• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2018

Purpose: This study investigated predictive factors for severe neonatal thrombocytopenia, which greatly increases the need for intensive care and is associated with a high mortality rate in premature infants. Factors adopted for prompt identification of at-risk newborns include blood test results and birth history. This study analyzed the relationship between the presence of severe neonatal thrombocytopenia and the mortality rate. The causes of thrombocytopenia in premature infants were also examined. Methods: This retrospective study evaluated 625 premature infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Chung-Ang University Medical Center. The neonates were classified into 3 groups according to the severity of thrombocytopenia: mild ($100{\times}10^9/L{\leq}platelet<150{\times}10^9/L$), moderate ($50{\times}10^9/L{\leq}platelet<100{\times}10^9/L$), or severe (platelet<$50{\times}10^9/L$). Analysis of blood samples obtained at the onset of thrombocytopenia included platelet count, white blood cell (WBC) count, hemoglobin level, hematocrit level, absolute neutrophil count, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level. Results: Of the 625 premature infants admitted to our NICU, 214 were detected with thrombocytopenia. The mortality rate in thrombocytopenic neonates was 18.2% (39/214), whereas a mortality rate of only 1.0% was observed in non-thrombocytopenic neonates. The major causes of thrombocytopenia were perinatal insufficiency and sepsis in premature infants. Severe thrombocytopenia was noted more frequently in premature infants with higher WBC counts and in those with a younger gestational age. Conclusion: Platelet count, WBC count, and gestational age are reliable predictors for severe neonatal thrombocytopenia. The major causes of thrombocytopenia were perinatal insufficiency and sepsis in premature infants.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.190-198
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the paternal stress and nursing support as perceived by fathers of high risk infants admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU). Methods: The study participants included 88 fathers of high risk infants in NICUs. Their parental stress and nursing support were measured using a self-report questionnaire. Results: The parental stress level of the fathers was 3.57 of a possible 5. Among the parental stress items, 'Relationship with infant and parental role' had the highest scores. The perceived nursing support level was a relatively high, 3.90 on a 5-point scale. The lowest score was for the item 'showed concern about my well-being.' The parental stress was lower in fathers with low income, higher in fathers in nuclear families and when the infants' condition was serious. Conclusion: The findings indicate that fathers of high risk infants experience intense parental stress. Thus when designing care to provide support for these fathers and their infants, it is necessary to encourage the fathers' engagement, provide information on how to respond to the baby, and include supportive care to the fathers.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.115-126
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was done to identify differences in work environment, work stress, turnover intention and burnout and investigate the relationship among these variables in nurses in Korean Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Method: Participants were 242 nurses working in 13 general hospitals. Burnout was measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), work stress with the instrument by Gu & Kim (1994), and turnover intention with the scale by Kim & Lee (2001). Size of the NICU, nurse to patient ratio, and communication satisfaction were included in work environment. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis with SPSS WIN program. Results: The mean score for work stress in NICU nurses was 3.43 points, for burnout, 2.72 points, and for turnover intention, 4.64 points. Burnout and turnover intention level of participants were moderate-high. Work stress, communication dissatisfaction with physician, and clinical career accounted for 33% of variance in burnout. Significant differences were found between size of NICU and staffing related to environmental characteristics in turnover intention and burnout. Conclusions: Results indicate that effective communication with coworkers and institutional support for appropriate staffing according to number of beds will help to prevent work stress, burnout, and ultimately, nurses' resignations.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.63 no.9
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• pp.361-367
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• 2020

Background: Length of stay is a significant indicator of care effectiveness and hospital performance. Owing to the limited number of healthcare centers and facilities, it is important to optimize length of stay and associated factors. Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate factors associated with neonatal length of stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) using parametric and semiparametric models and compare model fitness according to Akaike information criterion (AIC) between 2016 and 2018. Methods: This retrospective cohort study reviewed 600 medical records of infants admitted to the NICU of Bandar Abbas Hospital. Samples were identified using census sampling. Factors associated with NICU length of stay were investigated based on semiparametric Cox model and 4 parametric models including Weibull, exponential, log-logistic, and log-normal to determine the best fitted model. The data analysis was conducted using R software. The significance level was set at 0.05. Results: The study findings suggest that breastfeeding, phototherapy, acute renal failure, presence of mechanical ventilation, and availability of central venous catheter were commonly identified as factors associated with NICU length of stay in all 5 models (P<0.05). Parametric models showed better fitness than the Cox model in this study. Conclusion: Breastfeeding and availability of central venous catheter had protective effects against length of stay, whereas phototherapy, acute renal failure, and mechanical ventilation increased length of stay in NICU. Therefore, the identification of factors associated with NICU length of stay can help establish effective interventions aimed at decreasing the length of stay among infants.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.211-217
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to trace the development of premature babies who had undergone neurodevelopmental treatment in the neonatal intensive care unit and to identify the effects of early neurodevelopmental treatment on the development of premature babies. Methods: Fifty-one premature babies, who had been hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit and received an infant motor performance test and Bayley scales-III evaluation of their developments during the six months of corrected age were included. They were divided into three groups: the intervention group (n=16), control group (n=23), and comparison group (n=12), depending on the risk of developmental delays and the existence of an intervention. The results of this study were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 for windows. The statistical significance level was set at ${\alpha}=0.05$. Results: Regarding the infant motor performance test scores for each group before the intervention, at two weeks after the start of intervention, and at post-conception of 40 weeks, the intervention group showed a significantly higher improvement than the control or comparison group (p<0.01). With respect to the Bayley scales-III at the corrected age of six months, the intervention group exhibited statistically significant differences from the control group in the domains of language and fine movements (p<0.01). Conclusion: The findings of this study could confirm that the early neurodevelopmental treatment of premature babies in the neonatal intensive care unit has continuous effects on the development of premature babies even after being discharged from the hospital.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.230-235
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• 2007

In the early neonatal period, the neonate is challenged by the loss of the placental calcium transport and manifests a quick transition, from an environment in which PTHrP plays an important role to a PTH- and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-controlled neonatal milieu. Disturbances in mineral homeostasis are common in the neonatal period, especially in premature infants and infants who are hospitalized in an intensive care unit. In many cases these disturbances are thought to be exaggerated responses to the normal physiological transition from the intrauterine environment to neonatal independence. Some disturbances in calcium and phosphate homeostasis are the result of genetic defects, which in many instances can now be identified at the molecular level. Although fetus develop remarkably normally in the presence of maternal calcium, PTH and vitamin D deficiency, the neonates demonstrate abnormalities that are consequences of the prior abnormal maternal calcium homeostasis. Evaluation and management of hypocalcemia and hypercalcemia in neonate requires specific knowledge of perinatal mineral physiology and the unique clinical and biochemical features of newborn mineral metabolism.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.354-367
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was done to verify validity and reliability of a neonatal patient classification system (NeoPCS-1). Methods: An expert group of 8 nurse managers and 40 nurses from 8 Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Korea, verified content validity of the measurement using item level content validity index (I-CVI). The participants were nurses caring for 469 neonates. Data were collected from November 11 to December 14, 2011 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, intraclass correlation coefficient, and K-cluster analysis with PASW 18.0 program. Results: Nursing domains and activities included 8 items with 91 activities. I-CVI was above .80 in all areas. Interrater reliability was significant between two raters (r=.95, p<.001). Classification scores for participants according to patient types and nurses' intuition were significantly higher for the following patients; gestational age (${\leq}29$ weeks), body weight (<1,000 gm), and transfer from hospital. Six groups were classified using cluster analysis method based on nursing needs. Patient classification scores were significantly different for the groups. Conclusion: These results show adequate validity and reliability for the NeoPCS-1 based on nursing needs. Study is needed to refine the measurement and develop index scores to estimate number of nurses needed for adequate neonatal care.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.67-78
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• 2024

Purpose: The present study investigated experiences of traumatic perinatal events, the provision of related education, and educational needs of nurses working in the labor and delivery room (LDR). Methods: Nurses working in the LDRs of six institutions and two nurse portal sites were invited to participate in the survey, delivered on paper or online. The data were collected from October 1 to November 25, 2022. Data from 129 nurses were analyzed using frequency, the chi-square test, the Fisher exact test, the t-test, and analysis of variance. Results: Virtually all participants (98.6%) reported having experienced at least one traumatic perinatal event (dystocia, postpartum hemorrhage, neonatal congenital anomalies, severe maternal or neonatal injury, stillbirth, and maternal or neonatal death) while working in the LDR. The most shocking traumatic perinatal event experienced was the maternal or neonatal death (40.3%), but 24.8% of participants did not recall ever receiving education on the topic. About 63% of participants experienced traumatic perinatal events within a year of working in the LDR. The average score for education needs regarding traumatic perinatal events was 3.67±0.37 out of 4, and participants preferred simulation education as the most effective educational method. Conclusion: Since most of the participants had experienced various traumatic perinatal events in the early stages of working in the LDR and expressed a high level of need for education on traumatic perinatal events, it is necessary to provide more effective stimulation education programs in the early period of work in the LDR.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2017

Purpose: Although procalcitonin (PCT) level is useful for the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis, PCT reliability is inconsistent because of the varied conditions encountered in neonatal intensive care units. This study aimed to investigate PCT levels and factors influencing increased PCT levelin newborns without bacterial infection during the first week of life. Methods: In newborns hospitalized between March 2013 and October 2015, PCT levels were measured on the first, third, and seventh days after birth. Newborns with proven bacterial (blood culture positive for bacteria) or suspicious infection (presence of C-reactive protein expression or leukocytosis/leukopenia) were excluded. Various neonatal conditions were analyzed to identify the factors influencing increased PCT level. Results: Among 292 newborns with a gestational age of $35.2{\pm}3.0$ weeks and a birth weight of $2,428{\pm}643g$, preterm newborns (n=212) had higher PCT levels than term newborns (n=80). Of the newborns, 7.9% had increased PCT level (23 of 292) on the firstday; 28.3% (81 of 286), on the third day; and 3.3% (7 of 121), on the seventh day after birth. The increased PCT level was significantly associated with prenatal disuse of antibiotics (P=0.004) and surfactant administration (P<0.001) on the first day after birth, postnatal use of antibiotics (P=0.001) and ventilator application (P=0.001) on the third day after birth, and very low birth weight (P=0.042) on the seventh day after birth. Conclusion: In newborns without bacterial infection, increased PCT level was significantly associated with lower gestational age and respiratory difficulty during the first week of life. Further studies are needed for clinical applications.

• Korean Parent-Child Health Journal
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.31-45
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• 2003

This study is designed to produce basic data on the nursing intervention between infants and mothers after discharge from hospitals. This research is carried by investigating the nursing intervention during their after-delivery staying in the hospitals located in Pusan. The object of this study includes the neonatal wards of 51 hospitals. Data collection was carried from the 3rd of September, 2001 to the 4th of October in the same year. Tools for measurement using in this research is the nursing checklist designed by these researchers. The data were analyzed by using SPSS and the output was produced in frequency and percentage considering general characteristics and nursing activities. On the course of investigation, it was revealed that the average number of items checked are as follows; total beds in one hospital came up to 360.1, the beds in each newborn infant ward came up to 36.1, in each ward the numbers of incubators came up to 9.2 and intensive care unit to 1.7. In each ward 8.4 nurses and 2.9 nurse aids were working at that time. In each hospital, secure of air way, physical examination, eye care, umbilical cord care, maintenance of body temperature, identification of infant, nutritive condition, safety and danger management, infection management, mother-infantile interaction, medical assistant to doctor, medication and discharge education were comparatively well done. But, in case of emotional, social and cognitive aspect of nursing activities through interactions between newborn infants and nurses as substitutes are not reached to the adequate level. In the end, this study hereby suggests that further investigation on the device to facilitate the interaction between newborn infant and nurse as a nursing intervention of high quality.