• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2023

Purpose : This study aimed to compare peripheral pulse oxygen saturation (SpO₂) values, measured at different monitoring sites, and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO₂) of neurocritical patients. Methods : The study included 110 patients admitted to the neurosurgical intensive care unit of a university hospital. The patients' SpO₂ values were measured in their index fingers, both second toes, both earlobes, and foreheads, using the patient monitoring system. These values were compared with the standard value of SaO₂ measured using a blood gas analyzer. Data were analyzed using descriptive values, Pearson's correlation coefficients, Lin's concordance correlation coefficients (CCC), and Bland-Altman plots. Result : Regardless of the measuring site, SpO₂ was correlated with the paired measurements of SaO₂ (r=.40~.60, p<.001, CCC range=.40~.58). No significant bias in paired measurements of SpO₂ and SaO₂ was observed at all sites (-0.06~0.19%, p>.05). SpO₂ values at the left finger and right earlobe had the narrowest range, with a 95% limits of agreement (LOA) (left finger -3.04~2.93% and right earlobe -3.18~2.79%). SpO₂ at the index finger, on the side without an arterial catheter, had a narrower range of 95% LOA than that of the opposing finger (-3.00~2.97% vs. -3.73~3.26%). Conclusion : SpO₂ at the finger without an arterial catheter had the highest level of precision. This study suggests using the index finger, on the side without an arterial catheter, for pulse oximetry in neurocritical patients.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.353-360
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• 2006

Purpose: This study was done to investigate the effects of backrest elevation of 0 degree and 30 degrees that minimize the risk of increasing ICP when CVP is measured. Methods: Subjects were sixty-four patients who stayed in the neurosurgical intensive care unit after brain surgery at two university-based hospitals. CVP, blood pressure, heart rate and ICP were measured along with position changes in order of backrest position with primary 30 degrees backrest position, 0 degree backrest position and secondary 30 degrees backrest position. For data analysis, one-group, repeated-measures analysis of variance design was used in SAS program. Results: Backrest elevations from 0 degree to 30 degrees did not alter the CVP without increasing the ICP. Therefore, 30 degrees backrest position is a preventive position without increasing ICP. Conclusion: 30 degrees backrest position might be appropriate for brain injury patients when CVP is measured.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.79-88
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• 2011

Background : Evidence-based guidelines are now used for enteral nutrition(EN) in neurosurgical intensive care unit patients who mostly depend on EN. This study compared and analyzed the nutritive conditions of patients before and after they underwent guideline based nutritional interventions in order to determine whether using these guidelines improved their calorie supply. Methods : Data on the patients' nutritional requirements, maximum calorie supply through EN, serum albumin level, and total lymphocyte count were collected and analyzed using SAS version 9.1.3. All the statistical analyses were performed at a significance level of P<0.05. Result : The maximum calorie supply through EN was $923.1{\pm}359.7$ kcal before the intervention and $1254.4{\pm}196.3$ kcal after the intervention; this difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). The ratio of nutritional requirements to maximum calorie supply through EN was $55.5{\pm}22.4%$ and $74.2{\pm}13.9%$ before and after the intervention, respectively; this difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). This indicates a 19% increase in the ratio after the nutritional intervention. The serum albumin level also significantly increased from $2.7{\pm}0.6g/dL$ before the intervention to $3.2{\pm}0.4g/dL$ after the intervention(P<0.05). The total lymphocyte count slightly increased from $1267.7{\pm}728.2cells/mm^3$ before the intervention to $1801.9{\pm}1211.5cells/mm^3$ after the intervention; this difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion : The results showed that using the evidence-based feeding guidelines for interventions increased the calorie supply and improved the patients' nutritive conditions from moderate malnutrition to mild malnutrition.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.99-104
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• 2010

Objective : We conducted this study to evaluate the clinical impact of early enteral nutrition (EN) on in-hospital mortality and outcome in patients with critical hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods : We retrospectively analyzed 123 ICH patients with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 3-12. We divided the subjects into two groups : early EN group (< 48 hours, n = 89) and delayed EN group ($\geq$ 48 hours, n = 34). Body weight, total intake and output, serum albumin, Creactive protein, infectious complications, morbidity at discharge and in-hospital mortality were compared with statistical analysis. Results : The incidence of nosocomial pneumonia and length of intensive care unit stay were significantly lower in the early EN group than in the delayed EN group (p < 0.05). In-hospital mortality was less in the early EN group than in the delayed EN group (10.1% vs. 35.3%, respectively; p = 0.001). By multivariate analysis, early EN [odds ratio (OR) 0.229, 95% CI : 0.066-0.793], nosocomial pneumonia (OR = 5.381, 95% CI : 1.621-17.865) and initial GCS score (OR = 1.482 95% CI : 1.160-1.893) were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality in patients with critical hypertensive ICH. Conclusion : These findings indicate that early EN is an important predictor of outcome in patients with critical hypertensive ICH.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.68-71
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• 2011

We present a case of Neuro-Behçet's disease with an unpredictable clinical course. A 47-year-old man was admitted to the neurosurgery department of our hospital with a mild headache. Three days after admission, his consciousness suddenly decreased and respiratory distress progressed rapidly. A brain MRI revealed that the previously observed abnormal signal had extended markedly to both the thalamic areas and the entire brain stem, and the surrounding brain parenchyma were compressed by cerebral edema. Based on the patient's symptoms of recurrent oral and genital ulcers, skin lesions, and uveitis, a rheumatologist made a diagnosis of Behçet's disease with CNS involvement. The patient was treated with high-dose methylprednisolone with respiratory assistance in the intensive care unit for 9 days and his neurologic symptoms improved remarkably. Neuro-Behçet's disease must be considered in the differential diagnosis in rapidly deteriorated young neurological patients along with a stroke, low-grade glioma, multiple sclerosis, and occlusive venous disease.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.334-337
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• 2014

Objective : The purpose of this study is to identify the risk factors associated with the development of germinal matrix-intraventricular hemorrhage (GM-IVH) and the relationship of the severity of disease and prematurity. Methods : A total of 168 premature neonates whose birth weight ${\leq}1500g$ or gestational age ${\leq}34$ weeks were examined by cranial ultrasound (CUS) for detection of GM-IVH among the babies admitted between January 2011 and December 2012 in our medical center neonatal intensive care unit. The babies were divided into two groups : GM-IVH and non-IVH. Clinical presentations, precipitating factors of the patients and maternal factors were analyzed. Results : In univariate analysis, gestational age, birth weight, delivery method, presence of premature rupture of membrane (PROM) and level of sodium and glucose were statistically meaningful factors (p<0.05). But only two factors, gestational age and presence of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) were statistically meaningful in multivariate logistic regression (p<0.05). Delivery method [normal vaginal delivery (NVD) to Caeserean section] was borderline significant (p<0.10). Conclusion : Presence of PDA and gestational age were the important risk factors associated with development of GM-IVH.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.481-483
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• 2017

Sphingomonas paucimobilis (S. paucimobilis) is a gram negative bacillus. It has existed in soil, drinking water and plants. It has been isolated from distilled water tanks, respirators, and hemodialysis devices at the hospital setting. Patients with chronic disorders or immune suppression may be susceptible to infections with it. This microorganism has also been reported to infect healthy persons. Both nosocomial and community-acquired infections have been reported. So far, a variety of infections have been reported, including sepsis, septic pulmonary embolism, septic arthritis, peritonitis, and endophthalmitis. Only 2 cases of meningitis have been reported so far in the literature. So far, no previous reports of culture proliferation have been reported in patients with external ventricular drains, as was the case in our patient. Therefore, our case is the first to have S. paucimobilis proliferation in cerebrospinal fluid culture during intensive care unit stay for an external ventricular drain.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.175-183
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• 2000

The study was done by applying a phenomenological study, which is qualitative research methods, in order to understand the meaning of the lived experiences, to confirm and describe the meaning structure, and to prepare nursing interventive strategies centering around the meanings of the inpatients' families in the intensive care units. In the study, the family members were the main important nursing providers for in the inpatients' who were admitted in the neurosurgical intensive care unit in K-university hospital and who agreed to participate in the study after being given on explanation about the purpose of the study. The data were collected from the seven participants who had feelings of trust and intimacy favorable toward the researcher as they were families of patients who had been cared for by the researcher in the ICU where the researcher has been assigned. The data were collected from April to October, 1999. The participants described their experiences as candidly as possible. The researcher described closely the lived experiences with their own words and the observations of the researcher. A tape recorder was used with the consent of the participants to prevent nursing information and communication. The analysis of the data was made through the phenomenological analytic method suggested by Giorgi; as an unit of description, which include the participants' expressions and the researcher's observations, the analysis was used based on the data described from the expressions of the participants and the details of observations of the researcher. The conclusions of the study were as follows : The meanings of the lived experience of the inpatients' families in the ICU was confirmed by indepth interviews and observations including these of the participatants : (1) Psychological impact: confusion, impatience, surprise, insensibility; (2) Physical suffering: fatigue, discomfort, indigestion; (3) Psychological suffering: heartbreaking emotion, anxiety, annoyance, fear, compassion, grief; (4) Economical suffering: economical difficulties; (5) Psychological disagreement: escape from reality, personnel avoidance, grudge, powerlessness, carefulness, transposition of life-tract, abandonment, role-crisis, hope, lack of understanding, regret, feeling of ambivalence(progressive process, medical personnel interest); (6) Psychological dependency; self-reliance group support, family support, religious support; (7) Psychological acceptance; acquaintance, gratitude, reassurance; The study will offer better understanding of experiences therefore, based on the experiences confirmed by the study, it may facilitate more appropriate nursing interventive strategies for health maintenance and to prevent occurrence of possible problems with the inpatients' families in the ICUs.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.10-21
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• 2001

Background : The Clostridium difficile is the most important identifiable cause of nosocomial infectious diarrhea and colitis, which lengthens hospital stay. Recently incidence of C. difficile has been increasing in an university hospital, and an intervention for prevention and control of C. difficile associated diarrhea (CDAD) was in prompt need. Methods : Subjects were the patients in the neurosurgical intensive care unit(NCU) where C. difficile was most frequently isolated. To increase participation of various departments, we used the CQI method, because management of CDAD requires a wholistic approach including control of antibiotics, barrier precaution and environmental cleaning and disinfection. Duration of the CQI activities was 9 months from April to December 1999. Results : The identified problems were misuse and overuse of antibiotics, lack of consciousness of medical personnels and the possibility of transmission from the contaminated environment and tube feeding. Education for proper use of antibiotics and management of C. difficile infection, use of precaution stickers, supplement of handwashing equipments, emphasis on environmental disinfection, and the change of the process of tube feeding were done. The CDAD rate in NCU was significantly decreased after the CQI program (8.6 case per 1,000 patient days from January to April 1999 vs 4.8 from May to December 1999). The distribution of neurosurgical wards including NCU among the total number of isolated C. difficile from the clinical specimens dropped from 49.4% in January to April to 33,7% in May to December. The average hospital stay of the neurosurgical department changed from 19.6 days to 15.2 days. Also, the effect of the CQI activities for C. difficile may have affected the incidence of vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE). Duration and dosage of certain antibiotics used in the NS department were decreased. The distribution of neurosurgical department in the number of VRE isolated patients declined from 18.4% to 11.1%. Conclusion : Infection control of resistant organisms such as C. difficile is likely to be successful when management of environmental contamination an collaborative efforts of decreasing the patients' risk factors such as antibiotics management and decreasing the length of hospital stay come simultaneously. For this work, related departments need to actively participate in the entire process under a common target through discussions for identifying problems and bringing up solutions. In this respect, making use of a CQI team is an efficient method of infection control for gathering participation and cooperation of related departments.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.285-300
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• 2001

To meet standards for high quality of care and satisfied customers, an evaluation tool about nursing care is necessary. And, We need to evaluate our practice continuously for the improvement in quality and outcomes. This study was intended to develop an evaluation tool about nursing care in NSICU, and was progressed of 3 steps; development, content validity verification and reliability verification. Data were obtained and analysed from Feb. To April, 2000. Development process of the study was as follows A preliminary list was made item by item on the basis of clinical Experience, literature review and patients' record review. Then the standards, criteria and indicators of preliminary evaluation tool were set by 5 clinical nursing panel, and their content validity was reviewed by 27 ICU nurses. Finally, an evaluation tool was developed and verified the reliability at c-university hospital located in Kwang-Ju. The results of this was as follows 1) The evaluation tool of this study developed 8 standards, 39 criterias and 106 indicators. The standards were divided into two dimensions. One was process dimension which contained 4 standards(26 criteria), The other was outcome dimension which contained 4 standards(13 criteria). 2) the Average content validity of the tool was 3.39 at standards, 3.55 at criteria and 3.51 at indicators. 3) Interrater reliability of the tool is r=.7993(p<.001) & internal consistency reliability ${\alpha}$ is .6031 4) Scores of NSICU Patients who participated in this study were 57 at total mean score, 58 at process mean score and 56 at outcome mean score The evaluation tool developed in this study seems to be useful in evaluation nursing practice appropriately for the improvement of nursing care in NSICU. I hope that this evaluation tool can be used effectively in NSICU as an intervention for the improvement of quality control.