difference between university and general hospitals. For university hospitals employees' recognition was higher and for the general hospital patients' recognition is higher on hospital image. 4. The recognition of employees was different from that of patients' on hospital satisfaction. The patients' satisfaction was higher than that of employees'. There was no difference between university and general hospitals. Based on the above findings, the employees' recognition on hospital utilization and satisfaction was different from that of the patients, but there was no difference between university and general hospitals. In both groups choice of hospital was associated with satisfaction. Results showing difference between employees' and patients' recognition can be applied to implement customer-oriented attitude and be used as a baseline data for internal-external marketing planning of hospital management. The study may be limited in that the results cannot be generalized due to its small sample size and not being able to reflect demographic variables and life style. Further studies to investigate the difference of hospital utilization and hospital satisfaction will be necessary to define demographic characteristics and recognition of employees which influences patients' hospital satisfaction.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.54 no.2
• /
• pp.237-249
• /
• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the adequacy of current nurse staffing levels by identifying nursing activities and workload. Methods: The study used a mixed-method design. A nursing activity survey was conducted using the work sampling method over 2 working days with 119 general ward nurses. A focus group interview was conducted with 12 nurses. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 and content analysis, respectively. Results: The most amount of time was spent on medication (in direct nursing) and electronic medical record documentation (in indirect nursing). The appropriate nurse-to-patient ratio is 1:7.7 for the day shift, 1:9.0 for the evening shift, and 1:11.9 for the night shift. However, the current nurse-to-patient ratio is 1:9.4, 1:11.0, and 1:13.8 for the day, evening, and night shifts, respectively. Therefore, the current nurse staffing level is insufficient for the workload. In the focus group interview, the main reasons cited for being unable to complete tasks within working hours were communication and coordination, and the nursing electronic medical record. The essential nursing activities of basic nursing and emotional support were overlooked owing to a heavy workload. Therefore, an adequate nurse staffing level should be higher than the measured quantitative workload. Conclusion: These results suggest the general wards of tertiary hospitals should evaluate the adequacy of their current nurse staffing and allocate sufficient nurses to improve patient safety and nursing care quality.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.205-214
• /
• 2003

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the nurses' knowledge about and attitude toward cancer pain management. Method: Study subjects of this retrospective cross-sectional survey study were 343 nurses sampled conveniently in a tertiary teaching hospital in Seoul. Seven measurement tools were used to collect data on demographic data, knowledge about and attitude toward cancer pain management, barrier to cancer pain management, knowledge about and concerns for the opioid use, and professional education of cancer pain management. Result: Nurses showed knowledge deficit when their knowledge on the cancer pain management and the opiod use was evaluated using two case scenarios and the 15-item questionnaire respectively. Ninety-five percent of the nurses believed that cancer pain management is a major problem. However, inadequate staff knowledge of pain management was rated as the single most important barrier to adequate pain management by 20.4% of nurses. Only 10.9% and 23.2% of the nurses replied that nursing school's education and professional education in cancer pain management respectively, were adequate. Conclusion: This study confirms the existence of knowledge deficits and attitudinal barriers among Korean nurses that can impede cancer pain management. This study suggests a need for professional education for nurses on cancer pain management.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.214-222
• /
• 2017

Objectives: A hospital is a complex building that serves many different purposes. The indoor environment in a hospital plays a major role in patient well-being and the work efficiency of the hospital staff. This study was conducted to evaluate overall comfort in two major hospitals over the course of one year. Methods: Various indoor environmental conditions were measured in two general hospitals for one year (April 2014 to April 2015). Monitoring alternated between the hospitals at one month per respective monitoring session. The indoor air temperature, relative humidity (RH), mean radiant temperature and air velocity were measured in order to calculate the predicted mean vote (PMV). Carbon dioxide concentration, noise level and illumination level were concurrently measured and applied to the overall IEQ acceptance model for the hospitals (IEQh). Results: The IEQh at the two general hospitals was different at five spaces within a building. The IEQh for summer and winter were significantly different. Real-time IEQh demonstrated that indoor comfort was affected by the hospital's operating hours due to operation of the HVAC system. The percentage of indoor comfort in the hospitals was higher using PMV than IEQh. Conclusion: IEQh in the hospitals was different at locations with different purposes. Indoor comfort assessment using IEQh was stricter than with PMV. Additional research is needed in order to optimize the IEQh model.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.14-29
• /
• 2022

Purpose:In order to improve the quality of cardiac rehabilitation, it is important to examine the experiences of the patients and how they feel about each part of the process. We used a qualitative research methodology to conduct an in-depth review of the experiences of patients who participated in cardiac rehabilitation. Methods: According to semi-structured guidelines, in-depth interviews were conducted with a total of five patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation. Results: A total of 232 codes was derived; these codes were split into 4 categories and 10 subcategories. Although the patients were apprehensive about the diagnosis of heart disease, it also gave them a chance to reflect on their health behaviors of the past. In addition, they began to appreciate their families and support networks more as the disease progressed. The participants did not know about cardiac rehabilitation until the medical staff recommended it, but they participated in the program with the expectation that they could become healthier. The participants felt that they became more physically and mentally healthy while undergoing cardiac rehabilitation. Rehabilitation served as an opportunity to improve other health behaviors as well. However, they emphasized that it is necessary to continuously maintain improved health behavior, find an exercise method that is suitable for one's physical ability and not monotonous, and prepare a plan to reduce the time and economic burden of cardiac rehabilitation. Conclusion: The participants' positive experiences confirmed in this study will be used as evidence for the expansion of cardiac rehabilitation programs.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.349-355
• /
• 2020

Active and prompt scale-up screening tests are essential to efficiently control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. The goal of this work was to identify shortcomings in the conventional screening system (CSS) implemented in the beginning of the outbreak. To overcome these shortcomings, we then introduced a novel, independently developed system called the Yeungnam University type drive-through (YU-Thru), and distributed it nationwide in Korea. This system is similar to the drive-throughs utilized by fast food restaurants. YU-Thru system has shortened the time taken to test a single person to 2-4 minutes, by completely eliminating the time required to clean and ventilate the specimen collection room. This time requirement was a major drawback of the CSS. YU-Thru system also reduced the risk of subjects and medical staff infecting one another by using a separate and closed examination system. On average, 50 to 60 tests were conducted per day when using the CSS, while now up to 350 tests per day are conducted with the YU-Thru system. We believe that the YU-Thru system has made an important contribution to the rapid detection of COVID-19 in Daegu, South Korea. Here, we will describe the YU-Thru system in detail so that other countries experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks can take advantage of this system.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.91-100
• /
• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the sexual function of male patients receiving rectal cancer and to analyze the factors related to sexual function. Methods: This study included 71 male patients undergoing outpatient treatment after surgery at C University Hospital, Chonnam, Korea from April 1 to September 1, 2014. The sexual function of males with colorectal cancer was calculated using the Korean Translation of International Index of Erectile Function(IIEF). Data analysis was performed using t-test, ANOVA, and regression analysis. The study was IRB approved. Results: The sexual function index scores of the subjects were 33.28±19.47 points. Regression analysis showed that sexual function increased as the duration after operation increased(p=.001), higher location of cancer(p=.007), age decreased(p=.013). The explanatory power (adj. R2) of the analysis model was 0.186. Conclusion: Sexual function of males with rectal cancer differed according to duration after operation, and location of cancer, age. Therefore, medical staff think that it can be used as basic data for appropriate education and counseling by age, time, and type of treatment to improve sexual function of men with rectal cancer.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.289-297
• /
• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of a behavioral cue checklist (BCC) containing 17 items developed by Wilkes et al. (2010) for identifying potentially violent patients in emergency departments. Methods: This was a prospective observational study to evaluate the usefulness of the Korean version of a BCC (K-BCC) as an assessment tool for predicting patient violence in emergency departments, and was conducted over 4 weeks in a regional emergency medical center located in B City. A total of 1,324 patients were finally analyzed. Results: Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate whether each item of the K-BCC predicts violence, and a parsimonious set of 8 statistically significant items was selected for the tool. Receiver operating characteristic analysis of the BCC showed that the area under the curve was .97 (95% confidence interval: .94~1.0). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value at the cut-off score of 2 were 75.6%, 98.9%, 68.2%, and 99.2%, respectively. Conclusion: The K-BCC was found to be useful in predicting patient violence toward emergency department staff. This tool is simple, and fast to use and can play a significantly role identifying potentially violent patients. Owing to this advance identification, this tool can be helpful in preventing the potential for violence from manifesting as violent behaviors.