• 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.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.57-65
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• 2012

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to identify the effect of music therapy on the physiologic index, anxiety and dyspnea of patients who are weaning from mechanical ventilators, and to compare the effects between western and Korean traditional music. Methods: The research format is repeated measures design. The subject group consisted of 21 patients being weaned from mechanical ventilators in a tertiary general hospital in Seoul. Each patient randomly received western music, rest, and Korean traditional music. Western and Korean traditional music were played on an MP3 head phone for 30 minutes. Patients get 30 minutes of rest between the 2 music styles and the rest period. Physiological indices, anxiety and dyspnea were measured before and after patients listened to both styles of music and the rest period. Anxiety and dyspnea were measured with a visual analogue scale. Results: Respiratory rates (RR), rapid shallow breath indexes (RSBI), anxiety and dyspnea decreased, and tidal volume (TV) increased after listening to Western and Korean tradition music in patients weaning from mechanical ventilators. Compared to western music, Korean traditional music yielded significant decreases in RR, RSBI, anxiety and dyspnea, and an increase of TV. Conclusion: Western and Korean traditional music would decrease RR, RSBI, anxiety and dyspnea and increase TV of patients who are weaning from mechanical ventilators. The effects are more pronounced in patients listening to Korean traditional music compared to western music.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3843-3846
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• 2013

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess prognosis after resection of giant tumors (including lobectomy or pneumonectomy) in the mediastinum. Materials and Methods: Patients with resection of a giant tumor in the mediastinum of the thoracic cavity received ICU treatment including dynamic monitoring of vital signs, arterial blood pressure and CVP detection, determination of hemorrhage, pulmonary function and blood gas assay, treatment of relevant complications, examination and treatment with fiber optic bronchoscopy, transfusion and hemostasis as well as postoperative removal of ventilators by invasive and non-invasive sequential mechanical ventilation technologies. Results: Six patients were rehabilitated successfully after ICU treatment with controlled postoperative errhysis and pulmonary infection by examination and treatment with fiber optic bronchoscopy without second application of ventilators and tubes after sequential mechanical ventilation technology. One patient died from multiple organ failure under ICU treatment due to postoperative active hemorrhage after second operative hemostasis. Conclusions: During peri-operative period of resection of giant tumor (including lobectomy or pneumonectomy) in mediastinum ofthe thoracic cavity, the ICU plays an important role in dynamic monitoring of vital signs, treatment of postoperative stress state, postoperative hemostasis and successful removal of ventilators after sequential mechanical ventilation.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.118-123
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• 2016

In the event of a building fire, it is important to control the smoke generated to ensure the safe evacuation of occupants. A natural smoke ventilator should be installed to exhaust the fire smoke in accordance with the Korean building Act and Code. On the other hand, the present law does not specify the contents regarding natural smoke ventilators sufficiently. The problems that occur in various parts, such as the installation target, installation location, free area, and the control and maintenance of natural smoke ventilators need to be solved. In this study, the problem of the current system was examined through domestic and foreign standards, preliminary research, and field investigations. In addition, suggestions for improvement are provided.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 2023

Due to the spread of COVID-19, many patients with severe respiratory diseases have occurred worldwide, and accordingly, the use of mechanical ventilators has exploded. However, hospitals do not have systematic risk management, and the Medical Device Regulation also provides medical device risk management standards for manufacturers, but does not apply to devices in use. In this paper, we applied the Failure Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA) risk analysis technique based on the International Standard ISO 14971 (Medical Devices-Application of risk management to medical devices) for 85 mechanical ventilators of a specific model in use in hospitals. Failure modes and effects of each parts were investigated, and risk priority was derived through multiplication of each score by preparing criteria for severity, occurrence, and detection for each failure mode. As a result, it was confirmed that the microprocessor-based Patient Unit/Monitoring board in charge of monitoring scored the highest score with 36 points, and that reliability management is possible through systematic risk management according to priority.

• Journal 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 Academy of Nursing
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.874-880
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify muscle atrophy in critically ill patients on ventilators. A comparison was made between limb circumferences and muscle areas on the day of admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) and on the 8th day after admission. Methods: The data were collected from 30 critically ill patients using ventilators at S hospital ICU in Seoul during the period from October 2005 to April 2006. Limb circumferences and skinfold thickness were measured on the day of admission and on the 8th day after admission to the ICU. Limb circumferences and skinfold thickness were measured on the right mid-arm, right mid-thigh, and right mid-calf using a measuring tape and a skinfold calipers. Limb muscle areas were calculated by an equation after measuring limb circumferences and skinfold thickness. The data were analyzed by paired t-test and independent t-test. Results: 1) Mid-arm circumference, mid-thigh circumference and mid-calf circumference on the 8th day after admission to the ICU were significantly less than those on the day of admission to the ICU, 2) Mid-arm muscle area, mid-thigh muscle area and mid-calf muscle area on the 8th day after admission to the ICU were significantly less than those on the day of admission to the ICU, 3) Steroid and vecuronium medication didn't affect changes in limb circumferences (mid-arm, mid-thigh, mid-calf) and muscle areas (mid-arm, mid-thigh, mid-calf on the 8th day after admission to the ICU compared to the day of admission. Conclusion: Limb muscle atrophy may occur on the 8th day after admission to the ICU in critically ill patients using ventilator.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.22-26
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• 2016

"Always-on" small ventilators are likely to experience thermal decomposition of insulating material due to thermal, electrical, mechanical and environmental influences, and lose insulating properties by the process of oxidation and physiochemical reaction. This increases the risk of electrical fire because of layer short, short circuit, overload and Plastics are usually used to make ventilator and ventilator enclosures since they make less noise and are cheaper. Although more preferred than iron, plastic, a combustible material, has a higher risk of fire. In this study, several experiments were carried out to find out how RCD(Residual Current Protective Device) and Thermal fuses, which are electric motor protection devices, work and what needs to be done to reduce the risk of fire.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2010

Graphic monitoring assists the clinician at the bedside in several ways. It can be helpful in fine-tuning or adjusting ventilator parameters. Graphic monitoring may help to determine the patient's response to pharmacologic agents. The clinician also has the ability to trend monitored events over a prolonged period of time. The neonatal patient's self respiration, synchrony to ventilator and respiratory efforts can be well recognized with graphic monitoring. Of all, it may enable detection of complications before they become clinically apparent. This article introduces the basics of real-time graphics.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.364-374
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• 2006

Natural ventilation technique could be the substitute for or the complement to the local exhaust ventilation system in the sense of protecting work environment. Moreover, it has many strong points ; almost no mechanical parts, no energy use and no noise. If applied appropriately, it could have the very high ventilation rate and save a lot of energy expense. But, it depends on the outdoor environment, especially temperature and wind speed/direction. Predicting the capacity of natural ventilation is not an easy job because it comes from both buoyancy and wind effect. Another problem is too much flow through the ventilator especially in winter time due to too much difference between indoor and outdoor temperature. Thus some ventilators in industries are sealed by door or plastic sheet, resulting in bad work environment. Various types of dampers are used to control the flow rate through ventilators. The capabilities of flow control by damper has not been estimated. In addition, it was not tested whether the damper could obstruct the flow through ventilator when fully opened. To answer these questions, 4 types of dampers were tested by using computational fluid dynamics. 10 different configurations includes no damper, full open and half open. Flow rates were estimated and airflow fields were analysed to clarify the before-mentioned questions. The dual type damper was the best choice for controling the capability of ventilator. In addition, the upward grill type damper was the best for not obstructing the air flow when fully opened.