• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.119-130
• /
• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the nurses' experiences of end of life care of older adults with dementia living in long-term care hospitals and geriatric care facilities. Methods: The participants were nine nurses. Open in-depth interviews were used to collect data from June, 2016 to November, 2016. Colaizzi's phenomenological approach was used to analyze the data. Results: Three categories were identified. The nurses' reported experiences of end of life care of older adults with dementia were 'warm care with living together', 'care for family', and the 'self-reflection and responsibility as a nurse'. There were ten clusters of themes and 24 themes. The participants stated that the end of life care of older adults with dementia were individualized holistic care with dignity, being in older adults with dementia and family, and responsibility as a professional. Nurses reported the need for dementia hospice care. Conclusion: These results could be considered in planning nursing intervention for hospice care. The findings support the need for educational strategies and programs to improve end of life care among older adults with dementia.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.159-168
• /
• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the impacts of end-of-life care competency and ethical dilemmas on psychological burnout in nurses who care for terminal cancer patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 160 nurses who cared for terminal cancer patients was conducted. The participants were recruited from the hospice-palliative care wards, hematology or oncology wards, or intensive care units of three general hospitals in a single metropolitan area. Data were collected using a self-administered survey to assess end-oflife care competency, ethical dilemmas, psychological burnout, and general sociodemographic characteristics. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the independent ttest, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical linear regression analysis using SPSS for Windows (version 26.0). Results: Psychological burnout was significantly correlated with end-of-life care competency (r=-0.23, P=0.003) but not with ethical dilemmas. The results of the hierarchical linear regression analysis indicated that endof-life care competency (β=-0.280, P=0.010) and ethical dilemmas (β=0.275, P=0.037) were significant predictors of psychological burnout, after adjusting for age, religious status, clinical experience, and unit type. Conclusion: The current study's findings demonstrate that end-of-life care competency and ethical dilemmas are crucial factors that affect psychological burnout in nurses who care for terminal cancer patients. Substantive education programs must be developed to improve nurses' competencies in end-of-life care and ethical dilemmas to decrease psychological burnout.

• Child Health Nursing Research
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.353-363
• /
• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate pediatric nurses' perceptions regarding in end-of-life care and turnover intention. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed among 111 hospital nurses. Pediatric nurses' perceptions of obstacles and supportive behaviors were measured using the Pediatric Nurses' Perceptions of End of Life Care Questionnaire which was translated into Korean and turnover intention was measured using the Korean Nurse Turnover Intention Scale (K-NTIS). Results: The supportive behavior with the highest perceived magnitude was 'Physicians who are compassionate, but very clear about prognosis.' The obstacle with the highest perceived magnitude was 'Instigating painful treatments when there is no hope of recovery.' Pediatric nurses' perceptions of obstacles in end-of-life care showed statistically significant differences depending on whether nurses received end-of-life care education (t=2.02, p=.046). The perception of obstacles in end-of-life care was positively correlated with turnover intention (intensity r=.28, p=.002) (frequency r=.20, p=.027). Conclusion: These results suggest that pediatric nurses' perception of obstacles and supportive behaviors in end-of-life care need to be assessed when considering turnover intention. Furthermore, psychological counseling should be offered to nurses to prevent burnout and reduce moral distress which is correlated with the turnover rate.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.21-33
• /
• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between lymphedema self-care management and quality of life in breast cancer patients with mastectomy and lymphedema. Methods: One hundred and eighty-six breast cancer patients with mastectomy and lymphedema (n=186) were recruited at a medical center located in Seoul. The levels of lymphedema self-care management and quality of life were measured by the scale for measurement of practice in lymphedema self-care management, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Quality of Life Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Quality of Life Questionnaire Breast Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ BR23), respectively. Data were analyzed with SPSS 18.0 program. Results: There were statistically significant correlations between lymphedema self-care management and general health status/quality of life in mastectomy patients with lymphedema (r=.30, p<.001). The physical function score of cancer related function scale (r=-.15, p=.033), fatigue score of cancer related symptom scale (r=.15, p=.036), systemic side effect score of breast cancer related symptom scale (r=.45, p=.034), and upset by hair loss (r=.27, p=.004) were significantly correlated with quality of life. Conclusion: The findings suggest that these significant factors should be considered when caring for lymphedema patients.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.124-136
• /
• 2018

Purpose: This descriptive study is aimed at identifying how nursing hospital workers' performance of end-of-life care is influenced by their knowledge and awareness of hospice palliative care, attitude towards end-of-life care, performance, importance, awareness of death and the factors. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was used to collect data from 113 workers at an accredited nursing hospital in K province. Variables were their knowledge and awareness of hospice palliative care, attitude towards end-of-life care, end-of-life care performance and importance and awareness of death. An analysis was performed with the frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe's test, Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple regression using IBM SPSS 21.0. Results: The factors affecting the nursing hospital workers' end-of-life care performance were the importance of end-of-life care and their marital status, which showed an explanatory power of 38.2%. Conclusion: In order to improve the nursing hospital workers' end-of-life care performance, a training on the importance of end-of-life care should be provided. Therefore, we would like to propose establishing administrative measures such as 1) efficient staffing to help the caregivers better perform what they think is important, 2) development of a training program that can improve their performance of end-of-life nursing care and 3) a study to verify the effectiveness of the program.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.197-206
• /
• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate end-of-life care preferences of employees working in a university hospital. Methods: Of 650 eligible employees that were approached, 607 employees (386 nurses, 93 physicians, and 128 general staff) completed the Korean version of Preferences for Care Near the End of Life (PCEOL-K). Results: Among 5 dimensions of the PECOL-K, "Pain" was the most preferred care dimension and "Decision making by health care professional" was the least preferred care dimension. The item that received the highest mean score was "I want to let nature guide my dying and I do not want my life to be artificially prolonged in any way", and the lowest item was "I want health care providers to make all decisions about my care". As preferred care near the end of life, nurses gave lower scores to the life sustaining treatment and decision making by health care profession than physicians and general staff. Compared to physicians and nurses, general staff preferred the decision making by health care professional and by family. Conclusion: The results show that adequate pain relief is the most preferred care at the end of life among hospital employees and non-medical personnel preferred decision making by others.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.710-721
• /
• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify, describe, and understand the meaning of experiences by clarifying the structure of the coping experience of end-of-life care(EOLC) experienced by long-term care hospitals(LTCHs) nurses'. Methods: Data were gathered from 16 nurses who had been working at LTCHs in Korea through one-on-one interviews and the data were analyzed by Colaizzi's phenomenological method. Results: It was structured and identified into 3 categories and 15 theme clusters. The emergent 3 categories were 'Long-term care hospitals nurses' attitudes towards for end-of-life care', 'End-of-life care stress', 'Coping with end-of-life care'. Conclusion: There is a need for practical and systematic education for LTCHs nurses' to positively change end-of-life care attitudes and reduce and prevent end-of-life care stress. In addition, it is suggested to operate programs that can improve coping skills or programs such as expert counseling.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.76-86
• /
• 2020

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to identify the extent to which nurses' death perceptions, death anxiety, and stress associated with terminal care affects their attitudes toward terminal care. Method : A total of 214 nurses were asked questions about characteristics, death perceptions, death anxiety, stress associated with end-of-life care, and terminal care attitudes, using structured questionnaires. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffé's test, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression. Results : Factors influencing terminal care attitudes in participants were positive meaning associated with death, respect for life, final education, end-of-life nursing education experiences, stress associated with end-of-life care, death anxiety, and position. These factors explained 38.7% of variance in participants' terminal care attitudes (F=20.18, p<.001). Conclusion : In order for nurses to have a positive attitude toward terminal care, it is necessary to raise positive awareness about death and respect for life, and it is necessary to develop various educational programs and strengthen their capacity through continuous education.

• Women's Health Nursing
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.278-289
• /
• 2008

Purpose: This study was a survey to provide basic data about nursing interventions for improving the quality of life among family caregivers for the elderly by examining their care burden, burnout, and quality of life, and by confirming the correlation between each of them. Method: The subjects were 215 people in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province who understood the purpose of this study and participated voluntarily from April 1 to June 4, 2007. Data was analyzed by the SAS program. Result: 1. Concerning primary caregivers of the elderly, it was found that their care burden was slightly high, burnout was high and quality of life was good on the whole. 2. When it comes to the correlation among care burden, burnout, and quality of life among family caregivers, it was found that burnout increases in proportion to care burden, quality of life decreases as care burden increases, and bigger burnout leads to a lower quality of life. Conclusion: The quality of life among primary caregivers should be improved by reducing their care burden and burnout. Thereby, a priority might be considered for admission to nearby, comfortable nursing homes or failing that, home visiting services, rather than family support in the home.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.418-435
• /
• 1991

The purposes of this study were to find out the effects of hospice care for the quality of life of the terminally - ill patients and to analyze the relationship between the effect of hospice care and the general characteristics of subjects. The subjects of the study were 32 terminally - ill patients hospitalized in the two general hospitals in Seoul, which have the hospice care unit. The data were collected using the questionnaire with interviews. They were done from Sept.28, 1989 to March 20, 1991. The tools used for the research were 17-item questionnaire regarding general characteristics, 42-item questionnaire about the quality of life (11- item for physical, 16 for psychosocial, and 15 for spiritual). The questionnaires were to measure the duality of life by means of the measure instruments of Betty R. Farewell(1989), Stein Kaasa(1988), Palm Pamela(1987), and Hwa-sook Choi(1987). 42 items were used after pre-test. In accordance with each purpose in this study, frequency and percentage were used on the general characteristics of subjects. ANOVA, t-test, and Pearson correlation were employed to evaluate the general characteristics of subjects and different level of quality of life before-and-after hospice care. The results of the study may be summarized as follws : 1. The effects of hospice care. Main Hypothesis : “The quality of life of the terminally - ill patients will be different from before-and-after hospice care” was supported(t＝6.82, df＝31, p＝ .000). Sub Hypothesis 1 : “The quality of life of the terminally - ill patients in the physical aspects will be different from before - and -after hospice care” was not supported(t＝0.07, df＝31, p＝ .946). Sub Hypothesis 2 : “The quality of life of the terminally - ill patients in the psychosocial aspects will be different from before-and-after hospice care” was supported (t＝4.69, df＝31, p＝ .000). Sub Hypothesis 3 : “The quality of life of the terminally - ill patients in the spiritual aspects will be different from before-and-after hospice care” was supported(t＝6.64, df＝31, p＝ .000). 2. Relationship between the general characteristics of subjects and the effects of hospice care. (1) The more the number of family, the higher the quality of life in the psychosocial aspects. (2) The higher the age of the patient, the lower the quality of life in the psychosocial aspects. (3) The high educational level of patients enjoy the high quality of life in general. (4) The high religious level of petients enjoy the higy Quality of life in the spiritual aspects. As a results of analysis above : 1. The most effective aspects of the hospice care to the terminally- ill patients was spiritual aspects. The next effective aspects was psychosocial area. 2. The least effective aspcets of the hospice care to the terminally- ill patients was physical aspects. Further study is needed to improve the quality of life in the physical aspects.